Ground Thermal Conditions Research Articles

Potenential for thermal energy from Tunnels beneath Manchester and Crewe: a case study

potenential for thermal energy from Tunnels beneath Manchester and Crewe: a case study

Heterogeneity of Surface Heat Exchange of Slopes and Potential Drivers of the Initiation of Thaw Slump, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

In the mountainous permafrost area, most thaw slumps are distributed in north or northeast-facing shady slope areas. It is commonly known that there is a heterogeneity in permafrost between different slope aspects, but there has been a lack of detailed measured data to quantitatively evaluate their relationships, and in-depth understandings on how the slope aspects are linked to the distribution of thaw slumps. This study examined the heterogenous thermal regime, soil moisture content, and surface radiation at two slope sites with opposing aspects in a warming permafrost region on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP). The results indicate that similar air temperatures (Ta) were monitored on the two slopes, but there were significant differences in ground temperature and moisture content in the active layer from 2016 to 2021. The sunny slope exhibited a higher mean annual ground surface temperature (Ts), and over the five years the mean annual temperature at the top of permafrost was 1.3–1.4℃ warmer on the sunny slope than the shady slope. On the contrary, the near-surface soil moisture content was about 10–13% lower on the sunny slope (~22–27%) than the shady slope (~35–38%) during the thawing season (June–September). Radiation data indicate that significantly higher shortwave downward radiation (DR) appeared at the sunny slope site. However, due to the greater surface albedo, the net radiation (Rn) was lower on the sunny slope. Slope aspect also affects the ground ice content due to its influence on ground temperature, freeze-thaw cycles, and soil moisture. Shady slopes have a shallower burial of ice-rich permafrost compared to sunny slopes. The results highlight greatly different near-surface ground thermal conditions at the two slope sites with different aspects in a mountainous permafrost region. This helps identify the slope-related causes of increasing thaw slumps and provides a basis for predicting their future development.

Experimental study on the influence of embankment slope direction on near-surface thermal conditions in permafrost region, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Heterogeneous ground thermal conditions caused by slope orientation are significant in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau because of the high altitude and strong solar radiation. Variation in solar radiation may result in contrasting thermal and upper boundary conditions, causing engineering problems at infrastructure with sloped embankments. Quantitative research on conditions on different man-made slopes is insufficient in permafrost regions, and consequently, planning for long-term effects on linear infrastructure is challenging. Net radiation, heat flux, near-surface temperature, soil moisture content, were recorded for one whole year (2021) at a field platform with eight slopes. Slope orientation affected net radiation (Rn) and ground heat flux (G), resulting in different energy balances between slopes. The north facing slope had a lowest Rn (174 W m-2), while the south slope had a maximum (239.8 W m-2). The north slope had a negative annual heat flux (-0.7 W m-2), while a maximum positive flux (1.5 W m-2) was recorded on the southeast slope. The annual mean surface temperature (Ts) was highest on the south slope and lowest on the north slope. The maximum difference of ground temperatures (within 30 cm depth) (Tg), was close to differences in Ts of over 4 °C. The maximum difference in soil moisture content during the thawing season (May–October) was 11% between the W and E slopes. Due to the different ground temperatures and soil moisture conditions, the annual number of freeze-thaw cycles was variable, and the maximum freeze-thaw cycles were 106 times in south slope and the minimum were 18 times in west slope. Those different thermal conditions between different slope orientations were significant, and pertinent to planning and maintenance of infrastructure. The results provide accurate boundary conditions for modeling to support development of new infrastructure that have embankment slopes in any direction, and for ensuring the stability of existing structures on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.

