Pat Jardine
I am an MSc student studying whether compacting snowpacks alongside northern highways can lower ground temperatures and stabilize roads by preserving the permafrost underneath. I completed my undergraduate degree in physical geography at Carleton, and after enjoying permafrost class with my current supervisor, Dr. Chris Burn, I wanted to return for further research.
I completed the field work for my project after travelling to several field sites throughout central Yukon each month over the winter. Snow compaction was done by members of the local First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun using snowmobiles, while I dug snow pits and measured how the snow reacted, along with monitoring ground surface temperatures.
Now I’m back in Ottawa, and I’ve analyzed the data that I collected. Ground temperatures were 2-3 °C lower on average at the compacted plots compared to plots that were left undisturbed, and the technique shows lots of promise for mitigating the risk of infrastructure damage. I’m currently finishing my thesis explaining how the compaction process worked and how it could be used in a variety of northern snow environments. In my spare time I usually like to go hiking, biking, practice photography and play chess.