Air Temperature and Thaw Depth, North Slope, Alaska: Field Measurements (1995-97) and Computed Values

This data product contains field data measurements of air temperatures and thaw depth (active-layer thickness) measured at locations in north-central Alaska, and modeled values of air temperatures and thaw depth extrapolated to an area encompassing the Kuparuk River basin of north-central Alaska. Air temperature and thaw depth were measured in the years 1995, 1996, and 1997; air temperature was measured at 10 core Flux Study plots and additional sites, and thaw depth was measured within each of seven Arctic System Science (ARCSS) 1 km x 1 km grids. The data were collected to provide a basis for extrapolating thawing degree-days and thaw depth to the landscape scale (the Kuparuk River basin).

Modeled air temperatures derived from the 1995 air temperature measurements are represented in 787 x 371 element matrices of thawing degree-day sums at weekly intervals for part of summer 1995. Thaw depth matrices were model led using the interpolated thawing degree-day data, a vegetation map of the Kuparuk River basin, and a digital elevation model (DEM) of the same area. Modeled thaw depth is represented in 178 x 369 element matrices of active-layer thickness at weekly intervals for part of summer 1995, one time period in 1996, and end-of-season (August 6) 1997.

Data is only available as a single tar.gz file containing all of the files.