Long‐Term, High‐Resolution Permafrost Monitoring Reveals Coupled Energy Balance and Hydrogeologic Controls on Talik Dynamics Near Umiujaq (Nunavik, Québec, Canada)

AbstractRising temperatures in the Arctic and subarctic are driving the rapid thaw of permafrost by reducing permafrost cooling, increasing active layer thickness, and promoting talik formation. In this study, the cyrohydrogeology of a permafrost mound located within the discontinuous permafrost zone near Umiujaq (Nunavik, Québec, Canada) is characterized through the analysis of a dataset covering more than two decades of monitoring. This dataset captures a high degree of interannual variability in air temperature and ground thermal conditions, as well as the formation and closure of a supra‐permafrost talik. Data indicate that variable saturation and advective heat transport directly contribute to the expansion and contraction of the talik. Data further indicate the presence of two distinct thermo‐hydrologic settings resulting from differences in surface conditions, as well as subsurface thermal and flow regimes. The first, found at the top of the mound feature, is characterized by very low moisture contents (<0.05 m3/m3), while the second, found at the side of the mound feature, shows higher annual moisture contents that strongly influence the dynamics of heat and groundwater flow. The data were synthesized into a detailed conceptual model of the cyrohydrogeological dynamics that highlights the important role of hydrogeological characterization and long‐term data sets in understanding the effects of groundwater flow on seasonal frost and permafrost dynamics. Specifically, the results presented here show that in the absence of long‐term data sets, longer‐period transient phenomena such as talik opening and closure may be misrepresented as uni‐directional feedback loops, as opposed to highly dynamic temporary phenomena.

Characterization of Ground Thermal Conditions for Shallow Geothermal Exploitation in the Central North China Plain (NCP) Area

The central North China Plain (NCP) is one of the rapidly developing regions in China which has a great potential for ground source heat pump (GSHP) system applications. However, the ground thermal property, which is a prerequisite for GSHP system design, has been insufficiently investigated. In this paper, the ground thermal conditions including ground temperature and thermal conductivity are characterized in three representative hydrogeological regions in the NCP area: the piedmont alluvial plain, the central alluvial plain, and the coastal plain. Results show that the geothermal gradient below 40 m in depth in this area ranges from 0.018 °C/m to 0.029 °C/m. Although the thermal conductivity measured by soil samples differs slightly among the three regions, parameters in the piedmont plain have a larger variability than in the central and coastal plain due to the significant heterogeneity of the lithology. Thermal conductivity measured by the thermal response test (TRT) ranges between 2.37 and 2.68 W/(m·K) in the piedmont plain and varies between 1.35 and 1.94 W/(m·K) in the central and coastal plain, indicating that the piedmont plain has a higher potential for shallow geothermal exploitation than other two sub-areas. Comparing the TRT with laboratory measurements, the thermal conductivity obtained by the TRT is greater than that of the lab measurements in the piedmont plain due to the TRT outputs including the effects of groundwater flow. Therefore, the TRT is highly recommended to estimate the effective thermal conductivity of the ground in the piedmont plain, while laboratory and field tests are both suitable methods for the determination of thermal conductivity in the central and coastal plains.

Role of phase change materials in backfilling of flat-panels ground heat exchanger

The behaviour of a multi-source heat pump system coupled with phase change materials (PCMs) is discussed in this manuscript, as based on selected data collected during one-year testing at the TekneHub Laboratory of the University of Ferrara (Italy), as a synergic prototype setup of two European projects: IDEAS, an H2020 project, and CLIWAX, an EFDR project. Three geothermal loops of novel shallow Flat-Panels ground heat exchangers (GHX) provide the coupling of a water-to-water heat pump with the ground, as backfilled with sand, a mixture of sand and granules with paraffins and containers filled in with hydrated salts. Furthermore, two hybrid photovoltaic panels and a dry-cooler complete the exploitable thermal sources landscape. Finally, a control unit manages all the elements for the exploitation of the different thermal sources. How the increased underground thermal energy storage is driven by PCMs has been investigated by means of specific tests, and compared with the standard case of backfilling sand. Results confirm that PCMs can compensate peak loads occurring during hard weather conditions. Good performances of the multi-source heat pump were found, with a winter coefficient of performance always higher than 5. Finally, the application of PCM in summer should be preferred in climatic zones with hot summers and cold winters, With evidence, latent heat, thermal conductivity and melting point of PCMs should be tuned accordingly to the energy requirements and the local ground thermal conditions.

