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Lin Liu pulls a ground penetrating radar unit through the tundra near Barrow, Alaska on to measure the active layer depth. The radar unit (in the box) emits a pulse which reflects off the permafrost to measure the active layer depth, which is recorded in the computer held by Andy Parsekian. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Lin Liu and Andy Persekian check active layer depth measurements on a laptop as Elchin Jafarov looks on. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Tundra bugs are always curious about permafrost researchers. (Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Lin Liu, Andy Parsekian, and Elchin Jafarov pull a ground penetrating radar unit through the tundra near Barrow, Alaska on August 10, 2013. The radar unit is in the box and the computer records the active layer depth (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC). (View photo detail.)
Kevin Schaefer drains his mud boots after a day of sloshing through wet tundra. (Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Lin Liu and Andy Persekian take a dip during a break from data gathering. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Lin Liu pulls a ground penetrating radar unit through the tundra in rainy weather as Andy Persekian and Elchin Jafarov follow behind. The survey near Barrow, Alaska measures active layer depth. The radar unit (in the box) emits a pulse which reflects off the permafrost to measure the active layer depth, which is recorded in the computer held by Andy Parsekian. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Lin Liu checks the day's data at basecamp. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Lin Liu pulls a ground penetrating radar unit through the tundra in rainy weather. The survey near Barrow, Alaska measures active layer depth. The radar unit (in the box) emits a pulse which reflects off the permafrost to measure the active layer depth, which is recorded in the computer held by Andy Parsekian. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
In this photo taken on August 16, 2012, Tim Schaefer, Lin Liu, Alessio Gusmeroli, and Tingjun Zhang cook food and examine the day’s observations of active layer depth at camp just south of Deadhorse, Alaska. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Tingjun Zhang, Alessio Gusmeroli, Lin Liu, and Tim Schaefer check gear before starting a new survey of active layer depth using ground penetrating radar on August 16, 2012. Zhang holds the radar controller while the yellow antenna rests at his feet next to a spool of survey line. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Tim Schaefer slakes his thirst with ice chopped from an exposed ice layer at a thermokarst feature on August 19, 2012 near Toolik Lake, Alaska. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Small ices lenses are common in permafrost, as seen in this typical permafrost core drilled near Deadhorse, Alaska on August 17, 2012. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
The Alaska pipeline follows the Dalton Highway in the Brooks Range in this photo taken on August 15, 2012. The pipeline connects the oil fields at Prudhoe Bay with the tanker facilities in Valdez, a distance of over 800 miles. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Driving the Dalton Highway on August 15, 2012 becomes difficult as visibility drops to zero on Atigun Pass in the Brooks Range, Alaska. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
The equipment required to drill permafrost cores consists of shovels and a tarp, a motor to power the drill, a cooler to keep the samples frozen, a toolbox, a steel pry bar, and an augur drill bit. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
This permafrost core extracted from a depth of 1.5 meters on August 20, 2012 near Toolik Lake, Alaska has been frozen for thousands of years, yet green moss is visible at the 9 centimeter mark. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
This picture taken on July 13, 2009 shows a typical borehole after collecting a permafrost core sample. The ice and soil shavings that result from the auger bit used to drill the core sample have a look and consistency of wet concrete (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC). (View photo detail.)
Research volunteer Tim Schaefer, Standford University scientist Lin Liu, and NSIDC senior research scientist Tingjun Zhang drill a permafrost sample south of Deadhorse, Alaska on July 10, 2009. The head nets protect the researchers from the clouds of mosquitoes that continually swarmed around them. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Standford University scientist Lin Liu, NSIDC senior research scientist Tingjun Zhang, and research volunteer Tim Schaefer pull the auger bit containing a permafrost core out of a newly drilled hole near Deadhorse, Alaska on July 10, 2009. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
On the 2009 trip to drill permafrost samples, the researchers’ truck was so loaded with equipment that retrieving anything required a headlong dive into the back. Here, Standford University scientist Lin Liu dives into the truck to retrieve his toothbrush in the morning. (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
Standford University scientist Lin Liu and research volunteer Tim Schaefer are attempting to remove a drill bit that accidently froze into the permafrost at a site just south of Deadhorse, Alaska on July 11, 2009. The researchers spent eight hours chipping the drill bit out of the permafrost using a crowbar, pry bar, and a hammer (Credit: Kevin Schaefer, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
A herd of several thousand caribou stalled our progress as they crossed the Dalton highway near Deadhorse, Alaska on July 12, 2009. (Credit: Tingjun Zhang, NSIDC) (View photo detail.)
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