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Continuous Monitoring of Permafrost and Active Layer Dynamics with Automated Electrical Resistivity Tomography on King George Island, Antarctica
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  • Teddi Herring,
  • Mohammad Farzamian,
  • Gonçalo Vieira,
  • Joana Baptista,
  • Filip Hrbacek,
  • Henrique Zilhao,
  • Hyoungseok Lee,
  • Christian Hauck
Teddi Herring
University of Calgary

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Mohammad Farzamian
Instituto Nacional de Investigação Agrária e Veterinária, I.P.
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Gonçalo Vieira
Centre of Geographical Studies, Associate Laboratory TERRA, Institute of Geography and Spatial Planning
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Joana Baptista
Centre for Geographical Studies, Associate Laboratory TERRA, IGOT, Universidade de Lisboa
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Filip Hrbacek
Masaryk University
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Henrique Zilhao
Centre for Geographical Studies, Associate Laboratory TERRA, IGOT, Universidade de Lisboa
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Hyoungseok Lee
Korea Polar Research Institute
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Christian Hauck
University of Fribourg
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Abstract

Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a geophysical technique that is often used to characterize and monitor permafrost. Automated ERT (A-ERT) systems enable the collection of temporally dense datasets without the need for repeated site visits. So far, only a few A-ERT systems have been deployed in permafrost environments. We present the results of an A-ERT system installed on King George Island, Antarctica. The system withstood the harsh Antarctic environment and collected resistivity data four times a day for a full year in 2022-2023. Resistivity data captured seasonal freezing and thawing, as well as short-term meteorological events. Resistivity was used to estimate changes in unfrozen water content, and co-located temperature and soil moisture data were used to assess relationships between resistivity, soil moisture, and temperature. This work showcases the ability of A-ERT systems to monitor permafrost and soil moisture dynamics and contributes a unique dataset to global permafrost monitoring efforts.
08 Nov 2024Submitted to ESS Open Archive
09 Nov 2024Published in ESS Open Archive