Articles | Volume 13, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-473-2025
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-473-2025
Research article
 | 
20 Jun 2025
Research article |  | 20 Jun 2025

Modeling active layer thickness in permafrost rock walls based on an analytical solution of the heat transport equation, Kitzsteinhorn, Hohe Tauern Range, Austria

Wolfgang Aumer, Ingo Hartmeyer, Carolyn-Monika Görres, Daniel Uteau, Maike Offer, and Stephan Peth

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Cited articles

Allen, S. and Huggel, C.: Extremely warm temperatures as a potential cause of recent high mountain rockfall, Global Planet. Change, 107, 59–69, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2013.04.007, 2013. 
Aumer, W. and Hartmeyer, I.: Borehole temperatures and thaw depths in mountain permafrost, Kitzsteinhom, Hohe Tauern Range, Austria, Zenodo [data set], https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10203390, 2024. 
Balkan, E., Erkan, K., and Şalk, M.: Thermal conductivity of major rock types in western and central Anatolia regions, Turkey, J. Geophys. Eng., 14, 909–919, https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-2140/aa5831, 2017. 
Biskaborn, B. K., Lanckman, J.-P., Lantuit, H., Elger, K., Streletskiy, D. A., Cable, W. L., and Romanovsky, V. E.: The new database of the Global Terrestrial Network for Permafrost (GTN-P), Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 7, 245–259, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-7-245-2015, 2015. 
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The summertime thaw depth of permanently frozen ground (active layer thickness, ALT) is of critical importance for natural hazard management (e.g., rock avalanches) and construction (foundation stability) in mountain permafrost regions. We report the first analytical heat transport model for simulating ALT based on near-surface temperature in permafrost rock walls. Our results show that the ALT will likely increase by more than 50 % by 2050 at 3000 m a.s.l. in the European Alps.
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