| Principal Investigator: | Tank, Suzanne E (16) |
| Licence Number: | 15250 |
| Organization: | York University |
| Licensed Year(s): |
2013
2012
|
| Issued: | May 28, 2013 |
| Project Team: | Gayla Weeks |
Objective(s): To examine the solar degradation of riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to carbon dioxide (CO2) throughout the Mackenzie River Delta.
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. This water is then slowly 'released' from previously flooded lakes, via the series of Delta river channels, throughout the rest of the summer. The objective is to understand how important the Mackenzie Delta is for the transformation of DOC in river water to CO2. The research team will do this by examining the breakdown of dissolved organic carbon contained within samples from Delta lakes and river channels. This year’s work builds upon the preliminary work done during 2012 to examine the solar degradation of DOC. The research team will use helicopter to collect water samples from Mackenzie Delta river channels and some lakes that are not accessible by boat, and also use a boat to collect water samples from a select number of 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 may also incubate samples in a selected set of lakes that can be reached by boat from Inuvik, which will simply involve incubating filtered lake water in sealed bags, which will be suspended in the water column. The research team is happy to give any presentations about the research to local schools or any group or community organization that would like to receive a presentation. Once the research is complete, the research team will prepare a poster that can be displayed at the Aurora Research Institute that outlines the findings. Copies of any publications that result from this research will be sent to the Aurora Research Institute library. Finally, the research team plan to hire a local resident to assist with the sampling effort, as was done in previous years. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from May 26, 2013 to September 6, 2013.
