Citation:

PANGAEA.973813 (dataset in review)

Abstract:

Active layer thickness (ALT) is one of currently two Essential Climate Variables related directly to permafrost regions as defined by the Global Climate Observing System (GCOS) at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). ALT is determined as the maximum thaw depth at the end of the thawing season and is being monitored across the Arctic to better understand climate change impacts on landscape, permafrost, hydrology, vegetation, and soil biogeochemistry. In addition, spatially and/or temporally distributed measurements of thaw depth (TD) in the active layer during the thawing period are often recorded during field work in permafrost regions for various research purposes and process understanding.

The ALLena dataset presents a compilation of thaw depth (TD) measurements of the active layer (AL) in the Lena River Delta region based on published and unpublished field data collected during Russian and joint German-Russian expeditions from1998 to 2022. The dataset contains data from different areas of the Lena Delta with clustering in research-intensive areas, e.g. in the vicinity of Research Station Samoylov Island, but also includes sites adjacent to the delta such as Muostakh Island, Bykovsky Peninsula and Tiksi settlement surroundings. The compiled data is distributed across various ecosystems and geomorphological units underlain by different types of deposits and characterized by various relief positions, microtopography, soil and vegetation cover (e.g. active floodplains, polygonal tundra on Holocene Lena Delta terraces, remnants of Yedoma Ice Complex, etc.).

TD measurements were conducted as opportunistic single as well as targeted TD transects or grid measurements. For some sites measurements of TD were repeated at the same locations in different years. TD was measured one time per site or several times at one location to capture small-scale heterogeneity depending on e.g. microcrotopography or vegetation type. The main datatable contains discrete TD values if they were measured one to three times per site. In case of more than three TD values per measurement site, the main datatable provides the minimum, maximum, and mean TD as well as the number of measurements that were averaged. For the studies with sites with more then three TD measurements per site the separate detailed table is provided.

The dataset presents a highly valuable compilation of TD data over a uniquely large Arctic region and long time span. It might complement the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) program and other published ALT and TD data for other permafrost regions and may be used for e.g. parametrization or validation of permafrost modelling and remote sensing studies.

Related to:

Angelopoulos, Michael; Overduin, Pier Paul; Westermann, Sebastian; Tronicke, Jens; Strauss, Jens; Schirrmeister, Lutz; Biskaborn, Boris K; Liebner, Susanne; Maksimov, Georgii M; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Grosse, Guido (2020): Thermokarst Lake to Lagoon Transitions in Eastern Siberia: Do Submerged Taliks Refreeze? Journal of Geophysical Research-Earth Surface, 125(10), https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JF005424

Antonova, Sofia; Sudhaus, Henriette; Strozzi, Tazio; Zwieback, Simon; Kääb, Andreas; Heim, Birgit; Langer, Moritz; Bornemann, Niko; Boike, Julia (2018): Thaw subsidence of a yedoma landscape in Northern Siberia, measured in situ and estimated from TerraSAR-X interferometry. Remote Sensing, 10(4), 494, https://doi.org/10.3390/rs10040494

Biskaborn, Boris K; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Morgenstern, Anne; Pestryakova, Luidmila A; Tsibizov, Leonid; Dill, Antonia (2021): Russian-German Cooperation: Expeditions to Siberia in 2020. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 756, 81 pp, https://doi.org/10.48433/BzPM_0756_2021

Boike, Julia; Abramova, Katya; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Herzschuh, Ulrike; Kattner, Gerhard; Knoblauch, Christian; Kutzbach, Lars; Mollenhauer, Gesine; Schneider, Waldemar (2009): Russian-German Cooperation SYSTEM LAPTEV SEA: The Expedition LENA 2009. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 600, 34 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0600_2009

Boike, Julia; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Grigoriev, Mikhail N (2007): Russian-German Cooperation SYSTEM LAPTEV SEA: The Expedition LENA 2006. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 566, 30 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0566_2007

