Monday, August 20, 2012

Michael Angelopoulos, Hugues and Boris with lots of data and samples in their pockets on their way back home after a successful day out in the field, photo: Boris Radosavljevic, Alfred-Wegener-InstituteExciting days lie behind us! We have accomplished a lot and the time of our departure is approaching. Last time around we wrote about our plans to sample remote sites accessible via helicopter. Our efforts were successful, and we were able to get the samples we needed. Those four days were probably the most exciting, best prepared and exhausting days of our trip. And at the same time they were fantastic and we will remember them for a long time to come. We used every available minute and accurately planned out the days schedule. You have to remember, that there is no chance of accessing more flight time than necessary, just because you forgot the measuring tape or your fieldbook.

 

 

George, Dave and Hugues in action taking Permafrost samples in a muddy thaw slump, photo: Stefanie Weege, Alfred-Wegener-InstituteOn one of the days, for example, the heavy geophysics equipment was flown to a field site close by, and unloaded with the engine running. The pilot then picked up Jule´s team and her equipment and flew to the mainland. As the weather changes very quickly and they might be not able to fly back to our basecamp on Herschel Island, Jule's team always packed a tent and emergency provisions. They were surveying the bathymetry (study of underwater depth) of two lakes at Komakuk Beach and Roland Bay. Her team also obtained six sediment cores for Jule and Josi to work on back in Germany. Jule's also used the opportunity to sample two ice-wedge Polygons on vegetation and pollen. The lake close to Roland bay further east is located in an landscape shaped by glaciers during the Wiscon Ice Sheet which is at least 15 000 years ago and the lake at Komakuk Beach further west is located in an area that remained out of their reach. Jule's study will show the evolution of these two different locations.

Steffi´s team was also using the helicopter a lot. The team took lots of permafrost samples from other thaw slumps along the Yukon Coast in order to obtain more information on their evolution. Back home the team will look in more detail at the hydrochemistry and organic carbon content stored in the thawing permafrost in order to enhance their knowledge of the regional settings.

Steffi excited after her first flight in a helicopter and ready to sample more of the Yukon Coast thaw slumps (in the background an old oil platform, parked there until further use), photo: D. FoxOur friends from McGill and the Geological Survey of Canada left us about a week ago, and the island has become quiet. Just the six of us from the Alfred-Wegener-Institute and the two rangers Lee-John and Ricky are here. We continue to work hard.

 

The sidescan survey of the east coast of the island was completed. We are preparing for departure. Yesterday we took down the equipment installed at Slump D – Steffi's field site, the weather stations, time lapse cameras, and the flume.

Our last task on the island is to separate the things that will go back with us to Inuvik, and maybe back to Germany from those which we can store on Herschel. Among the things remaining on the island is our boat, Christine, her two engines, the weather stations, the automatic water sampler, and so on. All have to be cleaned and readied to stand temperatures of up to -40C°.

 

 

Stefanie

 

Steffi lets the chain saw, ice axes and other equipment down on a rope to Dave and George in more than 300 m wide Slump on the West Coast of Herschel Island, photo: Hugues Lantuit, Alfred-Wegener-Institute

Dave mud covered and his favourite tool, his chain saw, after sampling an ice wedge, photo: S.Weege, Alfred-Wegener-Institute