Project Details
Using GIS to Study Local Glacial Change
40% funded
40% funded
- Project Type
- In Classroom
- Project Subject
- Earth/Environmental Science
- Project Location
- Juneau, AK
- Project Time Period
- Ends 2 months from now on Jun 05.
- Project Description
- The objective of this project is to use GPS and GIS to compare historical and current glacial advance and retreat data and their relation to global warming. I want to have the students hike to a local glacier and mark waypoints at the edge of the local glacier, and known ice limits carved into rocks along the trail of time. They will be able to use plant succession to determine how long ago the glacier covered areas in the valley below the glacier. Then we will use GIS to compare the current GPS information to historical information. I also want to contrast that to a local advancing glacier, the Taku Glacier, although it is more remote and we will need to do that one through areal photographs. Through learning plant succession they will learn the local flora. They will also learn local geology and relate their findings to global warming. Since the glacial changes are locally important for the local economy through tourism, fishing, and potential flooding, I want the students to present the information to local government and community groups.
