Permafrost controls geomorphological dynamics in maritime Antarctic ecosystems. Here, we analyze and model ground thermal regime in bordering conditions between continuous and discontinuous permafrost to better understand its relationship with the timing of glacial retreat. In February 2017, a transect including 10 sites for monitoring ground temperatures was installed in the eastern fringe of Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island, northern Antarctic Peninsula), together with one station recording air temperatures and snow thickness. The sites were selected following the Mid-Late Holocene deglaciation of the area at a distance ranging from 0.30 to 3.15 km from the current Rotch Dome glacier front. The transect provided data on the effects of topography, snow cover and the timing of ice-free exposure, on the ground thermal regime. From February 2017 to February 2019, the mean annual air temperature was -2.0 °C, which was >0.5 °C higher than 1986-2015 average in the Western Antarctic Peninsula region. Mean annual ground temperature at 10 cm depth varied between 0.3 and -1.1 °C, similar to the modelled Temperatures on the Top of the Permafrost (TTOP) that ranged from 0.06 ± 0.08 °C to -1.33 ± 0.07 °C. The positive average temperatures at the warmest site were related to the long-lasting presence of snow which favoured warmer ground temperatures and may trigger permafrost degradation. The role of other factors (topography, and timing of the deglaciation) explained intersite differences, but the overall effect was not as strong as snow cover.

• Klíčová slova
• Deglaciation, Ground thermal regime, Maritime Antarctica, Permafrostdistribution, Snow cover,
• MeSH
• ekosystém MeSH
• ledový příkrov MeSH
• ostrovy MeSH
• permafrost * MeSH
• teoretické modely * MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Geografické názvy
• Antarktida MeSH
• ostrovy MeSH

The Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring - South (CALM-S) site was established in February 2014 on James Ross Island as the first CALM-S site in the eastern Antarctic Peninsula region. The site, located near Johann Gregor Mendel Station, is labelled CALM-S JGM. The grid area is gently sloped (<3°) and has an elevation of between 8 and 11ma.s.l. The lithology of the site consists of the muddy sediments of Holocene marine terrace and clayey-sandy Cretaceous sedimentary rocks, which significantly affect the texture, moisture content, and physical parameters of the ground within the grid. Our objective was to study seasonal and interannual variability of the active layer depth and thermal regime at the CALM-S site, and at two ground temperature measurement profiles, AWS-JGM and AWS-CALM, located in the grid. The mean air temperature in the period March 2013 to February 2016 reached -7.2°C. The mean ground temperature decreased with depth from -5.3°C to -5.4°C at 5cm, to -5.5°C to -5.9°C at 200cm. Active layer thickness was significantly higher at AWS-CALM and ranged between 86cm (2014/15) and 87cm (2015/16), while at AWS-JGM it reached only 51cm (2013/14) to 65cm (2015/16). The mean probed active layer depth increased from 66.4cm in 2013/14 to 78.0cm in 2014/15. Large differences were observed when comparing the minimum (51cm to 59cm) and maximum (100cm to 113cm) probed depths. The distribution of the active layer depth and differences in the thermal regime of the uppermost layer of permafrost at CALM-S JGM clearly show the effect of different lithological properties on the two lithologically distinct parts of the grid.

• Klíčová slova
• Active layer thickness, Antarctic Peninsula, CALM-S, Climate, Ground thermal regime, Permafrost,
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

We study the finite-time effects in a quantum Otto cycle where a collective spin system is used as the working fluid. Starting from a simple one-qubit system we analyze the transition to the limit cycle in the case of a finite-time thermalization. If the system consists of a large sample of independent qubits interacting coherently with the heat bath, then the super-radiant equilibration is observed. We show that this phenomenon can boost the power of the engine. Mutual interaction of qubits in the working fluid is modeled by the Lipkin-Meshkov-Glick Hamiltonian. We demonstrate that in this case the quantum phase transitions for the ground and excited states may have a strong negative effect on the performance of the machine. Conversely, by analyzing the work output we can distinguish between the operational regimes with and without a phase transition.

• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH