Brief Communication: “An inventory of permafrost evidence for the European Alps”

• Published in: The Cryosphere
• Main Authors: Cremonese Edoardo, Gruber Stephan, Phillips Marcia, Pogliotti Paolo, Boeckli Lorenz, Noetzli Jannette, Suter Christoph, Bodin Xavier, Crepaz Andrea, Kellerer Pirklbauer Andreas, Lang Katrin, Letey Stephanie, Mair Volkmar, Morra di Cella Umberto, Ravanel Ludovic, Scapozza Christian, Zischg Andreas, SEPPI, ROBERTO
• Other Authors: Cremonese, Edoardo, Gruber, Stephan, Phillips, Marcia, Pogliotti, Paolo, Boeckli, Lorenz, Noetzli, Jannette, Suter, Christoph, Bodin, Xavier, Crepaz, Andrea, Kellerer Pirklbauer, Andrea, Lang, Katrin, Letey, Stephanie, Mair, Volkmar, Morra di Cella, Umberto, Ravanel, Ludovic, Scapozza, Christian, Seppi, Roberto, Zischg, Andreas
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: cryosphere; data set; heterogeneity; inventory; monitoring; numerical model; periglacial environment; permafrost; spatial analysis
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11571/269103; https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-5-651-2011; http://www.the-cryosphere.net/5/651/2011/tc-5-651-2011.html

The investigation and modelling of permafrost distribution, particularly in areas of discontinuous permafrost, is challenging due to spatial heterogeneity, remoteness of measurement sites and data scarcity. We have designed a strategy for standardizing different local data sets containing evidence of the presence or absence of permafrost into an inventory for the entire European Alps. With this brief communication, we present the structure and contents of this inventory. This collection of permafrost evidence not only highlights existing data and allows new analyses based on larger data sets, but also provides complementary information for an improved interpretation of monitoring results.