Large thermo-erosional tunnel for a river in northeast Greenland

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Standard

Large thermo-erosional tunnel for a river in northeast Greenland. / Docherty, Catherine L.; Hannah, David M.; Riis, Tenna; Rosenhøj Leth, Simon; Milner, Alexander M.

In: Polar Science, Vol. 14, 12.2017, p. 83-87.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Harvard

Docherty, CL, Hannah, DM, Riis, T, Rosenhøj Leth, S & Milner, AM 2017, 'Large thermo-erosional tunnel for a river in northeast Greenland', Polar Science, vol. 14, pp. 83-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2017.08.001

APA

Docherty, C. L., Hannah, D. M., Riis, T., Rosenhøj Leth, S., & Milner, A. M. (2017). Large thermo-erosional tunnel for a river in northeast Greenland. Polar Science, 14, 83-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2017.08.001

Vancouver

Docherty CL, Hannah DM, Riis T, Rosenhøj Leth S, Milner AM. Large thermo-erosional tunnel for a river in northeast Greenland. Polar Science. 2017 Dec;14:83-87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.polar.2017.08.001

Author

Docherty, Catherine L. ; Hannah, David M. ; Riis, Tenna ; Rosenhøj Leth, Simon ; Milner, Alexander M. / Large thermo-erosional tunnel for a river in northeast Greenland. In: Polar Science. 2017 ; Vol. 14. pp. 83-87.

Bibtex

@article{4b5baca29f294a2b9b083cf4cde69a03,
title = "Large thermo-erosional tunnel for a river in northeast Greenland",
abstract = "Thermo-erosional river bank undercutting is caused by the combined action of thermal and mechanical erosion of the permafrost by Arctic rivers whilst the overlying sediment withstands collapse temporarily. Here, we report the discovery of a large thermo-erosional tunnel that formed in the banks of a meltwater-fed stream in northeast Greenland in summer 2015. The tunnel was observed over eight days (14-22 July), during which period the tunnel remained open but bank-side slumping increased. Stream solute load increased immediately downstream and remained high 800 m from the tunnel. Whilst this field observation was opportunistic and information somewhat limited, our study provides a rare insight into an extreme event impacting permafrost, local geomorphology and stream habitat. With accelerated climate change in Arctic regions, increased permafrost degradation and warmer stream water temperature are predicted thereby enhancing potential for thermo-erosional niche development and associated stream bank slumping. This change could have significant implications for stream physicochemical habitat and, in turn, stream benthic communities, through changes in aquatic habitat conditions.",
keywords = "Arctic, Climate change, Permafrost, Snowmelt runoff, Stream",
author = "Docherty, {Catherine L.} and Hannah, {David M.} and Tenna Riis and {Rosenh{\o}j Leth}, Simon and Milner, {Alexander M.}",
year = "2017",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1016/j.polar.2017.08.001",
language = "English",
volume = "14",
pages = "83--87",
journal = "Polar Science",
issn = "1873-9652",
publisher = "Elsevier",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Large thermo-erosional tunnel for a river in northeast Greenland

AU - Docherty, Catherine L.

AU - Hannah, David M.

AU - Riis, Tenna

AU - Rosenhøj Leth, Simon

AU - Milner, Alexander M.

PY - 2017/12

Y1 - 2017/12

N2 - Thermo-erosional river bank undercutting is caused by the combined action of thermal and mechanical erosion of the permafrost by Arctic rivers whilst the overlying sediment withstands collapse temporarily. Here, we report the discovery of a large thermo-erosional tunnel that formed in the banks of a meltwater-fed stream in northeast Greenland in summer 2015. The tunnel was observed over eight days (14-22 July), during which period the tunnel remained open but bank-side slumping increased. Stream solute load increased immediately downstream and remained high 800 m from the tunnel. Whilst this field observation was opportunistic and information somewhat limited, our study provides a rare insight into an extreme event impacting permafrost, local geomorphology and stream habitat. With accelerated climate change in Arctic regions, increased permafrost degradation and warmer stream water temperature are predicted thereby enhancing potential for thermo-erosional niche development and associated stream bank slumping. This change could have significant implications for stream physicochemical habitat and, in turn, stream benthic communities, through changes in aquatic habitat conditions.

AB - Thermo-erosional river bank undercutting is caused by the combined action of thermal and mechanical erosion of the permafrost by Arctic rivers whilst the overlying sediment withstands collapse temporarily. Here, we report the discovery of a large thermo-erosional tunnel that formed in the banks of a meltwater-fed stream in northeast Greenland in summer 2015. The tunnel was observed over eight days (14-22 July), during which period the tunnel remained open but bank-side slumping increased. Stream solute load increased immediately downstream and remained high 800 m from the tunnel. Whilst this field observation was opportunistic and information somewhat limited, our study provides a rare insight into an extreme event impacting permafrost, local geomorphology and stream habitat. With accelerated climate change in Arctic regions, increased permafrost degradation and warmer stream water temperature are predicted thereby enhancing potential for thermo-erosional niche development and associated stream bank slumping. This change could have significant implications for stream physicochemical habitat and, in turn, stream benthic communities, through changes in aquatic habitat conditions.

KW - Arctic

KW - Climate change

KW - Permafrost

KW - Snowmelt runoff

KW - Stream

U2 - 10.1016/j.polar.2017.08.001

DO - 10.1016/j.polar.2017.08.001

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85028364694

VL - 14

SP - 83

EP - 87

JO - Polar Science

JF - Polar Science

SN - 1873-9652

ER -