Microtopographic characterization of ice-wedge polygon landscape in Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska: Troughs, rims, and centers derived from high-resolution (0.25 m) LiDAR data

Dataset · Thu Jul 03 00:00:00 EDT 2014

DOI:https://doi.org/10.5440/1136189· OSTI ID:1136189

Gangodagamage, Chandana; Wullschleger, Stan

The dataset represents microtopographic characterization of the ice-wedge polygon landscape in Barrow, Alaska, presented as Figure 3b in the publication by Gangodagamage et al. (2014). Three microtopographic features are delineated using 0.25 m high resolution digital elevation dataset derived from LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) available as PNG, TIF, and GEOJSON files as listed in the file-level metadata (CSV) file. User will need software or tools like a GIS viewer and Photo viewer to access the files. The troughs, rims, and centers are the three categories in this classification scheme. The polygon troughs are the surface expression of the ice-wedges that are in lower elevations than the interior polygon. The elevated shoulders of the polygon interior immediately adjacent to the polygon troughs are the polygon rims for the low center polygons. In case of high center polygons, these features are the topographic highs. In this classification scheme, both topographic highs and rims are considered as polygon rims. The interior part of the polygon just adjacent to the polygon rims are the polygon centers. The Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic), was a research effort to reduce uncertainty in Earth System Models by developing a predictive understanding of carbon-rich Arctic ecosystems and feedbacks to climate. NGEE Arctic was supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research. The NGEE Arctic project had two field research sites: 1) located within the Arctic polygonal tundra coastal region on the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) and the North Slope near Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska and 2) multiple areas on the discontinuous permafrost region of the Seward Peninsula north of Nome, Alaska. Through observations, experiments, and synthesis with existing datasets, NGEE Arctic provided an enhanced knowledge base for multi-scale modeling and contributed to improved process representation at global pan-Arctic scales within the Department of Energy's Earth system Model (the Energy Exascale Earth System Model, or E3SM), and specifically within the E3SM Land Model component (ELM).

• Research Organization: Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments (NGEE) Arctic
• Sponsoring Organization: ESS-DIVE; U.S. DOE > Office of Science > Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-05CH11231
• OSTI ID: 1136189
• Availability: ORNL
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > SOILS > PERMAFROST
EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > TOPOGRAPHY
EARTH SCIENCE > LAND SURFACE > TOPOGRAPHY > TERRAIN ELEVATION > DIGITAL ELEVATION/TERRAIN MODEL (DEM)
EARTH SCIENCE > SPECTRAL/ENGINEERING > LIDAR > LIDAR BACKSCATTER
ESS-DIVE File Level Metadata Reporting Format
polygonal permafrost