Permafrost Thaw Action Group

The Permafrost Thaw Action Group was part of the Terrestrial Multidisciplinary distributed Observatories for the Study of Arctic Connections (T-MOSAiC). Together with MOSAiC, T-MOSAiC was a program of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). The T-MOSAiC Permafrost Thaw Action Group has developed a user-friendly, multi-parameter sampling protocol. The protocol provides a guideline for the standardized collection of field data for quantifying permafrost thaw. It addresses the need for integrated observations of multiple connected components of permafrost landscapes, including soils, snow, and vegetation.

Illustration of the standarized permafrost monitoring protocol. The five spheres (snow, water, permafrost, vegetation and soil) with the associated parameters, measurement modes, and observation timings along one transect over one seasonal cycle. (Photo: Alfred-Wegener-Institut)

Our protocol addresses the need for consistent collection and integration of data from across the permafrost region to: (i) better monitor and understand permafrost thaw; (ii) establish a baseline against which future change can be measured; and (iii) support the integration of field measurements within pan-Arctic geospatial datasets developed through remote sensing analyses or modelling. The simple protocol and an associated mobile app myThaw enable a wide range of non-expert users to make high-quality, standardized and accessible measurements.

You can join our data collection campaign if you live in or visit any permafrost region by using our myThaw app.

Project Information

Contact	https://permafrostthaw.org/contact-us/
Website	https://permafrostthaw.org
Project Duration	2020 - ongoing
Leader	Prof. Dr. Julia Boike
Role of AWI in Project	Project management
Participants (AWI)	Prof. Dr. Julia Boike Julia Martin Norbert Anselm
Participants (extern)	Sarah Chadburn (University of Exeter) Simon Zwieback (University of Alaska Fairbanks)
Section (AWI)	Permafrost Research