UAF PROGRAM IN BARROW CONDUCTING SHOREFAST ICE STUDIES

These Arctic Ocean sea ice pictures were taken at various locations along the coast off of Barrow on Saturday and Sunday.

Saturday, May 18, 2013 

On many Saturday afternoons throughout the year, the Barrow Arctic Science Consortium, usually referred to as BASC, hosts talks having to do with a wide variety of topics.  This Saturday, Nokinba Acker, who coordinates the program, invited the community to hear three professors from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks and some of their 22 students present on their recent visit to Barrow to study the sea ice. 

The UAF program, partially funded by the National Science Foundation, accepted applications from graduate students from around the world and provided those selected with an introduction to some of the ways sea ice is studied by scientists…how it grows and decays, its physical properties and how varying dynamics determine life beneath its surface.  Participants spent a week researching areas of interest in relationship to the shorefast ice along the coast of the Arctic Ocean east of Barrow. 

It was interesting listening first to the instructors as they talked about the program and how they chose 22 students from a group of more than 30 who qualified to participate.  Those who were selected came from the United States, Asia and Europe.  They were accompanied each day by an Inupiat elder who has spent decades on the ice, so was aware of the changing conditions and of any danger they might face.  One photograph showed an opening in the ice that occurred while they were out.

Groups of two students each presented on their research.  One group talked about the morphology, or changing nature of the ice, how pressure ridges are formed by its movement, and how its depth is measured.  Their power point slides were interesting and gave a greater understanding of the dynamics involved in studying the ice. 

Another group presented about the albedo of the ice, or the relationship between its reflectiveness and its absorption of light and how this affects ice melt and the photosynthesis of carbon producing plants beneath the surface. 

Another group talked about taking core samples to analyze microbes found at extremely low temperatures and how they hope to find an application when studying the cold surfaces of distant moons and planets.

The presentations were fascinating and it was interesting talking with students after the program about their interest in the Arctic.  One student shared that he was disappointed that most of those in attendance were non-Native.  His area of study is the adaptability of people and organisms to extreme environments and he was hoping to hear some of the local Inupiat’s perspectives.  Although it might not affect this current group of students, a suggestion was made that future presentations be held at the Heritage Center in Barrow where there might be a higher turnout of Inupiat people.  Someone pointed out that BASC is not within walking distance to Barrow or Browerville and that the facility can seem intimidating. 

You’ll find the program’s blog more detailed than my description, be able to read firsthand about the research and see photos as well:

http://seaicecourse.gi.alaska.edu/