Arctic Hyporheic Zone Project
April 2005 Spring GPR Field Campaign
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In April 2005, we (B. Bowden, M. Gooseff, T. Brosten, J. McNamara) travelled to Toolik Lake to acquire ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data at the numerous transects we had established in the previous years. The overall goal was to determine whether liquid water was evident in the streambed material during the winter. Our 2004 early-summer streambed temperature data suggested that streambeds warmed and thawed quickly, though we were not sure of the winter freeze-thaw dynamics. The April 2005 GPR data represent a seasonal "baseline", to which we can compare summer GPR thaw dynamics. We also downloaded over-winter temperature data from our streambed thermocouple stations. [Link to Data Page] We are currently analyzing the data we collected. Below are several images and a few movies from our cold, white trip. A full trip report can be found on our Reports page.

Click on images to watch videos.

Breck snow mobiling to inlet series
We used snowmobiles to get to most of our study sites. For the first week, the weather and snow conditions were ideal for this sort of travel.
Downloading thermocouple data
Downloading thermocouple data at the I8 inlet site.
Troy managing GPR wires
GPR work requires a LOT of fiber optic cable management.
GPR set up for data acquisition over snow
This is the "sled" set up we used for pulling the GPR across the snow surfaces. The reciever is at the front (on the right), the transmitter in the middle, and on the left is a trigger attached to a wheel.

Quick Time video, double click to run video
Breck checking in via satellite phone
While on day-long campaigns, we often checked in with camp personnel using a satellite phone.
Kuparuk headwaters stream, East
Very deep channel incision in the Kuparuk headwaters (East channel) that does not completely fill with snow.

QT video, double click to run video
Acquiring GPR data across the eastern channel of the Kuparuk headwaters.
Toolik Lake outlet
Acquiring GPR data at the Toolik Lake outlet.

QT video, double click to run video
Acquiring GPR data across Toolik Lake, from outlet to inlet.
open water, S side of Brooks Range, April 2005
This is open water on the headwaters of the Koyukuk River, south side of the Brooks Range, in early April.
Team GPR
Team photo taken as we leave Toolik.
Brooks Range from the north in the winter
The Brooks Range in April.

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This page was created 25-Apr-2005.
This page was last updated 05-Sept-2007.
Questions?  mgooseff@engr.psu.edu