Electrical Resistivity Tomography Investigation of Permafrost Conditions in a Thermokarst Site in Fairbanks, Alaska

Abdallah Basiru; Shishay T Kidanu; Sergei Rybakov; Nicholas Hasson; Moustapha Kebe; Emmanuel Osei Acheampong; Abdallah Basiru; Shishay T Kidanu; Sergei Rybakov; Nicholas Hasson; Moustapha Kebe; Emmanuel Osei Acheampong

doi:10.3934/geosci.2024001

AIMS Geosciences

2024, Volume 10, Issue 1: 1-27. doi: 10.3934/geosci.2024001

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Electrical Resistivity Tomography Investigation of Permafrost Conditions in a Thermokarst Site in Fairbanks, Alaska

1.
Department of Civil, Geological, and Environmental Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1760 Tanana Loop Duckering 245, USA
2.
Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, 903 N Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK, 99709, USA
3.
Department of Mining and Minerals Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1760 Tanana Loop Duckering 245, USA
4.
Department of Geological Sciences, Ohio University, Clippinger Laboratories 316 Ohio University Athens, OH 45701, USA

Received: 12 September 2023 Revised: 23 November 2023 Accepted: 01 December 2023 Published: 09 January 2024

The degradation of permafrost poses severe environmental threats to communities in cold regions. As near-surface permafrost warms, extensive topographic variability is prevalent in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic communities. Geologic hazards such as thermokarst are formed due to varying rates of permafrost degradation, resulting in ground subsidence. This gradual subsidence or abrupt collapse of the earth causes a danger to existing infrastructure and the economic activities of communities in cold regions. Understanding the causes of thermokarst development and its dynamics requires imaging its underground morpho-structures and characterizing the surface and subsurface controls. In this study, we conducted a two-dimensional (2D) electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey to characterize the permafrost conditions in a thermokarst prone site located in Fairbanks, Alaska. To increase the reliability in the interpretability of the ERT data, borehole data and the depth-of-investigation (DOI) methods were applied. By using the 2D and three-dimensional (3D) ERT methods, we gained valuable information on the spatial variability of transient processes, such as the movement of freezing and thawing fronts. Resistivity imaging across the site exhibited distinct variations in permafrost conditions, with both low and high resistive anomalies observed along the transects. These anomalies, representing taliks and ice wedges, were characterized by resistivity values ranging from 50 Ωm and above 700 Ωm, respectively. The results from this study showed the effectiveness of ERT to characterize permafrost conditions and thermokarst subsurface morpho-structures. The insights gained from this research contribute to a better understanding of the causes and dynamics of thermokarst, which can be instrumental for engineers in developing feasible remedial measures.
- permafrost,
- thermokarst,
- ERT,
- Depth-of-Investigation,
- ice-wedge,
- Fairbanks,
- Alaska
Citation: Abdallah Basiru, Shishay T Kidanu, Sergei Rybakov, Nicholas Hasson, Moustapha Kebe, Emmanuel Osei Acheampong. Electrical Resistivity Tomography Investigation of Permafrost Conditions in a Thermokarst Site in Fairbanks, Alaska[J]. AIMS Geosciences, 2024, 10(1): 1-27. doi: 10.3934/geosci.2024001

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Abstract

The degradation of permafrost poses severe environmental threats to communities in cold regions. As near-surface permafrost warms, extensive topographic variability is prevalent in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic communities. Geologic hazards such as thermokarst are formed due to varying rates of permafrost degradation, resulting in ground subsidence. This gradual subsidence or abrupt collapse of the earth causes a danger to existing infrastructure and the economic activities of communities in cold regions. Understanding the causes of thermokarst development and its dynamics requires imaging its underground morpho-structures and characterizing the surface and subsurface controls. In this study, we conducted a two-dimensional (2D) electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) survey to characterize the permafrost conditions in a thermokarst prone site located in Fairbanks, Alaska. To increase the reliability in the interpretability of the ERT data, borehole data and the depth-of-investigation (DOI) methods were applied. By using the 2D and three-dimensional (3D) ERT methods, we gained valuable information on the spatial variability of transient processes, such as the movement of freezing and thawing fronts. Resistivity imaging across the site exhibited distinct variations in permafrost conditions, with both low and high resistive anomalies observed along the transects. These anomalies, representing taliks and ice wedges, were characterized by resistivity values ranging from 50 Ωm and above 700 Ωm, respectively. The results from this study showed the effectiveness of ERT to characterize permafrost conditions and thermokarst subsurface morpho-structures. The insights gained from this research contribute to a better understanding of the causes and dynamics of thermokarst, which can be instrumental for engineers in developing feasible remedial measures.

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