Accelerated Permafrost Thaw Linked to Rising River Temperature and Widening Channels
Abstract River‐controlled permafrost dynamics are crucial for sediment transport, infrastructure stability, and carbon cycle, yet are not well understood under climate change. Leveraging remotely sensed datasets, in‐situ hydrological observations, and physics‐based models, we reveal overall warming...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2025-01-01
|
| Series: | Geophysical Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112752 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1832593493746253824 |
|---|---|
| author | Yi Zhao Dongfeng Li |
| author_facet | Yi Zhao Dongfeng Li |
| author_sort | Yi Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract River‐controlled permafrost dynamics are crucial for sediment transport, infrastructure stability, and carbon cycle, yet are not well understood under climate change. Leveraging remotely sensed datasets, in‐situ hydrological observations, and physics‐based models, we reveal overall warming and widening rivers across the Tibetan Plateau in recent decades, driving accelerated sub‐river permafrost thaw. River temperature of a representative section (Tuotuohe River) on the central Tibetan Plateau, has increased notably (0.39°C/decade) from 1985 to 2017, facilitating heat transfer into the underlying permafrost via both convection and conduction. Consequently, the permafrost beneath rivers warms faster (0.37°C–0.66°C/decade) and has a ∼0.5 m thicker active layer than non‐inundated permafrost (0.17°C–0.49°C/decade). With increasing river discharge, the inundated area expands laterally along the riverbed (16.4 m/decade), further accelerating permafrost thaw for previously non‐inundated bars. Under future warmer and wetter climate, the anticipated intensification of sub‐river permafrost degradation will pose risks to riverine infrastructure and amplify permafrost carbon release. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-b4c66044879148008bb0ce78d77aaa12 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0094-8276 1944-8007 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Geophysical Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-b4c66044879148008bb0ce78d77aaa122025-01-20T13:05:57ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-01-01521n/an/a10.1029/2024GL112752Accelerated Permafrost Thaw Linked to Rising River Temperature and Widening ChannelsYi Zhao0Dongfeng Li1Key Laboratory for Water and Sediment Sciences Ministry of Education College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering Peking University Beijing ChinaKey Laboratory for Water and Sediment Sciences Ministry of Education College of Environmental Sciences and Engineering Peking University Beijing ChinaAbstract River‐controlled permafrost dynamics are crucial for sediment transport, infrastructure stability, and carbon cycle, yet are not well understood under climate change. Leveraging remotely sensed datasets, in‐situ hydrological observations, and physics‐based models, we reveal overall warming and widening rivers across the Tibetan Plateau in recent decades, driving accelerated sub‐river permafrost thaw. River temperature of a representative section (Tuotuohe River) on the central Tibetan Plateau, has increased notably (0.39°C/decade) from 1985 to 2017, facilitating heat transfer into the underlying permafrost via both convection and conduction. Consequently, the permafrost beneath rivers warms faster (0.37°C–0.66°C/decade) and has a ∼0.5 m thicker active layer than non‐inundated permafrost (0.17°C–0.49°C/decade). With increasing river discharge, the inundated area expands laterally along the riverbed (16.4 m/decade), further accelerating permafrost thaw for previously non‐inundated bars. Under future warmer and wetter climate, the anticipated intensification of sub‐river permafrost degradation will pose risks to riverine infrastructure and amplify permafrost carbon release.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112752permafrostriver dynamicsriver‐ground heat transferriverine infrastructureriverbank erosioncarbon cycle |
| spellingShingle | Yi Zhao Dongfeng Li Accelerated Permafrost Thaw Linked to Rising River Temperature and Widening Channels Geophysical Research Letters permafrost river dynamics river‐ground heat transfer riverine infrastructure riverbank erosion carbon cycle |
| title | Accelerated Permafrost Thaw Linked to Rising River Temperature and Widening Channels |
| title_full | Accelerated Permafrost Thaw Linked to Rising River Temperature and Widening Channels |
| title_fullStr | Accelerated Permafrost Thaw Linked to Rising River Temperature and Widening Channels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Accelerated Permafrost Thaw Linked to Rising River Temperature and Widening Channels |
| title_short | Accelerated Permafrost Thaw Linked to Rising River Temperature and Widening Channels |
| title_sort | accelerated permafrost thaw linked to rising river temperature and widening channels |
| topic | permafrost river dynamics river‐ground heat transfer riverine infrastructure riverbank erosion carbon cycle |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112752 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT yizhao acceleratedpermafrostthawlinkedtorisingrivertemperatureandwideningchannels AT dongfengli acceleratedpermafrostthawlinkedtorisingrivertemperatureandwideningchannels |