Paleoenvironment, Geomorphic Processes, and Carbon Stocks of Drained Thaw-lake Basins in the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska, USA, 2002-2005

Summary

These data are from a study of the origin and associated geomorphological, ecological, and pedological processes of thaw-lake basins of the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska. The research utilized high-resolution multispectral satellite data, ground-penetrating radar, and extensive coring to estimate the amount of carbon sequestered in the drained basins. Investigators used radiometric dating, microfossil analysis, and soil development to determine whether carbon accumulation rates respond to regional changes in climate, or if they are influenced by local rates of plant succession.

Investigators reported depths, adjusted depths, radiocarbon dates, calibrated radiocarbon dates, pollen, microfossils, soil bulk density, total organic carbon (TOC), and other descriptive statistics from the spring and summer seasons of April 2002 through April 2005. Data are in Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, TIFF, JPEG, and ArcView Shapefile formats, available via FTP.

Citing These Data

Eisner, W. R. 2007. Paleoenvironment, geomorphic processes, and carbon stocks of drained thaw-lake basins in the Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska, USA, 2002-2005. Boulder, Colorado USA: National Center for Atmospheric Research, ARCSS Data Archive.

Overview Table

Table of Contents

1. Contacts and Acknowledgments
2. Detailed Data Description
3. Data Acquisition and Processing
4. References and Related Publications
5. Document Information

1. Contacts and Acknowledgments

Investigator

Wendy R. Eisner
Department of Geography
University of Cincinnati
ML 131
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0131
USA

James G. Bockheim
Department of Soil Science
University of Wisconsin, Madison
1525 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706-1299
USA

Kenneth M. Hinkel
Department of Geography
University of Cincinnati
ML 131
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0131
USA

Richard A. Beck
Department of Geography
University of Cincinnati
ML 131
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0131
USA

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) Office of Polar Programs (OPP) Arctic System Science (ARCSS) Program grant OPP-0240338.

2. Detailed Data Description

File and Directory Structure

The following table describes the structure of the higher level data directories only.

Spatial Coverages

Southernmost Latitude: 70.9055° N
Northernmost Latitude: 72.2153° N
Westernmost Longitude: 157.1417° W
Easternmost Longitude: 155.5473° W

Spatial Resolution

Core sampling resolution is 1 cm to 10 cm. Core sampling depth is 1 m.

Temporal Coverage and Resolution

Investigators measured frozen ground during the spring, and vegetation and land forms during the summer from April 2002 through April 2005.

Parameter or Variable

Investigators measured depths, adjusted depths, radiocarbon dates, calibrated radiocarbon dates, pollen, microfossils, soil bulk density, TOC, and descriptive statistics.

Quality Assessment

Refer to Eisner et al., 2005.

3. Data Acquisition and Processing

Data Acquisition Methods

Investigators used a Big Beaver earth drill equipped with a 7.5 cm diameter Snow, Ice, and Permafrost Research Establishment (SIPRE) core barrel. Total carbon was measured on a Dohrmann DC190 C analyzer. Investigators also used a Global Positioning System (GPS), radiocarbon accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS), and seven Landsat-7 Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETMP) scenes (Paths 75, 77 and 79 Rows 10 and 11 and Path 81 Row 10).

Derivation Techniques and Algorithms

Refer to Eisner et al., 2005.

4. References and Related Publications

Beck, R., W. R. Eisner, K. M. Hinkel, H. Pesanti, B. Ellis, E. Beiswenger, W. Parker, M. Treadwell, S. Smith, L. Drogh, K. G. Hansen and V. Peskov. 2005. Nutarniq: Uniting the Arctic community with a wireless arctic network for circumpolar communications. Polar Geography 29(1):43.

Bockheim, J. G., K. M. Hinkel, W. R. Eisner, and X. Y. Dai. 2004. Carbon pools and accumulation rates in an age-series of soils in drained thaw-lake basins, arctic Alaska. Soil Science Society of America Journal 68:697.

Eisner, W. R., J. G. Bockheim, K. M. Hinkel, T. A. Brown, F. E. Nelson, K. M. Peterson, and B. M. Jones. 2005. Paleoenvironmental analyses of an organic deposit from an erosional landscape remnant, Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska. Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology 217:187.

Eisner, W. R., K. M. Hinkel, J. G. Bockheim, and F. E. Nelson. 2003. Late-Quaternary paleoenvironmental record from a palsa-scale frost mound in arctic Alaska. Eighth International Conference on Permafrost, Zurich, 21-25 July 2003. Zurich, Switzerland. (Phillips, M., S. M. Springman, and L. U. Arenson, eds.), p. 229.

Frohn, R. C., K. M. Hinkel, and W. R. Eisner. 2005. Satellite remote sensing classification of thaw lakes and drained thaw lake basins on the North Slope of Alaska. Remote Sensing of the Environment 97:116.

Hinkel, K. M., R. C. Frohn, F. E. Nelson, W. R. Eisner, R. A. Beck, and J. G. Bockheim. 2005. Morphometric and spatial analysis of thaw lakes and drained thaw lake basins in the western Arctic Coastal Plain, Alaska. Permafrost and Periglacial Processes 16(4):327.

Hinkel, K. M., W. R. Eisner, J. G. Bockheim, F. E. Nelson, K. M. Peterson, and X. Y. Dai. 2003. Spatial extent, age, and carbon stocks in drained thaw lake basins on the Barrow Peninsula, Alaska. Arctic, Antarctic and Alpine Research 35:291.

5. Document Information

Acronyms and Abbreviations

The following acronyms and abbreviations are used in this document.

Document Creation Date

May 2007

Document URL

http://data.eol.ucar.edu/codiac/dss/id=106.ARCSS176