Showing papers in "Arctic in 1972"

An Aerial Census of Ringed Seals, Northern Coast of Alaska

Abstract: Aerial surveys of ringed seals, Phoca (Pusa) hispida Schreber, in areas of land-fast ice extending along the Alaskan coast from Point Lay to Barter Island were made between 8 and 15 June 1970 in order to establish a base line index of density and distribution. Surveys of 8, 9 and 13 June were used for determining density and estimating the minimum number of seals present within 6 sectors of the total area. The density of seals in sectors east of Point Barrow was low and relatively uniform (2.28, 1.06, 1.38 and 2.43 seals per sq. mile). Within sectors southwest of this point, density was substantially higher (5.36 and 3.70 per sq. mile). The minimum number of ringed seals in all sectors surveyed was 11 612. Comparison of survey results in areas of intensive seismic exploration with undisturbed areas indicated that even with intensive disturbance associated with exploratory activities conducted within the limits imposed by state regulations, ringed seals were not appreciably displaced.

The Tundra Microclimate During Snow-Melt at Barrow, Alaska

Abstract: The microclimate of the tundra during spring of 1971 (29 May to 17 June) at Barrow, is described and analysed in terms of the heat balance at the terrestrial surface and the effects of terrain parameters on the heat balance components. Changes through the snow-melting period are large. Within 2 weeks, 35 cm of snow are removed, soil interface temperatures increase by 15°C and the dry snow environment is replaced by a saturated water-soaked tundra surface. As a result, evaporation rates are high: up to 6 mm/day occurs immediately after the snow melt. The latent heat required for this is 40 times higher than during the pre-melting period.

Chemical Composition of Forage Plants from the Reindeer Preserve, Northwest Territories

Abstract: Quantitative analyses of crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, calcium, phosphorus, and carotene were performed on 9 forage species, collected on 5 dates during a year. Crude protein levels were low in most forage species by mid-winter. Phosphorus levels were low in most plants throughout the year. Lichens, an important winter forage of reindeer, appear to be deficient in crude protein, calcium, phosphorus, and carotene.

Plant Succession on Tundra Mudflows: Preliminary Observations

Abstract: Tundra mudflows are one of the characteristic features of arctic slopes with unstable soils. They generally occur during the early part of the thaw period, but may occur after a heavy rainfall. Only two relatively short-lived vegetation elements were evident and both are characteristic of disturbed sites. Islands of vegetation and soil of the type that dominate the slope before the mudflow are left scattered within the flow lines. Once a turf of grasses, sedges and herbs has formed the island, vegetation is able to colonize the turf mat. Areas where previous mudflows have occurred are clearly recognizable both by a long depression parallel to the direction of the slope and terminal fan of debris. Detailed studies on such naturally occurring phenomena would be of great value in view of increased use of heavy vehicular equipment by the oil and mining companies in the Canadian North.

Thermal Contraction Cracks in an Arctic Tundra Environment

Abstract: Field observations in the Mackenzie Delta area largely substantiate Lachenbruch's theoretical considerations of thermal contraction crack development. Frost crack patterns, representing the incipient stage of tundra polygons, were observed on both bare and vegetated surfaces of low alluvial flats and sandspits of three islands. Individual polygons, where developed, ranged in size from 20 to 30 metres diameter on bare surfaces to 2 to 3 metres on sedge-covered areas, and 80% of the angular intersections measured were of orthogonal type. Most cracks exhibited random orientations, except in close proximity to water bodies where tendencies toward normal and subparallel orientations occurred.

Group Cohesion and Leadership Response by Barren-Ground Caribou to Man-Made Barriers

Abstract: Barren-ground caribou Rangifer tarandus groenlandicus of the Kaminuriak population on the Canadian mainland west of Hudson Bay make annual migrations of several hundred kilometres to and from their calving ground. A man-made barrier to corral caribou for marking and release failed because caribou would not leave the frozen water course at the entrance to the corral, nor would they readily deviate from learned travel routes. Some caribou delayed their migration northward until they found ways to circumvent the barrier. Other caribou overcame the man-made obstacle and continued on their set course. Any disruption of caribou movement could be detrimental to cow and calf survival because of increased dangers along new routes chosen and the delay of pregnant cows in reaching the calving grounds.

Seasonal and Latitudinal Variations in Circadian Rhythms of Red-Backed Vole

Abstract: Circadian rhythms of two allopatric species, Clethrionomys gapperi and C. rutilus were studied near their common border at Heart Lake, Northwest Territories, Canada, in winter and spring of 1965-1966. Circadian rhythms of C. gapperi were also studied at Edmonton, Alberta, in the winter and spring of 1964-1965. Activity was measured by recording passages through a door in cages exposed to normal meteorological conditions of the forest floor. Daily peaks of activity of each species were of longer duration and higher amplitude in spring than in winter. C. rutilus was polyphasic in winter, nocturnal in spring. C. gapperi at Heart Lake was nocturnal in winter but had peaks of activity persisting from dusk each evening to noon of the following day. C. gapperi at Edmonton was diurnal in all seasons.

