168 coordinated sites form the only standardized network for observing decadal changes in seasonal thawing of high-latitude soils. The dataset provides long-term time series of active layer depth, ground temperature, and thaw settlement measurements. It was compiled by the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) program and last updated in December 2010.
Use Cases
- Model validation by comparing predicted active layer depth trends against the standardized field measurements.
- Analysis of spatial variation in ground temperature across diverse terrain types represented by the 168 sites.
- Trend detection for thaw settlement to assess landscape changes and infrastructure risk in permafrost regions.
- Correlation of active layer depth with climate indices using the decadal-scale time series.
Strengths
- Standardized measurement protocols across 168 circumpolar sites ensure data comparability.
- Designed specifically for detecting decadal changes, providing a long-term observational baseline.
Limitations
- Data is temporally stale, with no updates recorded after December 2010.
- Specific row counts, sample sizes, and geographic coordinates for individual sites are not provided in the description.
Provenance
- Source
- Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) network, accessed via NASA Earthdata.
- Collection Method
- Coordinated field observations using standard measurement protocols at monitoring sites.
- Time Range
- Up to December 2010.
- Freshness
- Static archive; last updated 2010-12-13.
- Geography
- Circumpolar, covering high-latitude Arctic and sub-Arctic regions.