Monitoring Network for Atmospheric and Soil Parameters Measurements in Permafrost Area of Buryatia, Russian Federation

Abstract

The monitoring network for the measurement of atmospheric and soil climate parameters was created at the southern boundary of the permafrost zone within the territory of the Republic of Buryatia, Russian Federation. Based on the obtained data, the processes of soil freezing and thawing were studied. Negative temperatures in cold soils occurred within 5.5–6 months, whereas the subsoil was in a thawed state most of the year. On the contrary, permafrost-affected soils were thawed for 4.5–5 months, remaining frozen in the subsoil for most of the year. We propose referring to the observed spatial–temporal differences in the temperature dynamics as the “mirror imaging” of the distribution of heat and cold (frost) in the studied soils of the permafrost zone.

Permafrost Landscapes: Classification and Mapping

“…Monitoring is one of the primary methods in permafrost-landscape research. Badmaev and Bazarov [2] present a study of soil freezing and thawing processes in the southern margin of the permafrost zone in Transbaikalia, Buryatia, Russia. Their observations revealed spatial and temporal differences in the temperature dynamics that they refer to as the "mirror imaging" of the distribution of heat and cold (frost) in the studied soils of the permafrost zone.…”

“…Typically, landscapes are used as indicators of permafrost conditions, and landscape maps provide a basis for permafrost mapping. The Permafrost-Landscape Map of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) on a scale of 1:1,500,000 presented in this issue [2] is an independent map that depicts both the cryolithology of permafrost with ice contents, as well as ground temperature and active-layer thickness. For this compilation, the authors used the overlay method linking geological, geomorphological, and biohydroclimatic factors.…”

“…Earlier studies of CO 2 and CH 4 fluxes tended to focus on permafrost degradation, but it has become evident that more attention should be given to greenhouse gas emission from the alas landscapes [1]. Monitoring of the dynamics of permafrost landscapes and preliminary stability assessments will continue to be important and necessary [2,3]. The use of land surface temperature (LST) data from the Landsat-5 satellite in combination with other surface indicators has resulted in improvements in permafrost-landscape mapping [4] and has great potential for future applications.…”

Assessing the State of Structural Foundations in Permafrost Regions by Means of Acoustic Testing

“…One of the major methods is temperature control. There are two key approaches to how data is obtained on permafrost temperature: measuring soil temperature profiles, using sensors installed in boreholes [5,8,9], and satellite remote sensing of the earth's surface [10,11]. There are a lot of mathematical models that have been developed to assess temperature distribution in soils [10,[12][13][14].…”

Climate Global Change and Its Response on the Soil Cover of the Southern Border of the Transbaikalia Cryolithosis

“…За последнюю половину века глобальная температура воздуха росла со скоростью приблизительно 0,2 °С за десятилетие. Климатические изменения влияют на глобальные колебания пожаров, на их количество и площадь в ближайшие десятилетия, а также на распространение и деградацию сезонной и многолетней мерзлоты в Забайкалье [1,2].…”