Soil Microbial Community Response to Permafrost Degradation in Palsa Fields of the Hudson Bay Lowlands: Implications for Greenhouse Gas Production in a Warming Climate

AbstractPermafrost thaw in northern peatlands alters the ground thermal conditions, moisture, and chemistry that control microbial activity responsible for the production of greenhouse gases (GHGs) like methane from decomposing organic matter. This paper examines interactions between microbial communities, peat chemistry, moisture content, and temperature in the context of degrading palsa fields in the vast (372,000 km2), carbon rich, and rapidly warming permafrost peatlands of the Hudson Bay Lowlands. The temperature sensitivities of microbial GHG production and consumption from palsa and fen peat were assessed, and microbial community structure was examined as a potential constraint on GHG production in relation to changes in peat chemistry associated with thermokarst encroachment and active layer deepening. High CH4 production was observed from thermokarst peat, under controlled moisture and temperature conditions, associated with increased pH. A shift in methanogen taxonomic and metabolic diversity favoring aceticlastic methanogenesis was associated with changes in peat chemistry and pH from palsa to thermokarst fen peat. In palsa peat, CH4 production rates were lowest but most sensitive to temperature variations, due to recalcitrant carbon compounds. CH4 production was highly sensitive to increased temperatures, yet was balanced by high temperature sensitivity of CH4 oxidation in oxic conditions, consistent with the low temperature sensitivity of fluxes observed in field studies from other permafrost peatlands. Building on the microbial controls in this study, future work should explore how permafrost degradation and increased hydrological connectivity to mineral substrates are changing in this globally significant permafrost peatland, and how this impacts net CH4 emissions.

Exploring the Relationships of Atmospheric Water Vapor Contents and Different Land Surfaces in a Complex Terrain Area by Using Doppler Radar

Changes in atmospheric water vapor mainly occur in the atmospheric boundary layer. However, due to many factors, such as orography and ground thermal dynamic conditions, the change trends and transformation law of atmospheric water vapor contents above different surfaces are still unclear. In this work, a Doppler weather radar with high spatial-temporal resolution was used to monitor the variations and transformations of water vapor contents over different land surfaces for two years. The results show that the atmospheric water vapor content shows a very good positive correlation with elevation at altitudes between 600 m and 1200 m, while different land surfaces have delicate impacts on atmospheric water vapor contents, such as extreme values appearing above impervious urban surfaces, uniform distributions appearing over water body and vegetated surfaces being wet but avoiding extreme conditions. Compared with previous studies, the results and conclusions of this study are mainly derived from accurate direct observations based on high-resolution radar. Identifying the distribution and transformation of water vapor over different surfaces can enhance our understanding of the movement and variation of atmospheric water vapor over complex terrain and different land surfaces, and improve the planning and construction capacity of different surfaces, such that humankind can mitigate the severe disasters caused by drastic changes in atmospheric water vapor.

Comparative heating performance evaluation of hybrid ground-source heat pumps using serial and parallel configurations with the application of ground heat exchanger

Hybrid ground-source heat pumps (HGSHPs) were introduced to prevent performance degradation under thermal imbalance between heating and cooling loads. However, the performance of an HGSHP with a parallel configuration has been rarely investigated in heating-dominated areas. In this study, the heating performances of HGSHPs with serial and parallel configurations are analyzed experimentally by varying the entering secondary fluid temperature (EFT) and flow rate of the supplementary heat exchanger as well as the ground temperature. Compared with the serial configuration, the parallel configuration demonstrates a 16.3% greater heating capacity and 12.6% higher coefficient of performance at an optimal flow rate of 10 LPM with an EFT and ground temperature of 19 °C and 14 °C, respectively. Moreover, for EFTs less than 22 °C, the parallel configuration demonstrates a reduced heat extraction rate from the ground as well as a higher exergy efficiency. Overall, the parallel configuration exhibits superior heating performance, even under severe ground thermal conditions.

