The Arctic Research Consortium of the U.S. (ARCUS) invites registration for the next Arctic Research Seminar featurin g Vladimir Romanovsky, a Professor Emeritus in Geophysics at the G eophysical Institute and the Department of Geosciences, University of Alask a Fairbanks; and head of the Geophysical Institute Permafrost Laboratory. D r. Romanovsky’s presentation, titled Planning and Implementing the Thermal State of Permafrost Monitoring System in Alaska, will be held via Zoom on Thursday, 28 October 2021 at 9:00 a.m. AKDT (1:00 p.m. EDT).
Semi nar Abstract:
The Thermal State of Permafrost (TSP) monitoring system was initiated by the United States G eological Survey in the 1940s and 1950s as a set of ground temperature obse rvations in a number of deep (200 to 1000 m) boreholes. The main reason for these measurements originally was the investigation of the geothermal cond itions in Alaska. However, in the 1970s and in the beginning of the 1980s, the interpretation of the obtained data showed that a significant warming i n the upper part (20 to 50 m) of many boreholes has occurred during the mid -20th century.
About this time, another TSP monitoring system was established in Alaska by the Geophysical Institut e at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). Since then, these two monito ring systems are the most active and most productive in terms of TSP data c ollecting and interpretation. The goal of this monitoring was to use the re cords of permafrost temperature in relatively deep boreholes as an indicato r of Climate Change. Later, with further development of the monitoring syst ems and with the addition of the number of monitored parameters, the main g oal of monitoring started to shift to the use of permafrost and active laye r characteristics as an indicator of changes in the entire Arctic System.
In more recent times, the goals of the ST P monitoring system in Alaska are evolving into not only to monitor but als o to predict the changes in permafrost characteristics and the ground tempe rature regime in the near and more distant future and how these changes wil l impact climate, arctic hydrology, ecosystems, and infrastructure.
Historically, moving from one task to the next required: 1) additional measured parameters to be added; and 2) increasing temporal (continuous vs. one-time measurements) and spatial (number of obse rving stations and their geographical distribution) resolution of observati ons and modeling. As a result, the TSP monitoring system in Alaska is getti ng more complex, more distributed, more difficult to access, more expensive , and more effort and resources are required to support this system.
During this presentation, some examples of the results of this monitoring system obtained at each stage of its developmen t will be presented. Dr. Romanovsky will only be discussing the ground-base d observation system. The use of remote sensing observations will be mentio ned only briefly.
Registrati on is required for this event. Instructions for accessing the webinar will be sent to registrants prior to the event.
To register for the event, go to:
ARCUS
Arctic Research Seminar Series webpage