Physical Characteristics of Near-Shore Ice Ridges

Abstract: Investigations of the morphology and composition of near-shore ice ridges were conducted on the southern shore of Lake Superior near Grand Marais, Michigan, and at other Great Lakes locations during 1970 and 1971. Data are given for ice densities, sediment load, temperature and internal arrangements of ice forms. A cross-sectional map of the gross structure of one ice ridge is also presented. The basic internal appearance of the ridges is similar to that of conglomerate rock, and little stratification occurs. These ridges are seldom discussed in the literature but commonly appear along the shorelines of the Great Lakes. It is suggested that they are developed primarily as a product of wind and spray processes and are not to be confused with pressure ridge and ice thrust features.

Variations in the Reproductive Activities of Arctic Terns at Churchill, Manitoba

Abstract: Nest locations and contents were observed in 16 colonies over a 3-year period. Laying times correlated with spring temperatures, but not with colony size. Clutch size increased with time between ice breakup and laying onset. Egg losses were insufficient to account for differences in clutch size. The results are taken to indicate that under arctic conditions, variations in clutch size, timing of the nesting cycle, and associated events in the Arctic Tern are closely related to variations in the physical environment.

Short-Term Climate Changes and Coastal Erosion, Barrow, Alaska

Abstract: Records of shoreline and bluff positions in the vicinity of Barrow, Alaska, have been obtained from aerial photographs and taped measurements for intervals between 1948 and 1969. Although the source material in the bluffs is frozen and masses of pure ice are present, temperature and rainfall data fail to show any marked correlation with the retreat of the bluff face or with the retreat of the fronting or downdrift beaches. Removal of beach material for construction and frequency of storms from the west do show a relationship. Recorded retreats of the bluffs up to 3 m per year and of the beaches up to 4 m per year have resulted where there has been excessive beach borrow or where a series of severe storms have attacked the coast.

Evaluation of North Water Spring Ice Cover from Satellite Photographs

Abstract: Satellite photographs for 2 years (March-September) have been used to study ice cover in the polynia called "North Water," and to determine whether reliable ice maps could be made from satellite data without computer analysis After early July the clouds became opaque and distinction between cloud and ice is impossible It was concluded that ice distribution for short periods could best be obtained by careful photograph interpretation The most persistent open water is found at the northern edge, at about 78° N The southern ice edge is diffuse The changes in ice cover in the North are mainly caused by freezing and melting, whereas ice transport is important in the southern area

Radar Observations of Bird Migration at Cape Prince of Wales

Abstract: Observations of bird movements at Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, were made by means of radar during the spring migration seasons of 1969 and 1970. Between 10 and 15 May 1970, flocks of sandhill cranes ( Grus canadensis ) made huge radar targets and were tracked easily as they flew westwards across the Bering Strait. It is believed that lesser snow geese ( Chen caerulescens ) were also followed by radar, en route to Wrangel Island, U.S.S.R., on 19 May 1970. On later dates in May and early June 1969, extensive westward and northward flights and some eastward movements were recorded by radar. Automatic camera data obtained from the Cape Prince of Wales radar site also show extensive eastward migration from Siberia to Alaska by 24 July 1969.

Field Measurement of Light Penetration Through Sea Ice

Abstract: In connection with phytoplankton studies, a non-optical, non-electric instrument has been devised for the measurement of relative light intensity in sea-ice bore holes. When used with a sensitive photometer, absolute values for the ambient light field can be determined within and immediately under the ice. As anticipated, attenuation is greatest at the ice-air interface; values just below the ice surface were 3 to 20% of incident. Another 70 to 100 cm of ice was required to effect a further 50% decrease in illumination. Extinction values were also measured on the ice cores in the laboratory, but scattering greatly complicates the interpretation of laboratory results.

Efficiency of Winter Scavengers in the Arctic

Abstract: Frozen carcasses of brown lemmings, Lemmus trimucronatus , were systematically placed under the snow in various tundra habitats in the fall of 1961 (188), 1962 (201) and 1963 (205) near Barrow, Alaska. Only 8 carcasses were recovered in the following springs. Removal of the carcasses is attributed to: arctic fox ( Alopex lagopus) and red fox ( Vulpes fulva ); brown lemming; the least weasel ( Mustela rixosa ). Observations of behaviour, systematic trapping and examination of scats were used to suggest the relative importance of these consumers of lemming carrion in the order given above. The inability of investigators of lemming population cycles to find the carcasses of lemmings that die during the winter months is explained by the unusual efficiency of these species in locating and using frozen carrion during the winter months.

