Tags: hydrology, limnology, carbon dioxide, ice jams, carbon
| Principal Investigator: | Tank, Suzanne E (16) |
| Licence Number: | 15069 |
| Organization: | York University |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2013
2012
|
| Issued: | May 22, 2012 |
| Project Team: | Pervaiz Muhammad |
Objective(s): To examine the solar degradation of riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to carbon dioxide (CO2) throughout the Mackenzie River Delta, to understand how important the Mackenzie Delta is for the transformation of DOC in riverwater to CO2.
Project Description: This study will examine the solar degradation of riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to carbon dioxide (CO2) throughout the Mackenzie River Delta. During the spring runoff peak just before summer solstice, ice-jam flooding inundates the Delta with river water, which spreads out in a relatively thin layer over an extended area and is exposed to 24-hour Arctic sunlight. Because river flows are so high during the spring runoff peak, and DOC concentration increases with increasing flows, about 30 percent of total riverine DOC flux occurs during this high flow period. The objective is to understand how important the Mackenzie Delta is for the transformation of DOC in river water to CO2. The work in the summer of 2012 represents preliminary work for understanding solar degradation of DOC. The research team will use helicopter to collect water samples from Mackenzie Delta river channels, and use a boat to collect water samples from lakes in the vicinity of Inuvik. Water samples will be collected using pre-cleaned plastic bottles, by collecting samples from just below the water surface. Collected samples will be brought back to the lab for analysis, where they will be measured for light absorbance, DOC concentration, and solar degradation rates. Solar degradation rates will be measured using laboratory experiments that expose the water samples to sunlight. The research team will be happy to give presentations about this research to local schools, or to any other group that would like to receive such a presentation. Once the research is complete, the researchers will prepare a poster that can be displayed at the Aurora Research Institute that outlines the findings. The researchers will also send copies of any publications that result from this research to the Aurora Research Institute library. An assistant will be hired, which will allow a resident to gain a better knowledge of field sampling techniques, and allow for the team to communicate the purpose of this research and methods for carrying our research out to a member of the local community. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from May 28, 2012 to July 20, 2012.
