Articles | Volume 13, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-693-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-693-2019
© Author(s) 2019. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
28 Feb 2019
Research article |
| 28 Feb 2019
| 28 Feb 2019
New insights into the environmental factors controlling the ground thermal regime across the Northern Hemisphere: a comparison between permafrost and non-permafrost areas
Olli Karjalainen
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
Miska Luoto
Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki,
00014, Helsinki, Finland
Juha Aalto
Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki,
00014, Helsinki, Finland
Finnish Meteorological Institute, 00101, Helsinki, Finland
Jan Hjort
Geography Research Unit, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
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Knowledge about permafrost extent is required with respect to climate change. We used borehole temperature records from across the Arctic for the assessment of surface status information (frozen or unfrozen) derived from space-borne microwave sensors for permafrost extent mapping. The comparison to mean annual ground temperature (MAGT) at the coldest sensor depth revealed that not only extent but also temperature can be obtained from C-band-derived surface state with a residual error of 2.22 °C.
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Short summary
Using a statistical modelling framework, we examined the environmental factors controlling ground thermal regimes inside and outside the Northern Hemisphere permafrost domain. We found that climatic factors were paramount in both regions, but with varying relative importance and effect size. The relationships were often non-linear, especially in permafrost conditions. Our results suggest that these non-linearities should be accounted for in future ground thermal models at the hemisphere scale.
Using a statistical modelling framework, we examined the environmental factors controlling...
