GREENLAND ICE SHEET
|
Greenland Ice Sheet supraglacial rivers (2015)In July 2015, I participated in a field campaign in the western Greenland ablation zone to study the hydraulics of a large supraglacial river. Hourly discharge measurements were made for 72 hours, we made abalation, meteorological, and water sampling measurements.
See the New York Times article about this field campaign. |
Greenland Ice Sheet supraglacial rivers (2012)An extensive field campaign was conducted on the Greenland ice sheet ice sheet ablation zone in summer 2012 to study supraglacial stream hydraulics. We measured discharge (water flow velocity, stream depth, and width) and water surface slope from traditional field surveys along a 70 km transect spanning the ice edge at 500 m to 1420 m elevation. Additionally, two highly sampled ice camp sites at 500 m and 875 m elevation provide measurements of ablation rate, stream incision rate, and stream and air temperatures.
|
|
|
Greenland proglacial river discharge (2008-2017)I have conducted field expeditions to southwest Greenland since 2008, establishing and maintaining a proglacial discharge station for a watershed near the town of Kangerlussuaq.
|
Greenland fjord sediment plumes (2008)A field campaign was carried out on June 3, 2008 in the Kangerlussuaq Fjord to collect water quality and spectral reflectance data to assess characteristics of sediment plumes. We measured suspended sediment concentration (SSC), salinity, temperature, optical depth and spectral reflectance along a 22km transect through the sediment plume and into clear water. A simultaneous MODIS satellite image was used to create an empirical model relating remotely sensed reflectance to SSC, allowing for the daily MODIS satellite record (since 2000) to track plume development over time.
|
|
AirSWOT FIELDWORK
|
Sacramento River and Delta (2013 and 2015)I participated in field campaigns for the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) mission in the Sacramento river and delta. To test SWOT water surface measurements, a version of the instrument mounted on an airplane (AirSWOT) is being flown in various parts of the country with simultaneous ground validation from field campaigns. A high-precision GPS drifter (similar to the ones used in Greenland) was built to track water surface elevations. Other validation measurements included water levels, canopy cover, shoreline maps, river width, and bank height.
|
Piute Ponds, Mojave Desert (2014-2015)A series of field campaigns were carried out in Piute Ponds, a wetland area outside of Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, in conjunction with AirSWOT flights. Validation measurements included shorelines and inundated vegetation extent mapped with a high-precision GPS, soil moisture transects, and water surface elevations.
|
|
SALTON SEA, CA
|
Salton Sea water quality (2010-2012)The Salton sea is a saline, terminal lake, in the southern CA desert, and is surrounded by year round agricultural lands. The sea has become important as one of the main wetlands used as a stopover for migratory birds, but it is also experiencing water quality problems that can lead to fish kills and bird die-offs. I have conducted fieldwork here to track water quality since 2010, taking water samples from tributaries and along a transect in the lake. From both field and laboratory processing, we measure pH, conductivity, temperature, salinity, turbidity, suspended solids, sulfate, chloride, phosphate, nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia.
|