The Use of Snowmobiles for Trapping on Banks Island

Abstract: The village of Sachs Harbour on Banks Island, Northwest Territories, has been the outstanding example of a successful trapping community in northern North America for a generation .... Trapping is still the full-time occupation of virtually every active male, and per capita income from trapping is higher than in any other settlement in the Arctic or Subarctic. Eighty-seven per cent of cash income at Sachs Harbour was derived from trapping during the years 1963 to 1967, and the average income of full-time trappers from furs was $6,296. The sole basis of the fur harvest is the arctic or white fox, although the people also rely on 3 other major resources for their livelihood: caribou, seal, and polar bears. In recent years, the fewer than 20 trappers on Banks Island have accounted for as much as one-third of Canadian arctic fox production, indicating not only their own productivity but also the decline of trapping in other areas of the North. ... The explanation for such high productivity lies not in ecology, or even primarily in economics, but rather in the unique history of the Canadian Western Arctic coast, and the resulting social and economic orientations of its people .... The Bankslanders, as they call themselves, are acquisitive and proud. They are strongly motivated towards trapping as the most appropriate means of achieving both economic success and the prestige traditionally brought by conspicuous consumption. ... The Bankslanders have a tradition of innovation. They are quick to test new means of production, and to invest money in high quality capital goods which have proven their worth. ... The trapping and hunting system on Banks Island is probably the most modern of its type in the world, relying on the best available technology, and the most productive systems of organization and marketing. ... The snowmobile has been gradually integrated into the Banks Island trapping system over a decade. Caution and astuteness have marked its acceptance. It would appear that it will not have any profound effects on the system. Temporarily the snowmobile constitutes a considerable extra economic burden, and although this will very likely diminish, it cannot but increase production costs. Although it will probably not increase trapline productivity significantly, it will provide more leisure time during the trapping season, and more free time for the assumption of temporary wage positions during the summer months. As a result, total net income will probably increase, and with reduced reliance on fox pelts as the sole source of cash, the cyclic pattern of income from year to year should be reduced. Harvests of all species should remain within sustainable limits, and some species will be harvested at lower levels than at present. There do not appear to be any serious effects on animal behaviour. The snowmobile is only one of many forces that will change the social system at Sachs Harbour. The encroachment of government administration and private resource development, both of which accelerated greatly in the summer of 1970, will be of far more profound consequence than the snowmobile. Data on trapping effort and productivity from 1970 onwards will therefore have to be interpreted in the light of these events as well as of the transition to snowmobiles, which is now, in 1972, virtually complete.

The Role of Spring Thaw in String Bog Genesis

Abstract: ... it is necessary to establish a more thoroughly documented framework of current physical processes operating in string bogs throughout the year. It is to this end that the present note is directed. Two problems immediately present themselves in any discussion of string bog genesis. First, there is the need to explain the initial establishment and maintenance of the ridge-hollow pattern; and second, the related problem of the concentration of string bogs in the boreal forest. ... observations near Schefferville, Quebec (54°50'N, 67°W) in the spring of 1970 are specially pertinent to explaining patterns within string bogs. Permafrost is absent from beneath these string bogs. ... There is no doubt that in the subarctic, spring thaw is rapid and debris of various kinds is transported by the meltwater over the frozen surface of the bog. Several stages in the melt-transportation process can be recognized. 1) The thaw is first evident on the thin snow cover of the bog with the development of a mixture of slush, ice and open pools. 2) Additional melt involves the removal of snow from the surface of the bog. ... 3) Pools become linked as the volume of meltwater increases with advance of the thaw. ... 4) Continued and perhaps more rapid melt of snow lying adjacent to the bog from within the spruce forests, augments the sheet flow. ... 5) With the removal of the bog ice cover, sheet flow over the bog ceases, and the meltwater becomes more channelized. ... In the bog near Schefferville where these processes were observed, incipient accumulations of the type described were only noted at the upstream end of a bog in which strings had already been developed down-bog. Where strings were already in existence, the damming effect was most apparent, although its importance declined down-bog as the floating organic debris was trapped or filtered by plants up-bog. Lines of debris accumulation are therefore considered initially to develop into permanent sites for plant growth at the downstream end of the bog, and then progressively build in an up-bog direction always at right angles to flow patterns of spring meltwater. "Younger" strings, according to this view, will occur at progressively higher elevations within any given bog. ... it is assumed that the sites of detrital deposition become the preferred sites for plant growth because of their relatively better-drained condition. ... Once started, such a process will accelerate by its own effects. ... Although excavations in the Schefferville area were not conclusive, ... the hypothesis of in situ growth of strings was supported by bog stratigraphy. ... Emphasis is placed on the primary role of organic accumulations during early phases of the spring thaw, a period of the year when few observers have had the opportunity to examine such bogs. A vital role is attributed to the more intense plant growth on initial shallow deposits which leads to the formation of the ridge. Ice-push and frost heave appear to play secondary and perhaps localized functions. Solifluction, differential settling and tilting due to permafrost melt, and compaction of peats under varying loads, are not factors which appear to be of great importance in string bog development. There remain several critical problems which require further study ....

