Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a commonly used geophysical method to investigate permafrost in the mountain environment, but few studies have employed this method in a permafrost affected peatland. For this thesis, 5 ERT profiles were measured over 17 palsas and peat-plateaus in a palsa peatland environment in Tavvavuoma, northern Sweden, where the primary aim was to investigate the depth to the base of permafrost under the mounds. These depths are also used to estimate the excess ice fraction (EIF), which is indicative of the proportion of segregation ice in the frozen core under the mounds. The internal structure of palsas and the spatial distribution of permafrost was also investigated from the inverted resistivity models. Permafrost thickness was found to range from 5 – 17 m, with the thickest permafrost in the west end of the study area. EIF values range between 0,04 to 0,58, with the lowest values in the same end as the deepest permafrost, where also low mound elevations are found. The deep permafrost combined with low mound elevations are suggested to be attributed to the presence of coarse grained (glaciofluvial) sediments where ice segregation formation is limited, thus small amounts of frost heave. Deep permafrost is possibly underlying at least two thermokarst depressions/fens in the area, which is suggested to obstruct their drainage. The height of the mounds was surprisingly found to decrease with permafrost thickness, a relationship that is likely to be an effect of the varied underlying sediment cover. This thesis demonstrates the applicability of ERT in peatland permafrost research, but also considers the limitations of the method. / Elektrisk resistivitetstomografi (ERT) är en geofysisk metod som har använts flitigt vid undersökningar av alpin permafrost, men få studier har hittills tillämpat denna teknik vid undersökningar av permafrost i myrmarker. Under detta examensarbete på masternivå mättes 5 ERT-profiler över 17 palsar samt torvplatåer i ett palsmyrkomplex med sporadisk permafrost i Tavvavuoma, norra Sverige, med det primära målet att undersöka permafrostens mäktighet under dessa. De beräknade permafrostdjupen används även för att uppskatta isöverskottsfraktionen (EIF), vilket ger en indikation på andelen segregationsis i den frusna kärnan under respektive pals/torvplatå. Palsarnas interna struktur och den rumsliga utbredningen av permafrost i myren diskuteras också kvalitativt utifrån resistivitetsmodellerna. Permafrostmäktigheten under palsar och torvplatåer bestämdes till mellan 5 – 17 meter, med den djupaste permafrosten i den västra delen av studieområdet. Isöverskottsfraktionen varierar mellan 0,04 – 0,58, med de lägsta värdena i samma del av studieområdet som den djupaste permafrosten fanns, här är även palshöjderna låga. Den djupa permafrosten i kombination med låga palshöjder föreslås tillskrivas förekomst av grovkorniga (glaciofluviala) sediment i denna del av studieområdet, där bildningen av segregationsis begränsas. I och med detta begränsas mängden frosthävning, med låga palshöjder som resultat. Djup permafrost kan finnas under minst två thermokarstsänkor i området, vilket kan hindra dränering av dessa. Ett oväntat resultat var att palshöjd minskar med ökat permafrostdjup bland de studerade objekten, vilket bäst kan förklaras med det varierade sedimentunderlaget, som ger mycket olika förutsättningar för segregationsisbildning. Denna masteruppsats visar på tillämpligheten av ERT i myrmarker med permafrost, men beaktar även metodens begränsningar för denna tillämpning.

Projected air and ground temperatures are expected to be higher in Arctic and sub-Arcticlatitudes and with temperatures already close to the limit where permafrost can exist,resistance against degradation is low. With thawing permafrost, the landscape is modifiedwith depression in which thermokarst lakes emerge. In permafrost soils a considerableamount of soil organic carbon is stored, with the potential of altering climate even furtherif expansion and formation of new thermokarst lakes emerge, as decay releasesgreenhouse gases (C02 and CH4) to the atmosphere. Analyzing the spatial distribution andmorphometry over time of thermokarst lakes and other water bodies, is of importance inaccurately predict carbon budget and feedback mechanisms, as well as to assess futurelandscape layout and these features interaction. Different types of high-spatial resolutionaerial and satellite imageries from 1963, 1975, 2003, 2010 and 2015, were used in bothpre- and post-classification change detection analyses. Using object oriented segmentationin eCognition combined with manual adjustments, resulted in digitalized water bodies>28m2 from which direction of change and morphometric values were extracted. Thequantity of thermokarst lakes and other water bodies was in 1963 n=92, with succeedingyears as a trend decreased in numbers, until 2010-2015 when eleven water bodies wereadded in 2015 (n=74 to n=85). In 1963-2003, area of these water bodies decreased with50 651m2 (189 446-138 795m2) and continued to decrease in 2003-2015 ending at 129337m2. Limnicity decreased from 19.9% in 1963 to 14.6% in 2003 (-5.3%). In 2010 and2015 13.7-13.6%. The late increase in water bodies differs from an earlier hypothesis thatsporadic permafrost regions experience decrease in both area and quantity of thermokarstlakes and water bodies. During 1963-2015, land gain has been in dominance of the ratiobetween the two competing processes of expansion and drainage. In 1963-1975, 55/45%,followed by 90/10% in 1975-2003. After major drainage events, land loss increased to62/38% in 2010-2015. Drainage and infilling rates, calculated for 15 shorelines werevaried across both landscape and parts of shorelines, with in average 0.17/0.15/0.14m/yr.Except for 1963-1975 when rate of change in average was in opposite direction (-0.09m/yr.), likely due to evident expansion of a large thermokarst lake. Using a squaregrid, distribution of water bodies was determined, with an indistinct cluster located in NEand central parts. Especially for water bodies <250m2, which is the dominant area classthroughout 1963-2015 ranging from n=39-51. With a heterogeneous composition of bothsmall and large thermokarst lakes, and with both expansion and drainage altering thelandscape in Tavvavuoma, both positive and negative climate feedback mechanisms are inplay - given that sporadic permafrost still exist.

Two peat cores from two mires with different characteristics, but both containingpermafrost features and located in the eastern part of the Tavvavuoma mire complex innorthernmost Sweden, were analysed for macrofossils and geochemical properties. Local vegetationsequences and changes in geochemical properties of peat were used to reconstruct development ofthe studied mires during the Holocene. The study includes measurements of water/ice content, bulkdensity, loss-on-ignition and C/N ratio. Radiocarbon dates for peatland inception and permafrostaggradation are available. The main purpose of the study is to verify permafrost history in thepeatlands. The results of the macrofossil analysis and values of C/N ratio indicate nutrient poor tointermediate fen environments in both studied mires until recently. Signs of permafrost upheavalwhich caused formation of xerophilic peat can be proved only since late 1950’s. The study resultscorroborate with other studies from Northern Fennoscandia and infer peatland initiation soon afterthe deglaciation of the area and permafrost-free conditions throughout entire Holocene untilrecently.