Boike, Julia; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Schirrmeister, Lutz; Wetterich, Sebastian (2008): Russian-German Cooperation SYSTEM LAPTEV SEA: The Expedition LENA - New Siberian Islands 2007 during the International Polar Year 2007/2008. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 584, 274 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0584_2008

Eckhardt, Tim; Knoblauch, Christian; Kutzbach, Lars; Holl, David; Simpson, Gillian; Abakumov, Evgeny; Pfeiffer, Eva-Maria (2019): Partitioning net ecosystem exchange of CO2 on the pedon scale in the Lena River Delta, Siberia. Biogeosciences, 16(7), 1543-1562, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-16-1543-2019

Fuchs, Matthias; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Morgenstern, Anne; Pestryakova, Luidmila A; Tsibizov, Leonid; Dill, Antonia (2021): Russian-German Cooperation: Expeditions to Siberia in 2019. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 749, 272 pp, https://doi.org/10.48433/BzPM_0749_2021

Fuchs, Matthias; Grosse, Guido; Strauss, Jens; Günther, Frank; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Maximov, Georgy M; Hugelius, Gustaf (2018): Carbon and nitrogen pools in thermokarst-affected permafrost landscapes in Arctic Siberia. Biogeosciences, 15(3), 953-971, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-953-2018

Galera, Leonardo de Aro; Eckhardt, Tim; Beer, Christian; Pfeiffer, Eva-Maria; Knoblauch, Christian (2023): Ratio of In Situ CO2 to CH4 Production and Its Environmental Controls in Polygonal Tundra Soils of Samoylov Island, Northeastern Siberia. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 128(4), e2022JG006956, https://doi.org/10.1029/2022JG006956

Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Rachold, Volker; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Pfeiffer, Eva-Maria; Schirrmeister, Lutz; Wagner, Dirk; Hubberten, Hans-Wolfgang (2003): Russian-German Cooperation System Laptev Sea 2000: The Expedition LENA 2002. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 466, 341 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0466_2003

Günther, Frank; Overduin, Pier Paul; Yakshina, I A; Opel, Thomas; Baranskaya, Alisa V; Grigoriev, Mikhail N (2015): Observing Muostakh disappear: permafrost thaw subsidence and erosion of a ground-ice-rich island in response to arctic summer warming and sea ice reduction. The Cryosphere, 9(1), 151-178, https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-9-151-2015

Knoblauch, Christian; Beer, Christian; Schuett, Alexander; Sauerland, Lewis; Liebner, Susanne; Steinhoff, Axel; Rethemeyer, Janet; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Faguet, Alexey; Pfeiffer, Eva-Maria (2021): Carbon Dioxide and Methane Release Following Abrupt Thaw of Pleistocene Permafrost Deposits in Arctic Siberia. Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 126(11), https://doi.org/10.1029/2021JG006543

Kruse, Stefan; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Morgenstern, Anne; Pestryakova, Luidmila A; Tsibizov, Leonid; Udke, Annegret (2019): Russian-German Cooperation: Expeditions to Siberia in 2018. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 734, 257 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0734_2019

Lupachev, Aleksei; Danilov, Petr P; Lodygin, Evgeny; Tikhonravova, Yana; Butakov, Vladislav; Usacheva, Anna; Ksenofontova, Marta (2022): Approaches for the complex assessment of polychemical pollution of permafrost-affected soils and the upper layer of permafrost. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 194(9), 594, https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-022-10270-x

Morgenstern, Anne; Heim, Birgit; Pestryakova, Luidmila A; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Ayunov, Dmitry; Dill, Antonia; Jünger, Iuliia (2023): Russian-German Cooperation: Expeditions to Siberia in 2021. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 772, 120 pp, https://doi.org/10.57738/BzPM_0772_2023

Opel, Thomas (2015): Russian-German cooperation system Laptev Sea: The Expedition LENA 2012. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 684, 104 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0684_2015

Overduin, Pier Paul; Blender, Franziska; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Morgenstern, Anne; Meyer, Hanno (2017): Russian-German Cooperation: Expeditions to Siberia in 2016. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 709, 295 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0709_2017

