Influences of Snow Cover on the Thermal Regimes of Xing'an Permafrost in Northeast China in 1960s–2010s

Abstract

The distributive characteristics of snow cover and their impacting mechanisms on ground thermal regimes in Northeast China remain evasive because of limited systematic studies. In this study, based on long‐term ground‐based observational data and auxiliary topographic data, geographically weighted regression kriging (GWRK) method and the temperature at the top of permafrost (TTOP) model were used to analyze the influences of snow cover duration (SCD) and average snow depth over the SCD (ASDSCD) on the thermal regimes of Xing'an permafrost in Northeast China in the 1960s–2010s. The results show a remarkable reduction of permafrost extent in Northeast China from the 1960s to 2010s, with an average reduction rate of 4.115 × 104 km2/decade. In permafrost regions, from the 1960s to 2010s, average SCD varied between 150 and 160 days, and the regional average of ASDSCD between 8 and 14 cm. Increases in ASDSCD led to a rise of TTOP. From the 1960s to 2010s, the regional average of ASDSCD increased by 3.53 cm, and that of TTOP by 2.02°C. The research results can provide scientific basis and data support for evaluating the responses of permafrost and cold region ecosystems to climate change in Northeast China.

Permafrost thermal dynamics at a local scale in northern Da Xing’anling Mountains

“…Note: • C/10a(Xie and Kosaka 2017), and similar results were also found in Northeast China(Sun et al 2018, Zhou et al 2020b. For example, analysis Climate, snow cover, and vegetation interact with each other and collectively influence ALT and ground temperatures of near-surface permafrost(Wang et al 2024). It is well-known that permafrost temperatures can lag behind climate change(Zhou et al 2000a).…”

An integrated dataset of ground hydrothermal regimes and soil nutrients monitored during 2016–2022 in some previously burned areas in hemiboreal forests in Northeast China

“…Located on the southern margin of Eastern Asian hemiboreal forests and permafrost zones, the Da Xing'anling (Hinggan) Mountains in Northeast China are prone to frequent and massive wildfires. The Xing'an permafrost here is controlled or strongly affected by many local factors, such as dense vegetation cover, thick organic layer, stable snow cover, and anthropic development (Jin et al, 2007;Șerban et al, 2021;Wang et al, 2024). The ecosystem-dominated (driven, modified, or protected) permafrost is very sensitive to climate warming and prone to wildfires (Shur and Jorgenson, 2007).…”