2 credits class.
Class Instructor: Dr. Yuri Shur
Field assistance by Dr. M. Kanevskiy and Dr. D. Fortier

NOTE: This class is offered through UAF SUMMER SESSIONS, attendees must sign-up through UAF to take this course.

Lectures:
Permafrost description and sampling in the CRREL Permafrost Tunnel

Texts:
Instructors' notes.
Recommended reading: TBA

Prerequisites: Engineering Geology, or Quaternary Geology, or Introduction to Geotechics, or Instructor's permission

Course objectives:
The objectives of this course are to provide students with a thorough understanding of permafrost origin, properties, permafrost related hazards, and permafrost and main ideas in engineering design for permafrost.

Topics to study:
- Frozen ground
- Permafrost
- Active layer
- Types of permafrost, permafrost distribution
- Permafrost origin
- Terrain characteristics
- Ground ice and cryogenic structure
- Geomorphic processes associated with permafrost, its formation and degradation
- Site and route studies
- Elements of thermal analysis
- Thermal and mechanical properties of frozen and thawing soils
- Foundations alternatives
- Pipelines, roads and airfields in the permafrost region

Format of the class:
I. Work in classs:
1. Lectures 80%
2. Problems solving and quizzes 10%
3. Fieldwork in the permafrost tunnel and field sampling of frozen soil 10%
II. Home assignments

The purpose of this teachers' course is to familiarize elementary and high school teachers with the complex story of how the warming climate will impact the Alaskan society, ecology and hydrology through degradation of permafrost. This course will include local field trips around the Fairbanks area to observe and photograph evidence of permafrost degradation and its original formation during the last glaciation.

Course attendees will participate in field measurements of permafrost thermal and hydrological variables to quantitatively document the interdependence among the dynamic thermal and hydrological processes. The emphasis will be upon simple measurements and observations that may be conducted by students to better understand the Alaskan environment.

This will be a two and ½ day course through which the participants may earn one credit by registering with the University of Alaska Fairbanks Summer Sessions ( http://www.uaf.edu/summer/registration see ED F595P). The cost is expected to be $60. Each morning will be spent in an informal classroom-style setting where we will discuss the relationships and controls among climate, permafrost, and hydrology. There will be two afternoon field trips where we will visit sites to actively engage in field process studies.

This course is being conducted in association with the Ninth International Conference on Permafrost. Registered course participants are invited to attend NICOP sessions with no additional charge.

Tentative field plan:

Afternoon Day 1 Unstable permafrost, understanding the control of thawing permafrost on hydrology and ecology
Afternoon Day 2 Sporadic permafrost, projecting the future permafrost regime in a markedly different climate