*Ishikawa Mamoru1, Sebastian Westermann2, Yamkhin Jmbaljav3, Avirmd Dashtseren3, Bernd Etzelmueller2
(1.Hokkaido University, 2.Dvision of Geoscience, University of Oslo, 3.Institute of Geography and Geoecology, MAS)
Keywords:marginal permafrost, transient mapping, Mongolia
Permafrost distribution over the southernmost marginal zones is highly complicated both in time and space. We evaluated this complexity through applying transient heat transfer schemes that reconstructed the distribution of Mongolian permafrost from 1979 to 2016. The modelling considered spatiality of soil thermal properties determined according to diverse landcovers using 1-dimensional heat transfer scheme and time-series of ground temperature profiles at 69 local borehole sites. Spatial modelling was forced by downscaled ERA5 air temperatures that were further calibrated with local meteorological records. The results indicated that permafrost warmed by 0 to 0.04 oC/year most significantly in the eastern and northern Hangai, and high elevations of Altay Mountains. The permafrost areas were remained almost stable during the period while active layer thickness has increased especially after the late 1990. Tree covered wet soils did not warm while soils with less organic and water warmed significantly by 0.5 oC. Estimated lower limits of mountain permafrost were ranged between 1320 to 2030 mASL, which have shifted upward by 9 to 20 m from the 1980s to 2010s. Comparing our permafrost map with others by diverse modelling schemes, we found that marginal permafrost of Mongolia shows both features of mountain and circumpolar permafrost, depending heavily on localities of vegetation and topographic undulation that contribute to cause strong atmospheric inversion during wintertime.