Watching the Cryosphere Thaw: Seismic Monitoring of Permafrost Degradation Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing During a Controlled Heating Experiment

Permafrost degradation is rapidly increasing in response to a warming Arctic climate, altering landscapes and damaging critical infrastructure. Solutions for monitoring permafrost thaw dynamics are essential understand biogeochemical feedbacks as well issue warnings hazardous geotechnical conditions. We investigate the feasibility of using permanently installed fiber-optic seismic networks. conducted 2-month campaign during controlled experiment permanent surface orbital vibrator (SOV) 2D-array distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) cables, observed significant (15%) shear-wave velocity (Vs) reductions approximately 2 m depression table beneath heating zone. These observations were validated by time-lapse horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) analysis from three co-located broadband seismometers. The combination SOV DAS provided unique at field scale, basis design development early warning systems thaw.