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Category: Life at the permafrost lab
Fieldwork near Peawanuck
Adam joined Maara Packalen and Jim McLaughlin from the OMNR-F to conducted field work from August 18th to 27th near Peawanuck, Ontario, in the traditional territory of Winisk First Nation.
Before data collection, Adam, Jim, Maara, and other researchers from OMNRF participated in a 4 day outreach event (15th to 18th) to meet new community members, and reinforce existing relationships. The group of researchers camped at Hawley lake with approximately 30 community members, including youth and elders, and conducted demonstrations and workshops. Adam got to dig a big pit with the kids to show them what permafrost is and where it is found, which was a big hit because kids enjoy playing in the mud, and so do permafrost researchers! Adam and Jessica, an OMNRF intern, had a chance to discuss opportunities for youth in science and research. This event was organized by Sam hunter, the community environmental steward.
An icy permafrost core from the interface between organics and mineral sediment beneath a palsa
After the camping trip, field work began to the east of Peawanuck, where Adam collected cores of active layer peat, permafrost, and thermokarst from palsas and peat plateaus. One of the cores that had over 50 cm of pure ice! He also installed stakes fitted with small temperature data loggers to monitor snow pack development through the winter, and temperature sensors into the top of permafrost to report on the relationship between snow pack and palsa degradation.
Adam loves field work… and helicopters
Though tired at the end of the trip, Adam, Jim, and Maara were happy with the work accomplished and sad to leave Peawanuck until next year.
Field work in the Blackstone Uplands, Yukon
Fieldwork in the Blackstone Uplands (August 2nd to 22nd, 2018) was uneventful this year, although the weather was rather cold and rainy. Below are some photos of Maude (who joined the trip to lend a hand), Pascale, and baby-Florent in the field.
Pascale visiting the basin of a drained seasonal pond
Maude setting up temperature sensors in a thermokarst initiation feature
Pascale and Florent downloading data loggers
Candice, Adam, and Mary present at the International Geographical Union meeting in Quebec City
Candice, Adam, and Mary presented their research at the joint International Geographical Union and Canadian Association of Geographers Meeting in Quebec City, from August 6th to 10th, 2018 .
Candice, Adam, and Mary at the 2018 International Geographical Union conference in Quebec City.
Candice presented a poster with the results of her BSc thesis work on permafrost distribution near Fort Severn, ON and Mary presented a poster on her MSc thesis work on the effects of increased moisture on the thermal regime of the active layer.
Mary (left) and Candice (right) discussed their work with other conference attendees during the poster session.
Adam presented a combination of his BSc and MSc thesis results in an oral presentation that took place in the Natural Hazards and Climate session. The abstract is available here.
Adam presenting his BSc thesis results along with some preliminary results from his MSc during the session on Climate and Natural Hazards.
Once the hard work done, everyone enjoyed some time to visit Quebec City.
Enjoying some time in Quebec City
Pascale presented at the 2018 Yellowknife Geoscience Forum
Pascale (and baby Florent!) participated in the 2018 Yellowknife Geoscience Forum, which had a very good turn out of permafrost scientists!
Pascale presented a poster with some data and thought son the Evolution of incipient lowland thermokarst features in the Blackstone River valley, Yukon (abstract on p. 108 of the Forum’s book of abstracts).
Pascale also presented a brief overview of the thermal monitoring and geomorphological mapping work carried by Maare Packalen, Jim McLaughlin, and Zlatka Pironkova in Ontario Far North. See Permafrost monitoring in the Hudson Bay Lowlands: preliminary results from the Ontario Far North in the Forum’s book of abstracts, p. 60.
The stirring committee of the new Canadian Permafrost Association used the opportunity to have a fruitful meeting in person. The new association should be up and running this summer! Kumari Karunaratne and Toni Lewkowicz gave a presentation to update the community and gather input regarding the mission statement, logo, etc. See The formation of a Canadian permafrost association in the abstract book of the Forum, p. 44.