V. E. Romanovsky et al., PPP 21 (2010), Thermal state of permafrost in Russia

Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, Vol. 21, No. 2, pp. 136-155; DOI:  10.1002/ppp.683

Thermal state of permafrost in Russia

 

V. E. Romanovsky et al.

Abstract 

The results of the International Permafrost Association's International Polar Year Thermal State of Permafrost (TSP) project are presented based on field measurements from Russia during the IPY years (2007-2009) and collected historical data. Most ground temperatures measured in existing and new boreholes show a substantial warming during the last 20-30 years. The magnitude of the warming varied with location, but was typically from 0.5 °C to 2 °C at the depth of zero annual amplitude. Thawing of Little Ice Age permafrost is ongoing at many locations. There are some indications that the late Holocene permafrost has begun to thaw at some undisturbed locations in northeastern Europe and northwest Siberia. Thawing of permafrost is most noticeable within the discontinuous permafrost domain. However, permafrost in Russia is also starting to thaw at some limited locations in the continuous permafrost zone. As a result, a northward displacement of the boundary between continuous and discontinuous permafrost zones was observed. This data set will serve as a baseline against which to measure changes of near-surface permafrost temperatures and permafrost boundaries, to validate climate model scenarios, and for temperature reanalysis.

Received 9 January 2010; revised 7 March 2010; accepted 14 March 2010.

Link to abstract:  http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/123501977/abstract