Full Proposals for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Proposed IPY Activity Details

1.0 PROPOSER INFORMATION

(Activity ID No: 171)

1.1 Title of Activity
POLAR-AOD: a network to characterize the means, variability, and trends of the climate-forcing properties of aerosols in polar regions

1.2 Short Form Title of Proposed Activity
POLAR-AOD-IPY

1.3 Activity Leader Details
Claudio TOMASI
Institute of Atmospheric Sciences and Climate (ISAC-CNR), Bologna
ITALY

1.4 Lead International Organisation(s) (if applicable)

1.5 Other Countries involved in the activity
Germany
USA
Canada
Japan
Russia
Finland
Norway
Sweden
Spain
People's Republic of China
Poland
France
Netherlands
UK
Greece
Switzerland
Australia
Peru
Argentina

1.6 Expression of Intent ID #'s brought together in this proposed activity
299, 165, 198, 530, 557, 797, 820, FP#129

1.7 Location of Field Activities
Bipolar

1.8 Which IPY themes are addressed
1. Current state of the environment
2. Change in the polar regions
3. Polar-global linkages/tele-connections

1.9 What is the main IPY target addressed by this activity
1. Natural or social science

2.0 SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITY

The proposed activity aims at establishing a bipolar network to obtain data needed to quantify properties of aerosols at high latitudes, including seasonal background concentrations by measurements of aerosol optical depth (AOD), spectral characterizations, and the evolutionary patterns of the natural and anthropogenic processes that perturb the aerosol cycles. An effort to quantify direct and indirect climate forcing by polar aerosols will be made through a set of closure experiments using observations in conjunction with model calculation and satellite data.
The co-operation in the frame of POLAR-AOD will allow the following:
1. - Definition of calibration procedures among the various sun-radiometers operating in Polar regions, in order to achieve homogeneous AOD (aerosol optical depth) evaluations and maintain a set of reference instruments in a high mountain station. Some of the instruments will be used to constitute a traveller system from one station to the other with the aim of attaining 'round robin' inter-comparison. Regular inter-comparison campaigns (biennial) will be organized in order to compare not only calibration constants but also instrumental characteristics, such as sensitivity and influence of diffuse light. The first inter-comparison campaign, scheduled for spring 2006 at Ny-Alesund, will be used also to define and adjust the methodology and calculation procedures, like that aimed at evaluating relative optical air mass and trace-gas corrections.
2 . - Improvement of "in-situ" optical and chemical measurements, with an effort to operate size and time-resolved aerosol composition and concentration sampling on a long-term base (EoI ID 557).
3. - Establishment of a data bank for spectral sun-photometric measurements (AOD archive), in-situ measurements and any other aerosol related parameters useful for assessing the quantification of aerosols and their radiative effects. This archive will fill the gap for the polar regions within the global aerosol climatology, where there is an urgent need for high-quality data on aerosol abundance and physico-chemical characteristics on a regional scale. The information is necessary to better constrain climate model simulations and improve the interpretation of remotely sensed data. Particular attention will be paid to retrospective analyses of historical data-sets, mainly from Russian Arctic and Antarctic stations. They will be recovered and stored in the archive.
4. - Determination of reliable procedures for analysing sun-photometric and sun-radiometric data in order to describe realistically the specific conditions occurring in the polar regions. Standard programmes will be developed and supplied to the research groups involved, including cloud rejection algorithms and radiometric data analysis.
5 - Organisation of international workshops for the presentation of the results from the various polar programs, and for the discussion of common strategies and goals, including aspects of logistics within inter-calibration activities and data exchange.
In Antarctica, the actual field activities will benefit from the setting up of a new international long-term monitoring programme, called TAVERN (Quantification of Tropospheric Aerosol and Thin Clouds Variability, including Radiation Budget over the East Antarctic Plateau) at the recently established Italian-French station Dome Concordia (EoI ID 198). Year-round measurements based on LIDAR, Sun and Star photometer and "in-situ" aerosol systems will make it possible to study in detail inter-annual and seasonal variation of aerosols over the high Antarctic Plateau, and also to obtain information on the thin cloud optical depth. The normal activities in other stations will be extended during the IPY operational period (EoI ID 797). The POLAR-AOD observations will complement the SRB measurements which are developed at other stations (Syowa, South Pole, Neumayer) in the frame of the BSRN (GCOS) activities, providing an important contribution for assessing forcing by aerosols.
In the Arctic, additional strong field activities will be promoted at the Greenland Summit Station (EoI ID 530) and Tiksi (EoI ID 820), during the IPY operational period. Real-time measurements of physical, chemical and optical properties of aerosols will allow the constitution of a data set in the Arctic, equivalent to the one acquired over the Antarctic Plateau, Summit being a natural counterpart of Dome Concordia. Also in Ny-Alesund, research activities related to aerosols will increase as a consequence of the efforts of Norway, Poland, Germany, Japan and Italy (EoIs ID 165, ID 597). The network will give support in obtaining high-quality integrated data from the large amount of field activities. Participation on cruises organised in the framework of the Arctic Experiment (AREX) and the airborne ASTAR (Arctic Study of Tropospheric Aerosol, Clouds, and Radiation) activities will lead to a considerable improvement in knowledge on the vertical and spatial distribution of aerosols in the European Arctic. The present studies will complement the activities promoted by the SEARCH Program (NOAA's Study of Environmental Arctic Change). Finally the information obtained will allow participants to assess the influence of mid-latitude aerosol sources in the observed Arctic aerosol budget.
POLAR-AOD (EoIs ID 299, ID 557) will join the efforts of the IASOA proposal (EoI ID 138), in the task of co-ordinating different programmes of long-term atmospheric observatories in the Arctic with the purpose of setting up a circumpolar ring around the central Arctic region. The second aim is to fulfil the need for an integrated larger bi-polar network in the field of atmospheric sciences.

