Full Proposals for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Proposed IPY Activity Details

1.0 PROPOSER INFORMATION

(Activity ID No: 141)

1.1 Title of Activity
Antarctic Sea Ice in International Polar Year

1.2 Short Form Title of Proposed Activity
Antarctic Sea Ice

1.3 Activity Leader Details
Stephen Ackley
Dept. of Civil &Env. Engr., Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY
USA

1.4 Lead International Organisation(s) (if applicable)
SCAR
WCRP (CLIC)

1.5 Other Countries involved in the activity
Australia
Malaysia
Belgium
Norway
China
Netherlands
Finland
Russia
Canada
New Zealand
France
Germany
Italy
Japan
United Kingdom

1.6 Expression of Intent ID #'s brought together in this proposed activity
270,862,308,976,277,52,68,440,302,818, 921, 1106, 1132

1.7 Location of Field Activities
Antarctic

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
4. Exploring new frontiers
5. The polar regions as vantage points

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

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2.0 SUMMARY OF THE ACTIVITY

Sea ice thickness, combined with areal extent as the sea ice mass balance, is the principal response of climatic and oceanic interaction in the marine areas of Antarctica. A major thrust of the project is to obtain sea ice thickness, extent, and physical properties in order to characterize mechanisms of growth and decay and the roles of both the ocean and atmosphere in the sea ice annual cycle. Ice thickness data will be obtained by a variety of methods including visual and automatic camera ice observations from vessels, buoy arrays, airborne EM surveys, underice draft surveys using Autosub AUVs, satellite remote sensing and moored Upward Looking Sonar arrays. Establishment of a quantitative base for circumpolar ice thickness will allow for comparison to the ASPeCt ice thickness distribution derived from ship observations in the past and for future determinations of the thickness distribution that will be available from validated satellite altimetric observations. The Antarctic sea ice cover can then be quantitatively evaluated for response to global climate change in the future and these measurements, as the ice thickness baseline, will be a legacy of IPY. Comparisons of altimetric derived ice thicknesses with prior ship observations will provide ice thickness variability for a thirty year record in selected areas providing some possibility of interdecadal variability determination in sea ice thickness for the recent past as well. A new project from Finland, (S1FL), will contribute to the overall program by investigations of Sea Ice Mechanics and Modeling.
For the fast ice, a network of coastal stations, the Antarctic Fast Ice Network (277), is being established. As with the drifting pack, the response of the fast ice to changes in climate and oceanic influence will be monitored and understood with an array of stations to evaluate regional influences. Because of the access from the manned stations, a wider variety of through ice measurements and detailed structural analyses can be made on a year-round basis than for the drifting pack giving more detailed information. A variety of remote sensing data will also be used to map and characterize fast ice and ground stations will be used to provide validation for remote sensing.
Remote sensing is a direct component of the lead project (270), to validate satellite altimetric measurements of Antarctic sea ice thickness. Two other projects are primarily remote sensing projects: Multi-frequency, multi-polarization helicopter-borne scatterometer measurements of sea ice radar backscatter".(308), and a new project from Malaysia, (S2Malay), Polar Ice Monitoring and Parameter Retrieval with Microwave Remote Sensing. One focus of the first project will be on the investigation of the multi-frequency backscattering properties of thin ice, including an attempt to derive its thickness from these measurements and to map frost flowers. S2Malay will perform theoretical modelling and conduct its ground truth measurements on thick fast ice in association with the Antarctic Fast Ice Network(277).
In collaboration with the field work, modelling and remote sensing associated with ice thickness and physical properties measurements (9 eoi’s), three projects coordinated by BASICS(862) will conduct year-round studies of Antarctic sea ice physics, biogeochemistry and biology on drifting pack ice and fast ice to better understand and budget exchanges of energy and matter across ocean-sea ice-atmosphere interfaces. BASICS will quantify their potential impact on fluxes of climatically important gases (CO2, DMS) and carbon export to the deep ocean; the Study of Antarctic Sea Ice Ecosystems(818) will focus on the biology within sea ice and relationship to ice physical properties; while Carbon in Sea Ice (976) will provide coordination between the Antarctic and Arctic efforts to understand how sea ice biogeochemistry controls CO2 fluxes.

2.1 What is the evidence of inter-disciplinarity in this activity?
Sea ice processes are inherently an interdisciplinary activity, involving the fluid and solid mechanical response of the ice cover to thermodynamic and dynamic influences of both the atmosphere and ocean. In addition to these physical process studies, coupled with meteorology and oceanography, the project also includes biogeochemistry and biology of the sea ice covers, and the interaction of these processes with the physical environment.

