Collaborative Research: P2C2--Ice Core and Firn Aquifer Studies at Combatant Col, British Columbia, Canada

该项目旨在恢复加拿大BC省Combatant Col的冰芯，以重建过去500年的水文气候变化。在Combatant Col之前的工作表明，保存了年度地层、水同位素和地球化学记录，反映了重要的气候和环境变量，包括大气环流、积雪、火灾活动和跨太平洋粉尘运输。现有的北太平洋冰芯仅位于阿拉斯加和育空地区。Combatant Col极大地扩展了冰芯记录的空间覆盖范围，同时提供了不列颠哥伦比亚省西南部水文气候的独特记录。该项目将进行详细的雷达调查和冰流建模，以更好地了解冰川环境，并选择最佳的钻探地点。在北英属哥伦比亚大学Hakai冰冻圈节点的后勤支持下，岩心和基岩将被回收。本项目岩心分析包括水同位素比值和目视地层学分析。与高分辨率雷达成像相结合，“战斗Col”的核心将用于确定该地点观测到的雪-冰含水层（液态水长期储存在雪-冰过渡层上方）是该地点的持久特征，还是最近形成的，并确定其对冰川能量平衡和动态的影响。冰芯将被存档，供冰芯研究界进一步分析之用。潜在的更广泛的影响包括从战斗冰芯中开发水文气候变化的新记录，这将为影响不列颠哥伦比亚省和美国太平洋西北地区广泛的生态系统和人类社区的建模过程提供定量约束。其他潜在的更广泛的影响包括现场工作培训和参与（冰钻），为不同的研究生群体提供便利，因为他们靠近现场。研究人员计划开展外联活动，作为“气候时间”系列研讨会的一部分，在这些研讨会中，将重点介绍Combatant Col遗址的古气候研究。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project aims to recover an ice core at Combatant Col, BC, Canada to reconstruct hydroclimate variability over the last 500 years. Previous work at Combatant Col demonstrates preservation of annual stratigraphy, water-isotope and geochemical records reflecting important climate and environmental variables including atmospheric circulation, snow accumulation, fire activity, and trans-Pacific dust transport. Existing North Pacific ice cores are located exclusively in Alaska and the Yukon. Combatant Col significantly expands the spatial coverage of ice core records, while simultaneously providing a unique record of hydroclimate in southwestern British Columbia. This project will conduct detailed radar surveys and ice-flow modeling to better understand the glaciological setting and to select the optimal site for drilling. A core to bedrock will be retrieved with logistics supported by the Hakai Cryosphere Node at the University of Northern British Columbia. Analysis of the core included in this project consists of water isotope ratios and visual stratigraphy. In combination with high-resolution radar imaging, the core from Combatant Col will be used to determine whether the observed firn-aquifer at this site (liquid water is stored perennially above the firn-ice transition) has been a persistent feature at the site, or whether it has formed recently, and to determine its impact on glacier energy balance and dynamics. The core will be archived and made available for additional analyses by the ice-core research community. The potential Broader Impacts include developing a new record of hydroclimate variability from the Combatant Col ice core which will provide quantitative constraints for modeling processes affecting a wide range of ecosystems and human communities in British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Other potential Broader Impacts include field work training and participation (Ice drilling) for a diverse cohort of graduate students facilitated by the proximity of the field site. The researchers plan outreach activities as part of “Climate Time” seminars series in which the paleoclimate research from Combatant Col site will be highlighted.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.