NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region, Gwich'in Settlement Area

Tags: physical sciences, permafrost thaw, LiDAR survey, revegetation monitoring, airborne geophysics

Objective(s): To conduct airborne surveys at 3300ft (1000m) altitude to collect high-resolution aerial images and LiDAR elevation data that can be used to describe and quantify rates of permafrost thaw, coastal erosion, thaw slumping, lake change, and vegetation change.

Project Description: This licence has been issued for the scientific research application No. 5656. The objective is to conduct airborne surveys at 3300ft (1000m) altitude to collect high-resolution aerial images and LiDAR elevation data that can be used to describe and quantify rates of permafrost thaw, coastal erosion, thaw slumping, lake change, and vegetation change. Daily survey flights (depending on cloud-free weather) will focus on different study sites within the region. Also, the research team plan to survey the areas of 5 Inuvialuit Settlement Region communities to provide updated maps of vulnerabilities to permafrost thaw and coastal erosion. The Polar-6 aircraft, a DC-3 / BT-67, is a research airplane (call sign: C-G HGF) owned by the Alfred Wegener Institute and equipped for science operations in polar conditions. The flying altitude for the campaign will be 3300 ft (1000 m) in most cases; under rare occasions we may have to conduct surveys at 1650ft (500m). The sensors onboard include a optical camera system with visible, near-infrared and thermal infrared sensors, and a topographic LiDAR system. With the collected data, the research team plan to quantify rates of permafrost degradation and disturbances, collect high-resolution LiDAR elevation data with high vertical accuracy needed to quantify permafrost thaw subsidence, and map the consequences of climate change in unprecedented detail. In addition, the project will leverage on the many site-scale studies conducted by Canadian university and local partners in the region by revisiting some of their sites and providing broader spatial context in close collaboration with these partners. The image and elevation datasets are very large and will need to be processed before they can be used for scientific analysis or public view. The data will be open-access and distributed at no charge once digitally processed. The data, i.e. aerial images and elevation models, may also be used by community planners to plan, conduct, or enhance adaptation and mitigation measures in relation to impacts of permafrost thaw and coastal erosion on lnuvialuit Settlement Region communities and cultural sites of significance. All data collected is digital, not actual samples or materials will be collected. The Hunters and Trappers Committees H(TCs) of 5 individual Inuvialuit Settlement Region villages (Inuvik, Aklavik, Tuktoyaktuk, Paulatuk, and Sachs Harbour) were contacted with a request to provide feedback on the airborne campaign objectives and potential to adapt survey targets based on specific community needs (e.g. coastal erosion locations or areas that should not be overflown). Longer-standing consultations have been in place between AWI and in particular the Aklavik HTC and Inuvik community members. Before the start of the campaign the team will distribute the fact sheet / flyer of the campaign to local authorities, stakeholders, schools, public offices to share among Inuvik residents; we potentially also share this information on local Facebook pages, such as Inuvik Bulletin Board (https://www.facebook.com/groups/286601704690892/, 2k members) or Inuvik Events (https://www.facebook.com/groups/259624124074406/, 4.5 k members). The AWI team will be based in Inuvik for the entire campaign, as the aircraft will use the Inuvik airport as base for daily surveys (depending on weather conditions). Hence, the communication will stakeholders during the campaign will also focus on Inuvik. We are interested in presenting results from the other satellite-based remote sensing studies and Alaska campaigns on permafrost thaw and change, including an easy-to-use web map tool for exploring such changes, to interested community members and stakeholders in Inuvik. All data will, once processed, become available open access and the team especially intend to timely process spatial data for the village areas and distribute the datasets in either hardcopy map and/or digital form to the Inuvialuit Settlement Region stakeholders. The research team have already done this with 2021 airborne data for Western Alaska communities. The team also plan to conduct science communication via social media channels during and shortly after the field campaign. The scientific results will be published in English in international peer-reviewed papers and communicated at international conferences. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from July 5, 2023 to July 25, 2023.