Multi-scale characterisation of permafrost landscapes and landforms in Northwest Canada based on in situ, geophysical and remote sensing data

Most of the periglacial environments on Earth are experiencing enormous changes during the ongoing climate warming. These changes strongly affect the thermal regime in the subsurface as well as geomorphological processes taking place. To assess how periglacial environments will develop in the future, it is important to know the recent subsurface structures and to understand their complex relationships to surface characteristics. Small-scale heterogeneities play an important role in this context, as they make large-scale predictions regarding future development very difficult. This study presents a multimethodological approach to reveal relationships between surface and subsurface properties and their respective small-scale distribution along a north-south transect throughout the Mackenzie Delta Region in Northwest Canada. In addition, high-resolution three-dimensional investigations of two pingos and a retrogressive thaw slump reveal new insights in the morphological development of these landforms.