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Wilderness R esearch Foundation King George Island Project: Measuring CO 2 Flux with the LI-COR 8100. WRF King George Island Expedition. Conducted in January 2010 KGI is the largest of the South Shetland Islands in the Antarctic
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Wilderness Research FoundationKing George Island Project:Measuring CO2 Flux with the LI-COR 8100
WRF King George Island Expedition • Conducted in January 2010 • KGI is the largest of the South Shetland Islands in the Antarctic • Chief scientist: Dr. Ning Zeng, U. Maryland Dept. of Atmospheric and Ocean Science • Field testing to determine CO2 flux (release into the atmosphere) on samples of recently-uncovered glacial moraine soil
LI-COR 8100 • Provides researchers sophisticated flux monitoring instrumentation in a dedicated system that is modular and easy to use. • Offers options of two short-term survey and two long-term chambers, in addition to the ability to multiplex up to 16 long-term chambers.
Soil CO2 efflux is a physical process driven primarily by CO2 concentration diffusion gradient between upper soil layers and the atmosphere near the soil surface. • Instrument must cause minimal disturbance to environmental conditions that have an impact on CO2 production and transport within the soil profile • Must be usable in rugged environmental conditions of KGI
Data Collection on KGI • Samples collected from two locations in moraine at southern end of Collins Glacier • Jay Gregg sets up the LICOR LI-8100 Automated Soil CO2 Flux System near Site 1. Jay Gregg sets up the LICOR LI-8100 Automated Soil CO2 Flux System near Site 1.
No observable new vegetation at sites • Complete darkness inside chamber prevented photosynthesis • CONCLUSION: CO2 was released by decomposition of organic matter once buried beneath the ice.