City-scale analysis of subsoil thermal conditions due to geothermal exploitation

Shallow geothermal energy is currently adopted in many countries for the heating and cooling of buildings. Interactions between close geothermal plants will become more and more relevant as a result of the widespread dissemination of such systems. This paper describes a preliminary investigation of the interactions at the city scale. The case study of a central district in the city of Turin (Italy) is considered. Data from existing installations were collected and thermo-hydro finite element analyses were conducted to establish the actual ground thermal conditions and predict their evolution. This allowed identification of the areas of the city where temperature anomalies could be expected, because of thermal exploitation.

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

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.

Decoupled kinematics of two neighbouring permafrost creeping landforms in the Eastern Italian Alps

AbstractAn overall acceleration of rock glacier displacement rates in the Alps has been observed in recent decades, with several cases of destabilization leading to potential geomorphological hazards. This behaviour has been attributed to the rising permafrost temperature, induced by atmospheric warming and regulated by thermo‐hydrological processes. Landforms derived from the interaction of glacier remnants and permafrost are widespread in mountain areas, but are less studied and monitored than talus rock glaciers. This work presents a comparative study of a talus rock glacier and a glacial‐permafrost composite landform (GPCL) in the Eastern Italian Alps. The two landforms are only 10 km apart, but have rather different elevation ranges and main slope aspects. The kinematics and ground thermal conditions were monitored from 2001 to 2015 along with geomorphological surveys, analyses of historical maps and remote sensing data. The dynamic behaviour of the rock glacier was similar to the majority of monitored rock glaciers in the Alps, with an acceleration after 2008 and a velocity peak in 2015. In contrast, the GPCL had a nearly unchanged displacement rate during the observation period. Statistical analyses of kinematic vs. nivo‐meteorological variables revealed a dynamic decoupling of the two landforms after 2008 that corresponds with increased winter snow accumulation. Although the kinematics of both landforms respond to ground surface temperature variations, the collected evidence suggests a different reaction of ground surface temperature to variations in the precipitation regime. This different reaction is likely due to local topo‐climatic conditions that affect snow redistribution by wind. The different reactions of the two systems to the same climatic forcing is likely a legacy of their different origins. GPCL dynamics result from interaction of permafrost and residual glacial dynamics that are associated with possible peculiarities in the internal/basal meltwater circulation, whose future response is uncertain and requires improved understanding. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The ground thermal regime and permafrost warming at two upland, sloping, and undisturbed sites, Kunlun Mountain, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Ground temperatures from the surface to 15 m depth were measured for nine years (2008–2016) at two upland and sloping sites, to characterize the ground thermal regime. The two sites were on south and north slopes of Kunlun Mountain, Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, respectively, and were not disturbed by anthropogenic activity. Therefore, changes in ground thermal conditions are indicative of natural variations in permafrost in mountainous terrain. The mean annual air temperatures (Ta) from October 2014–2016 were −4.2 (north slope) and −5.6 °C (south slope), but the corresponding mean annual surface temperatures (Ts) were −2.8 and −1.5 °C. Thawing season n-factors were 1.3 at the north site and 2.1 at the south site, resulting in warmer permafrost on the southern slope, which highlights the significance of air and ground surface temperature in determining the thermal regime of permafrost. The mean annual ground temperature in the active layer (0.5 m depth) at the north site was approximately 0.9 °C lower than at the south site, and the active-layer thickness was ~1.0 m greater on the south slope. The mean annual ground temperature at the top of permafrost (T2.0m) was about 0.6 °C lower at the north site than that at the south site. Rapid warming at the north site during the study period caused the ground temperature at the depth of zero annual amplitude to increase and reach near-parity with the south site. Numerical simulations suggested that permafrost in mountainous regions on QTP will warm by about 0.01 °C/y in the next 50 years.

