1887

Abstract

Summary

This study investigates seasonal and spatial variability in active layer thickness (ALT) in the Fuglebekken catchment, SW Spitsbergen, using time-lapse ground-penetrating radar (GPR) supported by borehole temperature and piezometric data. A south-north GPR profile was acquired in late April and late September 2023 to capture thaw progression from the coastal terrace to the mountainous slope. The April profile revealed a strong, laterally continuous reflector near sea level in the southern sector, interpreted as a thermal boundary related to saline groundwater influence, which played a key role in delaying refreezing and deepening thaw. In September, a distinct reflector marking the base of the thawed active layer appeared across approximately 300 m of the profile in the southern sector, where sediments are coarse and relatively dry. Comparison between seasonal profiles enabled differentiation of static geological interfaces from seasonally variable cryo-hydrological boundaries. The active layer base showed significant lateral variation, unrelated to topography, and was controlled primarily by sediment type, moisture conditions, and subsurface hydrology. GPR proved effective for mapping ALT dynamics when combined with auxiliary ground data. These findings underscore the value of multi-season GPR transects for monitoring permafrost processes in thermally and hydrologically complex Arctic environments.

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/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520131
2025-09-07
2026-02-07

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References

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/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520131
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Seasonal Evolution of Active Layer Thickness in Fuglebekken Catchment: A Time-Lapse GPR Study from SW Spitsbergen
Conference Proceedings 2025, 1 (2025); https://doi.org/10.3997/2214-4609.202520131
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520131
/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.202520131
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