Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Past variability in climate and Antarctic Intermediate Water properties on decadal to millennial timescales across Drake Passage  (PALEODRAKE)

Outline
PALEODRAKE will recover and investigate a suite of terrestrial and marine sediment cores in order to extend the brief instrumental/observational records of climate and ocean variability in the Drake Passage region. PALEODRAKE will provide the quantitative reconstructions and numerical simulations necessary to first define the magnitude and expression of natural climate variability and then to elucidate the nature of its coupling to upper and intermediate ocean properties and circumpolar dynamic on decadal to millennial timescales over the Holocene and last glacial cycle. These records will provide the necessary perspective for contextualizing the trends observed in recent decades in the Southern Annular Mode and Southern Ocean upper to intermediate water properties relative to the history of climate and ocean variability portrayed in sedimentary archives. Approach: 1) Document the decadal to millennial climate variability in the Drake Passage and at the northern edge of the Antarctic Peninsula using terrestrial lake archives for glacier variability and winter precipitation, while improving and extending the available Holocene tephrachronology. 2) Document the physical and chemical evolution of SE Pacific surface, intermediate, and mode water down to decadal resolution using well-dated proxy records from ultra-high accumulation rate sediment sequences. 3) Simultaneously characterize surface and Antarctic Intermediate Water (AAIW) property history using SE Falkland Plateau sediment drifts—elucidating the interbasinal response and communication of AAIW to climate change. 4) Analysis and interpretation of the data will make extensive use of simple conceptual climate models as well as two different EMIC’s in order to identify the physical mechanisms controlling the observed variability, as well as the nature of the coupling between upper and intermediate water properties, sea ice, glacier dynamics, and atmospheric circulation.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme-2: PALEODRAKE will provide records of past natural variability within some of the most climatically influential yet unconstrained Antarctic regions and water masses. The Drake Passage climate/ocean reconstructions are vital for understanding this gateways role as a boundary condition determining the polar environment. Theme-3: PALEODRAKE will provide crucial records for extending reconstructions of SH climate modes (SAM/AAO), establishing decadal scale ENSO/PSA impacts on AAIW, and resolving the influence of AAIW variability on the global ocean. Theme-4: PALEODRAKE records will clarify the relationship between the two polar regions during abrupt climate changes and constrain key Antarctic processes hypothesized to remotely influence MOC.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
PALEODRAKE is a crucial internationally coordinated component within the “Bipolar Climate Machinery (BIPOMAC)” project umbrella highlighted by SCAR. PALEODRAKE has science, field, and laboratory objectives closely linked to, and within the scope of, national and international large-scale programs (IMAGES, CliC, CLIVAR, SCAR etc.).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
1) The Southeast Pacific Polar frontal zone (hydrography in the formation region of AAIW) 2) The southern Chilean margin and SE Falkland Plateau (reconstructing properties of newly formed AAIW in the Pacific and Atlantic and interbasinal coupling) 3) Northern Antarctic Peninsula, and an island transect within the Drake Passage/Scotia Sea (lake coring/glacier reconstructions)

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 03/07 and/or Austral Summer, survey/coring cruise activity       03/07 & 01-02/08, Lake coring/drilling      

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Ship time, for surveying and coring (ship time can be shared with other programs, some aspects are already coordinated with other IPY plans—e.g. the German HIPAS expedition). Terrestrial fieldwork will require snow terrain vehicles, helicopters and the use of existing field stations. Transportation can be shared with other projects

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The geophysical surveys and library of recovered sedimentary sequences will provide a data and material legacy future polar research.

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The umbrella project BIPOMAC has been highlighted by SCAR. PALEODRAKE is newly formed to expand BIPOMAC’s circumpolar coverage and focus on key stated IPY priorities (of CLIVAR, CliC, SCAR etc.), not otherwise addressed.

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?
New
The project is newly formed to complement and expand the associated BIPOMAC project.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be managed as follows: 1. A Scientific Steering Comittee will be established consisting of the PIs from each partner institution. All main planning and logistical decisions, and the structure of post-expedition analyses will be decided by the SSC. 2. Day-to-day management will be organised by a project secretariat at the BCCR. The secretariat conducts and co-ordinates the logistics, planning of science and integration and syntheses of post expedition syntheses. The secretariat establishes and maintains the project web-site and outreach activities. 3. Planning and post expedition workshops will be organised to ensure integrated planning and execution of science.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
PALEODRAKE is formulated primarily by young researchers (new postdocs and faculty) and thus highlights, promotes, and secures the next generation of polar researchers in accordance with objective 3.3.2 of the IPY framework. The expeditions will provide ideal training and experience for students, young scientists, and involve scientists from developing nations.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
All data will be available at WDC.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding will be obtained primarily through the national funding agencies of the involved countries.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Ulysses Ninnemann
Allegaten 41
Bergen
5007
Norway

Tel: (47) 55 58 35 77
Mobile: 47 41 56 68 37
Fax: 47 55912139
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information