The cooling effect of crushed rock structures on permafrost under an embankment

Based on the analysis and comparison of soil temperature, thermal regime and permafrost table under the experimental embankment of crushed rock structures in Beiluhe, results show that crushed rock structures provide an extensive cooling effect, which produces a rising permafrost table and decreasing soil temperatures. The rise of the permafrost table under the embankment ranges from an increase of 1.08 m to 1.67 m, with an average of 1.27 m from 2004 to 2007. Mean annual soil temperatures under the crushed rock layer embankment decreased significantly from 2005 to 2007, with average decreases of ?1.03 °C at the depth of 0.5 m, ?1.14 °C at the depth of 1.5 m, and ?0.5 °C at the depth of 5 m. During this period, mean annual soil temperatures under the crushed rock cover embankment showed a slight decrease at shallow depths, with an average decrease of ?0.2 °C at the depth of 0.5 m and 1.5 m, but a slight rise at the depth of 5 m. After the crushed rock structures were closed or crammed with sand, the cooling effect of the crushed rock layer embankment was greatly reduced and that of the crushed rock cover embankment was just slightly reduced.     

Analysis about the influence on the thermal regime in permafrost regions with different underlying surfaces

In the last several decades, the underlying surface conditions on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau have changed dramatically, causing permafrost degradation due to climate change and human activities. This change severely influenced the cold regions environment and engineering infrastructure built above permafrost. Permafrost is a product of the interaction between the atmosphere and the ground. The formation and change of permafrost are determined by the energy exchange between earth and atmosphere system. Fieldwork was performed in order to learn how land surface change influenced the thermal regime in permafrost regions. In this article, the field data observed in the Fenghuo Mountain regions was used to analyze the thermal conditions under different underlying surfaces on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Results show that underlying surface change may alter the primary energy balance and the thermal conditions of permafrost. The thermal flux in the permafrost regions is also changed, resulting in rising upper soil temperature and thickening active layer. Vegetation could prevent solar radiation from entering the ground, cooling the ground in the warm season. Also, vegetation has heat insulation and heat preservation functions related to the ground surface and may keep the permafrost stable. Plots covered with black plastic film have higher temperatures compared with plots covered by natural vegetation. The reason is that black plastic film has a low albedo, which could increase the absorbed solar radiation, and also decrease evapotranspiration. The ＂greenhouse effect＂ of transparent plastic film might effectively reduce the emission of long-wave radiation from the surface, decreasing heat loss from the earth＇s surface, and prominently increasing ground surface temperature.     

Cooling effect of convection-intensifying composite embankment with air doors on permafrost

One of the main construction problems in permafrost regions is protecting permafrost thermal stability. Although ventilating ducts and crushed-rock layers were successfully used in railway embankment construction, their effects might not meet large-width expressway requirements. The convection-intensifying composite embankment composed of perforated ventilation ducts and crushed-rock layers was numerically studied to investigate its cooling effects. Adopting a numerical model, the temperature fields for two kinds of composite embankment with and without air doors were analyzed considering air flow and heat transfer characteristics in porous media. The results show that wind velocity in the crushed-rock zone is intensified by the perforated ventilation duct. The underlying permafrost temperature obviously decreases, and the 0 °C isotherm position rises significantly due to composite embankment. The composite embankment with air doors is more effective than that without air doors. Therefore, the new convection-intensifying composite embankment is potentially a highly efficient cooling measure for construction in permafrost regions.     

ASSESSING THE PALAEOCLIMATE POTENTIAL OF CAVE GLACIERS: THE EXAMPLE OF THE SČRIŞOARA ICE CAVE (ROMANIA)

ABSTRACT. The ice block in Scarisoara Cave, NW Romania, is preserved due to unusual climate and permafrost conditions within the cave. The air temperature in the cave is governed by the winter cold, the cooling effect of the ice block, and only to a minor extent influenced by summer temperatures. At present, the ice block is slowly thinning, but the present-day climate is sufficiently cold to preserve the permafrost conditions caused by the cold air trapped in the cave. In February 2003 a 22.5 m long ice core was recovered from the ice block. Approximately 200 ice layers have been identified by visual examination. Ice crystallographic analyses indicate a steady growth of ice crystals with depth and there is no sign of deformation. Carbon-14 dates on wood-related samples collected from a natural vertical exposure of the ice block indicate that the ice spans more than 1000 years. Observations on the exposure indicate that a basal melting phase may have occurred in the past.     

