Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Synoptic transects of trace elements and their isotopes in the Arctic Ocean. A contribution to the international GEOTRACES program  (GEOTRACES in the Arctic)

Outline
The marine biogeochemical community is developing a research plan to contribute to a new international research initiative (the GEOTRACES program), which aims to identify, characterize and quantify processes that control the distribution of key trace elements and isotopes (TEIs) in the global ocean and their sensitivity to changing environmental conditions in order to elucidate the supply of micronutrients, contaminant dispersal, and tracers of past and present ocean conditions. This initiative builds on recent advances in clean sampling protocols, analytical techniques, data assimilation, and modeling strategies, and is prompted by the increasing recognition that TEIs are playing a crucial role as regulators and recorders of important biogeochemical and physical processes that control the structure and productivity of marine ecosystems, the dispersion of contaminants in the marine environment, the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and global climate. The GEOTRACES program will consist of sampling detailed water column sections in all major ocean basins to establish the large scale distribution of selected TEIs in relation to more traditional hydrographic parameters. This information will be introduced into forward and inverse models to quantitatively evaluate the sources and sinks of the TEIs at the ocean interface with atmosphere, freshwater, ocean margins, mid-ocean ridges, and deep-sea sediments. This large scale sampling strategy will be complemented by process and time-series studies in strategically located regions to (1) more firmly establish their internal cycling within the ocean (physical transport, biological uptake and regeneration, chemical scavenging), (2) characterize more completely the physical, chemical and biological processes regulating their distributions, (3) develop geochemical proxies for reconstructing the evolution of these processes from the sediment record, and (4) assess their sensitivity to and role in global change. Integration of a detailed study of the distribution and cycling of key TEIs [such as micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn, Co etc.), source tracers (Ba, Al, Mn, isotopes of Nd, Hf, Fe, Mo, Cd, etc.), natural (Th, Ra, 231Pa, 10Be, 7Be, 210Po, 210Pb, etc.) and artificial radioisotopes (Pu, 137Cs, I, etc.) documenting removal and transport processes, contaminants (Hg, Pb, Ag, Sn etc.)] into a multidisciplinary program aimed at investigating the rapid environmental changes occurring today in the Arctic Ocean (iAOOS: integrated Arctic Ocean Observing System), will uniquely contribute to further documenting and elucidating the causes and consequences of on-going changes in sea ice cover, primary production, food web structure, carbon flux, hydrography, circulation, shelf-basin exchange and river discharge in this important oceanic region.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 1: Determination of present day distribution and biogeochemical cycles of key TEIs providing unique insights into changes in circulation, hydrography, sea ice movement, ecosystem structure, carbon cycle, greenhouse gas emission, contaminant dispersal and their interactions in the Arctic Ocean. Theme 2: Ground-truthing of existing geochemical paleoceanographic proxies and development of new ones specifically for the Arctic environment for reconstructing past changes in the processes and factors listed under theme 1; Providing a baseline for later studies on Arctic change. Theme 3: Arctic GEOTRACES will be integrated within the global GEOTRACES program, which will also cover sub-polar and low latitude regions of the ocean. Theme 4: Use and further development of state-of-the-art sampling, analytical, data reduction and modelling techniques to systematically study and retrieve information from seawater TEIs.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
GEOTRACES is an international project under development, which has been initiated by an international consortium of scientists (Organizing Committee: R. Anderson, USA; R. Francois, Canada; M. Frank, Germany; G. Henderson, UK; C. Jeandel, France; M. Sharma, USA). A science plan is being written by a larger group of scientists with funding from SCOR (ICSU) and will be available in January 2005. Anticipated Arctic collaborations within IPY are with SPACE (Germany), SNAPSHOT and SEARCH (Study of Environmental Arctic Change) (USA), coordinated in iAOOS (coordinator R. Dickson, UK).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Multiple transects across the major Arctic shelves and basins as per the umbrella proposal iAOOS (integrated Arctic Ocean Observing System), which includes SNAPSHOT/SPACE/SEARCH and proposes a synoptic and interdisciplinary study of the Arctic Ocean.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/2007 – 09/2007      06/2008 – 09/2008      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Ice-breakers, ice strengthened research ship, remotely operated vehicles, satellites.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
No

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?
This program is endorsed by the national IPY committee of The Netherlands and will be reviewed by the national IPY steering committees of Canada, Germany, Norway, Spain and other countries with ARCTIC-GEOTRACES participants. We anticipate approval of the international GEOTRACES Science Plan by SCOR and ICSU in Summer 2005

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 work proposed here will be integrated in the international GEOTRACES program For IPY GEOTRACES several Expressions of Interest (EoI) have been coordinated: - GEOTRACES Umbrella EoI (Bob Anderson, USA) - GEOTRACES EoI Antarctic section of New Zealand by USA (Bob Anderson, USA) - BONUS Southern Ocean GEOTRACES EoI (Catherine Jeandel, France) - ZERO & DRAKE, (Hein de Baar, The Netherlands) - GEOTRACES in the Arctic: this EoI (Michiel van der Loeff, Germany)

How will the project be organised and managed?
The national GEOTRACES committees will work in close association with the international GEOTRACES Scientific Steering Committee, which will oversee an International Program Office (IPO) and a Data Management System.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
One of the central objectives of the GEOTRACES program is education, building and maintaining a core community of marine scientists who understand and are able to integrate the chemical, physical and biological processes regulating the distribution and properties of TEIs well enough to exploit them reliably in future interdisciplinary studies. Outreach and communication will be conducted through various media outlets, internet, brochures and by promoting school participation through interactive distance learning websites.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
Data management for this project will be handled through the international GEOTRACES Data Assembly Center under the supervision of a Data Management Committee, which will handle data from all countries participating in the GEOTRACES program.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
GEOTRACES- will seek funding from appropriate national funding programs.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Other countries involved (apart from the seven that could be listed in the next par.) are France (Catherine Jeandel, LEGOS - Observatoire Midi-Pyrénées) Sweden (Leif Anderson, University of Gothenburg)

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Michiel Rutgers van der Loeff
Alfred Wegener Institute
PO Box 120161
Bremerhaven
D 27515
Germany

Tel: +49 471 48311259
Mobile:
Fax: +49 471 48311425
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information