Antarctic Soil Heat Flow Measurements from Permathermal Network

Livingston Island in Antarctica provides raw, hourly soil heat flow data from the PERMATHERMAL monitoring network. The network, started in 2000 and led by Dr. Miguel Ángel de Pablo of Universidad de Alcalá, measures permafrost temperature and active layer thickness across multiple stations. Data acquisition began in 2024 at stations including Collado Ramos, Sofia, and Limnopolar Lake.

Use Cases

• Model active layer thickness from ground temperature time-series data at different sensor depths.
• Analyze seasonal freeze-thaw cycles using hourly temperature data from air, surface, and ground sensors.
• Correlate snow depth measurements with subsurface thermal regimes to understand insulation effects.
• Study spatial variability in permafrost temperature between stations at Hurd Peninsula and Byers Peninsula.

Strengths

• Hourly temporal resolution provides data for diurnal cycle analysis.
• Multi-station network allows for spatial comparison across Livingston Island.
• Long-term monitoring program established in 2000, indicating sustained data collection.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited to a few specific stations on two Antarctic islands.
• Raw, unprocessed data may require significant cleaning and calibration.
• Geographic coverage is highly specific to the South Shetland Archipelago.

Provenance

Source

PERMATHERMAL network led by Dr. Miguel Ángel de Pablo, Universidad de Alcalá (Madrid, Spain).

Collection Method

Data acquired from PT stations with sensors measuring air, surface, and ground temperature at different depths, plus snow depth.

Time Range

Network operational since 2000; specific heat flow data from 2024 onward.

Freshness

Hourly acquisition since 2024; overall network operational since 2000.

Geography

Livingston Island and Deception Island, South Shetland Archipelago, Antarctica.