Psychiatric Problems and Cultural Transitions in Alaska

Abstract: Demographic characteristics of 105 Alaska Native patients referred for psychiatric evaluation are reviewed. Reasons for the referral are discussed and the psychiatric findings according to the DSM-II classification of the American Psychiatric Association are summarized. Particular attention is paid to the socio-cultural environments from which the patients came. The patient population is dominated by women whose "career" seems to be distinctly different from that of the men in the sample. The pertinent psychological and anthropological literature is presented to give current conceptual models for understanding psychiatric problems in the cross-cultural framework.

A Possible Advanced Hypsithermal Position of the Donjek Glacier

Abstract: The history of the [Donjek] glacier from 1935 to the present is well documented photographically .... Documentation of the Hypsithermal and Wisconsin history of the glacier is less abundant. ... During the summer of 1970 the terminus area of the Donjek Glacier and the lower part of the glacier valley were investigated for evidence of its Hypsithermal position. No evidence was found in the valley occupied by the glacier to indicate that it had retreated back into the valley from the Donjek River Valley. The inclusion of 'Slims Soil' ... in the material of the Neoglacial moraine complex of the glacier indicates that there must have been some retreat up valley of the moraine position before the Neoglacial re-advance. Down valley from the Neoglacial moraines there is evidence for a relatively recent, probably Hypsithermal, ice marginal position. This evidence is in the form of a lateral moraine, terminal moraine remnants and the distribution and development of the Hypsithermal Slims Soil and volcanic ash. Unfortunately no material was found which could be dated by radiocarbon techniques to verify the age of the features. The glacial landforms are relatively easily identified when compared with the highly denuded forms which represent the pre-Neoglacial periods found elsewhere in the Donjek Valley. ... It is considered that there is evidence for a stable phase of the Donjek and Kluane Glaciers late in the Hypsithermal period. This position is down valley of the Neoglacial maximum position which contrasts with the documented situation in the Kaskawulsh Valley. Late in the Hypsithermal the glaciers retreated from this stable position, the Kluane Glacier retreating to a Neoglacial position 15 miles up valley and the Donjek Glacier apparently retreating only a short distance before readvancing to its Neoglacial maximum position.

Plant Ecology of the Walakpa Bay Area, Alaska

Abstract: The Walakpa Bay archeological excavation site 18.4 km southwest of Barrow, Alaska, is on the arctic coastal plain tundra. The use of native vegetation for food is principally limited to leaves, as few species set fruit. Several species of food plants function as pioneer plants on disturbed areas. Poa arctica was a dominant invading species of disturbed sites. Principal physiographic forms were analyzed for vegetational composition.

Observations of Well-Developed Podzols on Tundra and of Patterned Ground Within Forested Boreal Regions

Abstract: In most, if not all, papers and monographs dealing with patterned ground there appears to be an implicit assumption that polygonal and patterned ground phenomena are exclusively characteristic of tundra regions. In rather extensive vegetational sampling in the forest, forest/tundra ecotone, and tundra of central northern Canada, it has been my observation that patterning is a relatively frequent characteristic of soils in at least the northern portion of the boreal forest in that region. This has escaped wider notice simply because the phenomenon is obscured by the thick layer of moss peat and living mosses and lichens, as well as herbaceous species, usually found under a boreal forest canopy. J. C. F. Tedrow (personal communication, September 1971) indicates that he also has observed patterning under forest in northern Canada and northern Scandinavia although the literature on this subject is either very brief or non-existent. At a site some few miles north of Inuvik, I observed during the 1971 summer field season an example of patterned ground formed beneath black spruce forest that had been exposed as a result of a recent fire (probably within the past 5 to 6 years as deduced from the initial stage of vegetational regeneration) .... Although Tedrow's extensive work in arctic soils clearly indicates that podzolization processes are at work in soils of regions northward of the continental forest borders, he indicates that very often these are not as clearly apparent as in the forested regions simply because of the absence or minimal development of the light coloration of the A2 horizon characteristic of well-developed northern forest podzols. That such minimal coloration is not without exception is demonstrated by the soil profiles shown in Figs. 2 and 3; the first from an area about 12.9 km inland (toward the northeast) at the north arm of Pelly Lake (66°02'N, 101°07'W) some 400 kilometres or more north of the forest border at the present day; the second from Winter Lake (64°29'N, 113°10'W) at the northern edge of the forest/tundra ecotone about 200 kilometres northeast of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. These observations demonstrate clearly that patterning is not exclusively a property of tundra soils nor is podzolization (with a light-colored A2 horizon) an exclusive property of northern forest soils. Much remains to be learned about both processes in the forest, forest/tundra ecotone, and tundra regions, but it is clearly apparent that soil characteristics cannot be taken alone as definitive or conclusive evidence of the former existence of forest or tundra vegetation (i.e., as basis for inferences concerning past climates from data employed in paleoclimatological interpretation). In such instances it is apparent that at least corroborative evidence in the form of macrofossils of tree species or arctic plant species of good climatic indicator value3 should also be used.

