Impact of snow and building management on ground surface temperatures in permafrost environments - A case study from the historical mining town Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard

Abstract

Permafrost is warming due to changing climatic conditions, a trend that might threaten infrastructure and livelihood across the Arctic. Historical structures are especially vulnerable, as they were not designed to withstand these rapid environmental changes. In the high-Arctic settlement Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, a large number of historical buildings exist, making the village a suitable case study for investigating the interplay between historical buildings and permafrost. This study analysed two years of ground surface temperature (GST) measurements and snow observations to assess the impact of snow and building management on permafrost conditions in Ny-Ålesund. The mean annual ground surface temperature (MAGST) was found between −1.9°C and 1.9°C in 2022/23, and between −3.1°C and 1.1°C in 2023/24. The results reveal that GST varied substantially within the village area and exceeded the freezing point in several locations. We identified influencing factors contributing to these differences in GST: (i) Snow redistribution by wind and snow ploughing caused large variations in GST with the highest MAGST beneath artificial snow deposits. (ii) Building type, particularly crawl space ventilation, also affected GST. Ventilated crawl spaces tended to lower the MAGST beneath the buildings, while enclosed crawl spaces increased MAGST to positive values. (iii) Building wall orientation further influenced GST, with southern exposures exhibiting higher values compared to northern exposures. Our findings highlight the importance of snow and building management on GST and permafrost stability. Understanding these small scale effects is crucial for the preservation of historical infrastructure on permafrost under changing climatic conditions.