Articles | Volume 20, issue 8
https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-20-4619-2026
© Author(s) 2026. 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-20-4619-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| Highlight paper
| 
21 Aug 2026
Research article | Highlight paper |
| 21 Aug 2026
| 21 Aug 2026
Spatial heterogeneity in post-fire permafrost evolution as revealed by satellite radar observations
Barbara Widhalm
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
b.geos, Industriestrasse 1, 2100 Korneuburg, Austria
Austrian Polar Research Institute, c/o Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria
Annett Bartsch
b.geos, Industriestrasse 1, 2100 Korneuburg, Austria
Austrian Polar Research Institute, c/o Universität Wien, Vienna, Austria
Benjamin Jones
University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, United States
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Annett Bartsch, Aleksandra Efimova, Barbara Widhalm, Xaver Muri, Clemens von Baeckmann, Helena Bergstedt, Ksenia Ermokhina, Gustaf Hugelius, Birgit Heim, and Marina Leibman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 2421–2481, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2421-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-2421-2024, 2024
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Wetness gradients and landcover diversity for the entire Arctic tundra have been assessed using a novel satellite-data-based map. Patterns of lakes, wetlands, general soil moisture conditions and vegetation physiognomy are represented at 10 m. About 40 % of the area north of the treeline falls into three units of dry types, with limited shrub growth. Wetter regions have higher landcover diversity than drier regions.
Annett Bartsch, Helena Bergstedt, Georg Pointner, Xaver Muri, Kimmo Rautiainen, Leena Leppänen, Kyle Joly, Aleksandr Sokolov, Pavel Orekhov, Dorothee Ehrich, and Eeva Mariatta Soininen
The Cryosphere, 17, 889–915, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-889-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-17-889-2023, 2023
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Rain-on-snow (ROS) events occur across many regions of the terrestrial Arctic in mid-winter. In extreme cases ice layers form which affect wildlife, vegetation and soils beyond the duration of the event. The fusion of multiple types of microwave satellite observations is suggested for the creation of a climate data record. Retrieval is most robust in the tundra biome, where records can be used to identify extremes and the results can be applied to impact studies at regional scale.
Mauricio Arboleda-Zapata, Michael Angelopoulos, Pier Paul Overduin, Guido Grosse, Benjamin M. Jones, and Jens Tronicke
The Cryosphere, 16, 4423–4445, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4423-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-4423-2022, 2022
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We demonstrate how we can reliably estimate the thawed–frozen permafrost interface with its associated uncertainties in subsea permafrost environments using 2D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) data. In addition, we show how further analyses considering 1D inversion and sensitivity assessments can help quantify and better understand 2D ERT inversion results. Our results illustrate the capabilities of the ERT method to get insights into the development of the subsea permafrost.
Jason A. Clark, Elchin E. Jafarov, Ken D. Tape, Benjamin M. Jones, and Victor Stepanenko
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 7421–7448, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7421-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-7421-2022, 2022
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Lakes in the Arctic are important reservoirs of heat. Under climate warming scenarios, we expect Arctic lakes to warm the surrounding frozen ground. We simulate water temperatures in three Arctic lakes in northern Alaska over several years. Our results show that snow depth and lake ice strongly affect water temperatures during the frozen season and that more heat storage by lakes would enhance thawing of frozen ground.
M. R. Udawalpola, C. Witharana, A. Hasan, A. Liljedahl, M. Ward Jones, and B. Jones
Int. Arch. Photogramm. Remote Sens. Spatial Inf. Sci., XLVI-M-2-2022, 203–208, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVI-M-2-2022-203-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/isprs-archives-XLVI-M-2-2022-203-2022, 2022
Noriaki Ohara, Benjamin M. Jones, Andrew D. Parsekian, Kenneth M. Hinkel, Katsu Yamatani, Mikhail Kanevskiy, Rodrigo C. Rangel, Amy L. Breen, and Helena Bergstedt
The Cryosphere, 16, 1247–1264, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1247-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-16-1247-2022, 2022
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New variational principle suggests that a semi-ellipsoid talik shape (3D Stefan equation) is optimum for incoming energy. However, the lake bathymetry tends to be less ellipsoidal due to the ice-rich layers near the surface. Wind wave erosion is likely responsible for the elongation of lakes, while thaw subsidence slows the wave effect and stabilizes the thermokarst lakes. The derived 3D Stefan equation was compared to the field-observed talik thickness data using geophysical methods.
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Editorial statement
By tracking post-fire tundra recovery up to 90 years using satellite radar across North America, this study reveals that while annual permafrost degradation stabilizes within 7–13 years, seasonal deformation and elevated soil moisture persist for roughly 50 years. This study moves beyond localized, single-site studies to establish a scalable, regional framework across diverse permafrost zones. Ultimately, these findings resolve a major spatial gap in permafrost research by proving that recovery timelines are strongly controlled by regional thermal regimes, providing crucial observational constraints for Earth system models and climate research.
By tracking post-fire tundra recovery up to 90 years using satellite radar across North America,...
Short summary
This study examines the impacts of wildfires on permafrost thaw in the Arctic spanning up to ~90 years post-fire and explores the potential of using radar satellite observations to enhance our understanding of environmental change. By assessing diverse high-latitude permafrost landscapes, we show that ground deformation anomalies after fires display similar patterns across regions, while radar backscatter varies depending on predominant ground temperatures.
This study examines the impacts of wildfires on permafrost thaw in the Arctic spanning up to ~90...