Growth of Spruce at Dubawnt Lake, Northwest Territories

Abstract: The interesting note by Hansell et al. on tree growth at Dubawnt Lake and on my statements concerning trees at Dubawnt, Ennadai, and Yathkyed Lakes requires comment. Let me briefly state a few points: 1) The concept "tree line" is confusing since a lone tree far beyond the forest border must be included within the "treed" zone; 2) Dwarfed and decumbent black spruce (occasionally white or "intermediate" forms) exist over a wide zone north of the forest border in Keewatin and Eastern Mackenzie; individuals in favoured sites attain "tree" size (>=3 inches in diameter breast height, dbh); 3) While reproduction is primarily by layering (in black spruce at least), seedlings are consistently seen ...; 4) Seedling mortality in all species in these areas is high, but species survival is most markedly conditioned by the frequency with which very severe seasons occur (i.e., a series of very cold summers); 5) Seedlings that survive a series of favourable years can then live and grow through a fairly long series of rather severe years; 6) At Ennadai and elsewhere, apparently anomalously successful young trees are in places found on exposed sites; they are not, however, a sure sign of a major climatic amelioration but of a few favourable years; 7) An extension of range of "trees" over a few miles, thus, does not in itself, to me at least, constitute indisputable evidence of an extension of the "tree line" especially if this has occurred within the existing range of spruce as a species; 8) The map as presented ... shows, in my view, the northward extent of the range of spruce, anywhere within which will be found the occasional "tree" on favoured sites, the result of some sequence of events permitting the individual to grow but not necessarily a general change in climatic conditions; 9) A much better indication of climatic change would be a shift in the position of the forest border, defined as the area where the (gently rolling) terrain is 50 per cent covered by forest and 50 per cent by tundra ...; 10) The comment that I say spruce has not re-established at Ennadai Lake is very misleading since I wrote that spruce is common at Ennadai Lake (part of which lies south of the forest border); my reference was to a grove of spruce (at the northern largely barren end of the lake) cut by natives many years ago which has not regenerated; 11) There is, in fact, a grove of spruce with individuals of dbh >=3 inches and basal diameter of >=8 inches near Yathkyed Lake (at 62°35'N, 98°52'W) which would put the "tree line" far out into the barrens on the map as presented; 12) There is also a grove of spruce near the outlet of the Kamilukuak River (south end of Dubawnt at 62°41'N, 101°33'W) larger and with larger individuals, if memory serves, than any mentioned in the literature. These points are not to be interpreted as disbelief in climatic change. I agree, in general, with the summary Hansell et al. present of recent climatic events. The topic invites speculation and, above all, more comprehensive field data from many places.

Sea Ice Pressures observed on the Second "Manhattan" Voyage

Abstract: Sea-ice pressures encountered by the icebreaker Louis S. St. Laurent while escorting the tanker Manhattan in the Baffin Bay area in April-May 1970 were observed along with certain wind, ice and ship performance data. Pressure severity was estimated qualitatively. Most pressure episodes occurred during periods of onshore winds; and frequency of occurrence increased with higher wind speeds as did pressure severity. Pressure episodes were of short duration, but the overall inhibiting effect on vessel performance was substantial.

