Journal of Geophysical Research – Earth Surface
Supporting Information for
Evidence for non-uniform permafrost degradation after fire across boreal landscapes
B. Minsley1*, N. Pastick2,5, B. Wylie3, D. Brown4, and M. Kass1
1 U.S.
Geological Survey, Crustal Geophysics and Geochemistry Science Center, Denver, Colorado, 80225, USA.
2 Stinger Ghaffarian
3 U.S.
Technologies, Inc., Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198, USA.
Geological Survey, Earth Resources Observation and Science Center, Sioux Falls, South Dakota, 57198, USA.
4 University
of Alaska Fairbanks, Department of Biology and Wildlife and Institute of Arctic Biology, Fairbanks,
Alaska, 99775, USA.
5 University
of Minnesota, Department of Forest Resources, St. Paul, Minnesota, 55108, USA.
Contents of this file
Figures S1 to S8
Introduction
Figures S1 – Figure S8 show geophysical results, permafrost probe measurements, and site
photos for transects not displayed in the paper. These data were acquired and processed in the
same manner described in the ‘Study area and methods’ section of the paper, and are
presented in the same format as Figure 2 – Figure 4.
1
Figure S1. Geophysics results from site DANA (silty lowland; 1983 fire). a) ERT transect, with
burned, un-burned, and disturbed segments annotated, along with ERT electrode locations and
independent permafrost probe measurements of depth to permafrost. b) Site photo looking
from burned to unburned segments of the ERT transect.
2
Figure S2. Geophysics results from site LTER (silty lowland; 1983 fire). a) ERT transect, with
burned, un-burned, and disturbed segments annotated, along with ERT electrode locations and
independent permafrost probe measurements of depth to permafrost. The short isolated
unburned segment around 55 m was not assigned to any vegetation zone (Figure 5). b) Site
photo looking across the fireline from burned to unburned segments of the ERT transect.
3
Figure S3. Geophysics results from site DICK (rocky upland; 2013 fire). a) ERT transect, with
burned and un-burned segments annotated, along with ERT electrode locations and
independent permafrost probe measurements of depth to permafrost. b) Site photo looking
downhill (north) from burned towards unburned segments of the ERT transect.
4
Figure S4. Geophysics results from site TRL (silty lowland; 2013 fire). a) ERT transect, with
burned and un-burned segments annotated, along with ERT electrode locations and
independent permafrost probe measurements of depth to permafrost. NMR results show
mobile, capillary, and bound water content at 1 m (b), 31 m (d), and 120 m (f) distance along the
transect, and partial water content at discrete T2 values with co-located resistivity model
superimposed (c, e, and g). Actual NMR measurements were centered at the depths marked on
the vertical axes, and were entirely above the probed depth to permafrost at this location (>
250 cm, 148 cm, and 70 cm depth at 1m, 31 m, and 120 m transect distance, respectively). h)
Site photo looking across stream gulley from burned to unburned portions of the ERT transect.
5
Figure S5. Geophysics results from site DJ (sandy lowland; 1994 fire). a) ERT transect, with
burned and un-burned segments annotated, along with ERT electrode locations and
independent permafrost probe measurements of depth to permafrost. The light/patchy burn
area in the middle of the transect was not assigned a vegetation zone label (Figure 5) due to its
mixed status. NMR results at 90 m-distance along the transect show mobile, capillary, and
bound water content (b) and partial water content at discrete T2 values with co-located
resistivity model superimposed (c). Actual NMR measurements were centered at the depths
marked on the vertical axes, and were entirely above the probed depth to permafrost at this
location (>250 cm). d) Site photo looking from burned to unburned portions of the ERT
transect.
6
Figure S6. Geophysics results from site TOK (sandy lowland; 1990 fire). a) ERT transect, with
burned and un-burned segments annotated, along with ERT electrode locations and
independent permafrost probe measurements of depth to permafrost. b) Site photo looking
from the burned towards the unburned portions of the ERT transect.
7
Figure S7. Geophysics results from site TY (silty lowland; 2004 fire). a) ERT transect, with
burned and un-burned segments annotated, along with ERT electrode locations and
independent permafrost probe measurements of depth to permafrost. NMR results at 7 mdistance along the transect show mobile, capillary, and bound water content (b) and partial
water content at discrete T2 values with co-located resistivity model superimposed (c). Actual
NMR measurements were centered at the depths marked on the vertical axes. d) Site photo
looking downhill from the burned to unburned portions of the transect.
8
Figure S8. Geophysics results from site NC (rocky upland; 2004 fire). a) ERT transect, with
burned and un-burned segments annotated, along with ERT electrode locations and
independent permafrost probe measurements of depth to permafrost. The small isolated
unburned area in the middle of the transect was not assigned a vegetation zone label (Figure 5).
NMR results at 21 m-distance along the transect show mobile, capillary, and bound water
content (b) and partial water content at discrete T2 values with co-located resistivity model
superimposed (c). Actual NMR measurements were centered at the depths marked on the
vertical axes. d) Site photo looking backwards along the ERT transect from burned to unburned
areas.
9