The Saline Permafrost Action Group is an international initiative under the International Permafrost Association (IPA) that aims to advance understanding of saline permafrost—frozen ground with high dissolved salt concentrations. Saline permafrost can affect its thermal and mechanical behavior, provide habitats for microbes, and can have profound impacts on ecosystems following its degradation. Found in Arctic coastal regions, Antarctic landscapes, and high-altitude Central Asia, saline permafrost remains a poorly investigated component of the global permafrost system.
This action group seeks to standardize definitions and measurement protocols, compile a global saline permafrost database, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration among geoscientists, engineers, and policymakers. The group will contribute to permafrost science through data synthesis, geospatial mapping, and international partnerships, ultimately supporting climate adaptation strategies and Arctic infrastructure resilience. Key anticipated deliverables include a revised IPA-endorsed definition, a geospatial database, and peer-reviewed synthesis publications.
The group will engage researchers across multiple disciplines and host dedicated sessions at AGU, ArcticNet, RCOP, and ICOP to share findings and build collaborations. The initiative aligns with the IPA’s mission by addressing critical knowledge gaps in permafrost stability and its response to climate change.
For more information, contact:
Dr. Benjamin M. Jones (University of Alaska Fairbanks) – bmjones3@alaska.edu
Dr. Roger Creel (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) – roger.creel@whoi.edu
Dr. Denis Lacelle (University of Ottawa) – dlacelle@uottawa.ca
Dr. Tonghua Wu (Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences) – thuawu@lzb.ac.cn
Dr. Avirmed Dashtseren (Mongolian Academy of Sciences) – dashtserena@mas.ac.mn