Long-term monitoring of sporadic permafrost at the eastern margin of the European Alps (Hochreichart, Seckauer Tauern range, Austria).

Abstract

Delineating the spatial extent and the altitudinal lower limit of mountain permafrost is difficult due to complex topo‐climatic and variable ground thermal conditions within short distances. Little information exists regarding sporadic permafrost existence, its thermal characteristics and its long‐term changes at the eastern margin of the European Alps. To reduce this gap, permafrost monitoring was initiated in 2004 in the Seckauer Tauern mountains, Austria. Research was carried out in the summit region of Mt Hochreichart (2416 m a.s.l.) and at several nearby cirques and valleys, all with rock glaciers. Geomorphic mapping, numerical permafrost modeling, measurements of the bottom temperature of the winter snow cover, continuous ground temperature monitoring, electrical resistivity tomography and optical snow cover monitoring were applied. Results indicate sporadic permafrost occurrence in the summit region with mean annual ground temperatures slightly below 0°C at the surface and −1.4°C at 2.5 m depth. Permafrost lenses also exist in the transition zone between the rock glacier and the talus slope behind attributed to coarse‐grained, blocky material causing additional ground cooling. Thanks to long‐term data, statistically significant trends of atmospheric and ground warming were observed in 2000–2018. Permafrost at this site will presumably disappear within the next few decades.