A climatic variation observed in permafrost temperature at Kangiqsualujjuaq in northern Quebec

Permafrost temperatures from the surface down to about 9 m from 3 boreholes distributed around Kangiqsualujjuaq village on the coast of Hudson Strait were recorded and analyzed for the period 1989 1998. The results indicate that the permafrost is getting warm along the southern shore of Hudson Strait from 1993 to 1998 though it became cooling for the past 40 a or more. The observed trend in the order of 0.098℃/a at the 9 m depth is consistent with the long term regional warming observed in air temperatures. It also coincides with that all the global circulation models predict an enhanced warming in polar regions associated with the increase in concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.     

Geographical patterns of the summer thermal regime of soils in Transbaikalia

Long-term temperature data on a soil layer 3.2 m in thickness have been used in the differentiation of a topographically highly complicated permafrost on the territory of Transbaikalia. It was found that the geographical ranges are most clearly identified from mean annual temperature values. The schematic map displays the areas with the temperatures –4 to–1°C,–1 to 1°C and 1 to 4°C which are in good agreement with the permafrost distribution pattern (continuous and discontinuous permafrost, and permafrost islands). A classification of the thermal conditions of soils is carried out according to the highest mean monthly temperature at all depths. We identified four types which are characterized by the qualitative assessment as warm, moderately warm, cold and very cold. A relevant cartographic model shows the distribution of the thermal regime of soils for a warm season. The dot method was used to provide a clear display of available information on soil temperature, and it was possible to show the existence of small areas of the types of thermal regime and their fragmentation. Current changes in soil temperature were determined for August, which are in good agreement with regional changes in ground air temperature. In either case, we observed positive linear trends. Assessments of thermal resources of the soil layer and their geographical patterns belonging to the widespread depression-valley and valley natural systems as well as to the relatively planate surfaces of Transbaikalia can be used for scientific and practical purposes.     

Laboratory test on the combined cooling effect of L-shaped thermosyphons and thermal insulation on high-grade roadway construction in permafrost regions

With the completion of the Qinghai-Tibetan Railway,economic development of related areas has been greatly accelerated.This,in return,calls for building or upgrading more roadways,especially high-grade roadways.In cold regions,the thawing of permafrost can induce settlement damage of and even failure to railway (or roadway) embankments.Thermosyphons (self-powered refrigera-tion devices that are used to help keep the permafrost cool) have proved effective in mitigating thaw settlement by maintaining the thermal stability of the embankments.However,for high-grade roadway embankments of great width,stabilizing or cooling ef-fects of traditional geotechnological measures may be limited.To enhance the cooling effect of thermosyphons,an L-shaped thermosyphon was designed.A laboratory test was carried out to study the combined cooling effect of the L-shaped thermosyphon and thermal insulation applying to roadbed construction.The angle between the evaporator and condenser sections of the L-shaped thermosyphon is 134 degrees,and the L-shaped thermosyphon was inserted into the soil at an angle of 5 degrees with the road surface.The tested results show that the L-shaped thermosyphon is effective in removing heat from a roadway in winter.When the ambient air temperature is lower than the soil temperature,the thermosyphon is active and extracts the heat in the soil around it.When the ambient air temperature is higher than the soil temperature,the thermosyphon is inactive,and no heat is in-jected into the soil through the L-shaped thermosyphon.Compared to embankments with straight thermosyphons,the inner parts of the embankments with L-shaped thermosyphons were significantly cooled.It is hoped that the present study would be useful to the application of L-shaped thermosyphons in the construction of high-grade roadways in cold regions.     