2.1 What is the evidence of inter-disciplinarity in this activity?
To investigate the role of aerosols in polar regions is an inter-disciplinary issue since it requires the involvement of physicists, chemists, meteorologists, glaciologists, modellers, satellite remote sensing specialists and engineers. The activity will set out not only to study processes in the troposphere and stratosphere, but also to obtain information (in stations Dome Concordia and Summit) on the air-snow processes in order to improve the understanding of the ice-core data. This will offer opportunities to promote collaboration with scientists working in glaciology and paleo-climatology.

2.2 What will be the significant advances/developments from this activity? What will be the major deliverables? What are the outputs for your peers?
The objective of POLAR-AOD is to co-ordinate atmospheric aerosol research activities that the scientific community are planning in the Arctic and Antarctic. The establishment of this type of network has been made necessary, due to the strong interest of the scientific community in the aerosol effects in the polar regions.
The main advances derived from this programme will be the following:
a) Characterisation of the bi-polar spatial and temporal distributions and potential impacts of natural and anthropogenic aerosols, in order to obtain a polar aerosol climatology also through a data archive storing actual and historical data related to aerosols.
b) Identification of the common pathways by which aerosols reach the Poles, in order to quantify the impacts of mid-latitude anthropogenic aerosol sources in the measured concentrations and composition of polar aerosols.
c) Establishment of a uniform aerosol baseline network to determine and detect polar aerosol changes on the spatial and temporal scales.
d) Establishment of long-term field activities in several stations strategically located both in Antarctica and the Arctic, with the aim of obtaining a comprehensive data set, including columnar and "in-situ" measurements, SRB/BSRN measurements, modelling and satellite observations in closure experiments.
e) Definition of common procedures for the calibration and analysis of data and the organization of regularly inter-comparison campaigns to guarantee the comparability among the different systems in use and among the various stations.
f) Co-ordination of ground-based activities with airborne campaigns and satellite validations to obtain aerosol data at high temporal/spatial coverage and sufficiently detailed for regional climate studies in polar regions, including the evaluation of satellite observed aerosol optical depth and production of aerosol maps obtained through assimilation of satellite observations in an aerosol-chemistry-transport model.
g) Evaluation of the direct aerosol effects on a regional scale to obtain information on indirect aerosol effects, mainly by investigating thin clouds.

The final output will be the quantification of the atmospheric aerosol variability in polar regions, including the detection of changes in the common polar aerosol concentration. It will serve to assess the direct climate forcing due to polar aerosols on the regional and global scales, and detect climate changes.
Output for peers will include publications in peer-reviewed journals, workshops and (most importantly) the data archive on aerosols in polar regions. A POLAR-AOD web site will provide information on the network activity and provide material for the general public and schools being a part of the outreach and educational plan. A provisional webpage can be presently "browsed" at http://nadc.isti.cnr.it:8080/PolarAOD/ . It is currently under development.

