Permafrost development and active-layer hydrology of peat plateaus in wetland-dominated discontinuous permafrost
Date
2014-04-09
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
In the wetland dominated discontinuous permafrost of the Canadian sub-artic, hydrological processes are governed by permafrost and active layer development associated with different landcover types. Subsurface runoff from the mosaic of different landcover types in the Scotty Creek research basin, Northwest Territories, Canada, is governed by permafrost cored peat plateaus that are elevated above surrounding bogs and fens.
To predict how runoff from peat plateaus in this environment may be changing as permafrost freeze-thaw processes evolve under changing physical and climatic conditions, a model accounting for surface and soil freeze-thaw processes and lateral runoff from simplified peat plateaus is developed. This model utilizes the Northern Ecosystem Soil Temperature (NEST) model to simulate surface and soil freeze-thaw processes by solving the surface energy balance and soil heat conduction equation. As runoff processes from NEST are not physically based, the Simple Fill And Spill Hydrology (SFASH) model, developed for simulating subsurface runoff from peat plateaus, was integrated into NEST to control plateau drainage processes.
From the various scenario based simulations developed using NEST, SFASH, and the coupled NEST/SFASH model, response of active layer, permafrost and runoff development to changing physical and climatic conditions is observed. As this sensitive wetland dominated discontinuous permafrost environment continues to experience change, physically based models, such as the one developed herein, will be invaluable for helping gain an understanding of how these landscapes will evolve, and will help to create adaptation and mitigation strategies for northern communities.
Description
Keywords
Hydrology, Engineering--Environmental
Citation
Christensen, B. (2014). Permafrost development and active-layer hydrology of peat plateaus in wetland-dominated discontinuous permafrost (Master's thesis, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada). Retrieved from https://prism.ucalgary.ca. doi:10.11575/PRISM/27308