Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Atmospheric inputs of organic carbon and pollutants to the polar ocean: rates, significance and outlook. A Spanish component of the OASIS program  (ATOS)

Outline
The atmosphere is increasingly being recognised as a key vector for transport, in gaseous and aerosol form, of organic compounds, including pollutants and non-organic pollutants, such as metals. Atmospheric inputs of organic carbon and associated pollutants are increased by cold water temperatures, which drive the equilibrium of air and water phases towards the later. Hence, polar oceans have a great potential to act as recipients of organic materials from the atmosphere. This potential has not yet fully realised, as much of the polar oceans, both in the Southern Ocean and Arctic Seas, have been shielded from these inputs by the ice cover. Yet, the extent of sea ice is currently being reduced in both the Southern Ocean and the Arctic Seas, and is predicted to decline further as a result of global warming. This does not only increases greatly the surface area available for dynamic air-sea exchanges of organic matter, but also may abruptly deliver the organic carbon and associated pollutants accumulated in sea ice over time. Moreover, the organic materials are reactive either through organismal metabolism or photo-oxidative processes. Reduction of the sea ice cover The ATOS project aims at resolving the increasing role of air-sea exchanges of materials in the polar seas by (1) quantifying the atmospheric inputs of organic carbon and key organic pollutants both in aerosol and gaseous phases; (2) elucidating the role of sea ice cover in controlling these rates and the inputs associated to sea ice melting; (3) evaluating the fate of the materials, by assessing their use by biota and transference up the food webs, and (4) evaluating the effects on microplankton as the entry points of the materials in the food web, through evaluations of cell mortality in relation to pollutant inputs and parallel increases in ultraviolet radiation dosage, and the evaluation of the effect of the materials on planktonic primary production and community respiration.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project will greatly advance current knowledge on the relevance of air-sea interactions for the metabolism, and flow of pollutants, of pelagic polar ecosystems, as well as provide a basis to forecast the effects of future reductions of sea ice in polar seas and oceans on the functioning of the pelagic ecosystems. Moreover, as the atmospheric materials that enter the sea in polar regions are likely to be introduced elsewhere, primarily on land, this research will provide novel insights onto the role of the atmosphere as a vector linking loading of organic carbon and pollutants in temperate and tropical latitudes and the inputs of these materials to polar seas and oceans. Moreover, the process-based examination of the response of microplankton to these inputs will allow formulation of models to forecast responses to future scenarios.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The project is the Spanish component of the international program OASIS (Ocean-Atmosphere-Sea Ice-Snowpack Interactions). OASIS is an internationally collaborative effort involving, to date, Arctic researchers from Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, the U.K. and the U.S., in addition to Spain, through the ATOS proposal. The objectives of OASIS are to determine the importance of Ocean-Atmosphere-Sea Ice-Snowpack Interactions of chemical, physical and biological exchange processes on tropospheric chemistry, the cryosphere, and the marine environment, and their feedback mechanisms in the context of a changing climate. The background, internationally vetted Science Plan, and Implementation Plan for OASIS can be obtained at: http://www.chem.purdue.edu/arctic/OASISHomePage.htm To reach the goals of OASIS it will be essential to undertake studies in the harsh and changing environment of the Arctic Ocean. OASIS has been endorsed by the international IGBP programs SOLAS and IGAC (project Air-Ice-Chemical Interactions).also sponsored by ICSU. Appropriate contacts have been initiated with both these programs, through Dr. Harry Beine, OASIS coordinator, to ensure adequate coordination and integration. Indeed, Dr. Carlos M. Duarte acts also as proposer, as the Spanish IP within OASIS, to the OASIS Expression of Interest submitted to the IPY.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Field activities will be conducted in the Southern Ocean (Antarctic Peninsula, Weddel and Belinghausen Seas) and the Arctic Seas. For the Southern Ocean, 45 days of ocean sampling (+ transits to land) will be necessary in January-Feberuary 2008, encompassing a triangular track between the Polar Front to the Bellinghausen Sea, from this to the Weddel Sea, tracking the edge of the sea ice, to return to the Polar Front. Ship time will be sought on board the Spanish R/V Hesperides . Activities during the cruise will include (1) along-way estimates of aerosol and gaseous deposition of organic matter and pollutants, along with subsurface temperature-salinity-chlorophyll a-pCO2 (air and sea), metereology and total and ultraviolet solar radiation ; (2) vertical profiles of organic matter and pollutants using a Rosette sampler system and a CTD; (3) estimates of pollutant contents in biota sampled using a Rosette sampler system, a CTD and ; Estimates of organic matter and pollutant loads in sea ice; (4) experimental assessments, using large on deck incubators, of the effects of organic matter and pollutant inpu! ts on planktonic communities. The cruise in the Arctic is also tentatively planned on board the R/V Hespérides, requiring 35 days of sampling in the Arctic during the summer (July and August) of 2007. Activities during the cruise will include the same as planned for the Southern Ocean, as well as the full array of standard analyses included in the OASIS program (see URL above). The exact location of the Arctic cruise will be coordinated with OASIS, in order to achieve the large-scale coverage the program seeks.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/07 – 09/07      01/08 – 03/08      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The project will use an Spanish Ice strengthened research ship in both the Arctic and the Southern Ocean, and land-based stations in the Southern Ocean. These resources can be shared with other projects. In the case of the research ship this is pending of compatibility with the cruise plan.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will leave a data base of air-sea fluxes of organic carbon and pollutants in polar seas which could be used as a base line for future studies. This data base will be embedded within that of the OASIS program and, therefore, available.

