Open Master Thesis Topic: InSAR analysis of Arctic permafrost landscapes in the context of thermo-erosion gullies
Permafrost in the Arctic undergoes significant thawing and degradation, which affects the hydrological processes, ecosystems and infrastructure stability. It can furthermore accelerate climate warming by the release of carbon that was previously stored in the permafrost.
One characteristic landform that arises when permafrost is thawing are thermal erosion gullies. These gullies form after sudden, repeated or massive input of run-off water, for example by strong precipitation events. The rate of gully erosion can reach several
tens of meters per year and positive feedbacks can keep the gully active and enlarging for more than a decade. Recent climate observations indicate that the likelihood of occurrence of extreme events (high air temperatures, increased precipitation) is increasing,
which favors thermo-erosion gullying.
The ground deformation is a key indicator of permafrost degradation and can be quantified using multi-temporal SAR observations. With a technique called interferometric SAR (InSAR) ground deformation on a millimeter to centimeter scale can be obtained. In this
project Sentinel-1 and TerraSAR-X observations should be processed and analyzed using the InSAR technique for study sites in Northern Siberia (Lena Delta, Bykovsky Peninsula, Kurugnakh). The obtained ground deformation time-series can be used to make estimates
about the ground-ice content and can be used as input to permafrost models to predict the future development, specifically regarding thermo-erosion gully development . This project will be conducted in close cooperation with the Alfred-Wegener Institute in
Potsdam, Germany.
Opportunities offered by this Master Thesis:
- Learn about permafrost landscapes and gully formation and development
- Processing and handling of InSAR data
- Analysis of deformation time-series
- Python programming and radar processing with the gamma software
- Collaborate with experts in the field of permafrost studies
- Writing and publishing a scientific paper (as an optional followup)
Contact:
Philipp Bernhard (), Irena Hajnsek ()