Spatial distribution of ground surface temperatures and active layer depths in the Hövsgöl area, northern Mongolia

Near-surface temperature variations in different topographic settings were obtained from miniature temperature data-loggers at 17 locations over a 2-year period in the Lake Hovsgol area in northern Mongolia. These measurements were used to analyse the influence of vegetation, solar radiation, surface wetness and snow cover on the ground thermal regime. An empirical modelling approach was applied in order to estimate the spatial distribution of ground surface temperatures, the presence of permafrost and the depth of the active layer. Our study shows that spatial interpolation of ground surface temperature parameters, mainly known from previous research in the Arctic, can be feasible in the arid mountain environments of Central Asia. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.