Data Submission Package for Manuscript 'Moving beyond the physical impervious surface impact and urban habitat fragmentation of Alaska: Quantitative Human Footprint Inference from the first large Scale 30m high-resolution Landscape Metrics Big Data Quantification in R and the Cloud'_2

With increased globalization, man-made climate change, and urbanization, the landscape – embedded within the Anthropocene - becomes increasingly fragmented. With habitats transitioning and getting lost, globally relevant regions considered ‘pristine', such as Alaska, are no exception. Alaska holds 60% of the U.S. National Park system’s area and is of national and international importance, considering the U.S. is one of the wealthiest nations on earth. These characteristics tie into densities and quantities of human features, e.g., roads, houses, mines, wind parks, agriculture, trails, etc., that can be summarized as ‘impervious surfaces.’ Those are physical impacts and actively affecting urban-driven landscape fragmentation. Using the remote sensing data of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD; https://www.mrlc.gov/data/nlcd-2016-land-cover-alaska ), here we attempt to create the first quantification of this physical human impact on the Alaskan landscape and its fragmentation. We quantified these impacts using the well-established landscape metrics tool ‘Fragstats’, implemented as the R package “landscapemetrics” in the desktop software and through the interface of a Linux Cloud-computing environment. This workflow allows for the first time to overcome the computational limitations of the conventional Fragstats software within a reasonably quick timeframe. Thereby, we are able to analyze a land area as large as approx. 1,517,733 km2 (state of Alaska) while maintaining a high assessment resolution of 30 meters. Based on this traditional methodology, we found that Alaska has a reported physical human impact of c. 0.067%. But when assessed, we additionally overlaid other features that were not included in the input data to highlight the overall true human impact (e.g., roads, trails, airports, governance boundaries in game management and park units, mines, etc.). We found that using remote sensing (human impact layers), Alaska’s human impact is considerably underestimated to a meaningless estimate (0.067%). The state is more seriously fragmented and affected by humans than commonly assumed. Very few areas are truly untouched and display a high patch density with corresponding low mean patch sizes throughout the study area. Instead, the true human impact is likely close to 100% throughout Alaska for several metrics. With these newly created insights, we provide the first state-wide landscape data and inference that are likely of considerable importance for land management entities in the state of Alaska, and for the U.S. National Park systems overall, especially in the changing climate. Likewise, the methodological framework presented here shows an Open Access workflow and can be used as a reference to be reproduced virtually anywhere else on the planet to assess more realistic large-scale landscape metrics. It can also be used to assess human impacts on the landscape for more sustainable landscape stewardship and mitigation in policy.Ye

Know Your Tsunami Hazard in Anchorage, Chugiak, Eagle River, Eklutna, and Girdwood

Coastal Alaska communities live with the most serious tsunami hazard in the United States. The Alaska Earthquake Center helps coastal communities prepare for the next tsunami disaster. We provide state and local officials with the best available scientific information for addressing the variety of tsunami hazards faced by their communities. These community-specific brochures distill information from several scientific publications, such as tsunami inundation reports, pedestrian travel time maps, and maritime response guidance, into a handy, quick reference. The brochures include maps with community-designated safety information, historical tsunami information, as well as links for local and statewide tsunami preparedness information. The brochures are rack-card size for easy display, and a great safety resource for both locals and visitors. The Earthquake Center partnered with the Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Municipality of Anchorage to create this brochure, tailoring the map, safety contact information, and historical information to this location

Data Submission Package for Manuscript 'Moving beyond the physical impervious surface impact and urban habitat fragmentation of Alaska: Quantitative Human Footprint Inference from the first large Scale 30m high-resolution Landscape Metrics Big Data Quantification in R and the Cloud'