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 characterization of Antarctic sea ice thickness on a circumpolar quantitative basis will provide, for the first time, a fully quantitative baseline data set for monitoring of future change in the Antarctic sea ice cover.
Using the coupling between thickness, physical property and remote sensing measurements, a full validation of altimetry (for ice thickness), and passive and active radar (for thin and thick ice characterization) will enable future monitoring to rely more on remote sensing than costly and regionally limited field surveys.
Ice thickness is the principal quantitative measure of ocean-atmosphere exchanges and the data sets will therefore be the gold standard for validation of air-ice-ocean coupled models, and thereby increase confidence in their capability for future prediction.
Sea ice mass balance determines salt and freshwater fluxes to the ocean, and therefore contributes directly to the formation of water masses and oceanic circulation characteristics in polar regions.
Understanding the coupling between ice physics, biology and biogeochemistry will determine the direction and magnitude of gas fluxes and sediment contributions from sea ice derived fluxes. The role of ice-covered oceans in present day and past exchanges (as determined from continental ice core measurements) and relation to climate change will be better correlated and quantified.

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?
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
Ship recovery of buoys etc
Icebreaker
Helicopters
Existing field stations
Autonomous Underwater Vehicle
Observatories
Ice strengthened research ship

Further details – Proposals are under consideration or funded for sections and drift station support by Polarstern (pre-IPY), NB Palmer and Aurora Australis. Ongoing coastal station work will be extended, expanded and coordinated for IPY as committed by several countries. Commitments being sought for vessels from Japan, Russia, China and Italy as well as fast ice observatories from other countries not currently committed.

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?

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3.0 STRUCTURE OF THE ACTIVITY

3.1 Origin of the activity
This activity is the start of a new programme that will outlive IPY

3.2 How will the activity be organised and managed? Describe the proposed management structure and means for coordinating across the cluster
In transition from ASPeCT, an existing SCAR programme with Antarctic sea ice thickness as a major focus, a revised international steering group is being formed consisting of the active members from ASPeCt in upcoming IPY activities and newer members associated with the 12 eoi’s that were proposed for IPY and grouped in the Antarctic sea ice cluster. Subcommittees of the group will be responsible for planning activities such as: remote sensing coordination and validation, the drifting ice station/field programs on drifting ice, the Antarctic Fast Ice Network and coupled sea ice biogeochemistry, physics and biology studies. Final transition from the ASPeCt SSG and setup of the new organization will be made at the first workshop on Antarctic Sea Ice in IPY in Dec 2005. Subsequent workshops on specialized topics will be held at 6 to 9 month intervals throughout the program (2006-2009) with the second workshop scheduled in coordination with the principal sponsor, SCAR, at its Science Conference and Delegates meeting in July 2006. These workshops will also provide the venue for the regular meetings of the Science Steering Group.

An overall Science and Implementation Plan will be outlined at the first workshop (Dec 2005) and assigned to a subcommittee for completion by the second workshop (July 2006) and review by the full Science Steering Group at that time.

3.3 Will the activity leave a legacy of infrastructure and if so in what form?
A principal legacy will be the development of validated satellite technology for sea ice thickness monitoring in Antarctica that can be used to elucidate interannual and longer variability in the Antarctic sea ice cover after IPY. Additionally, the routine use of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles for sea ice draft measurements, under ice 2-D mapping, oceanic and biological measurements under ice will provide new understanding of ice-ocean processes previously unavailable on a widespread basis. The establishment of standardized and automatic measurements at coastal stations will allow similar monitoring of fast ice to take place on a circumpolar basis in future. It is expected these sites at coastal stations will evolve into automatic observatories of ice and ocean properties, similar to the array of automatic weather stations and data buoys that are in use or planned for use in the Antarctic in marine environments.

3.4 Will the activity involve nations other than traditional polar nations? How will this be addressed?
Yes; Collaborative efforts are underway to secure the ship logistic resources of China and scientific resources from emerging polar participants such as Malaysia. Additionally, workshops will be held with emphasis on training these and other new participants in ice observation techniques and securing their participation on any logistic activities that may involve sea ice encounters, e.g. on the way to coastal stations on the Antarctic continent or work at coastal stations on fast ice.

