ECLIPSE 2023
Geophysics lead
The goal of this project was to collect data to support the evaluation of a future ice core drilling site on the Eclipse Icefield. This project included two key objectives:
- Measure ice depth, surface velocity, and englacial deformation across the icefield.
- Observe how the percolation of melt into the snowpack varies across the icefield.
Part 1. Geophysics
We collected 3 key types of geophysics data during the 2023 field season:
To capture ice deformation and movement, we collected one set of measurements late April. A secondary set of measurements was collected during the second part of our field season in early June. In total, 37 velocity stakes were measured and 11 ApRES measurements were made. GPR transects were collected during both the first (late April) and second (early June) segments of this field work to supplement prior surveys conducted by Campbell and others in 2016. |
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Overview of geophysics data collected during the 2023 field season.
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Radargram from the Eclipse Icefield (2023) showing approximated location of the 2002 Eclipse ice core and ice depths. A visible horizon from the 1912 Katmai volcanic eruption is visible in the radar data. The ~700m deep trough appears to be a promising location for future ice coring endeavors.
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Part 2. Firn Coring
Our team collected 3 different firn cores to investigate the percolation of meltwater in the snowpack and assess spatial variability in snow and firn properties across the icefield. Core depths ranged from 10-16m and were processed in the field.
Field work in Kluane National Park would not have been possible without the support of Kluane Lake Research Station and Icefield Discovery. Funding for this project was provided by the Churchill Exploration Fund, the American Alpine Club, University of Maine Graduate Student Government, and the Golden Family Foundation's support of UMaine's Sea to Sky Program
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Fieldwork in the Yukon has been conducted on the native lands of indigenous peoples. This research was conducted on the traditional lands fo the Kluane, Champagne, and Aishihik First Nations peoples.