Abstract

This Open File presents new national-scale mapping of ground ice conditions in Canada. The mapping depicts a first-order estimate of the combined volumetric percentage of excess ice in the top 5 m of permafrost from segregated, wedge, and relict ice. The estimates for the three ice types are based on modelling by O'Neill et al. (2019) (https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-753-2019), and informed by available published values of ground ice content and expert knowledge. The mapping offers an improved depiction of ground ice in Canada at a broad scale, incorporating current knowledge on the associations between geological and environmental conditions and ground ice type and abundance. It provides a foundation for hypothesis testing related to broad-scale controls on ground ice formation, preservation, and melt. Additional compilation of quantitative field data on ground ice, and improvements to national-scale surficial geology mapping will allow further assessment and refinement of the representation of ground ice in Canada. Continued research will focus on improving the lateral and vertical representation of ground ice required for incorporation into Earth system models and decision-making. Spatial data files of the mapping are available as downloads with this Open File.

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