Permafrost active layer depth - Torngat Mountains

The Torngat National Park monitors the permafrost depth in the Ivitak wateshed. A temperature cable with 8 thermistors at depths from 0.5 to 7 m deep was installed in August 2010, and has been recording ground temperature at each depth at 8 hour intervals since that time. The site is a deep alluvial silt deposit near the mouth of the Ivitak / McCornick River, on the south shore of Nachvak Fiord. Temperatures for the first year or more are unusually warm, likely a result of warming caused by water jet drilling during installation. Temperatures down to 1.5 m deep show strong seasonal fluctuations, as expected in the active layer. Deeper temperatures are much more stable, and are apparently coldest at ~2 m depth, but it is not entirely clear that the site supports permafrost except possibly in a narrow lens from 2-3 m deep.

Data and Resources

Field Value
Groups
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • National Provider
  • North America
Tags
  • AmeriGEO
  • AmeriGEOSS
  • CKAN
  • Canada
  • GEO
  • GEOSS
  • National
  • North America
isopen False
license_id ca-ogl-lgo
license_title ca-ogl-lgo
maintainer_email darroch.whitaker@pc.gc.ca
metadata_created 2025-11-25T07:46:56.207184
metadata_modified 2025-11-25T07:46:56.207191
notes The Torngat National Park monitors the permafrost depth in the Ivitak wateshed. A temperature cable with 8 thermistors at depths from 0.5 to 7 m deep was installed in August 2010, and has been recording ground temperature at each depth at 8 hour intervals since that time. The site is a deep alluvial silt deposit near the mouth of the Ivitak / McCornick River, on the south shore of Nachvak Fiord. Temperatures for the first year or more are unusually warm, likely a result of warming caused by water jet drilling during installation. Temperatures down to 1.5 m deep show strong seasonal fluctuations, as expected in the active layer. Deeper temperatures are much more stable, and are apparently coldest at ~2 m depth, but it is not entirely clear that the site supports permafrost except possibly in a narrow lens from 2-3 m deep.
num_resources 1
num_tags 8
title Permafrost active layer depth - Torngat Mountains