3.5 Will this activity be linked with other IPY core activities? If yes please specify
CASO-Ocean (109)Direct linkage is through two activities-the International Programme on Antarctic Buoys , both by deployment of buoys and use of buoy array data in sea ice regions and the use of moorings deployed for CASO to provide Upward Looking Sonar data on sea ice thickness.
SASSI(9)-Direct Linkage is through participation in the polynya experiments (POLYANNA), where sea ice thickness data will be obtained as a direct result of the studied ice formation processes in coastal polynyas.
ICED-IPY.(417) Joint work will be conducted on characterizing ecosystems in ice-covered regions through BASICS.
CAML(83)-The cruise proposed under 949, will utilize the Autosub AUV to obtain krill distributions under sea ice off East Antarctica. Sea ice draft information will be concurrently obtained for use in the Antarctic Sea Ice in IPY project.
CRYOS-State and Fate of the Cryosphere (607)-Jeff Key-Antarctic sea ice data will be input to this study of the total cryosphere.

Arctic Sea Ice(185)- Joint workshop activities will be held with projects to provide comparisons and contrasts with Antarctic sea ice processes and interactions with climate and the ocean in the two polar regions. Additionally, measurement technologies and techniques will be jointly developed for application in the two polar regions.

3.6 How will the activity manage its data? Is there a viable plan and which data management organisations/structures will be involved?
A website developed through the ASPeCt programme will be extended and modified. This site currently includes the ice thickness data base previously analyzed from two+ decades of standardized ship observations and analysis of several years of ice charts for ice thickness information. These data sets can be overlain using GIS technology and new data sets, e.g. from AUV transects, satellite imagery, ULS moorings, wave buoys, airborne EM sounding, and drilling profiles will be similarly accessible,comparable and usable for validation, model work and data analyses. Links will be established to NSIDC for eventual archiving of all data and/or continuing maintenance of the Antarctic sea ice website past the IPY period.
As part of the new effort a sea ice core data base will be established. This data base will collect and archive core data analyses obtained from 1977 to present and will further include information from the field programs and fast ice sites collected during IPY. Similar use of GIS technology will be made to intercompare physical, chemical and biological properties of ice cores as well as seasonal, regional and interannual comparisons and correlations with atmospheric and oceanic driving.

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 various field programmes, satellite data analyses and modelling, as past experience has shown, will provide thesis research topics for a significant number of PhD students. A UK activity(CASEE)has been recommended for funding that will provide master classes, international exchanges and student support for disseminating AUV technology, an extension of the Autosub-Under-Ice programme where a principal application was the underice uses of those technologies that are central to this activity as well.

3.9 How will this activity address education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Individual project plans focus on graduate student training, educational outreach activities and disseminating results, via website access and participation in both topical and general earth science meetings to within and beyond the Antarctic research community. Joint meetings/workshops with Arctic scientists are being planned and will be attended to compare and contrast mass balance, sea ice biology/biogeochemistry, and other issues of the Arctic and Antarctic sea ice zones. Part of this interaction includes a two week long International Summer School on Sea Ice (covering both Arctic and Antarctic topics), held at the University Centre in Svalbard, to increase the knowledge of sea ice related geophysics among both students and scientists, facilitate interdisciplinary research, and stimulate international cooperation. Other efforts will include participation by undergraduate students in field activities and direct contact of investigators with secondary and elementary school students. A specific effort will be "RSV- INTREPID" (81) "The Royal Society of Victoria's INTernational Research Expedition Polar Inter-Disciplinary Voyage", an educational outreach IPY project for K-Y12 in Australia, that will be linked to one or more of the subprojects (AFIN) to provide Antarctic sea ice information for secondary and elementary school students. Lectures, news media and website contacts to the general public will be made through the various national outlets for the home countries of the investigators throughout their project lifetimes.

3.10 What are the proposed sources of funding for this activity?
Funding is being sought through Announcements of Opportunity for IPY through the various national programmes and through the long term funding of Antarctic marine research by the base national programmes currently underway that are compatible with the goals of the Antarctic Sea Ice in IPY projects. Satellite data imagery is currently being funded e.g. by ESA, NASA, JSA and other international and national space agencies.
Partial funding for the first two workshops has been provided by SCAR, through ASPeCt and AGCS, and further support will be sought for those activities in future from SCAR and WCRP.

3.11 Additional Comments

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4.0 CONSORTIUM INFORMATION

4.1 Contact Details

Lead Contact
Prof Stephen Ackley
Civil and Env. Engr., Clarkson University
118 W Castle Ln San Antonio TX
78213
USA

Tel:          (1) 210 341 6556
Mobile:   (1) 210 286 9225
Fax:         N/A
Email:       sackley@pol.net

Second Contact
Dr Anthony Worby
Australian Antarctic Division
Hobart Tasmania
7050
Australia

Tel:          +61 3 6226 2985
Mobile:   N/A
Fax:         +61 3 6226 7650
Email:      a.worby@utas.edu.au

4.2 Other significant consortium members and their affiliation