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

The project will be submitted to the National Program of Polar Research for funding, and will be coordinated internationally with the OASIS program as indicated above.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project has been submitted for endorsement at the national level. Confirmation of endorsement will be added to this EoI when available. In addition, the ATOS proposers act as participants of the OASIS EoI, whereby the ATOS program represents the Spanish component. The OASIS program has, in turn, been endorsed by the IGBP programs IGAC (AICI) and SOLAS programs.

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?
Expansion
The project draws on results derived during the ICEPOS project (2003-2005), run in the Southern Ocean, and is a components of OASIS program in its Artic component.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be managed through a nested arrays of structures: the interactions with the OASIS program, a component of the SOLAS program will be managed through the steering committees of these international programs. The ATOS program will also be managed through its own steering committee, composed of representatives of the different participant institutions in Spain. A general coordinator of the ATOS program will act as the link between the steering committees of the international programs and that of the ATOS program. OASIS will be managed by a coordinating office, which will be established for this purpose alone with financial contributions from the Italian CNR-IIA and other international sponsoring agencies. It will be managed by a member of the Executive committee, and have offices in Europe (Rome) and North America (location to be determined). With estimated contributions and participations from > 200 scientists world-wide, the coordinator will • Coordinate writing efforts • Communicate between Executive Committee and all partners on all questions • Coordinate proposal activities with the goal of maximum networking • Organize meetings, workshops, etc. • Organize field sites, platforms, etc locally • Be a resource center/exchange for logistics • Communicate with funding agencies present OASIS at international meetings.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The ATOS program will use results delivered from the ICEPOS project (2003-2005) to produce a position paper informing the public of the role of air-sea interactions as a vector for the input of organic matter and pollutants to polar seas, and alerting of the possible consequences of global warming for this process, which will be addressed within the ATOS program. The ATOS program will also participate in the outreach activities of OASIS.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
As a future component of the international OASIS program, a component of the SOLAS program, the data obtained during the ATOS program will comply to the open-access policy of IGBP and ICSU, and will be made available through the data bases maintained by these programs. In addition, data will be made available through the data bank of projects run under the Spanish Polar Research National Programme.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The ATOS program will be submitted for funding to the Spanish Polar Research National Programme.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Carlos M. Duarte
IMEDEA, CSIC
Miquel Marqués, 21
Esporles (Islas Baleares)
07190
Spain

Tel: +34 971 611725
Mobile: +34 649 910457
Fax: +34 971 611761
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information