Réseau mondial de surveillance terrestre du pergélisol

RAPPORT - mai, 2002
(anglais seulement)

Sharon Smith and Margo Burgess, Geological Survey of Canada

About 370 boreholes from 16 countries have been identified as candidate sites for inclusion in the GTN-P borehole thermal measurement program. A table listing all candidate boreholes is listed on the GTN-P web site. The majority of sites are located in the Northern Hemisphere. Over the last year, four more sites have been identified in the southern hemisphere, 2 in Argentina and 2 in Antarctica.

Metadata compilation for candidate sites began in 2000. To date, borehole metadata has been received from about 60 % of the sites and has been compiled in a database. Metadata is now accessible on the GTN-P web site. In December 2001, investigators were requested to review the metadata and provide any revisions and to also submit remaining metadata. The metadata database and website will be updated in the next few months.

In September 2000, Secretary General Obasi of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) sent a letter to government officials of over 20 countries with permafrost programs and interests, requesting their active participation in the GTN-P. To date five countries, Canada, USA, Switzerland, China and Italy, have responded. It is hoped that the WMO letter will provide added incentives and justification by national and international programs to support the GTN‑P.

There is no overall funding for the entire GTN-P program. In the last year, network participants have been successful in obtaining funds for projects that will contribute to the GTN-P. In March 2001, Margo Burgess and Sharon Smith of the Geological Survey of Canada and Hanne Christiansen of the Centre for Arctic Technology, Danish Technical University, received funding from the Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade for a Canada-EU Northern Science and Technology Project. The project title is: "Compilation and documentation of variations in permafrost conditions in Greenland and the adjacent Canadian Arctic, a contribution to the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost". This initiative will allow the compilation of available historical permafrost thermal data for Greenland which will contribute to both the Global Geocryological Database as well as the GTN-P. In addition, boreholes will be identified which may contribute to the thermal monitoring component of the GTN-P.   Permafrost temperature time series data from selected sites in the Canadian Arctic and western Greenland will be compared to determine the regional variation in the permafrost response and will include an examination of climatic data focusing on air temperature and snow cover. This synthesis will contribute to a summary report planned for the GTN-P in 2004.

In 2001, the Geological Survey of Canada received funding for four years from the Government of Canada's Action Plan 2000 to develop and implement the framework and infrastructure for a national permafrost monitoring network. This initiative will allow Canada to meet its obligations to the GTN-P. A data management system will be developed for the Canadian Network which will also serve as the model for the GTN-P