Pfeiffer, Eva-Maria; Grigoriev, Mikhail N (2002): Russian-German Cooperation System Laptev Sea 2000: The Expedition LENA 2001. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 426, 186 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0426_2002

Rachold, Volker; Grigoriev, Mikhail N (1999): Russian-German Cooperation System Laptev Sea 2000: The Lena Delta 1998 Expedition. Berichte zur Polarforschung = Reports on Polar Research, 315, 1-259, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzP_0315_1_1999

Rachold, Volker; Grigoriev, Mikhail N (2000): Russian-German Cooperation System Laptev Sea 2000: The Expedition LENA 1999. Berichte zur Polarforschung = Reports on Polar Research, 354, 1-269, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzP_0354_1_2000

Rachold, Volker; Grigoriev, Mikhail N (2001): Russian-German Cooperation System Laptev Sea 2000: The Expedition LENA 2000. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 388, 135 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0388_2001

Rehder, Zoé; Zaplavnova, Anna; Kutzbach, Lars (2021): Identifying drivers behind spatial variability of methane concentrations in East Siberian ponds. Frontiers in Earth Science, 9, 617662, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2021.617662

Schirrmeister, Lutz (2007): Expeditions in Siberia in 2005. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 550, 289 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0550_2007

Siewert, Matthias Benjamin; Hugelius, Gustaf; Heim, Birgit; Faucherre, Samuel (2016): Landscape controls and vertical variability of soil organic carbon storage in permafrost-affected soils of the Lena River Delta. CATENA, 147, 725-741, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2016.07.048

Strauss, Jens; Boike, Julia; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; El-Hajj, Hassan; Morgenstern, Anne; Overduin, Pier Paul; Udke, Annegret (2018): Russian-German Cooperation: Expeditions to Siberia in 2017. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 725, 296 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0725_2018

Tarbeeva, Anna; Tikhonravova, Yana; Lebedeva, Lyudmila P; Kut, Anna; Shamov, Vladimir (2024): Causes and Processes of Thermo‐Erosional Gully Initiation Near Tiksi Settlement, Arctic Eastern Siberia. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes, 35(3), 357-372, https://doi.org/10.1002/ppp.2229

Ulrich, Mathias; Grosse, Guido; Chabrillat, Sabine; Schirrmeister, Lutz (2009): Spectral characterization of periglacial surfaces and geomorphological units in the Arctic Lena Delta using field spectrometry and remote sensing. Remote Sensing of Environment, 113(6), 1220-1235, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2009.02.009

Wagner, Dirk; Overduin, Pier Paul; Grigoriev, Mikhail N; Knoblauch, Christian; Bolshiyanov, Dimitry Yu (2012): Russian-German Cooperation SYSTEM LAPTEV SEA: The Expedition LENA 2008. Berichte zur Polar- und Meeresforschung = Reports on Polar and Marine Research, 642, 141 pp, https://doi.org/10.2312/BzPM_0642_2012

Funding:

Horizon 2020 (H2020), grant/award no. 871120 : International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic - INTERACT III

Coverage:

Median Latitude: 72.253889 * Median Longitude: 127.119663 * South-bound Latitude: 71.554900 * West-bound Longitude: 123.363583 * North-bound Latitude: 73.575200 * East-bound Longitude: 130.032780

Date/Time Start: 1998-07-24T00:00:00 * Date/Time End: 2022-09-21T00:00:00

Minimum ELEVATION: 0.0 m a.s.l. * Maximum ELEVATION: 108.0 m a.s.l.