The changing process and trend of ground temperature around tower foundations of Qinghai-Tibet Power Transmission line

After the construction of Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Railway, the Qinghai-Tibet Power Transmission(QTPT) line is another major permafrost engineering project with new types of engineering structures. The changing process and trend of ground temperature around tower foundations are crucial for the stability of QTPT. We analyzed the change characteristics and tendencies of the ground temperature based on field monitoring data from 2010 to 2014. The results reveal that soil around the tower foundations froze and connected with the artificial permafrost induced during the construction of footings after the first freezing period, and the soil below the original permafrost table kept freezing in subsequent thawing periods. The ground temperature lowered to that of natural fields, fast or slowly for tower foundations with thermosyphons,while for tower foundations without thermosyphons, the increase in ground temperature resulted in higher temperature than that of natural fields. Also, the permafrost temperature and ice content are significant factors that influence the ground temperature around tower foundations. Specifically, the ground temperature around tower foundations in warm and ice-rich permafrost regions decreased slowly, while that in cold and ice poor permafrost regions cooled faster. Moreover, foundations types impacted the ground temperature, which consisted of different technical processes during construction and variant of tower footing structures. The revealed changing process and trend of the ground temperature is beneficial for evaluating the thermal regime evolution around tower foundations in the context of climate change.     

Soil temperatures and stability of ice-cemented ground in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

Year-round temperature measurements at 1600 m elevation during 1994 in the Asgard Range Antarctica, indicate that the mean annual frost point of the ice-cemented ground, 25 cm below the surface, is -21.7 +/- 0.2 degrees C and the mean annual frost point of the atmosphere is -27.5 +/- 1.0 degrees C. The corresponding mean annual temperatures are -24.9 degrees C and -23.3 degrees C. These results imply that there is a net flux of water vapour from the ice to the atmosphere resulting in a recession of the ice-cemented ground by about 0.4-0.6 mm yr-1. The level of the ice-cemented permafrost is about 12 cm below the level of dry permafrost. The summer air temperatures would have to increase about 7 degrees C for thawing temperatures to just reach the top of the subsurface ice. Either subsurface ice at this location is evaporating over time or there are sporadic processes that recharge the ice and maintain equilibrium over long timescales.     

Using relict rockglaciers in GIS-based modelling to reconstruct Younger Dryas permafrost distribution patterns in the Err-Julier area,Swiss Alp

Differences in mean annual air temperature between the Younger Dryas period and today were estimated at the fronts of 32 relict rockglaciers in the Err-Julier area, eastern Swiss Alps. The analyses were based on a case-by-case calculation of direct incoming solar radiation and mean annual air temperature using a digital elevation model (DEM) and meteo data of recent years. Our results suggest that mean annual air temperature during the Younger Dryas was lowered by c. 3C to 4C, and that the lower limit of permafrost occurrence was depressed considerably more than glacier equilibrium lines. This indicates strongly reduced precipitation (30% to 40% reduction) and much larger abundance of mountain permafrost at that time. A model simulation of the corresponding spatial permafrost distribution during the Younger Dryas indicates that glaciers in the study area were mostly surrounded by permafrost at that time and probably had a polythermal structure of englacial temperatures.     

Roadbed, embankment, tower support and culvert stability problems on permafrost

The history of railway and highway construction in permafrost zones in Russia, the United States, Canada, and China spans more than 110 years. Nonetheless, no railway track or highway has yet been built in such area that is impervious to deformation caused by subsidence resulting from the thawing of ice-rich subgrade soils. This paper presents data on the roadbed states of the Transbaikalian and the Baikal-Amur Railways as well as the Russian "AMUR" Chita-Khabarovsk Highway. It also discusses the feasibility of roadbed stability maintenance using methods based on the reduction of the mean annual ground temperature and roadbed preservation in a permafrost state by means of the natural cooling and heating factors ratio regulation resulting in a reduction of the heat generation in the roadbed and the adjoining area accompanied by an increase of heat consumption with help of the sun-precipitation protective sheds (awnings), rock covers, dolomite powder (reflective paint), cooling tube and thermosyphons as well as tower supports and corrugated pipe culverts stability.     