Diptera and Other Arthropods of the Sukkertoppen Tasersiaq Area, Southwest Greenland

Abstract: Arthropods were collected in the Sukkertoppen area of Greenland (66°16'N, 51°13'W) during the summer of 1963 and identified. Thirty-one families of insects in the orders Neuroptera, Trichoptera, Homoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera were collected. Seventeen of the 31 families of insects were Diptera, and these comprised more than 90% of the total insects collected. Other insect families collected and identified included Hemerobiidae, Cicadellidae, Lygaeidae, Coccinellidae, Pieridae, Nymphalidae, Lycaenidae, Arctiidae, Noctuidae, Lymantriidae, Ichneumonidae, and Bombidae. Dipping of aquatic habitats produced specimens of Dytiscidae and Limnephilidae. Other arthropods collected by dipping or sweeping included Bdellidae, Eviphididae, and Cheyletidae (Acarina), and Branchinectidae and Lepiduridae (Crustacea).

Pleistocene Deposits Exposed Along the Yukon Coast

Abstract: Four measured sections of unconsolidated Pleistocene strata exposed on the Yukon coast between Shingle Point and Herschel Island are described. The sediments have suffered ice thrust deformation and are unconformably overlain by fluvio-glacial retreatal gravels. The results of palynological examination, study of mollusca and a new 14C determination are discussed. Deformation of the coastal strata probably occurred between 37 900 and 9510 years ago.

Peregrine Falcon Survey, West Greenland, 1972

Abstract: ... The main purpose of the 1972 survey was to study a sample area of West Greenland to supply baseline data about peregrine falcons from which future surveys could determine the status and trends of this bird in Greenland. The main part of the study had as its goals: 1) to determine the density, distribution, and reproductive success of nesting peregrines in a sample area; 2) to band all peregrine nestlings found; 3) to determine prey species of the peregrine; 4) to make interspecific observations of peregrines and gyrfalcons; 5) to make detailed observations from a blind of a sample peregrine falcon eyrie; 6) to conduct a small-bird census in the area of the sample eyrie; 7) to make a photographic record in colour slides and movies of the investigations. ... Eight peregrine falcon eyries and 3 gyrfalcon eyries were found in the survey area. In all, 18 nestlings were found in the 8 peregrine eyries. Of the 8 eyries, 1 had no young, but showed signs of occupancy ... and was defended by an aggressive pair of falcons. Of the other 7 eyries where we found hatched young, 1 had 4 young, 4 had 3 young, and 2 had 1 young bird each. Of the total of 18 nestling peregrines, 13 were banded and 5 were fully-fledged, on the wing, and unable to be caught for banding. Of the peregrine nestlings banded, 9 were males and 4 were females. The number of nestlings (18) in the 8 peregrine eyries gave a production rate of 2.25 per eyrie, or 2.57 if an average is taken of the 7 eyries actually producing young. At 1 eyrie a young falcon was found dead (the eyrie with 4 young). We know that at least 8 of the remaining 17 young fledged successfully, but we are uncertain about the success of the others and cannot therefore make a definite statement on fledging ratio. We estimate, however, that the fledging rate of the peregrines in our survey area was at least 2.00 per producing eyrie. The maximum dimensions of our irregularly-shaped survey area were 39 x 34 miles (63 x 55 km). The estimated area of the survey was about 800 sq. mi. (2,072 sq. km), or about 700 sq. mi. (1,800 sq. km) when the surface area of fiords and lakes is excluded. The nesting density of the active, young-producing peregrine eyries (7) was about 1 pair per 100 sq. mi. (260 sq. km). ... At the 3 gyrfalcon (Falco rusticolus) eyries we found 8 nestlings or fully-fledged young, of which we were able to band 3. Peregrines and gyrfalcons (and a rare white-tailed sea eagle, Haliaetus albicilla) are the only avian predators nesting in southern West Greenland, although ravens (Corvus corax) competed for some nesting cliff sites. We collected remains of prey species and pellets at each falcon eyrie. Addled eggs (2) from 2 peregrine eyries were collected for pesticide analysis. Eggshell fragments for thickness determination were gathered at 5 peregrine eyries. ... Peregrine falcons in West Greenland appear to be in a healthy state as evidenced by a high nesting density (1/100 sq. mi.) and a high production rate (2.25/eyrie), especially in light of the unusually severe conditions in West Greenland during the winter and late spring of 1971-72. We found little interspecific competition for prey species between peregrines and gyrfalcons. The gyrfalcon is already nesting in West Greenland before the peregrines arrive from their winter migration to the south. The gyrfalcons could therefore be expected to be aggressive in defence of their nesting cliffs and thereby occupy optimal cliffs. Despite this, all the peregrines we studied occupied high, sheer, and quite optimal nesting cliffs. Gyrfalcons seemed to prefer a nesting site lower down on a cliff face than peregrines, and both falcons preferred high, sheer cliffs with a southern exposure. Ravens were relegated to lower, less desirable (more accessible) cliffs for nesting. We await pesticide analysis of the peregrine falcon eggs and prey species collected, as well as eggshell thickness determination. Before these facts are determined we can say nothing definite about the status of peregrines in Greenland. Nesting density and production, however, suggest that the status of the peregrine is better in Greenland than in other areas of the north. ...

