Post-fire stabilization of thaw-affected permafrost terrain in northern Alaska.

ABSTRACT: In 2007, the Anaktuvuk River fire burned more than 1000 km² of arctic tundra in northern Alaska, ~ 50% of which occurred in an area with ice-rich syngenetic permafrost (Yedoma). By 2014, widespread degradation of ice wedges was apparent in the Yedoma region. In a 50 km² area, thaw subsidence was detected across 15% of the land area in repeat airborne LiDAR data acquired in 2009 and 2014. Updating observations with a 2021 airborne LiDAR dataset show that additional thaw subsidence was detected in < 1% of the study area, indicating stabilization of the thaw-affected permafrost terrain. Ground temperature measurements between 2010 and 2015 indicated that the number of near-surface soil thawing-degree-days at the burn site were 3 × greater than at an unburned control site

SUBMITTER: Jones BM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11009396 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature