HR: 0800h
AN: H31C-0400 INVITED     [Abstracts]
TI: Kuparuk River Watershed: A Proposed Hydrologic Observatory (HO) in the Arctic
AU: * Kane, D L
EM: ffdlk@uaf.edu
AF: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Water and Environmental Research Center, Fairbanks, AK 99775 United States
AU: Hinzman, L D
EM: ffldh@uaf.edu
AF: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Water and Environmental Research Center, Fairbanks, AK 99775 United States
AU: Yang, D
EM: ffdy@uaf.edu
AF: University of Alaska Fairbanks, Water and Environmental Research Center, Fairbanks, AK 99775 United States
AB: We propose that the Kuparuk River and some surrounding nested drainages on the North Slope of Alaska be considered as an area of intense hydrologic study (Hydrologic Observatory, HO). The Kuparuk River is a north-draining river that empties into the Arctic Ocean. It originates in the northern foothills of the Brooks Range (Rocky Mountains) and flows out of the foothills onto the coastal plain before emptying into the ocean. Some of these nested watersheds are presently being studied. In expanding the present research program to an HO, we intend to focus upon facets of arctic hydrology that interplay strongly with ecosystem dynamics, climate change, geophysics, near shore estuarine processes, energy dynamics and geomorphology. The climate is currently undergoing significant, broad scale change in the Arctic. The hydrological cycle is an integral component of the climate system, both moderating and driving changes in meteorology, coastal processes, and terrestrial and aquatic ecology (freshwater and marine). Warming of permafrost, a decrease in sea ice extent, thinning of the sea ice, later freeze up and earlier breakup of lakes, reduction of snowcover extent in northern hemisphere and shorter season of snow on the ground are a few indications of warming in the Arctic and targets of important hydrological research. The importance of the high latitudes in the global climate must be emphasized. It is apparent that climate driven changes are presently ongoing. This is impacting the hydrologic cycle, not only through the land/atmosphere interactions, but also the physical structure of the basin. The development of thermokarst, deeper active layer and an increase in shrubs (vegetative shift) are changes that will be reflected in the hydrologic response of these catchments. Quantifying the role of hydrology in a changing climate is critically important for U.S. and global science policy.
UR: http://www.uaf.edu/water/ArcticCUAHSIindex.html
DE: 1823 Frozen ground
DE: 1827 Glaciology (1863)
DE: 1833 Hydroclimatology
DE: 1836 Hydrologic budget (1655)
DE: 1860 Runoff and streamflow
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting