permafrost

permafrost

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Description of the expedition

Northrop Grumman and Earthwatch have partnered together to develop an environmental education program for middle school math and science teachers. The selected teachers will travel to Churchill, Canada to research the effect of climate change on the ecosystem. Our team will focus on thaw layer/permafrost monitoring and treeline dynamics. As the climate warms, the permafrost melts, releasing methane and carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which in turn contributes to global warming.
Before I participate in this expedition I will spend a week in Oslo, Norway attending the International Polar Year (IPY) Science Conference. One of the IPY's research projects focused on treeline data, some of which may have been collected in Churchill. I look forward to learning how educators from around the world present climate change information to their students.
Today, however, is another school day and it is past my bedtime, so I must retire in order to be alert for my students in the morning. Only 11 more days of school, but who's counting? I am. The school day ends at 3:30 and my flight to Oslo is at 10:00 that night!!

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