Two years of observations of surface air temperature and soil temperature on the northern slope of the Pico de Orizaba volcano, Mexico

Abstract

In the high mountains of Mexico, the climatological records above the tree line are almost non-existent. In this work, the air and ground surface temperatures were observed during two years at four different altitudes between the upper limit of the forest and the lower limit of the glacier on the northern slope of the Pico de Orizaba volcano. The results indicate a strong air-ground correlation in the lower altitudes whose intensity tends to decrease with altitude as well as thermal oscillation. The insulating action of the snow causes the temperature of the ground to remain almost constant during its presence, which influences the index of correlation with the air. Considering the near permanence of the ice-thaw cycles and the low thermal oscillation in the limits of the glacier, it is observed that the temperature remains close to the freezing point at this altitude during the year.