Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Developing Plans for Antarctic Seismic Deployments: ‘Antarctic Arrays’ - For Broadband Seismology on Ice-Covered Continent -  (Developing Plans for Antarctic Seismic Deployments: ‘Antarctic Arrays’)

Outline
Existing seismic stations allows resolution of the structure beneath Antarctic continent at a horizontal scale of 1000 km, which is sufficient to detect fundamental differences in the lithosphere beneath East-West Antarctica, but not to clearly define the structure within each sector. In addition, seismicity around the Antarctic is limited by the sparse station distribution and the detection level for earthquakes remains inadequake for full evaluation of tectonic activity. AntarcticArrays is an ambitious program to improve seismic instrumentation on and around the Antarctica. A science plan designed to improve the understanding of the Antarctic Plate with this Array Deployment is currently under development. This AntarcticArray’s strategy has several components, including 1) process-oriented experiments such as 3D-arrays at SPA; 2) evolving regional arrays; and 3) an enhanced permanent ‘backbone network’. An outline of network and regional arrays follows. Backbone Network; Existing broadband stations of the Federation of Digital Seismographic Network should be supplemented by stations operating year-round with Global Seismological Network instrument specification. Technological advances in power supplies and real-time data transmission for remote stations, as well as significant logistical support, are required to implement such a network. Deployment of the backbone network would make a major contribution to Antarctic and global seismology, and would provide an essential framework for regional arrays. Evolving Regional Array; Deployments of portable broadband seismic stations with horizontal spacing of 200-300 km can delineate major tectonic boundaries beneath the vast ice-covered regions of the Antarctic continent. A strategy of attaining a sufficient density of stations (20-30 instruments) in symmetrically disposed sectors of the continent allows optimal ray path coverage across Antarctica and improves tomographic resolution. Two-three sectors could be deployed simultaneously for 1-2 seasons, then moved to adjacent sectors for the next deployment phase.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The justification for an ambitious program to develop AntarcticArrays address both the unique aspects of seismology on Antarctica and general issues that would be common to global Earth sciences; for example: - lithospheric dynamics in an ice-covered environment;- how lithospheric processes drive and may be driven by global environmental change (sea level, climate);- the scale and nature of rifting as a process that has shaped the continent and dominated its evolution;- the role of Antarctica as the keystone in the supercontinent formation and break-up throughout Earth's history;- how the tectonic and thermal structure of the Antarctic lithosphere affect current ice sheet dynamics;- age, growth, and evolution of the continent and processes that have shaped the lithosphere;- the effect of improved seismic coverage on global models of the lithosphere, mantle, and core.The International Polar Year (2007-2008) may be a good chance to initiate this AntarcticArray Deployment to achieve these targets.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The broadband monitoring observations at several outcrops around the Lützow-Holm Bay area can also contribute to the AntarcticArrays program, as the stations in marginal part of Antarctic continent. In situation when some array deployments shall be carried out on Enderby Land by using air-bone platform from SPA, we can make an effort to offer the ground support for the installation of additional stations.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Eastern Dronning Maud Land – Western Enderby Land, East Antarctica - On the continental ice sheet, particularly on the Mizuho Plateau Area - Several remarkable geophysical evidences to reveal the structure and evolution of this area have been achieved by the JARE’s geoscientific activities in these few years. By carrying out the broadband seismic deployment on this Plateau, more detailed signature can be obtained concerning tectonics and structure from lithospehre to ascenosphere, together with heterogeneious characteristics of the deep interior of the Earth.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 03/07 – 12/08            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
A northern part of the Eastern Dronning Maud Land, particular on the Mizuho Plateau, would be the most plausible place with enough logistical supports to make a deployment of the portable seismic stations. The temporally stations along the inland traverse routes on the continental ice-sheet on the Plateau can be installed at the IPY periods by using snow terrain vehicles combined with supports from Helicopters departed from Japanese Ice-breaker.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
These temporally observation stations including long term batteries and large capacity of digital data-loggers can be utilized for the other science purposes, such as geophysical, meteological, glaciological and biological studies. The equipments will be maintained by the Japanese Expedition members after the IPY period, then the instruments can by utilized for the purpose to use in near fields of Western Enderby land area.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Discussions at the SCAR / ANTEC (Siena, Italy, 2001) and SEAP (‘Structure and Evolution of the Antarctic Plate’, Boulder, Colorado, 2003) workshops have led to the development of a strategy to radically improve our knowledge of the Antarctic Array deployments. Our project is also endorsed by the Japanese national committee

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
It is clear that this deployment strategy can only be achieved through international cooperation as one of the ‘Antarctic Arrays’ in the whole over the continent. Nations with winter-over bases (existing or planned) and with logistical capabilities in a particular sector can participate in deployment of permanent stations in the ‘backbone network’ and / or of portable instruments in the evolving regional arrays.

How will the project be organised and managed?
More than twenty cooperative researchers both domestic and international institutions have their own special tasks to carry out this project. Several members install the field stations to get the actual data at the IPY period; the others make analyses of the specified topics by use of the obtained dataset combined with the other local / global data. After the accumulation of the results from domestic members, it is planned to held an international workshop to face with the other results from international cooperatives. We can meet enough numbers of opportunity to have a discussion concerning a justification of the progress of Antarctic Arrays deployments, such as of SCAR, ISAES, EGS, AGU and the other workshops, and also can have in future.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The scientific results will be presented in all kinds of domestic/international workshops, symposium and conferences. Then will be published in the related international geo-science journals. For educations, some members can make lectures and / or talks for any kinds of school children about the topics of science results together with an introduction about IPY and polar investigation. We sincere have an obligation to teach with young generations for the advance of natural sciences.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
The obtained dataset at the IPY 2007-2008 can be initially stored and published for all the related cooperatives and the other geo-scientists by Internet service from the data library server of the National Institute of Polar Research (POLARIS system). Then immediately offered to the world data centres of seismology, such as IRIS/DMS, FDSN/GSN, PACIFIC21 centres. These web-pages can be opened in general and combined to the JCADM, SCAR/ANTEC, etc.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
A major resource for the ‘Antarctic Arrays’ seismic observations around the Enderby Land area is chiefly obliged in the founds for the Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition. For some parts of the developments / perches of the instruments, however, we are planning to offer for any kinds of finance support agencies, including governmental supports such as JSPS, etc.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr. Masaki Kanao
National Institute of Polar research,
Research Organization of Information and System
1-9-10 kaga, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo
173-8515
Japan

Tel: 81-3-3962-3275
Mobile: 81-90-5405-6004
Fax: 81-3-3962-5741
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information