Influence of meteorological elements on changes in active-layer thickness in the Bellsund region, Svalbard

The 50th Anniversary of the First International Conference on Permafrost and Beyond

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)

MARSZ, A.A.

Dept. of Meteorology and Nautical Oceanography, Maritime Univ., Gdynia, Pologne

STYSZYŃSKA, A.

Dept. of Meteorology and Nautical Oceanography, Maritime Univ., Gdynia, Pologne

PĘKALA, K.

Univ. of Vincent Pol, Lublin, Pologne

REPELEWSKA-PĘKALOWA, J.

Dept. of Geomorphology, Maria Curie-Skłodowska Univ., Lublin, Pologne

Description :
Measurements of active-layer thickness (ALT) at 7 locations on Calypsostranda, Svalbard (CALM Site P1), over 1986–2009, are used to estimate the influence of cloudiness, precipitation, air temperature, the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). No statistically significant correlations were determined between ALT and monthly precipitation and cloudiness at Barentsburg, Hornsund and Svalbard Airport stations. There were, however, very strong and highly significant relationships with air temperatures in May and June. The influence of air temperature in May and June on ALT is indirect; it regulates the time of the melt of snow cover, which determines the duration of the ground-warming period. Using statistical relationships between ALT and air temperature at Svalbard Airport, the time series of ALT at Calypsostranda is reconstructed from 1911 to 2010. It was also found that the AO and the NAO did not significantly affect ALT and air temperature on western Spitsbergen.

Type de document :
Article de monographie

Source :
Permafrost and periglacial processes, issn : 1045-6740, 2013, vol. 24, n°. 4, p. 304-312, nombre de pages : 9, Références bibliographiques : 2 p.

Date :
2013

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Chichester, Wiley

Langue :
Anglais