Event(s):

KU-T1-01 * Latitude: 72.292930 * Longitude: 126.210954 * Campaign: (Lena2013) * Basis: AWI Arctic Land Expedition * Method/Device: Multiple investigations (MULT)

KU-T1-02 * Latitude: 72.292230 * Longitude: 126.212830 * Campaign: (Lena2013) * Basis: AWI Arctic Land Expedition * Method/Device: Multiple investigations (MULT)

KU-T1-05 * Latitude: 72.289937 * Longitude: 126.217601 * Campaign: (Lena2013) * Basis: AWI Arctic Land Expedition * Method/Device: Multiple investigations (MULT)

Parameter(s):

#	Name	Short Name	Unit	Comment
1	Event label	Event		Events contain measurements taken at one location (e. g. an island or channel) within the same year and campaign, for a specific scientific purpose, by the same PI and/or measuring person
2	Identification	ID		Dataset ID, unique identifier for each record in this dataset (running number)
3	Identification	ID		Field ID, identifier assigned to a measurement by the data author/measuring person during field work
4	DATE/TIME	Date/Time		Geocode
5	Location	Location		General location name of the measurement site (e. g. island or channel)
6	Device type	Device		Specifies how coordinates were obtained: handheld GPS; GNSS; map
7	LATITUDE	Latitude		Geocode – Latitude of thaw depth measurement. The ? quality flag was used when coordinates were not available. and positions were instead identified by georeferencing of available figures. The / quality flag marks coordinates that are likely wrong. because they do not match the description.
8	LONGITUDE	Longitude		Geocode – Longitude of thaw depth measurement. The ? quality flag was used when coordinates were not available. and positions were instead identified by georeferencing of available figures. The / quality flag marks coordinates that are likely wrong. because they do not match the description.
9	ELEVATION	Elevation	m a.s.l.	Geocode
10	Device type	Device		Method used to measure thaw depth: metal probe; measurement tape in soil pit; measurement tape at outcrop; measurement tape on core
11	Thaw depth of active layer	Thaw depth	cm	No. 1 - for single measurement or first out of max. three measurements per site, empty if more than 3 measurements were taken
12	Thaw depth of active layer	Thaw depth	cm	No. 2 - for second out of max. three measurements per site
13	Thaw depth of active layer	Thaw depth	cm	No. 2 - for third out of max. three measurements per site
14	Thaw depth of active layer, mean	Thaw depth mean	cm	mean of all thaw depth measurements per site
15	Thaw depth of active layer, minimum	Thaw depth min	cm	minimum of all thaw depth measurements per site. Empty if only 1 measurement was taken
16	Thaw depth of active layer, maximum	Thaw depth max	cm	maximum of all thaw depth measurements per site. Empty if only 1 measurement was taken
17	Method comment	Method comm		Are more than three thaw depth measurements per site aggregated in this row?: yes; no
18	Number of observations	NOBS	#	number of thaw depth measurements per site, for which mean, max and min are provided in this row
19	Sample comment	Sample comment		Is a separate detailed table available for sites with more than three thaw depth measurements per site? yes; no
20	Name	Name		of detailed table
21	Microtopography	Microtopo
22	Ground wetness description	Ground wetness descr
23	Vegetation type	Vegetation type
24	Geomorphology	Geomorphology
25	Lithologic unit/sequence	Unit
26	Area/locality	Area		local geographical reference that describes the location at which measurements were taken
27	Publication of data	Publ data		publication status of the thaw depth measurement data: published; unpublished
28	Data source	Data source		source of the thaw depth measurement data: data author/measuring person; field report; data publication
29	Reference/source	Reference		field report published in Reports on Polar and Marine Research (BzPM) by Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, which includes information about the thaw depth measurements
30	Reference/source	Reference		data publication of thaw depth measurements
31	Reference/source	Reference		related publications to thaw depth measurements
32	Campaign	Campaign
33	Principal investigator	PI		for the thaw depth measurement data
34	Institution	Institution		of PI
35	Name	Name		of person that conducted the thaw depth measurement in the field
36	Name	Name		of contact person
37	Comment	Comment		additional information related to the thaw depth measurement
38	Comment	Comment		additional measured characteristics

License:

Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY-4.0) (License comes into effect after moratorium ends)

Status:

Curation Level: Enhanced curation (CurationLevelC)

Size:

198154 data points

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