Grant: Applied Research Tools and Instruments Grants

Climate change-induced permafrost thaw is having a devastating effect on Arctic landscapes and communities. As temperatures increase and permafrost thaws, previously frozen ground destabilizes. When this happens in areas where the permafrost is particularly ice rich, thermokarst features that release high levels of greenhouse gases can form. While the formation of these features threatens infrastructure, roads, wildlife, and ways of life in Arctic communities, they are also point sources of elevated levels of methane that can further amplify climate warming. While measuring methane release from thermokarst features has previously been challenging because sensor technology was not precise enough to detect methane levels in the lower atmosphere (i.e., from ground level to 100 metres above the ground), recent advances in remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS, or drones) and methane sensors now permit dynamic measurement of methane levels near ground level. Aurora College is therefore requesting ARTI funding to purchase an RPAS methane detection system that will be used to measure methane emissions in the lower atmosphere that originated from various natural and artificial features in the Western Arctic, such as thermokarst features, beaver dams, sumps, and gas wells. The data that will be collected will also be used to test whether RPAS-collected methane data can be used to ground truth methane emission data collected by satellite. By answering these applied research questions, Aurora College will support the climate change-related research and innovation priorities of a number of partner organizations. Research results will be used to determine the contribution of methane to the carbon footprint of the Western Arctic and Northwest Territories, ground truth methane data collected by satellite, and refine climate models. Additionally, the data and research results generated using this equipment will support communities in the Western Arctic as they develop climate change adaptation and mitigation plans. The RPAS methane detection system is also a significant opportunity for researchers at Aurora College and their community-based colleagues to continue to build their capacity to conduct innovative climate change research in the Western Arctic, where climate change is occurring four times faster than the global average.