2.3 Outline the geographical location(s) for the proposed field work (approximate coordinates will be helpful if possible)

2.4 Define the approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities?

2.5 What major logistic support/facilities will be required for this project?

Further details – Logistic support will be supplied by the national polar programmes managing the stations listed above in the frame of their standard activity. In particular, the activity during the IPY operational period will benefit from the opening of the new Italian-French station of Dome Concordia, the operations planned at Summit station, and the opening of the long-term Observatory of Tiksi in Siberia. The planned airborne campaigns ASTAR and AREX cruises in the Arctic ocean will increase data collected and will help in evaluating the role of aerosols on a regional scale. After the first inter-comparison campaign in March/April 2006 in preparation to establish the AOD-Network, a second will be planned in spring 2008 at Ny-Alesund or at another Arctic station.

2.6 How will the required logistics be supplied? Have operators been approached?

2.7 If working in the Arctic regions, has there been contact with local indigenous groups or relevant authorities regarding access?
All the field activities will be carried out at stations that are routinely operating and/or are planned to open in the near future. In the case of the Summit station, provisional agreement is required to provide access.

3.0 STRUCTURE OF THE ACTIVITY

3.1 Origin of the activity
This is a pulse of activity during 2007-2009 within an existing programme

If part of an existing programme please name the programme – POLAR-AOD, a programme funded by the Italian Antarctic Programme

3.2 How will the activity be organised and managed? Describe the proposed management structure and means for coordinating across the cluster
The management structure of POLAR-AOD-IPY will include a Steering Group (SG) and several Working Groups (WG) on columnar measurements, "in-situ" measurements, airborne/satellite measurements and also on data management. The complete and definitive list of members of the SG and WGs will be drawn up during the workshop scheduled to be held during the inter-comparison campaign. The idea is to have a SG of around ten representatives led by the activity leader and co-chairs. Working Groups will be led by SG members so to assure a strict connection between the WGs and the SG. Working Groups will operate mainly through the electronic exchange of information/documents. The planned workshop activity of the POLAR-AOD network and the biennial intercomparison campaigns (the first campaign being scheduled at Ny-Alesund for spring 2006) will offer the possibility of regular meetings of SG and WGs at minimal expense.
POLAR-AOD-IPY forms part of the sub-cluster 4.1 on “Clouds, aerosol and chemical composition”. It has been agreed that within this sub-cluster there will be meetings of the activity leads in order to foster collaboration among the different activities. Also proposed are joint workshops and, after the main field phase, joint publications in journal special sections involving several activities. Sub-clusters led by OASIS (ID 344) and IASOA (ID 138) will also form part of this grouping, as their activities are closely linked to the present cluster activities.

3.3 Will the activity leave a legacy of infrastructure and if so in what form?
The activity developed under the IPY umbrella will help to consolidate the POLAR-AOD network, a co-ordination effort started in 2003, and to establish a legacy of long-term monitoring stations covering the Arctic and Antarctic regions, with a higher spatial homogeneity. Another important legacy will take the form of the data archive, including aerosol global climatology studies in polar regions developed mainly through the analysis of these historical data. Some new field activities in key stations (Dome Concordia, Summit, Eureka/Alert, Tiksi) will considerably improve the capability to characterize polar aerosol, understand spatial and temporal variability and monitor transport processes from lower latitudes. The present activity fits very well the concepts of GCOS, providing data on the aerosol radiative properties that are complementary with the measurements carried out by the BSRN network.

3.4 Will the activity involve nations other than traditional polar nations? How will this be addressed?
The activity of the network will mainly involve countries traditionally operating in polar regions, which are to carry out measuring activities at the mentioned polar station. However, the project will also involve other countries, mainly in the phase of data analysis and interpretation. For example, a group of European nations comprising Netherlands, Greece and Switzerland will participate in investigating transport process in the polar regions, and will take part in the analysis of chemical measurements performed at Summit (EoIs ID 198, ID 540). Therefore, they are also included on the list of countries whose activities are planned within the Polar AOD-Network.

3.5 Will this activity be linked with other IPY core activities? If yes please specify
Sub-clusters led by OASIS (ID 344) and IASOA (ID 138) have activities closely linked to cluster 4.1. Thus, an obviously close level of interaction will be pursued, commencing after the end of the IPY assessment process.
Other close interaction efforts will be made within the SVALBASE project (ID 597) making use of the Ny-Alesund infrastructures for the inter-comparison campaigns, working jointly to produce educational programmes, information material for the general public and institutions, and promoting the involvement of young scientists in polar research, also taking advantage of the facilities offered by the University of Svalbard (UNIS).
The POLAR-AOD activities in the Arctic could give a substantial ground-based support also for another IPY Lead project, POLARCAT (ID 244). The ground-based aerosol measurements at different Arctic station will contribute useful additional information for some of the planned airborne activities within POLARCAT.

