Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Studies of forming and evolution of the roughness of sea ice surfaces  (FERSI)

Outline
Energy exchange between atmosphere and ocean in the Arctic is determined by ice covered area and ice thickness distribution caused by typical features of sea ice: ridges, snow cover, melt ponds, cracks and leads. Shape, number and sizes of these features determine the relief of top and bottom surfaces of sea ice and influence on drag forces applied to ice cover by the wind and sea currents. Convergences and divergences of the ice cover forced by the drag forces cause the buildup of new ridges and new leads. Redistribution of areas with ridged ice due to the change of prevailing types of atmosphere circulation in the Arctic explains strong decreasing of average ice thickness in the central Arctic during recent decades. We plan to study physical mechanisms of changes of sea ice roughness, including the processes of ice ridges buildup-decay and snowdrift, and to estimate its influence on drag forces. Special attention will be focused on the studies of thermodynamic properties of the ice and snow cover in the vicinity of ice ridges, cracks and melt ponds. We also plan to measure the speed of sublimation and erosion of ice top and bottom surfaces in natural conditions and elaborate parametrizations of these processes, to measure profiles of wind and sea current velocities and their turbulent fluctuations in ice adjacent layers near ridges and to estimate form drag coefficients, to study of geometric parameters and stress – deformation states of ice cover in the vicinity of an ice ridge and extended crack, to study of an influence of icebreaker trajectory on a mechanical state of the ice cover and conditions of ice fracture in the ridged ice cover. The methods of incorporation of variable drag coefficients and new schemes of ice ridging into large scale anisotropic models of sea ice cover dynamics will be formulated.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The most comprehensive study of physical mechanisms of the formation and decay of sea ice roughness and stress-deformation states will significantly improve the quality of numerical simulations of sea ice dynamics and thermodynamics and the modeling of ice-structure interaction. We will formulate recommendations for the strategy of icebreakers motion in ridged and compressed ice. The major target is Natural Science, but by addressing that target via Themes 1-4 of section 1.4 above, the intended end point is squarely focused on Theme 6, the Human Dimension.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Field work under the project is plane in the expeditions on Russian Polar station North Pole, by research vessels in the Barents Sea and in the Antarctica region, in the laboratory conditions.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: April - May, August-September       2007- 2009      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Satellite remote sensing, surface ships (icebreakers & conventional), moorings (acoustic sensor ADV Sontek, ADCP Workhorse), ice-surface met & sensor systems

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
1) Continued long-term maintenance of a critical subset of instruments & measurements needed to understand/ predict the motion and the structure of Arctic sea ice 2) construction testing and introduction of improved predictive models, themselves lasting components of scientific infrastructure.

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

1) Existing equipment stocks and PI involvement of individual agencies and 2) specialised commercial equipment and modelling enterprises together with 3) national shiptime scheduling and 4) supplemented/ coordinated by national and ’continental’

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project has endorsed in the Russian Foundation for Basic Research

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 is a component of the research supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Russian state program “World ocean” and the budget of Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Krylov Ship building Research Institute and the Russian Academy of Sciences

How will the project be organised and managed?
The field work of the project will be organized by Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute by research vessels and drifting station North Pole. Participants of the project are involved in the joint cooperation by the projects of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research and Russian state program “World Ocean”. Responsible persons from Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute are Alexander Makshtas and Pjotr Bogorodskii, from Krylov Ship Building Research Institute - V. Gorbatskii, from the Russian Academy of Sciences - Robert Goldstein and Aleksey Marchenko

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
We plan a range of educational summer schools, lectures and seminars for the students of Moscow and St.-Petersburg universities, interactive websites in the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute and Russian Academy Science and semi-permanent exhibits for communication and outreach.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
FERSI end-products will be presented to the user community through web technology, scientific papers, proceedings of thematic conferences and lecture notes.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding will be by normal routes, e.g. by the budget of Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Krylov Ship Building Research Institute and Russian Academy of Sciences, and by the projects of Russian Foundation for Basic Research and state program “World ocean”.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Aleksey Marchenko
A.M.Prokhorov General Physics Institute, http://www.gpi.ru
Vavilova str. 38
Moscow
119991
Russia

Tel: 7-095-320-8710
Mobile: 910-453-2185
Fax: 7-095-135-0270
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information