Alaska has been in the foreground of research relating to permafrost carbon sources and sinks and their feedback, as it relates to climate change. While most studies have focused on carbon release from the above-permafrost zone, little is known on the mechanism of methane contributions from the below-permafrost zone.
The goal of this study is to assess the transport of methane between sub-permafrost groundwater and thermokarst lakes through taliks, thaw bulbs beneath the lake. The results from this study have the potential to provide more insight on how this connection affects groundwater quality but more importantly, what role these methane emissions play in the climate system.
