Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

POLAR-AOD: a network to characterize the means, variability, and trends of the climate-forcing properties of aerosols in polar regions.  (POLAR-AOD)

Outline
Among the factors influencing the Earth energy budget, climate forcing by aerosols is acknowledged to have one of the largest uncertainties. As a consequence of the specific conditions in the polar regions, aerosols can produce complicated and rather intense regional climatic effects, significantly modifying the overall albedo of the surface-atmosphere system. This is especially true in the Arctic, when airborne pollutant dusts and smoke from Eurasia are transported towards the poles. The analysis of measurements carried out in polar areas indicates significant contrasts in aerosol concentrations as well as spectral signatures. This highlights the importance of assimilating similar data from several sites, in order to better characterize aerosols spatially and temporally and gain a perspective on how aerosols differ from pole to pole. POLAR-AOD aims to obtain an improved understanding and characterization of polar aerosols and their radiative effects on climate through scientific cooperation with international Institutions. The networking action to ensure that consistent, high quality data are assimilated will consist mainly of: (1) defining calibration procedures for use by the various sun-radiometers operating in Antarctica and Arctic, and determining reliable procedures for analysing sun-radiometric data. In particular, a network traceability hierarchy will be established, and a set of reference instruments will be manufactured and maintained in a high mountain station. Intercomparison campaigns will be organized, the first being tentatively planned in Ny Ålesund in spring 2006, before/during the ASTAR campaign; (2) creating a web page and a data bank for photometric measurements (AOD archive) and other aerosol related parameters in order to meet the scientific goal of producing a global aerosol climatology in the polar regions, characterize diverse species of aerosols that impact polar radiation budgets, and obtain information on aerosol abundance and physico-chemical characteristics on a regional scale. Particular attention will focus on the development of a metadata front-end, as well as data quality and graphical procedures. Historical data-sets, mainly from Russian Arctic and Antarctic stations, will be recovered and stored in the archive. Taking into account the relatively volcanic calm during the recent years, data collected in the last 8-9 years should allow the definition of AOD background values in both polar regions: such threshold values being suitable for evaluating the entity of future changes, due to both natural and anthropogenic causes; and (3) convening international workshops for presenting results from the various polar programs, and discussing common strategies, future needs/goals, protocols, intercalibration activities, data format, etc.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Improving knowledge on origins, transport pathways, vertical structures, and seasonal and inter-annual variations in the physico-chemical-optical properties of aerosols in polar regions. Determining the AOD background values in polar regions, such threshold values being suitable for evaluating the width of future changes. Creating a web-page and a data-bank for spectrophotometric measurements and other aerosol related parameters. Assimilating historical data provided mainly by Russian not routinely operating stations in Arctic and Antarctic regions. Carrying out of intercomparison campaigns at polar sites. Establishing a network traceability hierarchy and maintenance in a high mountain station of a reference instrument set.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Different institutions will contribute to the networking activities, specifically CNR-ISAC Bologna, Italy; AWI Bremerhaven, Germany; NOAA/CMDL Boulder, USA; NIPR Tokyo, Japan; AARI St. Petersburg, Russia; FMI Helsinki, Finland; and CARTEL Sherbrooke, Canada, as core institutions. Other institutions will hopefully participate to the core group before the final proposal presentation.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The network includes most of the measurement stations in Antarctica and in the Arctic. Four Antarctic stations are on or close to the coast, while two other (South Pole and Dome C) in the interior. In the Arctic the main stations are Ny Ålesund, Barrow, and Eureka.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 03/07 – 02/09            
Antarctic: 03/07 – 02/09            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The networking action will take advantage of the logistic support given by each country to its planned aerosol activities in polar regions. The Italian group will manage the reference station as well the data archive. German and Italian support will contribute to allow the inter-comparison campaign planned at Ny Ålesund.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
A multiwavelength sun-radiometer will be designed and manufactured that can be simply transferred from one station to another to assure a more continuous calibration check and transfer the network traceability hierarchy. Moreover, a web-page and a data-bank with specific algorithms optimising the enquiry and the meta-information format will be implemented.

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

The program will be funded primarily by the Italian Antarctic Programme, which will support most of the networking activities, including the reference high mountain station and the web page and data archive. Other national polar agencies will participate through the logistical and scientific support to their measurement programmes.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project was funded by the Italian National Antarctic Programme for the years 2002-2004. An extension to 2005-2006 is now under the examination of CSNA. IPY Italian committee is very interested in such networking activity. A first international workshop was held in October 2003 at Bologna (Italy).

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?
Exp
The project was funded by the Italian National Antarctic Programme for the years 2002-2004. An extension to the 2005-2006 is now under examination by CSNA. IPY Italian committee is very interested in such networking activity. The activity is planned to extend at least until 2010.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Five main points strengthen the present project, in pursuance of the general aim of a better characterization of polar aerosol climatic effects: The definition of reliable procedures for analysing multispectral sun-photometric measurements. The AOD archive architecture developed for immediate recognition of the real data archive, determining the location where the meta-data will be stored. The intercomparison campaigns involving all partners to achieve homogeneous calibration constants. The aerosol characterization on both space and time scales, pointing out the pole-to-pole differences in the aerosol properties. The establishment of a network traceability hierarchy and the realization and maintenance of a mountain reference station.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The plan for addressing education, outreach and communication issues is primarily aimed at increasing awareness of the importance of minor atmospheric components, like aerosol and thin clouds in modulating the climate in polar regions. The IPY initiative will be discussed during the workshop planned at Ny Ålesund in spring 2006.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
Each group will be responsible for the data obtained with its own instrumentation. Data will be stored in the POLAR-AOD network data-bank at Pisa (Italy), directly or through a link with the local archive. Meta-data information will be realized. A restriction will be applied for a period of one-two years.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
At the moment the networking activity is funded completely by the Italian National Antarctic Programme. It is planned that the great part of the resources will still come from this source. Contributions from other partners will be limited to logistic support to some specific activities (cfr. intercomparisons).

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Peculiarities of the high latitude environments will be carefully considered in performing the bi-polar characterization. Efforts to carry out local O3 and NO2 measurements will be produced to reduce errors on the low AOD evaluations in polar regions. Historical data, carried out in not routinely active stations, constitute a supplemental precious source of information to be carefully retained and considered. Movements of the instruments for calibration and intercomparison campaigns will be reduced, to avoid large gaps in the data record. The use of instruments to produce year-round measurements (star photometer) will be strongly promoted at both Arctic and Antarctic stations.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Claudio Tomasi
ISAC-CNR, Via Gobetti 101, Bologna


I-40129
Italy

Tel: + 39 051 639 9594
Mobile:
Fax: + 39 051 639 9652
Email:

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