Note on the No-stress Boundary Condition at the Edge of the Ice Pack

Abstract: The theoretical modelling of the large-scale motion of the arctic ice pack is receiving increasing attention as the economic importance of the region increases. One of the most widely used types of model is the so-called "viscous fluid" model. ... The boundary condition at the edge of the ice pack is an important feature of most such models. In some cases a no-slip condition seems appropriate, but in others, when the ice near the boundary has a low compactness (fraction of ice coverage) or the boundary occurs away from a coast, some other condition may be more appropriate. One that is often suggested is a no-stress condition, which is often assumed to imply that there is no velocity gradient perpendicular to the boundary. When the edge occurs away from a coast, the latter assumption is wrong. It suffices for present purposes to assume that we are dealing with an incompressible two-dimensional fluid. In this case the viscous force per unit of area (corresponding to volume in three dimensions) is del·(A del v), where A is an isotropic but possibly variable coefficient of eddy viscosity, and v, the large-scale averaged horizontal ice velocity, has components u and v in the x and y directions respectively. The notation del v ... is equivalent to the tensor [partial derivative of vi with respect to xj], where i and j vary independently over all coordinate directions, and (del·del v)i = Sum over the index j of (partial derivative with respect to xj of the partial derivative of vi with respect to xj). ... Since the viscous force is the divergence of the stress, the quantity A del v is often thought of as the eddy stress (or "internal ice stress"). That this is not true is easily seen by noting that the tensor A del v, to be referred to here as the "pseudo-stress" tensor, is not symmetrical. The non-diagonal elements of the stress tensor, which must be equal, are ½A(partial derivative of v with respect to x + partial derivative of u with respect to y). The distinction made here is irrelevant in determining the viscous forces, since the stress tensor and the pseudo-stress tensor differ by a tensor of zero divergence .... In large-scale ocean models which employ eddy viscosity, the stress itself is often required in connection with boundary conditions, particularly at the sea surface, or naviface .... Here, however, those who use the pseudo-stress are saved both by scale considerations and by the fact that w=0 (where w is the vertical or z-component of velocity), hence the (partial derivative of w with respect to x)=0 and the (partial derivative of w with respect to y)=0, at the naviface, so that the stress components there reduce to A(partial derivative of u with respect to z) and A(partial derivative of v with respect to z). In the "viscous liquid" model of an ice pack bounded by open water, we at last have a case in which the distinction between real stress and pseudo-stress assumes geophysical importance. ... Assuming (without loss of generality) that the edge is oriented with its outward normal in the first quadrant at an angle of theta to the x-axis, we have for the direction cosines: n1 = +cos(theta), n2 = +sin(theta), t1 = +sine(theta), t2= -cos(theta). The appropriate expression of the condition that there be no tangential stress at the boundary becomes: sin(2theta)(partial derivative of u with respect to x - partial derivative of v with respect to y) - cos(2theta)(partial derivative of v with respect to x - partial derivative of u with respect to y) = 0. ... If the boundary is oriented along a coordinate axis this reduces to (partial derivative of v with respect to x) + (partial derivative of u with respect to y) = 0, which qualitatively means that shears at the boundary are permitted, provided that they are part of a locally uniform rotation and do not produce deformation of the ice field. If one also wishes to assume zero normal stress at the boundary, there is an additional condition given by: (partial derivative of u with respect to x)cos² (theta) + (partial derivative of v with respect to y)sin²(theta) + ½(partial derivative of v with respect to x + partial derivative of u with respect to y)sin(2theta) = 0. These are purely mathematical deductions; the appropriateness of the physical conditions is a more difficult question which can only be answered experimentally. The physical condition of zero tangential stress qualitatively means that no deformation of the ice field can take place at the boundary. Techniques for measuring the deformation of the ice fields are now under development. It is suggested that it would be interesting to measure the deformation of ice fields near the boundary, even though a measurement of non-zero deformation (which the author suspects would be found, since external driving forces will in general tend to produce deformation) would not distinguish critically between the correctness of the boundary condition and the basic validity of the "viscous liquid" type of model.

The Sanitary Landfill in the Subarctic

Abstract: A field study of two and a half years was conducted into the application of the sanitary landfill to the Subarctic. Temperatures and gas concentrations were observed in an experimental cell, and groundwater quality measured on the periphery. Carbon dioxide concentrations peaked during the warmer periods corresponding to minimum oxygen concentrations. No methane was ever detected nor were significant changes in groundwater quality observed. After the study period, the cell was opened for examination and showed that little decomposition had occurred. This indicates that serious consideration must be given to the use and location of landfills in cold climates.

