Base de données de recherche des TNO

Régions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area, North Slave Region

étiquettes: physical sciences, remote sensing, plants, soil chemistry, forest ecosystem

Objectif(s): To determine the spatial extent, distribution, and timing of winter icing events in streams along the ITH through ground-based and aerial reconnaissance of stream crossings; to identify relations between physical watershed characteristics and icing dynamics through field observations and analyses of watercourse and catchment morphological parameters in GIS; and to monitor the thermal regime of ground and water in riparian systems (both ephemeral and continuously flowing), geochemical water characteristics, soil characteristics and moisture, and water level in watersheds producing icings using existing and new instrumentation.

Description du projet: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.4938. The specific objectives of the project are as follows: 1) Determine the spatial extent, distribution, and timing of winter icing events in streams along the ITH through ground-based and aerial reconnaissance of stream crossings; 2) Identify relations between physical watershed characteristics and icing dynamics through field observations and analyses of watercourse and catchment morphological parameters in GIS; 3) Monitor the thermal regime of ground and water in riparian systems (both ephemeral and continuously flowing), geochemical water characteristics, soil characteristics and moisture, and water level in watersheds producing icings using existing and new instrumentation; 4) Analyze multidisciplinary datasets obtained from monitoring to understand the processes that may trigger icing development including air temperature changes, thresholds in snow accumulation and ice thickness, active layer freeze-back, groundwater dynamics and lake storage and/or water level changes; and 5) Engage local community members and organizations in the research, and support local capacity building in permafrost monitoring. This project includes sites that are monitored in partnership by the Northwest Territories Geological Survey (NTGS), Wilfrid Laurier University (WLU), the Geological Survey of Canada, and Aurora Research Institute. Long-term research activities in the fields of meteorology, hydrology and permafrost science by NTGS, GSC, WLU and Environment Canada in the study region, especially Trail Valley Creek, have provided context and direction for the investigation of icing dynamics. Instrumentation has been installed at approximately 32 main streams near the Inuvik in past decades, and especially in the past five years, near the Inuvik to Tuktoyaktuk Highway, Dempster Highway, to measure ground temperature, water temperature, or water level. Instrumentation is to be monitored and maintained at these sites and might be reinstalled at those not recently visited. Up to four years of data have already been recorded at certain sites. Additional instrumentation at sites includes automatic cameras to monitor snow and water level. Sites may be surveyed with geophysical equipment including ground penetrating radar (GPR) and capacitively coupled resistivity (CCR) to map the depth to permafrost. Elevation surveys have been done with high-precision global positioning systems (RTK-GPS) and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) or drones. Stream discharge measurements, active layer thickness measurements, snow surveys, and other surveys have been conducted with specialized instrumentation and are planned to continue. Icing sampling and sample analysis has been done near Yellowknife and is proposed to continue at the sites at the Yellowknife Ski Club and River Lake (Century Pond). The continued monitoring of deep ground temperatures in boreholes previously drilled and instrumented, north of Yellowknife, is also proposed under this application. Research results will continue to be provided through presentations to interested parties in Tuktoyaktuk, Inuvik, and Yellowknife as data collection and analysis continues. Research papers, plain-language summary reports, and a PhD thesis will be provided to interested individuals and communities. Results will also be available within the government and university research communities, and will be provided to the Northwest Territories Department of Infrastructure. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from: March 3, 2021 to December 31, 2021