Ground thermal and geomechanical conditions in a permafrost-affected high-latitude rock avalanche site (Polvartinden, northern Norway)

Abstract. On 26 June 2008, a rock avalanche detached in the northeast facing slope of Polvartinden, a high-alpine mountain in Signaldalen, northern Norway. Here, we report on the observed and modelled past and present near-surface temperature regime close to the failure zone, as well as on a subsequent simulation of the subsurface temperature regime, and on initial geomechanical mapping based on laser scanning. The volume of the rock avalanche was estimated to be approximately 500 000 m3. The depth to the actual failure surface was found to range from 40 m at the back of the failure zone to 0 m at its toe. Visible in situ ice was observed in the failure zone just after the rock avalanche. Between September 2009 and August 2013, ground surface temperatures were measured with miniature temperature data loggers at 14 different localities, close to the original failure zone along the northern ridge of Polvartinden and on the valley floor. The results from these measurements and from a basic three-dimensional heat conduction model suggest that the lower altitudinal limit of permafrost at present is at 600–650 m a.s.l., which corresponds to the upper limit of the failure zone. A coupling of our in situ data with regional climate data since 1958 suggests a general gradual warming and that the period with highest mean near surface temperatures on record ended four months before the Signaldalen rock avalanche detached. A comparison with a transient permafrost model run at 10 m depth, representative for areas where snow accumulates, strengthen these findings, which are also in congruence with measurements in nearby permafrost boreholes. It is likely that permafrost in and near the failure zone is presently subject to degradation. This degradation, in combination with the extreme warm year antecedent to the rock failure, is seen to have played an important role in the detaching of the Signaldalen rock avalanche.

Influences of ground saturation and thermal boundary condition on energy harvesting using geothermal piles

The paper highlights an important distinction between heat transfer mechanism in dry and saturated soil. The effects of two site-specific conditions (e.g., soil saturation and thermal insulation at ground surface) on pile-soil heat exchange and ground temperature response are investigated through a series of thermal tests under laboratory-controlled conditions. Soil temperature data recorded during model tests are compared with soil thermal response predicted using a numerical pile-soil heat exchange model. Moreover, effective thermal conductivity values for the pile-soil system are derived employing equivalent line source model that utilizes circulation fluid temperature recorded during the laboratory tests. Such derived effective thermal conductivity values are compared with soil thermal conductivity values obtained from element thermal conductivity tests. Analysis of recorded soil temperature data and readings from pore pressure transducers during the thermal loading tests identify the possibility of temperature-induced pore fluid flow and convective heat transfer in saturated soil surrounding a ground heat exchanger.

Transient modeling of the ground thermal conditions using satellite data in the Lena River delta, Siberia

Abstract. Permafrost is a sensitive element of the cryosphere, but operational monitoring of the ground thermal conditions on large spatial scales is still lacking. Here, we demonstrate a remote-sensing-based scheme that is capable of estimating the transient evolution of ground temperatures and active layer thickness by means of the ground thermal model CryoGrid 2. The scheme is applied to an area of approximately 16 000 km2 in the Lena River delta (LRD) in NE Siberia for a period of 14 years. The forcing data sets at 1 km spatial and weekly temporal resolution are synthesized from satellite products and fields of meteorological variables from the ERA-Interim reanalysis. To assign spatially distributed ground thermal properties, a stratigraphic classification based on geomorphological observations and mapping is constructed, which accounts for the large-scale patterns of sediment types, ground ice and surface properties in the Lena River delta. A comparison of the model forcing to in situ measurements on Samoylov Island in the southern part of the study area yields an acceptable agreement for the purpose of ground thermal modeling, for surface temperature, snow depth, and timing of the onset and termination of the winter snow cover. The model results are compared to observations of ground temperatures and thaw depths at nine sites in the Lena River delta, suggesting that thaw depths are in most cases reproduced to within 0.1 m or less and multi-year averages of ground temperatures within 1–2 °C. Comparison of monthly average temperatures at depths of 2–3 m in five boreholes yielded an RMSE of 1.1 °C and a bias of −0.9 °C for the model results. The highest ground temperatures are calculated for grid cells close to the main river channels in the south as well as areas with sandy sediments and low organic and ice contents in the central delta, where also the largest thaw depths occur. On the other hand, the lowest temperatures are modeled for the eastern part, which is an area with low surface temperatures and snow depths. The lowest thaw depths are modeled for Yedoma permafrost featuring very high ground ice and soil organic contents in the southern parts of the delta. The comparison to in situ observations indicates that transient ground temperature modeling forced by remote-sensing data is generally capable of estimating the thermal state of permafrost (TSP) and its time evolution in the Lena River delta. The approach could hence be a first step towards remote detection of ground thermal conditions and active layer thickness in permafrost areas.

