Permafrost development and active-layer hydrology of peat plateaus in wetland-dominated discontinuous permafrost

Christensen, Brendan

Permafrost development and active-layer hydrology of peat plateaus in wetland-dominated discontinuous permafrost

atmire.migration.oldid	1971
dc.contributor.advisor	Hayashi, Masaki
dc.contributor.author	Christensen, Brendan
dc.date.accessioned	2014-04-09T15:37:01Z
dc.date.available	2014-06-16T07:00:29Z
dc.date.issued	2014-04-09
dc.date.submitted	2014	en
dc.description.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.	en_US
dc.identifier.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	en_US
dc.identifier.doi	http://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/27308
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/11023/1410
dc.language.iso	eng
dc.publisher.faculty	Graduate Studies
dc.publisher.institution	University of Calgary	en
dc.publisher.place	Calgary	en
dc.rights	University of Calgary graduate students retain copyright ownership and moral rights for their thesis. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.
dc.subject	Hydrology
dc.subject	Engineering--Environmental
dc.subject.classification	Hydrology	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Permafrost	en_US
dc.subject.classification	subarctic	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Peatlands	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Runoff	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Active-layer	en_US
dc.title	Permafrost development and active-layer hydrology of peat plateaus in wetland-dominated discontinuous permafrost
dc.type	master thesis
thesis.degree.discipline	Geoscience
thesis.degree.grantor	University of Calgary
thesis.degree.name	Master of Science (MSc)
ucalgary.item.requestcopy	true