Permafrost Terrain Stability and Thermokarst Monitoring: - Arctic LCC

14. Bowden, W.B., Gooseff, M.N., Balser, A., Green, A., Peterson, B.J., and Bradford, J.,
2008, Sediment and nutrient delivery from thermokarst features in the foothills of the
North Slope, Alaska—Potential impacts on headwater stream ecosystems: Journal of
Geophysical Research, v. 113, G02026, doi: 10.1029/2007JG000470.
Thermokarst features are increasing near the Toolik Lake Natural Research Area, and these
features are delivering nutrients and sediments to headwater streams. These additions are at
levels that are well above background levels, and at concentrations that have been found to
significantly affect primary and secondary production in water bodies. Although thermokarst
features only affect a finite area on the terrestrial landscape, their effects may be felt
throughout a very large fraction of the stream network. Thermokarsting increased smallstream
total suspended sediments (TSS) by several orders of magnitude, and increased
Toolik River TSS by about one order of magnitude. Nutrients increased downstream of
thermokarst features, and remained elevated for several hundred meters downstream.
Sampling of another nearby feature indicated that nutrient outflows from thermokarst
features have elevated stream concentrations of nutrients during the period of record (1999–
2005).
15. Burn, C.R., 1992, Thermokarst lakes: Canadian Geographer-Le Géographe Canadien,
v. 36, no. 1, p. 81–85.
This paper provides an overview of thermokarst lakes as a primary example of thermokarst
landforms in regions that contain ice-rich permafrost. Information is provided on lake
initiation and development, the thermal regime of lakes and its effects on permafrost
temperature, and the cessation of lake growth and ultimately lake drainage. Lake expansion
rates of about 0.7 m/yr were noted from a previous study focused on lakes near Mayo,
Canada. The author noted the extensive Russian literature on the subject, much of which has
not been translated, and the usefulness of monitoring and studying thermokarst lakes as they
are a surface expression of the response of permafrost to climate change.
16. Burn, C.R., 2000, The thermal regime of a retrogressive thaw slump near Mayo,
Yukon Territory: Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences, v. 37, no. 7, p. 967–981.
This paper presents details on the formation and stabilization of a retrogressive thaw slump
in Canada through the use of detailed field studies and instrumentation. Date loggers were
installed in the slump floor and in undisturbed terrain. The temperature of the slump floor
was warmer in both the summer and winter, and the net result was 4°C warming of the
ground. The dominant mode of heat transfer in the thaw slump was conduction. Information
also was presented on permafrost aggradation in a stabilized thaw slump in the region.
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