Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Ice mass change on the margins of the Greenland Ice Sheet(a proposal for coordinating efforts to quantify and understand ice mass changes)  (ICEMACH-GIS (ICE MAss CHange on the margins of the GIS))

Outline
The Greenland Ice Sheet is the largest permanent ice covered area in the northern hemisphere (1.71 x 106 km2) with a volume of 2.85 x 106 km3. The mass turnover, as represented on the output side by runoff and ice discharge, is estimated to be 515 km3 per year. As identified in the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment, changes in the climate system, and thus in the mass turnover in the ice sheet, are a significant part of the puzzle presented by a changing Arctic. Recent research has shown dramatic mass loss in several areas attributed to both surface melting and dramatic fluctuations in ice discharge.Much has been learned about mass turnover in the last few decades. Recent advances in satellite and airborne sensors have allowed quantification of surface elevation changes in the interior, and in some cases along the margins, of the ice sheet. Studies of the spatial and temporal variability of accumulation in the interior, where stratigraphic records are available, have made major contributions to the knowledge of mass input. Our knowledge of variations in the rate of mass-loss however are limited by the spatial variability in the processes involved, the large size of the ice sheet, and the remote location of most of the ice margin and large outlet glaciers. Recent years have shown significant progress by several research groups in measuring some aspects of this mass loss. These advances have come from better instrumentation to measure ablation, from efforts to downscale atmospheric models, and from the use of satellite data to understand surface processes. Efforts to better understand time variations in ice discharge have benefited from satellite-based ice flow measurements, surface elevation change measurements from airborne, and now satellite-borne, laser altimeters, and studies based on archived aerial photography, which provide a long time baseline for measuring mass change. This expression of intent (EOI) for the international polar year is aimed at improving the coordination among the various groups from a number of nations involved in the study of ice mass changes near the margins of the Greenland ice sheet. Improved international coordination will allow us to produce a comprehensive picture of mass loss (runoff, sublimation, and ice discharge) from the ice sheet during the IPY period and place this mass loss in the context available from historical data. This effort will involve field campaigns, aircraft campaigns, satellite-based studies and modeling efforts. Workshops are planned to insure information exchange, logistic coordination of field and aircraft campaigns, coordination of public outreach and education efforts, and broader links between observation and modeling efforts.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The complex pattern of the observed thinning along the margins of the Greenland ice sheet results from both changes in surface melt and ice flow. Through a coordinated effort to document and quantify these changes, we may develop an improved understanding of the complex interaction of the ice sheet with the Earth System that will allow us to estimate future rates of change. IPY themes 1-3 would all be well served by a successful coordination of research efforts; in turn, the IPY itself greatly enhances our ability to coordinate the research we envision across national and programmatic boundaries.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
This project is directly aimed at coordinating efforts to study changes in the ice near the margin that is either being conducted or is planned by research groups from several nations, including: Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS) (Carl Bøggild) and Danish National Space Center (DNSC) (Rene Forsberg) in Denmark,University of Sheffield (Edward Hannah in the United Kingdom,University of Stockholm (Peter Jansson) in Sweden,Technical University of Dresden (Reinhard Dietrich) in Germany,University of Colorado (Konrad Steffen), University of New Hampshire (Mark Fahnestock), Ohio State University (Bea Csatho), Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Sarah Das), University of Washington (Ian Joughin), NASA investigators at Goddard Space Flight Center (Waleed Abdalati) and Wallops Flight Facility (Bill Krabill, Robert Thomas (EG&G)) in the US.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Greenland – specifically areas that are melting or where amounts of melt are changing, and large outlet glaciers around the ice sheet showing signs of significant acceleration or drawdown of their surface or rapid melting under floating ice tongues.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 04/07-09/07      04/08-09/08      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Aircraft support for laser and ice penetrating radarHelicopter support for ablation and ice motion studiesUAV in coastal regions for repeated profile measurements (albedo, height, surface roughness); collaboration with efforts to measure ice discharge with UAV-based InSARSatellite data use is anticipated, including, but not limited to: Surface elevation change (ICEsat and CRYOSAT) Ice motion (InSAR and visible sensors) Surface conditions from moderate-resolution spectrometersCoordination of international efforts will greatly enhance our utilization of these and other resources.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The coordination of observing efforts will allow development of intercomparable observation strategies that will have tight links to the utilization and intercomparison of field results with models – in other words, the legacy will be in the infrastructure of experiment design, which will lead to data and results that are best suited to the widest possible array of investigations and future continuations of monitoring efforts.

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

The potential coordination of logistical support between research efforts would be one benefit of the proposed activity. The actual logistical support used will depend on the efforts undertaken and their level of national support. One example benefit might be common field put-ins; another might be multiple instruments on an aircraft, and coordination of airborne sensor measurements with multiple field observation programs and field sites.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The individual efforts under this expression of intent are in most cases in the process of being considered by the appropriate national IPY committees.

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?

This expression of intent covers research in multiple countries; components of this work fall into the “New Project” category, while other components are part of an existing or planned activity. Details of the breakdown of the components will be provided in the June 2005 proposal, if we are allowed to submit one.

How will the project be organised and managed?
A Project Steering Committee of international and multi-institutional composition with membership from all participating countries will be established at the outset; it is anticipated that this will evolve as the full proposal is being compiled. This steering committee will facilitate development of field measurement strategies, logistical coordination among field efforts, data sharing, release, and archiving strategies, and multi-investigator interpretation efforts as appropriate. The PSC will also be responsible for convening annual workshop meetings of investigators targeted at presentation of recent results and facilitation of communication and collaboration across institutional and disciplinary boundaries.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The rapid changes occurring along the margins of the Greenland ice sheet are compelling to most people, and may be easily communicated in many forms. While each individual effort will have its own (national) requirements for education and outreach, the Project Steering Committee will have responsibility to organise coordination among those efforts, to ensure that the scope and results of the undertaking are clear to all. Time will be allocated at each workshop to facilitate this integration.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
Data will be archived at World Data Centers (e.g. Cambridge and Boulder), as appropriate, and real-time and aircraft survey data will be made available on the Web where possible. Data exchange, collaborative use, and incorporation into models will be enhanced by annual investigators meetings to be coordinated by the Project Steering Committee.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The investigators that are not currently funded will apply to their national agencies for support of their respective projects to be coordinated under this expression of intent. The coordination of international efforts to study mass change near the margins of the ice sheet during the IPY will enhance the ability of individual investigators to propose projects that address components of this problem.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The goal of this IPY EOI is to provide a structure under which individual efforts to study mass changes near the margins of the Greenland ice sheet can be coordinated. We envision this coordination to come from workshops, integrated field and data analysis efforts, and other efforts to enhance communication during the planning, execution, and data analysis phases of the research. The complexity and scale of the problem is such that rapid progress will be greatly facilitated through this coordinated approach.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Mark Fahnestock
CSRC/EOS, University of New Hampshire
236 A Morse Hall
Durham, NH
3824
USA

Tel: 603-862-5065
Mobile:
Fax: 603-862-0188
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information