Collaborative research: the circumpolar active layer monitoring network-calm VI (2025-2028): long-term observations on arctic permafrost

Northern Michigan University received a $122,929 collaborative research project grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Polar Programs (CFDA 47.078) awarded October 1, 2025, with a completion date of September 30, 2028. Under the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring Network-CALM VI initiative, the university will conduct long-term standardized observations of Arctic permafrost, specifically measuring active layer thickness (ALT) and dynamics across multiple Arctic sites. The project delivers comprehensive time-series data on seasonal soil thaw patterns at consistent geographic locations and across diverse terrain types, generating critical scientific observations required to identify spatial variation scales, establish temporal trends, and validate predictive ecosystem models.

The research outputs will produce a public database coordinated through an international permafrost monitoring network, providing actionable geospatial data and analytical products for infrastructure developers, engineers, local communities, and planners to support informed decision-making regarding Arctic infrastructure development in Alaska and other polar regions. Additionally, the project contributes to workforce development through student training and supports national interests in Arctic understanding, permafrost science, and geostrategic planning. The data generated will improve the reliability of global ecosystem models and satellite mission products while advancing knowledge of how active layer dynamics affect vegetation patterns, water flow, ground stability, and socioeconomic development in cold regions.

Abstract

This project is jointly funded by the arctic observing network (AON) program and the established program to stimulate competitive research (epscor). The layer of ground above permafrost, the active layer, thaws and refreezes annually. Active layer thickness is essential in understanding cold regions as IT directly affects vegetation, water flow, and other processes such as ground stability, with implications for community resilience, infrastructure, natural resource management, and socioeconomic development. For example, knowledge about the active layer is critical to building houses, roads, pipelines, and other types of infrastructure on permafrost. The data collected by this project will provide knowledge of geographic distribution and trends in a form that can be used by developers, engineers, local communities, and planners to support smart infrastructure development in alaska under rapidly changing arctic conditions. These data will also help to improve the reliability of global ecosystem models and satellite mission products. The circumpolar active layer monitoring (calm) project helps to coordinate an international permafrost network, contributing to a widely used public database. This research supports national interests by enhancing understanding of the arctic, permafrost, geostrategic and infrastructure planning, and workforce development through training students. The calm project focuses on long-term standardized measurements of active-layer thickness (ALT) and dynamics. Local site conditions and seasonal variability create complex interactions that determine the magnitude of seasonal soil thaw and resulting biogeochemical processes. Time series of thaw measurements at the same locations and across terrain types and regions are required to identify scales of spatial variation, establish trends, and validate models. This project measures long-term active layer and ground temperature as well as thaw subsidence, at sites along three geographical, climatic, and ecological transects in northern alaska. During the research period, further standardization of the instrumentation and characterization of macro and micro-scale conditions at each northern alaskan site and comparative analysis of the relative influence of these conditions will be completed. This project also supports the integration of ALT, ground temperatures, and ancillary data with those from international partners (almost 300 sites are in the network) into the global terrestrial network for permafrost database. Recommended standard protocols for subsidence measurements and data archiving will be finalized to aid in comparison between sites, like those previously developed for ALT and near-surface temperatures. These data provide a basis for comprehensive assessment of changes in active-layer and near-surface permafrost, assist in detailed process studies, and support the development and validation of engineering, ecological, hydrological, and geocryological models. The previous calm data have been used effectively and extensively by the modeling and remote sensing communities. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.- subawards are not planned for this award.