Permafrost monitoring
Permafrost in mountainous regions has only been studied intensively for the past few decades. Switzerland currently participates in a range of projects aimed at assessing and monitoring the occurrence of permafrost.
Permafrost can have a significant influence on the stability of built structures. Unconsolidated material that is supersaturated with ice often creeps slowly downslope. This can pose problems for structures founded on permafrost, such as cable car stations. Identifying the presence of permafrost is therefore essential for the planning and maintenance of infrastructure in the high mountain regions. It enables potential problems to be identified at an early stage and taken into account during the planning process. Unnecessarily high long-term costs and risks can be avoided through appropriately adapted engineering designs.
Construction of the Gornergrat and Jungfrau around 1900 already involved work in permafrost terrain. During the construction of the Grande Dixence power plant facilities in the 1950s, unexpected problems were encountered with ice-supersaturated debris. However, research into alpine permafrost and understanding of the existence of this phenomenon did not begin to develop until the 1970s.
PERMOS Monitoring Network
As a result of climate change, widespread deep thawing of permafrost is expected. However, warming of permafrost ground occurs with a considerable time lag at greater depths. Complete thawing may therefore take decades or centuries.
For several years, coordinated monitoring networks have been in operation in Switzerland and around the world to measure, archive and analyse permafrost temperatures and related parameters over the long term. The Swiss Permafrost Monitoring Network PERMOS monitors and documents changes in the distribution and characteristics of permafrost. The results of these observations provide the basis for projections of future developments. Modelling the occurrence of permafrost is a particularly important tool for sustainable planning.