Stabilizing permafrost with solar-powered cooling systems

Permafrost thawing threatens infrastructure stability in cold regions. For example, in the Swiss Alps, ski lifts, cable cars, and buildings are subject to substantial risks from permafrost thaw. Passive, active, and hybrid thermal stabilization methods are used to try to safeguard these constructions by cooling the ground. However, testing and implementing large-scale thermal stabilization systems is expensive and it can take years to demonstrate their effectiveness. Thus, there is a need for more efficient testing of thermal stabilization measures that can provide quantitative insights into how they change permafrost behaviour.