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 1971

Abstract: The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 18 December 1971 is the most significant piece of federal legislation dealing with Alaska since the Alaska Statehood Act of 1958. The settlement is the largest single Native claims settlement in the history of the United States, and it has far-reaching consequences for the political and economic future of Alaska. ... the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act is the sequel to the Alaska Statehood Act. Indeed, it can be thought of as a kind of statehood act for the Native people, for like the Statehood Act, the Native Claims Settlement Act is designed to promote political independence and economic well-being through natural resource development. Statehood for Alaska resulted from an internal political drive that spanned almost half a century. ... the heart of the Statehood Act was the provision that granted to the new State the right to select some 104 million acres of land from federal holdings, with the exception of any Native lands, which were undefined. When the Natives claimed that much of the land initially chosen by the State was theirs by virtue of historical use and occupancy, the Secretary of the Interior late in 1966 imposed a moratorium, or freeze, on all further dispositions of federal land in Alaska pending a final resolution of the Native land issue by Congress. A speedy determination of Native land rights became a political and economic imperative for the state government ..., and even more so shortly after when massive oil fields were discovered at Prudhoe Bay and the land freeze became an obstacle to construction of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline. ... Economic development is the idee fixe of the Settlement Act just as it was the idee fixe of the Alaska Statehood Act. Fee title to a large amount of land, mineral and timber rights, profit corporate structures, ownership stocks, revenue sharing, and all the rest make it clear that the and claims settlement was intended primarily as a vehicle for natural resource development in Alaska. ... The effects of the Settlement Act on the political balance of the State will be enormous. The Natives and their organizations now have control of two resources that guarantee them a permanent, prominent place in Alaska politics, namely, money and land. ... Because of its economic development orientation, the Settlement Act may very well lead to an intensification of the long-standing development versus conservation conflict in Alaska .... However, on many issues, even development issues, there may not be anything that resembles a unified Native position. For its part, the state government does not regard the Natives as its prime political antagonist. That role is still reserved for its traditional enemy, the federal government. ... Indeed, the acceptance of the land claims settlement by all of the established economic interests in Alaska - the state government the corporate mineral developers, the chambers of commerce, the independent miners, and the labour interests - stems from the fact that it does not substantially redistribute existing wealth among those groups in the State. Rather, it promises to increase the total amount of wealth available to all; the Natives, for the first time, included. ... The Natives carefully made their economic development interests known to the public and to government officials. ... the land claims movement in Alaska had a very conservative style, marked by repeated references to the welfare of "all Alaskans" and frequent displays of the symbols of American political life. To be sure, the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, with its overriding commitment to economic development, is very much in the American, and Alaskan, political tradition.

Devon Island Programs 1971

Abstract: From April to October 1971 the Arctic Institute's research base on the northeast coast of Devon Island (75°40'N, 84°40'W) was the seat of operations for over 50 investigators and their field assistants. The major research program was a large integrated tundra ecosystem study sponsored by the Canadian International Biological Program (IBP) .... The Base Camp was also used, though briefly, by groups of researchers from the Canadian Wildlife Survey conducting polar bear studies in northern Devon Island, and from the Polar Continental Shelf Project who were making glaciological studies of the Devon Island Ice Cap. ... The status and condition of the Base Camp, and the logistics services, remain essentially as reported in the 1970 field summary ..., although minor improvements and repairs were made to the 8 huts, and the water and power system and local transportation facilities were improved by the addition of another skidoo, bringing the total to 3. ... In 1971, as in the previous summer, the size and capacity (unfortunately not synonymous) of the Base Camp increased. Those who have visited the Camp in previous years would find little resemblance today. The Camp at present consists of 8 Parcolls and Jamesways (many of which were enlarged in 1971), which together with tents, some lent to the Institute by the Canadian Forces, provided both laboratory and living space. A secondary camp, situated some 5 miles from Base Camp, provided a base of operations for a group of researchers from the University of Manitoba. Remote from the large population of Base Camp it made work on muskoxen and other mammals somewhat easier. One problem that came to the fore in 1971 was how to keep to the minimum the impact of relatively large numbers of people with their equipment on the Truelove Lowland itself. All of those who lived at Base Camp cooperated in efforts to avoid any unsightliness and in fact several visitors noted the general tidiness of the area. Outside the BaseCamp, movement, particularly vehicle movement, was also kept to a minimum. ... [The two AINA-sponsored projects (ecological studies of sedge dominated meadow tundras, comparative ecology of High Arctic species of Saxifraga) are summarized.]