Through our research and collaboration with Dr. Bill Quinton at Wilfrid Laurier University, we have found a 27% decline in discontinuous permafrost area (illustrated by green LiDAR trees, left) since 1947 (left). Wetland development may propagate positive climate feedbacks through greenhouse gas emissions. Current research is focusing on down-wasting determined from multi-temporal airborne LiDAR data, thermal imagery, energy balance and radiative transfer modelling.

Recent articles:

- Chasmer, L. and Hopkinson, C, 2017. Threshold loss of discontinuous permafrost and landscape evolution, Global Change Biology, (23) 7, 2672-2686

-Chasmer, L., Hopkinson et al. 2014. A decision-tree classification for low-lying complex land cover types within the zone of discontinuous permafrost. Remote Sensing of Environment. 143:73-84.

-Chasmer, L., Kenward et al. 2012. CO2 exchanges within zones of rapid conversion from permafrost plateau to bog/ fen land cover types. Arctic, Antarctic Alpine Research. 44(4):399-411.

-Chasmer, Hopkinson, Quinton, 2011. Quantifying errors in permafrost plateau change from optical data, Northwest Territories, Canada: 1947 to 2008. Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing – CRSS Special Issue. 36(2):S211-S223.

-Chasmer, L., Quinton, et al. 2011. Vegetation canopy and radiation controls on permafrost plateau evolution within the discontinuous permafrost zone, Northwest Territories, Canada. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes. DOI: 10.1002/ppp.724.

New ICESat gap fraction paper published by Craig!