Preprint Article Version 2 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

A Modification to the Remotely Sensed Active Layer Thickness (ReSALT) Algorithm to have Self-Consistency

Version 1 : Received: 1 December 2023 / Approved: 7 December 2023 / Online: 7 December 2023 (08:35:34 CET)
Version 2 : Received: 6 January 2024 / Approved: 17 January 2024 / Online: 18 January 2024 (08:05:37 CET)

How to cite: Mathur, J. A Modification to the Remotely Sensed Active Layer Thickness (ReSALT) Algorithm to have Self-Consistency. Preprints 2023, 2023120500. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.0500.v2 Mathur, J. A Modification to the Remotely Sensed Active Layer Thickness (ReSALT) Algorithm to have Self-Consistency. Preprints 2023, 2023120500. https://doi.org/10.20944/preprints202312.0500.v2

Abstract

Permafrost thaw is an important aspect of Earth's carbon cycles. Initial estimates suggest that permafrost thaw could contribute anywhere between 20 to 500 Gt of CO2-eq by 2100. These estimates are all fundamentally centered around one number: active layer thickness (ALT). The deeper the ALT, the more emissions. Unfortunately, ALT is a highly spatially heterogeneous number and determined by numerous thermal, soil hydrology, and geomorphological effects. The remotely sensed active layer thickness (ReSALT) algorithm was introduced in 2010 to provide scientists with a way to model ALT heterogeneously at meter-scale resolution. However, upon inspection, this work shows that ReSALT's modeling approach is self-inconsistent. This work then introduces SCReSALT (Self-Consistent ReSALT) to solve that problem. Experimental comparisons to a past study in Utqiagvik (formerly Barrow), Alaska show significant improvement and suggest that SCReSALT should replace ReSALT. Code to reproduce all results can be found at https://github.com/jmathur25/permafrost-prediction.

Keywords

synthetic aperture radar; interferometric synthetic aperture radar; permafrost thaw; climate change

Subject

Environmental and Earth Sciences, Remote Sensing

Comments (1)

Comment 1
Received: 18 January 2024
Commenter: Jatin Mathur
Commenter's Conflict of Interests: Author
Comment: 1. Updated some results
2. Released code
3. Fixed some details in the Appendix
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