Alaskan Tundra: Impacts of Human Activity

Question 1

Two key impacts from human activities?

Answer 1

1. Direct Thermal Transfer: When the ground is heated.
2. Changing Albedo of surfaces: The higher the level of albedo, the more reflective a surface is.

Question 2

Outline the impacts of TAPS system?

Answer 2

Thermokarst processes can increase where construction and operation of oil and gas installation, settlements and infrastructure diffuse heat directly to the environment, increasing melting of permafrost.

Question 3

Outline the impacts of Prudhoe Bay Spine Road?c

Answer 3

An example of a thermokarst lake formation.

Nearly all roads and permanent infrastructure are built on thick gravel pads to protect from instability on the landscape.

Gravel pads and roads generate large volumes of dust, blowing to surrounding areas, reducing albedo. This leads to more heat being absorbed and increasing melting of permafrost. -> Thermokarst lakes forming and increased methane emissions from melted permafrost.

Question 4

Outline the two ways of insulating warm structure to prevent direct heat transfer to permafrost?

Answer 4

1. Therm-O-Trol: A metal bonded polyurethane foam, especially formulated for arctic insulation used for insulating TAPS.
2. Therm-O-Case: A double-walled oil well, with multi-insulation used to protect heat transfer from hot crude oil.