With increased globalization, man-made climate change, and urbanization the landscape – embedded within the Pyrocene as part of the Anthropocene - becomes increasingly more fragmented, with habitats transitioning and getting lost; globally relevant regions considered ‘pristine' such as Alaska are no exception. Alaska holds 60% of the U.S. National Park system’s area and is of national and international importance, considering the U.S. is one of the wealthiest nations on earth. Roads, houses, mines, wind parks, agriculture, trails, etc. are just a few of the features humans created that can be summarized as ‘impervious surfaces’. Those are physical impacts and actively affecting urban-driven landscape fragmentation. Using the remote sensing data of the National Land Cover Database (NLCD; https://www.mrlc.gov/data/nlcd-2016-land-cover-alaska ), here we attempt to create the first quantification of this physical human impact on the Alaskan landscape and its fragmentation. We quantified these impacts using the well-established landscape metrics tool ‘Fragstats’, implemented as the R package “landscapemetrics” in the desktop software and through the interface of a Linux Cloud-computing environment. This workflow allows for the first time to overcome the computational limitations of the conventional Fragstats software within a reasonably quick timeframe. Thereby, we are able to analyze a land area as large as approx. 1,517,733 km2 (state of Alaska) while maintaining a high assessment resolution of 30 meters. Based on this traditional methodology, we found that Alaska has a reported physical human impact of c. 0.067%. But when assessed, we additionally overlaid other features that were not included in the input data to highlight the overall true human impact (including governances in game management unit boundaries, park boundaries, mines, etc.). We found that using remote sensing, Alaska’s human impact is actually considerably underestimated to a meaningless estimate and that the state is more seriously fragmented and affected by humans than commonly assumed. Very few areas are truly untouched and overall it displays a high patch density with corresponding low mean patch sizes throughout the study area. Instead, the true human impact is likely close to 100% throughout Alaska for several metrics. With these newly created insights, we provide the first state-wide landscape data and inference that are likely of considerable importance for land management entities in the state of Alaska, and for the U.S. National Park systems overall, especially in the changing climate. Likewise, the methodological framework presented here shows an Open Access workflow and can be used as a reference to be reproduced virtually anywhere else on the planet to assess more realistic large-scale landscape metrics and human impacts on the landscape in an Open GIS environment for more sustainable landscape stewardship and mitigation in policy.Ye

200+ Global Environmental Predictors

This dataset contains 200+ environmental predictors used for a series of scientific publications, obtained from public sources. Curated and geo-spatially aligned by Moriz Steiner

Renewable Energy Policies in Fairbanks Alaska: Benefit-Cost Analysis of a Carbon Tax and a Renewable Portfolio Standard for Golden Valley Electric Association

The electricity sector is a major producer of carbon dioxide emissions. Specifically in Fairbanks, Alaska. The electricity sector is also a producer of PM2.5 emissions. PM2.5 emissions are particles that form in the air from complex chemical reactions in sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides which are emitted from nonrenewable power plants. Research shows (Wu, 2023) that both carbon emissions and PM2.5 emissions have negative influences on the environmental and social welfare of citizens. Carbon emissions contribute to climate change, while PM2.5 emissions pose serious threats to human health. In 2009, the Fairbanks North Star Borough (FNSB) was declared a nonattainment area by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A nonattainment area is a designated area that does not meet the standard for clean air quality in the United States. Carbon emissions and PM2.5 emissions have lowered the air quality within the FNSB and contributes to global warming. Within the United States as a whole, approximately 40% of all human-induced carbon emissions come from electricity generators powered by fossil fuels. The policy problem is how best to encourage the FNSB to transition to more renewable energy sources. Transitioning the electricity sector away from fossil fuels to renewable energy would curb carbon emissions and PM2.5 emissions from this sector. However, renewable energy sources often entail high costs, intermittency, and insufficient generation capacity. Within the FNSB, the power producer is Golden Valley Electric Company (GVEA). GVEA was founded in 1946 and now operates nine nonrenewable and renewable power plants while also purchasing power from around the state of Alaska. Through the combination of power plants it owns and operates, GVEA is on average operating on 23.4% renewable and 76.6% nonrenewable energy sources. GVEA has set goals for carbon reduction and implemented a strategic generation plan to increase their use of renewable energy; however, the state of Alaska has not implemented any renewable energy transition policies. Two models of renewable energy transition policies that have been proposed to curb emissions are a carbon tax and renewable portfolio standard (RPS). A carbon tax puts a tax on the amount of emissions that power producers emit into the atmosphere, while an RPS requires power producers to produce a minimum amount of electricity coming from renewable energy. Both policies are designed to encourage the reduction of nonrenewable energy sources. This analysis looks at the costs and benefits of a carbon tax and an RPS being implemented on GVEA’s nine owned and operated power plants. The costs of the power plants are totaled to calculate the short term marginal costs ($/mwh) and the long term Levelized Cost of Energy ($/mwh). The costs collected include capital costs, variable operating and maintenance costs, fuel costs, social cost of PM2.5, and the social cost of carbon. The benefits are revenue, benefit from PM2.5 reduction per ton, and benefit from CO2 reduction per ton. All the costs and benefits are collected from the years 2017- 2021 and averaged to get an average annual cost and benefit estimate. A pigouvian carbon tax is used to internalize the external cost of carbon through making the social cost of carbon equivalent to the carbon tax. The RPS is stimulated using GVEA’s proposed strategic generation plan which calls for the retirement of a nonrenewable power plant and the addition of a wind farm and new battery energy storage system (BESS). In this scenario the LCOE estimates are used to estimate the costs of the new renewable plants under the RPS scenario. This is because in the short term they will have to be initially built which will include capital costs. The other power plants that already exist and will continue to exist will use the marginal costs to estimate their costs because they are already up and running. This paints a realistic picture of the costs of implementing the RPS tomorrow. The implementation of a carbon tax results in a notable shift in both costs and benefits. Initially, the costs rose by $39,523,800 from the baseline. This increase is directly tied to the amount of carbon emissions released into the atmosphere, as the carbon tax is set equal to the social cost of carbon. These costs are specifically the marginal costs per megawatt-hour ($/MWh), as all power plants in this scenario are already established. Conversely, the benefits experience an increase. The benefits increased from the baseline by $101,982,620. This increase in benefits stems from various sources. First, it includes the government revenue generated from the tax itself. Additionally, there are substantial gains from the reduction in both CO2 emissions and PM2.5 These reductions occur as nonrenewable power plants, faced with the burden of the tax, are priced out of the market. These high-emission plants find themselves unable to sustain operations as their costs far surpass their revenue. Consequently, they are forced to cease operations, resulting in a decrease in both CO2 emissions and PM2.5. This further amplifies the overall benefits derived from the carbon tax. The benefit-cost ratio for both policies is above one,Executive Summary / Introduction / Background / Literature Review / Methods / Policy Options / Benefit-Cost Analysis / Analysis of the Alternatives / Projecting the Outcomes / Recommendations / Conclusion / Works Cited / Appendi