青藏高原西部区域多年冻土分布模拟及其下限估算

准确评估青藏高原西部多年冻土的空间分布及多年冻土下限深度情况对该区地下水资源利用、生态环境保护有重要意义.本文依托科技基础性工作专项“青藏高原多年冻土本底调查”在该区及周边取得的冻土调查资料,利用遥感数据和扩展地面冻结数模型模拟了该区多年冻土的空间分布,调查区的模拟验证表明该方法有较高的精度.在此基础上,根据有限的地温实测资料建立了地温与位置、高程、坡向和太阳辐射的关系,并根据地温-下限关系估算了该区多年冻土下限深度的分布情况.研究表明,该区有多年冻土约占36.9%,季节冻土占57.5%,多年冻土主要分布在34°N~36.5°N范围的喀喇昆仑、西昆仑一带,季节冻土主要分布在塔里木盆地和34°N以南地区.阿里高原及以南是岛状多年冻土分布区域,其多年冻土分布面积少于此前出版的冻土图所绘制的.青藏高原西部区域的多年冻土下限深度整体表现为由东南-西北逐渐加深.     

青藏高原沙漠化与冻土相互作用的研究

利用青藏高原地表热量平衡和长期地温观测的资料探讨高原沙漠化与冻土的相互作用,发现沙丘下或厚沙层覆盖地段下的地温较邻近天然无沙地表有所升高,而薄沙层覆盖地段下的地温反而比天然无沙地表有降低的趋势。分析造成高原冻土区沙漠化的因素有些与其它沙漠化区相似,但有些因素与高原冻土有关并具有特殊性。高原冻土层与土地沙漠化二者之间相辅相成、相互制约、相互作用、协调演化,构成了目前高原冻土区生态平衡系统。     

Estimation of Shallow Geothermal Energy Resource in Canada: Heat Gain and Heat Sink

Maps of shallow depth (down to −250 m) temperature distribution across Canada show large variability, related mainly to surface climatic forcing. Very small changes of temperature with depth in the upper 250 m are related to heat gained by the subsurface due to recent global warming. Temperature data compiled from precise temperature logs in equilibrium wells, and temperature time series from a network of meteorological stations, allow calculation of the available heat energy for heating in the cold period and for cooling in peak warm months. Utilization of this energy resource has the potential for significant CO₂ reduction in Canada. The geothermal energy stored in the ground can be used, with the help of heat pumps, for heating, given very low winter temperatures. The amount of potential heat available is vast. In Canada, south of permafrost border, the integrated value of potentially available heat during the heating season down to −50 m is 1.1 E21 J (1100 quads).     

Characteristics of permafrost degradation in Northeast China and its ecological effects: A review

Latitudinal permafrost in Northern Northeast(NNE)China is located in the southern margin of the Eurasian continent,and is very sensitive to climatic and environmental change.Numerical simulations indicate that air temperature in the permafrost regions of Northeast China has been on the rise since the 1950s,and will keep rising in the 21st century,leading to extensive degradation of permafrost.Permafrost degradation in NNE China has its own characteristics,such as northward shifts in the shape of a"W"for the permafrost southern boundary(SLP),discontinuous permafrost degradation into islandlike frozen soil,and gradually disappearing island permafrost.Permafrost degradation leads to deterioration of the ecological environment in cold regions.As a result,the belt of larch forests dominated by Larix gmelinii has shifted northwards and wetland areas with symbiotic relationships with permafrost have decreased significantly.With rapid retreat and thinning of permafrost and vegetation change,the CO2 and CH4 flux increases with mean air temperature from continuous to sporadic permafrost areas as a result of activity of methanogen enhancement,positively feeding back to climate warming.This paper reviews the features of permafrost degradation,the effects of permafrost degradation on wetland and forest ecosystem structure and function,and greenhouse gas emissions on latitudinal permafrost in NNE China.We also put forward critical questions about the aforementioned effects,including:(1)establish long-term permafrost observation systems to evaluate the distribution of permafrost and SLP change,in order to study the feedback of permafrost to climate change;(2)carry out research about the effects of permafrost degradation on the wetland ecosystem and the response of Xing'an larch to global change,and predict ecosystem dynamics in permafrost degradation based on long-term field observation;(3)focus intensively on the dynamics of greenhouse gas flux in permafrost degradation of Northeast China and the feedback of greenhouse gas emissions to climate change;(4)quantitative studies on the permafrost carbon feedback and vegetation carbon feedback due to permafrost change to climate multi-impact and estimate the balance of C in permafrost regions in the future.     

