Science AMA Series: We’re a group of researchers in Tuktoyaktuk using drones, thermal imaging, laser scanning and more to better understand the climate-change driven acceleration of Arctic coastal erosion in the Western Canadian Arctic. Ask us anything!

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Hi Reddit! Permafrost coasts are incredibly dynamic, and highly vulnerable to climate change. Across the ice rich coasts of the western Canadian Arctic, erosion rates have increased by 20 to 200% since the year 2000, with some coasts now retreating at over 50m per year. The erosional mechanisms here are complex and diverse, with a range of often spectacular failure types, from huge collapsing blocks to massive thaw slumps. As well as causing rapid changes on land, the increased erosion rate over recent decades is substantially increasing the volume of sediment, nutrients and organic carbon exported to the marine eco-system on an annual basis, with knock on impacts on fisheries, carbon balance and more. To better understand the processes governing the increased erosion and to more accurately assess coastal retreat rates, we’re currently using a range of new and novel technologies, from drones and laser scanning, to long-tern time-lapse photography and thermal imaging even along large stretches using helicopters!.

We have a great group here, listed below, ready to answer your questions, and a few others that will chime in too! Dustin Whalen: I’m a coastal scientist with Natural Resources Canada. I’ve been studying coastal and nearshore process in the Beaufort sea for the last decade. In that time, I’ve conducted over 30 field programs in the region over the spring, summer and winter, with particular focus on coastal erosion, nearshore sediment dynamics and sea ice break-up.

Mike Lim: I’m a senior lecturer in civil engineering from Northumbria University with research interests in coastal geomorphology and slope processes. I’ve previously been engaged in monitoring of coastal dynamics in Svalbard using 3D change detection and thermal characterisation of cliffs.

Samuel Hayes: I’m PhD student from Northumbria University studying Arctic coastal erosion. This is my first trip to the Arctic, where my activities have ranged from spending hours digging holes for passive seismic surveys to collecting thermal imagery of permafrost cliffs from helicopter!

Roger Macleod: I’m a remote sensing and geomatics specialist with Geological Survey of Canada. I apply new geomatics technologies, from satellite imagery to drones, to improving our understanding of coastal dynamics in the western Canadian Arctic.

Andrew Gordon: I’m a technician from the Aurora Research Institute, I have lived here my whole life. I’m an Inuvialuit and a whale hunter. A special thanks must go to NERC[http://ift.tt/17hAg90] and [INTERACT]( http://ift.tt/1V8BYkr] for providing much of the funding for this research.

Ask us anything about Arctic coastal and near-shore change, conducting field campaigns, life in the Arctic, whale hunting or anything else related, AUA!

">Science AMA Series: We’re a group of researchers in Tuktoyaktuk using drones, thermal imaging, laser scanning and more to better understand the climate-change driven acceleration of Arctic coastal erosion in the Western Canadian Arctic. Ask us anything!