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The Thermal State of Permafrost in Canada - Results from the International Polar Year

Sharon L. Smith, Antoni G. Lewkowicz, Christopher R. Burn, Michel Allard, Jennifer Throop

In the proceedings of: GEO2010 Calgary: 63rd Canadian Geotechnical Conference & 6th Canadian Permafrost Conference

Session: M2-D

ABSTRACT: A snapshot of permafrost thermal state in northern Canada during the International Polar Year was developed with ground temperature measurements from about 170 boreholes. The measurements span a wide range of ecoclimate and geological conditions and are at various elevations. Ground temperatures within the discontinuous permafrost zone are generally above -2°C and range to as low as -15°C in the continuous zone. Permafrost temperatures have generally increased across northern Canada for the past several decades, with greater warming rates occurring north of tree line. Consequently the spatial diversity of permafrost thermal conditions is decreasing over time.

RÉSUMÉ: Un instantané de l'état thermique du pergélisol dans le nord du Canada au cours de l'Année polaire internationale a été élaboré en utilisant les mesures des températures au sol obtenues d'environ 170 puits. Les mesures couvraient une vaste gamme de conditions écoclimatiques et géologiques et diverses élévations. Les températures au sol au sein de la zone discontinue de pergélisol étaient généralement supérieures à -2°C et descendaient jusqu'à -15°C dans la zone continue. Les températures du pergélisol ont généralement augmenté dans tout le nord du Canada au cours des dernières décennies, les taux de réchauffement les plus marqués étant survenus au nord de la ligne des arbres. Par conséquent, la diversité spatiale des conditions thermiques du pergélisol diminue au fil du temps. 1 INTRODUCTION

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Cite this article:
Sharon L. Smith; Antoni G. Lewkowicz; Christopher R. Burn; Michel Allard; Jennifer Throop (2010) The Thermal State of Permafrost in Canada - Results from the International Polar Year in GEO2010. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Geotechnical Society.

@article{GEO2010_160, author = Sharon L. Smith; Antoni G. Lewkowicz; Christopher R. Burn; Michel Allard; Jennifer Throop,
title = The Thermal State of Permafrost in Canada - Results from the International Polar Year,
year = 2010
}