Springtime in Alaska

A bird skull I found out at a site where a friend is studying thermokarsts (aka, places where permafrost thaw has caused ground subsidence)

This is where I work when not gallivanting around outdoors

Salute your shorts tribute in Toolik Field Station's old dining hall. This appeared anonymously last summer, no one has taken credit (yet).

Midnight sun with a frozen Toolik Lake visible through the structure of a tent-lab

View of the lake from my tent

Ptarmigan photo shoot #1
Did you know that the willow ptarmigan is Alaska's state bird?

Ptarmigan photo shoot #2

Ptarmigan photo shoot #3
(This would be an awesome picture if he hadn't just pooped)

New ASD spectroradiometer! This instrument measures canopy reflectance of visible light, visible near infrared and shortwave near infrared radiation. Displaying the ghostbuster's logo is an important part of the protocol.

Ice, Ice, Baby

Northbound on the Dalton Highway to Toolik Lake

Driving a truck from Fairbanks takes about 9 hours. The highway follows the Trans-Alaska Pipeline and crosses through the Brooks Mountains.

Yukon River

Boreal Forest and Marsh

Atigun Pass

First day of Field Work
Adrian and I went out to an area of tundra that burnt in the 2007 Anaktuvuk River Fire. We visited three sites along a burn gradient and set up that instruments that will be used to measure gas fluxes between the vegetation, soil and atmosphere throughout the growing season. The goal of this project is to better understand the carbon and energy balance of tundra as it recovers from fire.

Helicopter ride to the sites!

Instrument Tower

Solar panels had to be shoveled out so they can power the instruments

Toolik Field Station is the group of buildings in the foreground and the Brooks Range (located south of camp) is visible in the background. This picture was taken as we flew back into camp from the tower sites.

Spring has not yet Sprung
Today we went out to check on the long term fertilization plots and gather some frozen soil cores. The snow is still waist deep in spots so getting around can be a bit tricky!

Using a sledgehammer to drive in the soil corer

Soil core hole

Returning to Alaska!

~Time to head back to Alaska for the summer~
I have replaced my camera, purchased loads of DEET and packed my bags.
I will posting pictures here for next few months so check back if you feel so inclined!