Collaborative Research: P2C2--Ice Core and Firn Aquifer Studies at Combatant Col, British Columbia, Canada

合作研究：P2C2——加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省 Combatant Col 的冰芯和冷杉含水层研究

• 批准号: 2001961
• 负责人: Eric Steig
• 金额: $ 24.69万
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-07-15 至 2025-06-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2001961&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; P2C2; Ice; Core

This project aims to recover an ice core at Combatant Col, BC, Canada to reconstruct hydroclimate variability over the last 500 years. Previous work at Combatant Col demonstrates preservation of annual stratigraphy, water-isotope and geochemical records reflecting important climate and environmental variables including atmospheric circulation, snow accumulation, fire activity, and trans-Pacific dust transport. Existing North Pacific ice cores are located exclusively in Alaska and the Yukon. Combatant Col significantly expands the spatial coverage of ice core records, while simultaneously providing a unique record of hydroclimate in southwestern British Columbia. This project will conduct detailed radar surveys and ice-flow modeling to better understand the glaciological setting and to select the optimal site for drilling. A core to bedrock will be retrieved with logistics supported by the Hakai Cryosphere Node at the University of Northern British Columbia. Analysis of the core included in this project consists of water isotope ratios and visual stratigraphy. In combination with high-resolution radar imaging, the core from Combatant Col will be used to determine whether the observed firn-aquifer at this site (liquid water is stored perennially above the firn-ice transition) has been a persistent feature at the site, or whether it has formed recently, and to determine its impact on glacier energy balance and dynamics. The core will be archived and made available for additional analyses by the ice-core research community. The potential Broader Impacts include developing a new record of hydroclimate variability from the Combatant Col ice core which will provide quantitative constraints for modeling processes affecting a wide range of ecosystems and human communities in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Other potential Broader Impacts include field work training and participation (Ice drilling) for a diverse cohort of graduate students facilitated by the proximity of the field site. The researchers plan outreach activities as part of “Climate Time” seminars series in which the paleoclimate research from Combatant Col site will be highlighted.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

该项目旨在恢复加拿大不列颠哥伦比亚省 Combatant Col 的冰芯，以重建过去 500 年的水文气候变化，展示了反映重要气候和环境变量（包括大气）的年度地层学、水同位素和地球化学记录。环流、积雪、火灾活动和跨太平洋尘埃输送仅位于阿拉斯加和育空地区，同时显着扩大了冰芯记录的空间覆盖范围。该项目将提供不列颠哥伦比亚省西南部水文气候的独特记录，以更好地了解冰川环境并选择最佳钻探地点，并在后勤支持下取回岩心。北不列颠哥伦比亚大学的 Hakai 冰冻圈节点。该项目中包含的岩心分析包括水同位素比和视觉地层学，结合高分辨率雷达成像，将使用来自 Combatant Col 的岩心进行确定。在此地点观测到的冰层含水层（液态水常年储存在冰层-冰过渡区上方）是否是该地点的一个持续特征，或者是否是最近形成的，并确定其对冰川能量平衡和动态的影响。冰芯将被存档并可供冰芯研究界进行进一步分析。潜在的更广泛影响包括开发战斗山地冰芯水文气候变化的新记录，这将为影响广泛范围的建模过程提供定量约束。不列颠哥伦比亚省和美国西北太平洋地区的生态系统和人类社区的其他潜在更广泛的影响包括通过现场地点的邻近性为不同的研究生群体提供现场工作培训和参与（冰钻）。该奖项反映了 NSF 的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。