Open AccessMapping the response of permafrost in Canada to climate warming
Author(s) -
S L Smith,
M Burgess
Publication year - 1998
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
DOI - 10.4095/209962
Subject(s) - permafrost , climate change , environmental science , global warming , snow , vegetation (pathology) , active layer , climatology , physical geography , air temperature , geology , geography , geomorphology , oceanography , medicine , chemistry , organic chemistry , pathology , layer (electronics) , thin film transistor
The sensitivity of permafrost to climate warming is being examined as a contribution to a Geological Survey of Canada set of national syntheses on the impacts of climate change on active geological processes in Canada. Factors that influence the response ofpermafrost to climate warming have been compiled to produce preliminary maps showing the relative response of the ground thermal regime and the relative magnitude of the impact of thaw. About 50% of the present permafrost region contains permafrost warmer than -2°C. The potential for thawand complete degradation of this warm permafrost is the greatest given current General Circulation Model predictions of air temperature warming of up to 4 and 5°C. The maps indicate that while the thermal response to an increase in air temperature would be relatively low for this warmpermafrost (due to the buffering effects of surface vegetation, snow, and organic covers), the impact of associated permafrost thaw would be relatively high.