3.6 How will the activity manage its data? Is there a viable plan and which data management organisations/structures will be involved?
One of the aims of the POLAR-AOD project is to realise a Website to collect total or partial metadata and data. This site should offer the possibility to exchange data and information among the different partners of the Network.
The collected metadata will be used (i) to create a unique link to the AOD datasets and other parameters, and (ii) to retrieve information and evaluate its utility before allowing access to data. The collection of metadata will take place at the ISTI-CNR Institute in Pisa (Italy). ISTI-CNR is an Institute of the Italian National Research Council (CNR), committed to maintaining scientific excellence. ISTI plays an active role in technology transfer, with a high level of participation to European projects. The domain of competence covers information science, related technologies and a wide range of applications. The activities of ISTI aim at increasing knowledge, developing and testing new ideas, and broadening areas of application. In the area of interest of this project, ISTI possesses a specific expertise in the fields of signal processing and image interpretation, in both theoretical and applicative contexts. It has a positive experience in the study and development of a web-based Data Server oriented to geographic image, sensor and textual metadata coding and management. ISTI-CNR constitutes the reference centre (NADC) for hosting all the Italian multidisciplinary research results in the frame of the National Research Program in Antarctica (PNRA) promoted by ENEA. This centre will be responsible for (1) the realisation of the collection procedure, (2) the management of the metadata database, (3) the inquiry management. Specific programs will be realised to allow remote metadata entry using a Web-interface directly into the database from individual PCs. The interface will also be downloadable for local use. All data produced will be then sent to the collection centre. Query procedures, guided by keywords (e.g., platform, measurement parameters, etc.) or by free search (free-text, geographical zone), will be made available. The database will also contain information on the measurement stations.
Through the metadata database it will be possible to access the real data-sets (data archive). Format for metadata and data will be defined during 2006, and an implementation plan for the data archive will be drawn up. To simplify both the realisation of the data archive, and the collection of historical data, the system will be able to manage data previously organised in different specific formats. Procedures will be created in order to (i) display data as tables or plots, and (ii) provide locally downloaded information with the consent of the data owner. In agreement with the data policy document, all measurements carried out during the IPY operational period will be accessible without restriction.

3.7 Data Policy Agreement
Will this activity sign up to the IPY draft Data Policy (see website)
Yes

3.8 How will the activity contribute to developing the next generation of polar scientists, logisticians, etc.?
The high level of international cooperation will promote the exchange of experience, and offer opportunities to host young researchers from the other countries at the national stations, providing field support that offers significant opportunities for graduate students to engage in the processing, interpretation and publication of findings from the analysis of field data. The co-ordination activity of the network should also help to ensure that new programmes for investigating the role of aerosols in polar regions will involve several countries and several stations. The need to develop sites with a large suite of instruments will lead to the development of new solutions and new facilities, working closely with the logistic teams. An example of this interaction is the discussion with IPEV and Consorzio Antartide for the development of an Atmospheric Research Observatory in Concordia (CARO). Outreach activities augured for development in collaboration with other EoI’s, such as POLARCAT (ID 244) and SVALBASE (ID 597), will include the preparation of material for schools and school teachers.

3.9 How will this activity address education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Mainly through the following activities:
(1) Student training and visits to the station during excursion: Ny-Alesund is one of the key stations within the POLAR-AOD network, with great potential for possible outreach activities. In fact, there are many sites at Ny-Alesund that are available for AOD measurements (Koldewey, Rabben, Dirigibile Italia and Zeppelin Fjellit). This availability constitutes a special opportunity to students within the LSF activity, also for other aerosol measurements. A further major opportunity takes the form of the training courses at UNIS, the University of Svalbard at Longyearbyen.
(2) Dissemination of scientific information through cooperation with high-schools (popular lectures) and universities (atmospheric physics, atmospheric chemistry, aerosol physics and chemistry courses for graduate and post-graduate students) in different countries.
(3) Use of the know-how and data collected for the preparation of master’s and PhD theses.
(4) Presentation of regular seminars addressing both scientific and student communities.
(5) Preparation of educational websites and educational documentation and literature.
(6) Attending conferences and meetings.
(7) Publication of the scientific results in peer-reviewed scientific journals.
(8) Publication of a yearly report on the overall activity and status of measurements.

3.10 What are the proposed sources of funding for this activity?
Most funding will come from national polar programmes. The majority of the activities mentioned are already funded. IPY endorsement and umbrella will help to gain broader logistic and scientific support to sustain the coordinated activities.
It is hoped that further funding will take form of the special support for IPY activities allocated by single national programmes. This will help to enlarge and improve field activities during the IPY operational period.
The POLAR-AOD programme has been funded since 2003 by the Italian Antarctic project which aims to support coordination efforts, allocate resources for the creation and management of the data archive and the reference stations, and promote inter-comparison campaigns.