Comparative Research of rural Drinking Water Supply in Mongolia and Alaska

A Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in Project Management University of Alaska AnchorageThis comparative research project on rural drinking water supply in Mongolia and Alaska aimed to understand the challenges, dynamics, and best practices surrounding water access and utilities in rural communities within these regions. Through meticulous planning and execution, three cities in Mongolia and three cities in Alaska were selected as primary areas of study to capture the nuances and variations inherent in water supply dynamics across diverse geographical and socio-economic contexts. The objectives included investigating rural water supply systems, developing evidence-based recommendations, and fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration. A comprehensive literature review provided insights into existing scholarly works relevant to the study, establishing a foundation for the research. The research findings highlighted common challenges faced by remote communities in both Mongolia and Alaska, including limited access to clean and reliable drinking water, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-economic disparities. Despite these challenges, successful strategies and initiatives were identified, emphasizing the importance of community engagement, stakeholder collaboration, and context-specific solutions. Interviews with key stakeholders provided invaluable insights into the complexities of rural water supply systems, challenges faced, successful strategies employed, community engagement initiatives, regulatory frameworks, sustainability practices, and lessons learned. The qualitative and quantitative analysis facilitated a comprehensive understanding of rural water supply dynamics, informing evidence-based recommendations and best practices. The study concluded that addressing water access and utilities in rural communities requires concerted efforts, including investment in innovative technologies, fostering community engagement, enhancing policy support, and strengthening cross-sector collaboration. By translating research findings into actionable recommendations, stakeholders can work towards improving the quality of life for rural residents in Mongolia, Alaska, and beyond.List of Acronyms / Key Words / Abstract / Project Introduction / Research Conducted / Research Methods and Approach / Research Analysis / Conclusion / Recommendations for Further Research / Reference

Divergence and adaptation in Beringian birds

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2024Beringia is a high-latitude hotspot of avian divergence and speciation. The unique biogeography of Beringia impacted avian speciation in two ways: through the cyclic appearance of the land bridge between the Asian and North American continents and through glacial refugia. These cyclic processes repeatedly split and connected avian populations, alternately reducing and increasing opportunities for gene flow between populations. In this thesis, I examine how this dynamic system impacted Beringian avian taxa using population genomic analyses. First, I examine broad patterns of divergence and gene flow across 11 lineages of birds using ultraconserved elements (UCEs), which are a multi-locus subsampling of the nuclear genome. These bird lineages contain two or more sister taxa at the population, subspecies, or species level that were likely impacted by the Bering land bridge and/or by glacial refugia. I tested models that provided key demographic information, such as population size, gene flow, and divergence time estimates. Demographic modeling showed gene flow in all cases at a wide range of rates between pairwise comparisons, and all inferred models included a divergence event during the Quaternary. Next, I focus on one species, the Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia), in the Beringian part of its range. Five subspecies of the Song Sparrow reside in southern Alaska, from the Aleutian Islands to southeast Alaska, and have a wide range of body sizes. Using whole- genomic sequencing and morphology, I examine the phenotypic and genomic differences in these subspecies. I quantified the morphological differences, showing that the western subspecies are significantly larger than the eastern subspecies. I then determined that two candidate genes are under positive selection in the most isolated subspecies, M. m. maxima. Finally, I reconstructed a phylogeny and found that M. m. maxima is sister to the other M. melodia subspecies. These results highlight how the unique biogeography of Beringia impacted the generation of avian diversity in the region.Kessel Fund for Northern Ornithology and the Friends of OrnithologyChapter 1: General introduction -- Chapter 2: Gene flow accompanies divergence in Beringian birds -- Chapter 3: Evidence of positive selection and a novel phylogeny among five subspecies of song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) in Alaska -- Chapter 4: General conclusions

