HR: 0800h
AN: C21A-0063    [Abstracts]
TI: Spatial and Temporal Variation of Soil Temperatures and Snow Cover in the Kuparuk River Basin, Alaska
AU: * Gieck, R E
EM: fnreg@uaf.edu
AF: University of Alaska Water and Environmental Research Center, PO Box 755860, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860, United States
AU: Kane, D L
EM: ffdlk@uaf.edu
AF: University of Alaska Water and Environmental Research Center, PO Box 755860, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860, United States
AU: Hinzman, L D
EM: ffldh@uaf.edu
AF: University of Alaska Water and Environmental Research Center, PO Box 755860, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860, United States
AB: A series of environmental studies have been carried out in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range and the Arctic Coastal Plain in the Kuparuk River Basin, Alaska to develop a better understanding of the physical and climatic dynamics of an arctic ecosystem. As part of these studies, soil temperature and snow depth measurements along a transect from near the Beaufort Sea coast across the coastal plain to the Brooks Range foothills were made continuously at eight locations. Summarized here are trends observed in soil temperature spanning the last 21 years in this area. Soil temperatures measurements were made in the active layer and permafrost to depths exceeding 10 meters. Data collection began at three of these sites in 1986, with other sites being added until 1994. These data sets are of sufficient length to begin showing long-term trends in arctic soil temperature and the relationship between snow depth and winter soil temperature. All locations show a trend to warming soils over the period, especially in the deeper permafrost soils. Soil temperatures at all sites indicate warming of the permafrost. Summertime soil temperatures within the active layer do not indicate warmer soils.
DE: 0702 Permafrost (0475)
DE: 0704 Seasonally frozen ground
DE: 0736 Snow (1827, 1863)
DE: 0768 Thermal regime
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting