Permafrost and Climatology of a Hawaii Volcano Crater

Woodcock, Alfred

Permafrost was discovered in 1969 at an altitude of 4,140 m near the surface of Summit Cone crater on Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano on the island of Hawaii. Although the mean annual air temperature of the nearby Mauna Kea Observatory (alt. ª4,200 m) is well above freezing, the permafrost is at least 10 m thick. Its survival is shown to be associated with the local trapping of radiationally cooled air, a low angle of incidence of sunlight, and a very dry atmosphere. Indications are that it can survive for long periods in the volcanic cones of the dry alpine regions of Hawaii, with a lowering of the mean air temperature immediately over its surface to only a few tenths of a degree below 0°C. The permafrost does not appear to be in thermal equilibrium with the present microclimate of the crater. Though its upper surface shows no signs of degradation during 4 years, the lower surface is probably slowly melting.

Permafrost and Climatology of a Hawaii Volcano Crater

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