青藏高原风火山地区冻土变化分析

基于对多年来风火山地区的多年冻土资料,研究了天然地区和路基下的冻土上限变化情况以及多年冻土的融化状态,并定量分析了进入多年冻土内的热状况。结果表明：风火山地区从20世纪70年代到90年代中期冻土上限下降,冻土出现退化现象,从90年代至今冻土趋于稳定；路基近地表地温明显高于对应天然地表下的地温,路基近地表经历的融化期长于对应天然地表,进入多年冻土区的热收支也呈现出吸热明显大于放热的周期性变化,进入多年冻土的热积累暂时以增高地温耗热为主,但随着冻土吸热量的逐年积累、冻土温度的不断升高,本区冻土可能发生强烈融化。     

Mountain permafrost landscapes of Yakutia

An analysis is made of the spectrum of altitudinal zonality of mountain permafrost landscapes of Yakutia. The intervals of the values of characteristics of particular landscape altitudinal zones are provided, namely, the marks of their boundaries in accordance with a change in the latitude of the locality, the indices of freezing and thawing, mean yearly air temperatures, the pattern of occurrence, the thickness and temperature of permafrost, the thickness of the active layer as well as the accompanying permafrost-geological processes and phenomena.     

基于MODIS温度的青藏高原多年冻土活动层厚度变化研究

基于MODIS温度数据,采用TTOP模型和Stefan公式模拟了青藏高原地区的冻土分布并计算了活动层厚度,并与地面观测结果进行了对比。结果表明：2003—2019年青藏高原多年冻土面积为1.01×10⁶ km²;多年冻土活动层厚度区域平均值为1.79 m, 活动层厚度区域平均的变化率为3.67 cm/10a,且草甸地区的变化率明显大于草原地区,5100~5300 m高程带的活动层厚度变化速率最大。     

近30年来青藏高原西大滩多年冻土变化

结合1975年已有勘探资料,对青藏高原多年冻土北界西大滩进行了雷达勘探。勘探发现,近30年来青藏高原多年冻土北界发生较大规模的多年冻土退化,多年冻土面积从1975年的160.5 km²退化成现在的141.0 km²,缩小约12%;开始出现多年冻土的最低高程为4 385 m,比1975年升高了25 m。近30年来研究区的气候变化是造成北界多年冻土退化的主要原因。相同气候背景下,多年冻土腹部地温有升高,但在30年尺度上不会发生明显的退化。本次冻土区域调查的结果可为检验冻土－气候关系模型的可靠与否提供依据。     

Dynamic behavior of the Qinghai-Tibetan railway embankment in permafrost regions under trained-induced vertical loads

The unfrozen water content and ice content of frozen soil change continuously with varying temperatures, resulting in the temperature dependence of mechanical properties of frozen soil. Thus the dynamic behavior of embankment in permafrost regions under train loading also alters with seasons. Based on a series of strong-motion tests that were carried out on the traditional embankment of Qinghai-Tibet Railway(QTR) in permafrost regions, the acceleration waveforms recorded at the embankment shoulder and slope toes were obtained. Testing results show an obvious attenuation effect on the vertical train loading from road shoulder to slope toes. Furthermore, numerical simulations of a traditional embankment under vertical train loading in different seasons were conducted, and the dynamic behavior of the embankment was described. The results show that the vibration attenuation in the cold season is greater than that in the warm season. The maximum acceleration of vibration drops to about 5% when the train vibration load is transferred through the embankment into the permafrost, and the high-frequency components are absorbed when the vibration transmits downward. Moreover, the dynamic stress under the dynamic train loading decreases exponentially with an increasing depth in different seasons. The results can be a reference for design and maintenance of embankments in permafrost regions.