[A Data Collection Program Focused on Hydrologic and Meteorologic Parameters in an Arctic Ecosystem]

• Main Author: Kane, D.
• Other Authors: United States. Department of Energy.
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: University of Alaska Fairbanks 1992
• Subjects: 02 Petroleum; Basic Studies; Hydrology; Environmental Aspects; Terrestrial Ecosystems; Meteorology; Melting; Tundra; 020900; 54 Environmental Sciences; Alaska 540210; Runoff; Arctic Regions; Snow; Arctic; Brooks Range; Ice; north slope; permafrost; Alaska
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.2172/10147711; https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1310705/

The hydrologic cycle of an arctic watershed is dominated by such physical elements as snow, ice, permafrost, seasonally frozen soils, wide fluctuations in surface energy balance and phase change of snow and ice to water. At Imnavait basin, snow accumulation begins in September or early October and maximum snowpack water equivalent is reached just prior to the onset of ablation in mid May. No significant mid winter melt occurs in this basin. Considerable snowfall redistribution by wind to depressions and valley bottom is evident. Spring snowmelt on the North Slope of Alaska is the dominant hydrologic event of the year.This event provides most of the moisture for use by vegetation in the spring and early summer period. The mechanisms and timing of snowmelt are important factors in predicting runoff, the migrations of birds and large mammals and the diversity of plant communities. It is important globally due to the radical and abrupt change in the surface energy balance over vast areas. We were able to explore the trends and differences in the snowmelt process along a transect from the Brooks Range to the Arctic Coastal plain. Snowpack ablation was monitored at three sites. These data were analyzed along with meteorologic data at each site. The initiation of ablation was site specific being largely controlled by the complementary addition of energy from radiation and sensible heat flux. Although the research sites were only 115 km apart, the rates and mechanisms of snowmelt varied greatly. Usually, snowmelt begins at the mid-elevations in the foothills and progresses northerly toward the coast and southerly to the mountains. In the more southerly areas snowmelt progressed much faster and was more influenced by sensible heat advected from areas south of the Brooks Range. In contrast snowmelt in the more northerly areas was slower and the controlled by net radiation.