Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Monitoring, dating and modelling cold-climate slope processes in the European polar mountains 2007-2009  (CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009)

Outline
CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 creates a multidisciplinary geologic, geomorphic and geotechnical scientific forum for improved understanding of cold-climate slope processes and geo-hazards in the European polar mountain areas. Significant mountain settlements exist in polar mountain terrain characterised by steep slopes, low winter temperatures and snow precipitation. Resulting slope processes include slow and rapid mass movements of rock, soil and snow, posing particular geo-hazards likely to be exacerbated by climate change. Improved scientific understanding of the slope processes by monitoring, dating of slope landforms and development of new predictive modelling techniques are critically important to risk reduction and development of early warning systems. In the European polar mountains seasonal freezing or permafrost strongly influence landscape development including mountain hazards. This range of different ground thermal conditions, and associated periglacial slope landforms, display the high geomorphological sensitivity of this region. Even small changes in temperature, precipitation or wind activity can trigger dominant slope processes to change, and in a warming climate this is likely to cause increased frequency and magnitude of hazardous events. Thus, the scientific effort focuses on improved collaboration on monitoring and modelling of (1) mountain slope processes: debris production (weathering) and transport (rock falls, slope failures, creep, solifluction and nivation) and (2) the ground thermal and substrate geological conditions. Understanding of past slope evolution demands magnitude-frequency data based on dating of resulting landforms such as rock glaciers, landslides, rock and snow avalanche fans and solifluction sheets. CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 will transfer knowledge across the European polar geoscientific and geotechnical communities by way of a field workshop in alpine Scotland in 2007, and in the planned European CRYOSLOPE University Courses called: ‘Centrifuge modelling course’ in Dundee in 2007 and ‘Mountain slope processes in the Arctic’ in Svalbard and northern Norway in 2009, preceded by a planning workshop in 2008. Other major goals are exchange students and scientists, to coordinate monitoring methods and national databases on slope processes, issue joint publications and present results at conferences. CRYOSLOPE is a European arctic and alpine activity which is applied for as a European ESF network programme 2007-2011 with 11 participating countries, in which the 2007-2009 activities are focussing on the polar and arctic areas. Therefore we propose this first phase of the CRYOSLOPE activities as the EoI CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009, and that CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 becomes part of the IPY core project no. 50 Permafrost Observatory Project: A Contribution to the Thermal State of Permafrost.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 will contribute to the IPY themes as follows: Theme 1: Collection of snapshot and long-term slope monitoring data. Theme 2: Collection of dating evidence for reconstruction of past slope activity for improved understanding of long-term landscape evolution. Improved coordination of European monitoring systems for measuring slope activity, including online techniques, thus providing improved data for slope model validation. Theme 3: Via the CRYOSLOPE ESF network link to European and international slope monitoring, dating and modelling activity. Theme 6: The CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 activity will contribute information and data on slope processes and safety for the European polar populations living in mountain areas.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
An international field workshop on monitoring, dating and modelling cold slope processes. CRYOSLOPE network partners will plan and conduct two European university courses on ‘Centrifuge modelling’ and ‘Mountain slope processes in the Arctic’. Both courses will be open to an international audience of students.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Svalbard, northern Norway and alpine Scotland.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/07 – 08/07      06/08 – 09/08      06/09 – 08/09
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
We will use the logistic support from the Svalbard Science Park for the Svalbard course. In Norway and Scotland we will use existing infrastructure for logistics for the field workshops and course activity.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will led to establishment of new periglacial slope monitoring systems, and extend existing systems, in cooperation with the rest of the IPY core project no. 50 TSP activities.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Own national polar operator
National agency
Own support

If funded from the European Science Foundation, ESF, we will have the main activity funded. Funding decision during 2006.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes - The CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 EoI is developed to become part of the IPY core project 50 TSP activities. And it will be submitted to the participating national IPY committees for endorsement as well.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
Yes
CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 is the polar and arctic part of the CRYOSLOPE ESF network programme proposal submitted in November 2005, with Hanne Christiansen, Norway, and Michael Davies, UK as principal applicants.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 will be coordinated by the members of the CRYOSLOPE Steering Committee representing 9 European countries. Coordination with the TSP core project will be through the CRYOSLOPE Steering Committee.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The main activity concerns education as the two planned CRYOSLOPE university courses. At the other main activity of field workshop communication within the scientific community will be a major focus. Outreach is planned toward the scientific community at EGU meetings, and at the International Conference on Permafrost in summer 2008.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 data will be contributed to the Global Terrestrial Network on Permafrost (GTN-P) database and to the IPY TSP project data structure; both are coordinated with the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Center.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Principal funding will ideally come from the ESF grant to the CRYOSLOPE programme network. Additional funding will be requested from national funding agencies.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Via the CRYOSLOPE ESF programme network CRYOSLOPE 2007-2009 will also be cooperating internationally outside Europe, with the international collaborating partners of CRYOSLOPE from Canada and Japan.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Associate Professor, Dr. Hanne Hvidtfeldt Christiansen
The University Centre in Svalbard, UNIS, Geology Department
P.O. Box 156
9171 Longyearbyen
Norway

Tel: 0047 79023320
Mobile: 0047 90041126
Fax: 0047 79023301
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information