Technology, Science and Indigenous Knowledge; Tracking Sea Ice and Its Use at Barrow, Alaska

The Barrow sea-ice observatory:
Tracking the state and dynamics of coastal sea ice
and its use by people requires a combination of
approaches and techniques:
- Ice radar: Hardware & software innovations allow near-realtime monitoring of ice dynamics & derivation of velocity & deformation fields
- Ice mass-balance site & oceanographic mooring:
Tracking the state of ice & ocean in the radar footprint
- Mapping ice trails: Use of ice primarily for hunting & transportation; measurements of ice thickness with EM induction along community trails
- Local & Indigenous Knowledge (LIK): Iñupiaq ice experts help guide observation strategy & keep daily record of ice conditions & use; database for archival & dissemination
- Data access:
http://seaice.alaska.edu/gi/observatories

The Alaska Arctic Observatory & Knowledge Hub (A-OK):
A framework for Knowledge Sharing
- Science steering group of community experts & researchers
- Provides resources for northern Alaskan communities to share observations of cryosphere change
- Initial focus on sea ice and permafrost
- Link community observations to seasonal cycle
of subsistence activities
- Knowledge Hub to share information between
communities and researchers
- Build collaborations for sustained community
observations