NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: physical sciences, permafrost, climate change, wedge ice

Objective(s): To continue monitoring change in ground temperatures, seasonal thaw depth (active layer), subsidence of the ground, change in vegetation, and thawing of ice wedges.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No.5001. The objective is to continue monitoring change in ground temperatures, seasonal thaw depth (active layer), subsidence of the ground, change in vegetation, and thawing of ice wedges. The research team compare these data with the results of computer forecasts of how things may change with climate warming. The team hope to be able to give to land and infrastructure managers an indication of the time available before the consequences of climate warming may be serious for users of the land and infrastructure. In the next five years the research team hope to: 1) study the occurrence and subsidence of ground above ice wedges on hillslopes; 2) to develop a program regarding stability of sumps with Charles Klengenberg and the Inuvialuit environmental monitors; 3) assist the Northwest Territories Geological Survey with a program regarding the stability of the hillside of the Caribou Hills near Reindeer Station that will be organized by the Inuvik Community Corp.; 4) continue to monitor ground temperatures near the coast and near Inuvik (with ARI staff) to show that winter conditions are the most important for climate warming, not change in summer; 5) study the role of British Mountains on climate differences between the Yukon Coastal Plain (including Qikiqtaryuk) and Old Crow Flats and how these factors influence permafrost; and 6) determine how permafrost temperatures have changed near Paulatuk over the last 15 years in comparison with the other sites monitored in the ISR. The last objective stems from discussions at the Inuvialuit monitors meetings. Finally, the Principal Investigator (PI) is also expecting to study the strong winter winds that are experienced near the territorial border that are a hazard to drivers. These winds are not predicted by the public weather forecast, but the team believe a small-scale forecast that is much more accurate may be possible and expect to be part of a team that will try to develop a warning system for the big winds. The primary methods for the study are to continue the measurements of: ground temperatures, snow depths, thaw depths, ice-wedge degradation, and ground subsidence at the Illisarvik, Garry Island, and Inuvik peatland sites. At these locations the research team have installed steel benchmarks to considerable depths to determine changes in the ground surface with respect to fixed reference points. The team have also installed cables with thermistors which they use to measure ground temperatures. There are locations the team can revisit to measure thaw depth each year and also snow depth. At some locations the team have data loggers that record temperatures daily throughout the year, most commonly at 1-m depth, i.e. the top of permafrost. The PI has been invited to the last 2 Inuvialuit environmental monitors meetings and if the team get the sump project going the PI is sure that will continue. The PI is in touch with various people in the region by email. In 2019 the PI gave a one-week course at Aurora College in Inuvik on permafrost and infrastructure and this is planned to be repeated in February 2021, pandemic travel permitting. The PI is developing a book and other media project on Northern Science in Northern Communities. The PI had planned to visit Aklavik and Inuvik Hunters and Trappers Committees last April to discuss this, because some people already know about it and said they would help a wider discussion of the project, but the pandemic stopped that. Perhaps this will be possible in 2022. The PI is developing a plan for a Canadian Permafrost Conference in Dawson (August 2022), which is currently being discussed by the three northern Yukon First Nations. This will be a meeting accessible to many people in the western Arctic, and will be a prelude to the International Conference on Permafrost in 2024 at Whitehorse that will provide many opportunities for NWT stakeholders to participate in. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from June 15, 2021 to October 31, 2021.