Freeze/thaw conditions at periglacial landforms in Kapp Linné, Svalbard, investigated using field observations, in situ, and radar satellite monitoring

In periglacial landscapes, snow dynamics and microtopography have profound implications of freeze-thaw conditions and thermal regime of the ground. We mapped periglacial landforms at Kapp Linné, central Svalbard, where we chose six widespread landforms (solifluction sheet, nivation hollow, palsa and peat in beach ridge depressions, raised marine beach ridge, and exposed bedrock ridge) as study sites. At these six landforms, we studied ground thermal conditions, freeze-thaw cycles, and snow dynamics using a combination of in situ monitoring and C-band radar satellite data in the period 2005–2012. Based on these physical parameters, the six studied landforms can be classified into raised, dry landforms with minor ground ice content and a thin, discontinuous snow cover and into wet landforms with high ice content located in the topographical depressions in-between with medium to thick snow cover. This results in a differential snow-melting period inferred from the C-band radar satellite data, causing the interseasonal and interlandform variability in the onset of ground surface thawing once the ground becomes snow free. Therefore, variability also exists in the period of thawed ground surface conditions. However, the length of the season with thawed ground surface conditions does not determine the mean annual ground surface temperature, it only correlates well with the active layer depths. From the C-band radar satellite data series, measured relative backscatter trends hint toward a decrease in snow cover through time and a more frequent presence of ice layers from mid-winter rain on snow events at Kapp Linné, Svalbard.

Talik Formation at a Snow Fence in Continuous Permafrost, Western Arctic Canada

AbstractThe long‐term ground thermal effects of a snow fence were examined in continuous permafrost on Peel Plateau, Northwest Territories. As the fence was erected in the early 1980s, present‐day ground thermal conditions include the response to over 30 years of snow pack modification. Snow cover, ground temperatures, late‐summer thaw depth and moisture content are higher at the fence than in ground nearby. The terrain surface around the fence has subsided about 0.5 m due to the disturbance. Field measurements indicate that a talik has developed below the fence. Numerical simulation of the ground thermal regime beneath the snow drift suggests that the talik began to form 25 years after the fence was constructed, and that thaw depth in late summer is now about 3 m. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Ground thermal regime on the Kaffiøyra Plain (NW Spitsbergen) in the period from 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2014

The article presents the results of ground temperature measurements taken at 1 cm to 100 cm below ground level on the Kaffioyra Plain (NW Spitsbergen) from 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2014. Observations of thermal conditions were carried out at three sites located in characteristic Polar ecotopes: on a beach, in tundra and on a moraine. The results of ground temperature measurements for the Kaffioyra Plain were compared to the observations of weather conditions at the nearby meteorological station in Ny-Alesund. The variability of ground temperature was analysed in annual, seasonal and diurnal courses. These reflected the prevailing meteorological conditions at the time. Substantial differences in the ground thermal conditions were found between the ecotopes, which was due to the morphological diversity of the ground, its moisture content, vegetation and snow cover, as well as the depth of the permafrost.

Ground thermal regime on the Kaffiøyra Plain (NW Spitsbergen) in the period from 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2014

Abstract The article presents the results of ground temperature measurements taken at 1 cm to 100 cm below ground level on the Kaffiøyra Plain (NW Spitsbergen) from 1 September 2012 to 31 August 2014. Observations of thermal conditions were carried out at three sites located in characteristic polar ecotopes: on a beach, in tundra and on a moraine. The results of ground temperature measurements for the Kaffiøyra Plain were compared to the observations of weather conditions at the nearby meteorological station in Ny-Ålesund. The variability of ground temperature was analysed in annual, seasonal and diurnal courses. These reflected the prevailing meteorological conditions at the time. Substantial differences in ground thermal conditions were found between the ecotopes, which was due to the morphological diversity of the ground, its moisture content, vegetation and snow cover, as well as the depth of the permafrost.