USE OF ASTM C1512 FOR EVALUATING FOAM BOARD INSULATION USED IN ROADWAY PROJECTS

This work focuses on the performance of Expanded Polystyrene and Extruded Polystyrene insulation used in roadway embankments. Insulated roadways have been used in Alaska since the 1960’s and have become ubiquitous in more recent roadway projects. These insulation layers are used to provide a thermal barrier that reduces frost heave and/or reduces permafrost thaw beneath the embankment. Both frost heave reduction and permafrost protection are dependent on an effective insulation layer that limits heat transfer into and out of the base layers of the embankment. It is well known that accumulated moisture in insulation layers can significantly reduce their thermal performance and, thus, reduce their ability to protect embankments. Existing Alaska Department of Transportation Standard Specifications for Highway Construction require that polystyrene insulation boards have a minimum thermal resistance (R-value) of 4.5 per inch thickness, and that they are able to withstand a 24-hr water immersion test with a limited amount of moisture ingress. However, short-term immersion tests are not well-suited to predict the long-term accumulation of moisture that occurs in insulation installed in embankments. A potentially better method for testing insulation moisture ingress under roadway embankment conditions consists of the use of ASTM C1512 which relies on moisture vapor diffusion rather than direct immersion to introduce water into the insulation. A modified version of ASTM C1512 is used in this study to better understand moisture ingress into polystyrene insulation samples and the implications for thermal performance of the products

Comprehensive Roadway Safety Data Visualization and Evaluation Platform for Yakama Nation

The Yakama Nation Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Engineering collaborated with the Smart Transportation Application & Research Laboratory (STAR Lab) at the University of Washington to develop a comprehensive roadway safety data visualization and evaluation platform. With the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safety Data Initiative (SDI) fund, this tool will support information for the Yakama Nation government for their decision-making. The safety datasets provided in this tool consist of collision records (collision, vehicle, occupant, pedestrian) and roadway characteristics (roadlog, curve and grade, ramp, traffic information, special-use lane, etc.). The multi-source database supported data collection, quality control, integration, database management, visualization, and analytical results. The safety tools can be utilized for analytical and visualization functions such as crash data visualization, hotspot identification, and network screening. Examples of available safety data include crash type, frequency, severity, and risk estimate, and safety data download

CO₂ transport at a supercritical state: Nikiski, Alaska pipeline study and cost analysis

Thesis (M.S.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2024CO₂ in the supercritical state is suitable for long-distance transportation because of the denser flowing fluid, almost the same density as liquid CO₂ but has lower viscosity and surface tension. Albeit this well-known principle, it is nontrivial to implement a scheme for single-phase, supercritical CO₂ transportation on a given pipeline. As the pressure and temperature are the major state variables governing the state of the transported CO₂, the state of the fluid is determined by a complex interaction among the key parameters: the inner diameter, insulation material, inlet pressure and temperature, and the boundary conditions (including the ambient temperature and inner pipeline wall roughness) of the pipeline; the mass flow rate and distance of transportation. This paper applies the PIPESIM software, with MATLAB for auxiliary calculations, to illustrate a parametric study of the supercritical CO₂ transportation over a 10.618-mile (17,080 m) long model pipeline connecting from Nikiski to the Osprey platform in the Redoubt oil field in Cook Inlet, Alaska, USA. This study aims to understand the limitations and optimize transportation efficiency while maintaining the supercritical state of transported CO₂ throughout the pipeline. With the geographic location, elevation profile of the pipeline, and the ambient conditions considered in the simulations, we calculate the pressure and temperature profiles, erosion kinetics, and the fluid state in the combinatorial set of various diameters, inlet pressures, and temperatures of the pipeline and the mass flow rates of the transported fluid. The major findings are that a larger pressure loss will be expected in better-insulated pipelines because of the warmer transported CO₂ that flows faster. Turbulent flows will be more likely to occur in transportation through pipelines of smaller diameters and will impact on possible change from the supercritical state to the two-phase state. The parametric modeling results offer a scenario-driven approach to determine the optimal range of mass flow rates, pipeline inner diameters, and inlet pressures. A cost analysis was conducted for the construction and operating expenditures of pipelines over a 20-year lifetime span. We highlight the trade-offs between maintaining supercritical conditions, minimizing heat loss, and increasing financial viability for efficient transportation