Water stable isotope analysis results for surface and soil pore water samples collected in Utqiagvik, Alaska during August and September 2012. Data includes samples from 17 drainages, categorized by flow type and basin age, with precipitation isotope data added later. The dataset was produced by the Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic) project, supported by the Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.
Use Cases
- Analyze water source contributions (e.g., precipitation vs. ground ice melt) using stable isotope ratios (δ18O, δD) across different drainage types.
- Model hydrological connectivity by comparing isotope signatures from samples taken at three different depths within and around the Barrow Environmental Observatory.
- Investigate the influence of basin age (young, medium, old, ancient) on water residence time and cycling using isotope data from drain thaw lake basins.
- Validate and improve process representation in Earth System Models by providing empirical isotope data for Arctic polygonal tundra coastal regions.
Strengths
- Samples collected from 17 distinct drainages, providing spatial coverage across the study area.
- Includes precipitation stable isotope data, added in October 2019, for source water analysis.
- Samples categorized by specific drainage flow types and basin ages, enabling comparative analysis.
Limitations
- Sample collection occurred during a single field season (August-September 2012), limiting temporal scope to late summer conditions.
- The dataset is focused on a specific coastal region near Utqiagvik, Alaska, which may not be representative of broader Arctic hydrology.
- The total number of sample rows is unknown, which makes assessing statistical power difficult.
Provenance
- Source
- Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiments: Arctic (NGEE Arctic) project, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Biological and Environmental Research.
- Collection Method
- Field collection of surface and soil pore water samples followed by laboratory water isotope analysis.
- Time Range
- Primary sample collection: August-September 2012. Precipitation data added in October 2019.
- Freshness
- null
- Geography
- Utqiagvik (Barrow), Alaska, specifically within and around the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO) on the North Slope.