Permafrost

heat transfer model with phase change. The two main forcing parameters are surface air
temperature and snow height taken from NCAR Community Climate System Model (CCSM3)
output. Additionally, soil type, bulk density, and moisture content are from the NCAR-CCSM3.
Simulations are performed globally for the time period 1870 to 2100 with T85 resolution of
about 1.4 degrees.
We present a trend analysis for soil surface temperature and 15 further layers down to 14
m depth. In the first study we calculate linear trends for the whole 231-year time period, and for
the three permafrost regions continuous, discontinuous, and sporadic/isolated permafrost
(according to the IPA permafrost classification), as well as for seasonally frozen ground. We
then subdivide our results into four decadal time slabs, namely 1995 to 2005 (for present-day
conditions), 2020 to 2030, 2055 to 2065, and 2090 to 2100. The increase in soil temperatures
and the deepening of the active layer (seasonally thawing top soil layer during the thawing
season) for these three near-future time periods are discussed in detail, both for the
northern-hemisphere and for the Tibetan Plateau permafrost regions. As regions near
topographic features are not covered well at this spatial resolution, we put emphasis on results
obtained for large and relatively t areas. Differences in soil temperature and active-layer depth
in response to climate change scenarios A2 and B2 are discussed for the Tibetan Plateau in
comparison to the regions Western Siberia, Eastern Siberia, Alaska/Mackenzie Basin, and
Northeastern Canada.
Keywords: Soil modeling, soil temperature, active-layer depth, Tibetan Plateau, climate
scenario
Permafrost in Mongolia
D.Battogtokh, Ya.Jambaljav
(Institute of Geography, Mongolian Academy of Sciences, Ulaanbaatar – 210620, MONGOLIA)
E-mail: bat_ig@chinggis.com,
Abstract: This paper presents a summary of existing permafrost study as well as permafrost
condition in Mongolia.
Permafrost study in Mongolia officially began in the end of 1950 years. At the first time,
our senior researchers concentrated on the regional characteristics of permafrost distribution
and on the engineering geocryological problems. At present, we concentrate on permafrost
mapping using the GIS and Remote sensing, on permafrost monitoring based on the
temperature measurements in boreholes, on permafrost phenomena monitoring in same
permafrost regions and on engineering geocryological problems.
The permafrost area covers about 63 percent of Mongolian’s total territory. Monographs
and papers have been published, including Permafrost of Mongolia (N.Lonjid. 1969), Basic
Features of Permafrost in Mongolia (N.Sharkhuu. 1975), Seosnal Freezing and Thawing of
ground in Mongolia (D.Tumurbaatar. 1975), Geocryological Conditions of Mongolia
(V.F.Gravis et al., 1974) and Permafrost in the Hangay and Hovosgol Mountain Region
(D.Luvsandagva). We have the map of seasonally frozen ground and permafrost distribution at
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