Permafrost Distribution and Thaw Susceptibility in Nunavik

Permafrost mapping for Nunavik, north of the 55th parallel, was generated using the TTOP model for the 2000-2016 period. The dataset includes raster files illustrating the distribution of continuous, discontinuous, and sporadic permafrost, as well as a separate raster classifying territory susceptibility to thermokarst subsidence into high, moderate, and low classes.

Use Cases

• Analyze the spatial distribution of continuous, discontinuous, and sporadic permafrost classes from the TTOP model raster.
• Assess infrastructure risk by cross-referencing permafrost distribution with the high, moderate, and low susceptibility to thermokarst subsidence raster.
• Model permafrost temperature dynamics using the TTOP model results for the 2000-2016 timeframe.
• Study climate change impacts by examining the relationship between permafrost ice content and mapped susceptibility to ground subsidence.

Strengths

• Data covers a 17-year time range from 2000 to 2016.
• Includes two distinct raster analyses: permafrost distribution and susceptibility to ground subsidence.
• Susceptibility classification provides three actionable categories: high, moderate, and low.

Limitations

• Dataset is raster-based; specific row and column counts for tabular analysis are unavailable.
• Relies on an automated translation for metadata, which may introduce terminology inaccuracies.
• Model results are based on a specific (TTOP) methodology, which may not capture all local ground conditions.

Provenance

Source

Center for Nordic Studies at Laval University

Collection Method

Mapping via application of the TTOP (Temperature at the Top Of Permafrost) model.

Time Range

2000 to 2016

Freshness

null

Geography

Nunavik, territory north of the 55th parallel in Quebec, Canada.