3.11 Additional Comments
ANTARCTICA:
Aboa (Finland) 73° 03'S, 13° 25'W, 400 m asl.
Belgrano II (Argentina/Spain) 77° 52'S, 34° 38'W, 50 m asl.
Casey (Australia) 66° 17'S, 110° 31'E, 30 m asl.
Davis (Australia) 68° 35'S, 77° 59'E, 15 m asl.
Dome Concordia (Italy/France) 75° 06'S, 123° 21'E, 3233 m asl.
Halley (UK) 75° 35'S, 26° 32'W, 37 m asl.
Kohnen (Germany) 75° 00'S, 00° 04'E, 2892 m asl.
Machu Picchu (Peru) 62º 05'S, 58º 28'W, 10 m asl.
Marambio (Argentina/Finland/Spain) 64° 14'S, 56° 37'W, 205 m asl.
Mario Zucchelli (Italy) 74° 42'S, 164° 07'E, 15 m asl.
McMurdo (USA) 77° 51'S, 166° 40'E, 10 m asl.
Mirny (Russia) 66° 33'S, 93° 01'E, 40 m asl.
Neumayer (Germany) 70° 38'S, 8° 15'W, 40 m asl.
Novolazarevskaya Station (Russia) 70º 46'S, 11º 52'E, 102 m asl.
Palmer (USA) 64° 46'S, 64° 03'W, 5 m asl.
South Pole (USA) 90° 00'S, 139° 16'E, 2841 m asl.
Syowa (Japan) 69° 00'S, 39° 35'E, 29 m asl.
Troll (Norway) 72° 00'S, 2° 32'E; 1298 m asl.
Zhongshan (China) 69° 22' S, 76° 22'E, 5 m asl.

ARCTIC AREA:
Alert (Canada/USA) 82° 28'N, 62° 30'W, 210 m asl.
ALOMAR (Arctic Lidar Observatory for Middle Atmosphere Research), Andenes (Norway) 69° 17'N, 16° 00'E, 380 m asl.
Eureka (Canada/USA) 80°00'N, 85°49'E, 10 m asl.
PEARL (Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Labora-tory) (Canada) 80°00'N, 85°49'E, 700 m asl.
Resolute Bay (Canada) 74° 25'N, 94° 34'W, 65 m asl.
Barrow (USA) 71° 19'N, 156° 36'W, 8 m asl.
Jokioinen (Finland) 60° 49'N, 23° 30'E, 124 m asl.
Sodankyla (Finland) 67° 22'N, 26° 38'E, 184 m asl.
Pallas (Finland) 67° 58'N, 24° 07'E, 560 m asl.
Hornsund – Polar Bear Bay (Svalbard) - (Poland) 77° 00'N, 15° 33'E, 10 m asl.
Dirigibile Italia - Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard) - (Italy) 78° 54'N, 11° 53'E, 2 m asl.
Koldewey - Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard) - (Germany) 78° 54'N, 11° 53'E, 2 m asl.
Rabben - Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard) - (Japan) 78° 54'N, 11° 53'E, 2 m asl.
Yellow River - Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard) - (China) 78° 54'N, 11° 53'E, 2 m asl.
Zeppelin – Ny-Ålesund (Svalbard) - (Norway/Sweden) 78° 58'N, 11° 54'E, 474 m asl.
Longyearbyen (Norway/USA) 78° 13'N, 15° 38'E, 30 m asl.
Summit (Central Greenland), (UK/USA) 72° 20'N, 38° 45'W, 3270 m asl
Tiksi (North Central Siberia), (Russia/USA) 71° 35'N, 128° 47'E, 40 m asl.

4.0 CONSORTIUM INFORMATION

4.1 Contact Details

Lead Contact
Dr Claudio Tomasi
ISAC-CNR
Via Gobetti, 101, Bologna
I-40129
Italy

Tel:          + 39 051 6399594
Mobile:   + 39 340 9436259
Fax:         + 39 051 639 9652
Email:       c.tomasi@isac.cnr.it

Second Contact
Dr Andreas Herber
AWI-Bremerhaven
Am Handelshafen 12. Bremerhaven
27570
Germany

Tel:          + 49 471 4831 1489
Mobile:   + 49 017629247065
Fax:         + 49 471 4831 1489
Email:      aherber@awi-bremerhaven.de

4.2 Other significant consortium members and their affiliation