Effect of Snow Cover on the Active-Layer Thermal Regime - A Case Study from James Ross Island, Antarctic Peninsula

The response of active-layer thickness and the ground thermal regime to climatic conditions on the Ulu Peninsula (James Ross Island, northeastern Antarctic Peninsula) in 2011-13 is presented. The mean air temperature over this period was -8.0 degrees C and ground temperature at 5cm depth varied from -6.4 degrees C (2011-12) to -6.7 degrees C (2012-13). The active-layer thickness ranged between 58cm (January 2012) and 52cm (February 2013). Correlation analyses indicate that air temperature affects ground temperature more significantly on snow-free days (R-2=0.82) than on snow cover days (R-2=0.53). Although the effect of snow cover on the daily amplitude of ground temperature was observable to 20cm depth, the overall influence of snow depth on ground temperature was negligible (freezing n-factor of 0.95-0.97). Copyright (c) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.