Geovisualization of boreal peatland architecture in a three dimensional hydrogeological framework using ground penetrating radar and LiDAR at Mariana Lakes, Alberta, Canada

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dc.contributor.authorShulba, William Paul
dc.contributor.supervisorAtkinson, David E.
dc.contributor.supervisorKwoll, Eva
dc.date.accessioned2021-06-07T19:27:32Z
dc.date.available2021-06-07T19:27:32Z
dc.date.copyright2021en_US
dc.date.issued2021-06-07
dc.degree.departmentDepartment of Geography
dc.degree.levelMaster of Science M.Sc.en_US
dc.description.abstractCommunicating science in three-dimensional (3D) multimedia is an immersive and interactive way to explore scientific processes (Signals and Communication Technology, 2019). Geovisualization is an emerging 3D multimedia method for visual analysis, synthesis, and presentation of geospatial, geologic, and geophysical data (MacEachren & Kraak, 2001). There is an identified need to develop scientific communication tools to further understand boreal peatland evolution, hydrogeology, ecology, and geochemistry (Bubier et al., 2003) since the International Union of Conservation of Nature asserts that peatlands are among the most valuable ecosystems on Earth, critical for preserving global biodiversity, providing drinking water, minimising flood risk, preventing wildfire, and mitigating climate change (Hama et al., 2000). The intention of this thesis is to communicate a novel approach to geovisualize boreal peatland architecture using Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). GPR and LiDAR have been used to create 3D subsurface geovisualizations for archaeology (Kenady et al., 2018; Schultz & Martin, 2011) and resource geology (Corradini et al., 2020; Koyan & Tronicke, 2020) although application to peatland hydrogeology is uncommon. Point-source hydrogeological and geochemical data were integrated with 3D geological models to estimate carbon and nitrogen storage in an archetypal boreal peatland near Mariana Lakes, Alberta. Peatland geometry resembled a shallow lake basin with depths greatest in fens (>10 m) and thinnest in bogs (<2 m). Hydraulic conductivity was only a few meters per year and vertical groundwater movement was limited. Sequestered carbon and nutrients increased with depth. The average concentration of dissolved ammonium was 3 grams per cubic metre of peat (g/m3), 5g/m3of Total Kjeldahl Nitrogen, 60g/m3 of dissolved organic carbon and 200g/m3 of dissolved inorganic carbon. Tritium detection from atmospheric atomic weapons radionuclide fallout revealed that in deeper anaerobic peat (catotelm), tritium was absent, signifying groundwater was older than 50 years and not mixed with meteoric waters. Fen catotelm channels are likely acting as gravity-driven hydraulic traps (Tóth, 1999).en_US
dc.description.scholarlevelGraduateen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1828/13022
dc.languageEnglisheng
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.rightsAvailable to the World Wide Weben_US
dc.subjectgeovisualizationen_US
dc.subjectgeographyen_US
dc.subjectpeatlanden_US
dc.subjectborealen_US
dc.subjectgeologyen_US
dc.subjectgeographyen_US
dc.subjectGPRen_US
dc.subjectLiDARen_US
dc.subjectLeapFrogen_US
dc.subjectSeequenten_US
dc.subject3Den_US
dc.subjectmodellingen_US
dc.subjectwatershedsen_US
dc.subjecthydrologyen_US
dc.subjecthydrogeologyen_US
dc.subjectecohydrologyen_US
dc.subjectremote sensingen_US
dc.subjectOilsandsen_US
dc.subjectframeworken_US
dc.subjectcommunicationen_US
dc.subjecttechnologyen_US
dc.subjectpeaten_US
dc.subjectwetlandsen_US
dc.subjectborealen_US
dc.subjectcarbon sequestrationen_US
dc.subjecttritiumen_US
dc.subjectfenen_US
dc.subjectbogen_US
dc.subjectnitrificationen_US
dc.subjectAthabasca Oil Sands Regionen_US
dc.titleGeovisualization of boreal peatland architecture in a three dimensional hydrogeological framework using ground penetrating radar and LiDAR at Mariana Lakes, Alberta, Canadaen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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