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- C21F-0905: Spatial and Temporal Changes to Aufeis Distribution in Northern Alaska
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Board 0905‚ Hall EFG (Poster Hall)NOLA CC
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Julian Dann, University of Alaska Fairbanks (First Author, Presenting Author)
Simon Zwieback, University of Alaska Fairbanks
Paul Leonard, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Region
Bob Bolton, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
In northern Alaska, large ice formations called aufeis build up over the winter when groundwater or river water flows onto the surface and freezes in layers. These ice fields can last well into summer and are important for storing water and supporting local ecosystems. However, we still know very little about how these features are changing over time.To better understand this, we used satellite images dating from 1984 to 2024 and developed a model to find and track aufeis across Alaska’s North Slope. Using Google Earth Engine and machine learning, we mapped when and where aufeis forms and melts each year. This work was done using satellite data from Landsat and Sentinel-2, which allowed us to detect detailed changes in the size and shape of these ice features.
Our results show that aufeis is changing in complex ways as a result of changes in environmental conditions—some areas are seeing more ice, while others are seeing less. This research provides a detailed, regional view of aufeis in northern Alaska and can help scientists, engineers, and decision-makers understand and prepare for changes in Arctic water systems and permafrost landscapes.
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