Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Polar Ozone Loss  (PO3L)

Outline
The depletion of the polar ozone layer is one of the strongest anthropogenic signals in the earth system. The IPY will approximately take place during the period of peak concentrations of man-made ozone depleting substances in the region of the ozone layer. It is also the time when potential effects from climate change, e.g. changes in temperature, water vapour abundances, and/or circulation, might begin to manifest in the stratosphere and influence ozone recovery. The main goal of the project is to precisely quantify polar ozone losses in both hemispheres and to document the magnitude of ozone depletion before major recovery due to the healing effect of the Montreal protocol sets in. This will be achieved with concerted international campaigns during which hundreds of ozonesondes will be launched in real-time coordination from station networks in the Arctic and Antarctic. Satellite coverage of ozone as well as ClO and BrO measurements will be unprecedented during the IPY. Many instruments will provide also important complementary data in particular ClO. Therefore, in addition data from the satellites ENVISAT, Aura and Odin and from the satellite-borne instruments POAM III and SAGE III will be used in a novel approach that combines these measurements with the groundbased station data. Ozone loss rates will be measured by a Lagrangian technique, called Match, which tracks the ozone content along trajectories of air parcels, which are calculated in near real time during the campaign. These calculations are used to trigger subsequent ozonesonde launches at other participating stations. In the past precise measurements of the ozone loss rate from previous Match campaigns have led to significant improvements of our theoretical understanding of the ozone loss process and have improved its representation in global models. But model / measurement comparisons are much more illuminating when measurements of the ozone loss rate are combined with measurements of the relevant chemical species that drive the ozone loss process, the group of chemicals that are termed active chlorine and reactive bromine. So far polar ozone research has always been hindered by the lack of simultaneous measurements of active chlorine, reactive bromine, and precise ozone loss rates. During the IPY active chlorine will be measured by the MLS instrument onboard the satellite Aura and by the satellite Odin, and reactive bromine will be measured by MLS. Bipolar Match campaigns during the IPY would offer the unique chance to combine the measurements of both key quantities for the first time. For this purpose box model calculation as well as 3D-CTM calculations will be an integral part of the project. In addition the pure measured ozone loss rates will be compared with the existing Match data set ranging back to the early 1990s to examine any long-term changes. A comprehensive public information system will inform the public about the state of the polar ozone layer and the seasonal development of the Antarctic ozone hole throughout the project. The public will be able to follow, in real time, the course of polar air masses which have been exposed to ozone loss on their way to mid-latitudes.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project will document the state of the polar ozone layer and the extent of ozone depletion during the IPY approximately at the historic peak concentration of ozone depleting substances. It will test our understanding of stratospheric ozone losses in all-time accuracy. Only with a complete quantitative understanding of the processes leading to ozone losses the future development of the ozone layer can be predicted reliably. The simple basic idea of the experiment and its international character makes it perfect for outreach and education activities (cf 3.3).

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The project involves nearly all countries with polar research programmes in either hemispheres. Due to regular excursions of polar air masses to mid-latitudes in the northern hemisphere measurements at stations there are also valuable and part of the project. This gives countries a chance to contribute to the IPY that do not run a polar station and are traditionally not involved in polar research. Further, the project will combine the large international ozonesonde community and the relevant satellite and model community. It will be closely related to the EU project SCOUT-O3.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Field work will take place at most (if not all) ozonesonde stations in the Arctic, sub-Arctic and northern mid-latitudes and in the Antarctic. More than 40 stations are expected to participate operated by more than 30 countries.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 11/2007 - 03/2008            
Antarctic: 05/2007 - 10/2007            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The project uses existing ozonesonde launching facilities at existing field stations, which can be shared without major problems with other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Yes. It will improve and maintain the cooperation between the individual polar stations in both hemispheres. The temporary integration of the individual stations to one large network that acts in a highly coordinated manner will have a lasting impact on the communication and cooperation between the individual scientists that deal with the ozone problem. This represents a significant improvement of the research infrastructure.

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This proposal is endorsed by the World Meteorological Organisation/Global Atmosphere Watch (WMO/GAW), the International Ozone Commission (IOC), the Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDSC), and the EU funded project Stratosphere-Climate Links With Emphasis On The UTLS (SCOUT-O3). The EoI has also been endorsed, or is in the process of being endorsed by national committees for IPY.

