Characterizing melt water properties in the periglacial active layer through seasonal and yearly variations in catchment hydrology.

Permafrost, the frozen layer beneath a freezing and thawing active layer, is an impermeable frozen soil that persists for multiple years. The gradual thawing of permafrost and thickening of the active layer allows a glimpse into the evolution of the hydraulic processes that shape the periglacial landscape. One question in understanding the governing mechanics within the rapidly evolving periglacial landscape is how water retains within or segregates through the active layer to eventually feed rivers. 

In this exploratory study, we analyze data from multiple periglacial hydraulic catchments over time and characterize their hydraulic response rate to stressors. We test whether deconvolution and demixing of noisy time series can isolate precipitation from thawing permafrost signals in river discharge. We use the Ensemble Rainfall-Runoff (ERRA) script, which is effective in inferring nonstationary and nonlinear responses to precipitation using Runoff Response Distribution (RRD), to further test temperature signatures. Using this tool, we measure the RRD for the same catchments both over the years and over the summer months. We hypothesize that an increase in active layer thickness over years and over summer months will delay the RRD due to an increase in water storage.

By analyzing the parameters that change the RRD of periglacial systems with time, soil moisture content, average seasonal and yearly temperatures, and precipitation, we can begin a systematic understanding of how the active layer modulates hydraulic responses and how the responses may be different from other hydraulic systems.