Polaris Project 2022: CO₂ Chamber Fluxes, Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska, 2022

The Polaris Project integrates Arctic scientific research with education and outreach, with a strong focus on engaging undergraduate students and visiting faculty from groups that have had little involvement in Arctic science to date. The central element of the project is a month-long research expedition to the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta (YKD) in Alaska. The expedition provides a deep intellectual and cultural immersion in the context of an authentic research experience that is paramount for "hooking" students and keeping them moving along the pipeline to careers as Arctic scientists. The overarching scientific issue that drives the research is the vulnerability and fate of ancient carbon stored in Arctic permafrost (permanently frozen ground). Widespread permafrost thaw is expected to occur this century, but large uncertainties remain in estimating the timing, magnitude, and form of carbon that will be released when thawed. Project participants are working in collaborative research groups to make fundamental scientific discoveries related to the vulnerability of permafrost carbon in the YKD and the potential implications of permafrost thaw in this region for the global climate system. This dataset includes 2022 carbon dioxide chamber fluxes and soil respiration data from thermokarst impacted burned and unburned areas.