High-Resolution Permafrost Mapping in the Eastern Tianshan: A Spatially Adaptive Machine Learning Approach Driven by Rock Glaciers

This repository contains the foundational dataset and high-resolution spatial products supporting the academic paper titled "High Resolution Modeling and Mapping of Permafrost Distribution in Eastern Tianshan Driven by Rock Glaciers." Covering an area of approximately 340,000 square kilometers, this dataset comprehensively and meticulously presents the spatial distribution characteristics of alpine permafrost, periglacial landforms, and rock glacier classifications in the Eastern Tianshan (ETS) region. It aims to provide scientific data support for regional eco-hydrological assessments, climate change response studies, and major engineering risk management in high-altitude environments. The repository primarily consists of the following two core data components: Eastern Tianshan Rock Glacier Inventory (Vector Data): This is a complete rock glacier inventory database interpreted from high-resolution optical remote sensing imagery. It contains a total of 8,613 rock glaciers, explicitly classified into 6,133 Intact Rock Glaciers (IRGs, indicating the presence of permafrost) and 2,480 Relict Rock Glaciers (RRGs, indicating the absence of permafrost). The dataset not only provides the spatial boundaries (or centroids) of each landform but also includes associated topographic and climatic parameters extracted for each entity (e.g., Elevation, Slope, Mean Annual Air Temperature [MAAT], and Potential Incoming Solar Radiation [PISR]). High-Resolution Permafrost Favorability Index (PFI) Map (Raster Data): This is a permafrost distribution probability map for the ETS with a spatial resolution of 90 meters. The data was generated based on an innovative spatially adaptive framework—coupling the Quadtree partitioning algorithm with Generalized Additive Models (GAMs)—which effectively overcomes the challenge of significant spatial heterogeneity in complex mountainous terrains. Raster pixel values range from 0 to 1, with higher values representing a greater probability of permafrost occurrence (in this study, a PFI ≥ 0.5 is classified as a permafrost distribution area). Data Access and Embargo Statement: To ensure the independence and integrity of the peer-review process, the aforementioned data files are currently under an embargo period (Embargoed Access). Upon the formal acceptance and publication of the associated research paper, the complete dataset will be immediately released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license (CC BY 4.0) and made fully open for public access.