Award Abstract # 0909517
Dangerous Ice: Human perspectives on changing winter conditions in Alaska

NSF Org: OPP
Office of Polar Programs (OPP)
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA FAIRBANKS
Initial Amendment Date: September 17, 2009
Latest Amendment Date: September 17, 2009
Award Number: 0909517
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Anna Kerttula de Echave
OPP
 Office of Polar Programs (OPP)
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: October 1, 2009
End Date: September 30, 2013 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $359,658.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $359,658.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2009 = $359,658.00
ARRA Amount: $359,658.00
History of Investigator:
  • Knut Kielland (Principal Investigator)
    kkielland@alaska.edu
  • William Schneider (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus
2145 N TANANA LOOP
FAIRBANKS
AK  US  99775-0001
(907)474-7301
Sponsor Congressional District: 00
Primary Place of Performance: University of Alaska Fairbanks Campus
2145 N TANANA LOOP
FAIRBANKS
AK  US  99775-0001
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
00
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): FDLEQSJ8FF63
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): ASSP-Arctic Social Science
Primary Program Source: 01R00910DB RRA RECOVERY ACT
Program Reference Code(s): 0000, 1079, 6890, 9150, OTHR
Program Element Code(s): 522100
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.078

ABSTRACT

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).

The magnification of climate warming in high-latitude ecosystems poses a variety of challenges to arctic peoples. In Alaska and elsewhere in the Arctic, climate change have been linked to reduced subsistence opportunities and increased difficulties of predicting environmental conditions that are critical for the livelihood of residents of these regions. In particular, changes in snow cover and ice distribution has generally had a negative impact on travel and subsistence activities. This research team seeks to build a partnership among scientific disciplines (social and natural science) and indigenous peoples with a long tradition of environmental observations. A multi- disciplinary project is planned to examine human perspectives on river ice conditions during the winter season from freeze-up through break-up in interior Alaska.

The objectives of the project are to document dangerous ice conditions throughout the winter and to produce videography and oral records of observations made by long-term local river travelers and physical scientists. The documentation consists of oral descriptions and video recordings of conditions. These serve as a reference for analyzing both the physical conditions and the way participants call upon experience and training to frame their descriptions and evaluate conditions. A second objective is to record the observations on an existing on-line data base to extend the longitudinal record of locations with dangerous ice that affect the safety of winter travelers.

In fostering a partnership between academic disciplines (social and natural science) the investigators seek to obtain a broader framework for interpreting both natural phenomena and human interpretations of these phenomena. The researchers hope that the information gathered here and the collaborations between researchers and local people will influence other observation efforts across the Arctic.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Jones, C., K. Kielland, L.D. Hinzman "Modeling permafrost degradation as a control on river ice thickness." Changing Ice - A newsletter of Cryosphere Research in Alaska , v.2 , 2013 , p.8

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