Earth’s Cryosphere, 2009, Vol. XIII, No. 2, p. 55-61

MODELLING OF TEMPERATURE CONTRASTS ON THE SURFACE
OF INHOMOGENEOUS ICE CONTENT IN THE GROUND

S.G. Kornienko, S.O. Razumov*

Oil and Gas Research Institute RAS, 119333, Moscow, Gubkina str., 3, Russia, spaceakm2@ogri.ru
*Melnikov Permafrost Institute SB RAS, 677010, Yakutsk, Merzlotnaya str., 1, Russia, razumov@mpi.ysn.ru

The physical and mathematical model for the description of changes of temperature contrast dynamics on the ground surface, stimulated by spatial inhomogeneity of the ground cryogenic structure, has been suggested. The model has been designed for a thawing–freezing season and takes into account the heat expenditure/output at phase transitions. In the model the considered contrasts correlate with the thermal characteristics and the dynamics of ground seasonal thawing. The calculations for representative conditions of inhomogenous ice content of ground reveal that the noticeable temperature contrasts on the ground surface occur after the beginning of seasonal thawings and reach their maximum at the end of thawing season at the moments of change of the direction of thermal flow. The suggested model together with the data of contact or remote sensing measurements of the ground temperature surface as well as the temperature and the air humidity can be utilized for characterizing inhomogeneity of permafrost thermal properties.

Key words: Inhomogeneity of permafrost, mathematical modelling, temperature contrasts, ground surface, phase changes, depth of thawing, monitoring.

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