U.S. Department of EnergyOffice of Scientific and Technical Information
Hydraulic Conductivity Measurements Barrow 2014
Abstract
Six individual ice cores were collected from Barrow Environmental Observatory in Barrow, Alaska, in May of 2013 as part of the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment (NGEE). Each core was drilled from a different location at varying depths. A few days after drilling, the cores were stored in coolers packed with dry ice and flown to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, CA. 3-dimensional images of the cores were constructed using a medical X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner at 120kV. Hydraulic conductivity samples were extracted from these cores at LBNL Richmond Field Station in Richmond, CA, in February 2014 by cutting 5 to 8 inch segments using a chop saw. Samples were packed individually and stored at freezing temperatures to minimize any changes in structure or loss of ice content prior to analysis. Hydraulic conductivity was determined through falling head tests using a permeameter [ELE International, Model #: K-770B] (Appendix A). Samples were placed in a latex membrane via a membrane stretcher while frozen. Use of a membrane stretcher made the membranes easier to secure and minimized contact with the sample. A clear polycarbonate sleeve, fabricated with a stainless steel ring at the bottom to keep the sleeve from floating,more »
- Authors:
- Publication Date:
- Other Number(s):
- NGA025
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- Research Org.:
- Next Generation Ecosystems Experiment - Arctic, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (US); NGEE Arctic, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
- Collaborations:
- PNL, BNL,ANL,ORNL
- Subject:
- 54 Environmental Sciences
- Keywords:
- Hydraulic Conductivity; Hydrology; Falling Head Test; Barrow, Alaska; DTLB; BD Transect; AB Transect
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1170518
- DOI:
- https://doi.org/10.5440/1170518
Citation Formats
McKnight, Katie, Ulrich, Craig, Geller, Jill, and Kneafsey, Tim. Hydraulic Conductivity Measurements Barrow 2014. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web. doi:10.5440/1170518.
McKnight, Katie, Ulrich, Craig, Geller, Jill, & Kneafsey, Tim. Hydraulic Conductivity Measurements Barrow 2014. United States. doi:https://doi.org/10.5440/1170518
McKnight, Katie, Ulrich, Craig, Geller, Jill, and Kneafsey, Tim. 2015.
"Hydraulic Conductivity Measurements Barrow 2014". United States. doi:https://doi.org/10.5440/1170518. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1170518. Pub date:Mon Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2015
@article{osti_1170518,
title = {Hydraulic Conductivity Measurements Barrow 2014},
author = {McKnight, Katie and Ulrich, Craig and Geller, Jill and Kneafsey, Tim},
abstractNote = {Six individual ice cores were collected from Barrow Environmental Observatory in Barrow, Alaska, in May of 2013 as part of the Next Generation Ecosystem Experiment (NGEE). Each core was drilled from a different location at varying depths. A few days after drilling, the cores were stored in coolers packed with dry ice and flown to Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) in Berkeley, CA. 3-dimensional images of the cores were constructed using a medical X-ray computed tomography (CT) scanner at 120kV. Hydraulic conductivity samples were extracted from these cores at LBNL Richmond Field Station in Richmond, CA, in February 2014 by cutting 5 to 8 inch segments using a chop saw. Samples were packed individually and stored at freezing temperatures to minimize any changes in structure or loss of ice content prior to analysis. Hydraulic conductivity was determined through falling head tests using a permeameter [ELE International, Model #: K-770B] (Appendix A). Samples were placed in a latex membrane via a membrane stretcher while frozen. Use of a membrane stretcher made the membranes easier to secure and minimized contact with the sample. A clear polycarbonate sleeve, fabricated with a stainless steel ring at the bottom to keep the sleeve from floating, was placed around the sample inside the permeameter to minimize deformation during analysis. The permeameter was filled with water and 1.0 PSI of air was applied for confining pressure during sample defrost. Outflow valves were left open to allow for incremental thawing and samples were left to thaw for approximately 12 hours. After approximately 12 hours of thaw, initial falling head tests were performed. When the flow was significantly too fast or too slow, the analysis was stopped and the burette size was adjusted accordingly (i.e. a larger diameter burette was used for flows that were faster than desired or a smaller diameter burette was used for flows that were slower than desired). Two to four measurements were collected on each sample and collection stopped when the applied head load exceeded 25% change from the original load. Analyses were performed between 2 to 3 times for each sample. The final hydraulic conductivity calculations were computed using methodology of Das et al., 1985.},
doi = {10.5440/1170518},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2015},
month = {Mon Feb 23 00:00:00 EST 2015}
}