Ground thermal regime on the Kaffiøyra Plain (NW Spitsbergen) in the period from 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2014

Abstract

The article presents the results of ground temperature measurements taken at 1 cm to 100 cm below ground level on the Kaffiøyra Plain (NW Spitsbergen) from 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2014. Observations of thermal conditions were carried out at three sites located in characteristic Polar ecotopes: on a beach, in tundra and on a moraine. The results of ground temperature measurements for the Kaffiøyra Plain were compared to the observations of weather conditions at the nearby meteorological station in Ny-Ålesund. The variability of ground temperature was analysed in annual, seasonal and diurnal courses. These reflected the prevailing meteorological conditions at the time. Substantial differences in the ground thermal conditions were found between the ecotopes, which was due to the morphological diversity of the ground, its moisture content, vegetation and snow cover, as well as the depth of the permafrost.