Determination of Ground Subsidence Around Snow Fences in the Arctic Region
In this study, we analyzed the effects of snow cover changes caused by snow fences (SFs) installed in 2017 in the Alaskan tundra to examine ground subsidence. Digital surface model data obtained through LiDAR-based remote sensing in 2019 and 2022, combined with a field survey in 2021, revealed appro...
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| Language: | English |
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GeoScienceWorld
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Lithosphere |
| Online Access: | https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/lithosphere/article-pdf/doi/10.2113/2025/lithosphere_2024_215/651691/lithosphere_2024_215.pdf |
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| author | Kwansoo Kim Hyeontae Ju Junhwa Chi Ji Young Jung Sungjin Nam Sang-Jong Park Baptiste Dafflon Joohan Lee Won-Ki Kim |
| author_facet | Kwansoo Kim Hyeontae Ju Junhwa Chi Ji Young Jung Sungjin Nam Sang-Jong Park Baptiste Dafflon Joohan Lee Won-Ki Kim |
| author_sort | Kwansoo Kim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In this study, we analyzed the effects of snow cover changes caused by snow fences (SFs) installed in 2017 in the Alaskan tundra to examine ground subsidence. Digital surface model data obtained through LiDAR-based remote sensing in 2019 and 2022, combined with a field survey in 2021, revealed approximately 0.2 m of ground subsidence around the SF. To investigate the relationship between SF-induced snow cover changes and ground subsidence, geophysical methods, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR), were applied in 2023 to analyze subsurface characteristics. The increased snow cover due to the SF-enhanced insulation, delaying the penetration of winter cold into the subsurface. This delay caused subsurface temperatures to decrease more slowly, melting the upper permafrost and increasing the thickness of the active layer. ERT and GPR surveys well delineated the boundary between the active layer and permafrost, confirming that the increased snow cover thickened the active layer. This thickening led to the melting of pore ice, causing water runoff and ground compaction, which resulted in subsidence. The runoff also formed channels flowing eastward over the SF. This study highlights how changes in snow cover can influence active layer properties, leading to localized environmental changes and ground subsidence. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-fb7e1ec4a47e40bd9e470ca52b4f653d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1941-8264 1947-4253 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | GeoScienceWorld |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Lithosphere |
| spelling | doaj-art-fb7e1ec4a47e40bd9e470ca52b4f653d2025-08-20T03:09:52ZengGeoScienceWorldLithosphere1941-82641947-42532025-01-012025110.2113/2025/lithosphere_2024_215Determination of Ground Subsidence Around Snow Fences in the Arctic RegionKwansoo Kim0Hyeontae Ju1Junhwa Chi2Ji Young Jung3Sungjin Nam4Sang-Jong Park5Baptiste Dafflon6Joohan Lee7https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2382-7054Won-Ki Kim8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9590-4701Center of Technology Development, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, South KoreaCenter of Technology Development, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, South KoreaMajor of Big Data Convergence, Division of Data Information Sciences, Pukyong National University, Busan, 48513, South KoreaDivision of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, South KoreaDivision of Life Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, South KoreaDivision of Ocean and Atmosphere Sciences, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, South KoreaClimate & Ecosystem Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, 94720, USACenter of Technology Development, Korea Polar Research Institute, Incheon, 21990, South KoreaDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, 28644, South KoreaIn this study, we analyzed the effects of snow cover changes caused by snow fences (SFs) installed in 2017 in the Alaskan tundra to examine ground subsidence. Digital surface model data obtained through LiDAR-based remote sensing in 2019 and 2022, combined with a field survey in 2021, revealed approximately 0.2 m of ground subsidence around the SF. To investigate the relationship between SF-induced snow cover changes and ground subsidence, geophysical methods, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and ground-penetrating radar (GPR), were applied in 2023 to analyze subsurface characteristics. The increased snow cover due to the SF-enhanced insulation, delaying the penetration of winter cold into the subsurface. This delay caused subsurface temperatures to decrease more slowly, melting the upper permafrost and increasing the thickness of the active layer. ERT and GPR surveys well delineated the boundary between the active layer and permafrost, confirming that the increased snow cover thickened the active layer. This thickening led to the melting of pore ice, causing water runoff and ground compaction, which resulted in subsidence. The runoff also formed channels flowing eastward over the SF. This study highlights how changes in snow cover can influence active layer properties, leading to localized environmental changes and ground subsidence.https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/lithosphere/article-pdf/doi/10.2113/2025/lithosphere_2024_215/651691/lithosphere_2024_215.pdf |
| spellingShingle | Kwansoo Kim Hyeontae Ju Junhwa Chi Ji Young Jung Sungjin Nam Sang-Jong Park Baptiste Dafflon Joohan Lee Won-Ki Kim Determination of Ground Subsidence Around Snow Fences in the Arctic Region Lithosphere |
| title | Determination of Ground Subsidence Around Snow Fences in the Arctic Region |
| title_full | Determination of Ground Subsidence Around Snow Fences in the Arctic Region |
| title_fullStr | Determination of Ground Subsidence Around Snow Fences in the Arctic Region |
| title_full_unstemmed | Determination of Ground Subsidence Around Snow Fences in the Arctic Region |
| title_short | Determination of Ground Subsidence Around Snow Fences in the Arctic Region |
| title_sort | determination of ground subsidence around snow fences in the arctic region |
| url | https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/lithosphere/article-pdf/doi/10.2113/2025/lithosphere_2024_215/651691/lithosphere_2024_215.pdf |
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