2012-2013 mapping of mud ejections at Cape Bounty, Melville Island

• Main Authors: Lamoureux, Scott, Holloway, Jean
• Format: Dataset
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Cryospheric Information Network 2017
• Subjects: Active layer; Cape Bounty; Mapping; Melville Island; Permafrost; Thawing; Arctic Development and Adaptation to Permafrost in Transition; ArcticNet Network of Centres of Excellence of Canada; Arctic; Canada; Holloway; ArcticNet; Ice; permafrost
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5884/12830; https://www.polardata.ca/pdcsearch/?doi_id=12830

Mud ejections are sediment slurries ejected from the base of an active layer forming flows or small stratiform deposits on the surface. Mud ejections were mapped at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory (CBAWO) in June–July 2012 and July 2013. The study area was traversed on foot by two or three observers, and the locations of active and inactive mud ejections were mapped using a Garmin 60Cx GPS unit (Garmin International Inc., St. Olathe, KS, USA) (±3 m typical ground uncertainty). A total of 229 mud ejections were mapped and locations were recorded as WGS84 UTM Zone 12X. : Purpose: The purpose of this project is to systematically map the locations of mud ejections. Warming of the Arctic in recent years has led to changes in the active layer (layer above the permafrost that freezes and thaws seasonally) and uppermost permafrost. In particular, thick active layer formation thaws near surface ground ice. This addition of moisture, as well as infiltration from late season precipitation, results in high pore-water pressures (PWPs) at the base of the active layer and the formation of pressurized sediment slurries called mud ejections. These features are not well documented in literature, but could represent areas where subsurface porewater pressures are potentially hazardous (Holloway, J.E., Lamoureux, S.F., Montross, S.N., and Lafrenière, M.: Climate and terrain characteristics linked to mud ejection occurrence in the Canadian High Arctic, Permafrost Periglac. DOI: 10.1002/ppp.1870, 2016.). : Summary: Not Applicable