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?
Expansion
The project has the heritage of former Match campaigns and the EU project Quantitative Understanding of Ozone losses by Bipolar Investigations (QUOBI). It adds to the EU project SCOUT-O3, which itself mainly focuses on tropical UTLS processes.

How will the project be organised and managed?
A small project steering committee involving participants from the ozonesonde, satellite and model community will be established. The project will take advantage of the existing SCOUT-O3 organisational structure. Match campaigns themselves will be coordinated in the sophisticated proven and tested way of former campaigns.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
A website will include daily updated animations of the tracks the monitored air parcels travel and where ozone soundings take place. It will provide points of contact at the stations for questions from school classes, media, etc. For school classes the opportunity to setup a virtual polar station will be created. This way they will be able to take part actively in the coordination of the ozonesonde campaigns by launching virtual sondes and following sampled air parcels online.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
The ozonesonde data will be submitted to all relevant data centres, i.e. World Ozone and UV Data Centre (WOUDC), Toronto, Network for the Detection of Stratospheric Change (NDCS), NILU data base.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Through national agencies.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Additional participants: Name 7 Dr Hans Fast Organisation MSC, Toronto, Canada Name 8 Dr Chip Trepte Organisation NASA LaRC, Hampton, USA Name 9 Dr Rolf Müller, Dr Jens-Uwe Grooss Organisation FZJ, Jülich, Germany Name 10 Dr Richard Bevilacqua, Dr Karl Hoppel Organisation Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, USA Name 11 Prof Ivar Isaksen Organisation Univ. Oslo, Oslo, Norway Name 12 Dr Valery Dorokhov, Dr Vladimir Yushkov Organisation CAO, Moscow, Russia Name 13 Dr Signe Bech Andersen Organisation DMI, Copenhagen, Denmark Name 14 Dr Manuel Gil, Dr Margarita Yela, Dr Conchita Parrondo Organisation INTA, Madrid, Spain Name 15 Ing Jorge Araujo Organisation DNA, Buenos Aires, Argentina Name 16 Dr. Hreinn Hjartarson Organisation IMO, Reykjavik, Iceland Name 17 Dr Hideaki Nakane Organisation NIES, Tsukuba, Japan Name 18 Dr Kaoru Sato Organisation NIPR, Tokyo, Japan Name 19 Dr Philippe Keckhut, Dr Marion Marchand, Dr Sophie Godin-Beekman, Dr Alain Hauchecorne Organisation IPSL/SA, Verrieres le Buisson Cedex & UPMC Paris, France Name 20 Dr Howard Roscoe Organisation BAS, Cambridge, UK Name 21 Prof Terry Deshler Organisation Univ. Wyoming, Laramie, USA Name 22 Dr Bryan Johnson Organisation NOAA, Boulder, USA Name 23 Dr Andrew Klekociuk Organisation AAD, Kingston, Australia Name 24 Dr Eberhard Reimer Organisation FU Berlin, Berlin, Germany Name 25 Dr Pavla Skrivankova Organisation CHMI, Prague, Czech Republic Name 26 Dr Hugo De Backer Organisation KMI-IRM, Brussels, Belgium Name 27 Dr Michael Gerding Organisation IAP, Kühlungsborn, Germany Name 28 Dr Giorgio Giovanelli, Dr Fabrizio Ravegnani, Dr Marco Cervino Organisation ISAC-CNR, Bologna, Italy Name 29 Dr Zenobia Litynska Organisation IMWM, Warsaw, Poland Name 30 Dr Costas Varotsos Organisation Univ. Athens, Athens, Greece Name 31 Dr Pierre Viatte, Dr Rene Stübi Organisation MeteoSwiss, Payerne, Switzerland Name 32 Hans Claude, Horst Dier Organisation DWD, Hohenpeissenberg & Lindenberg, Germany

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Peter von der Gathen
Research Unit Potsdam
Telegrafenberg A43
Potsdam
D-14473
Germany

Tel: +49-331-288-2128
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Fax: +49-331-288-2178
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