Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #149:Trends in the distribution of anthropogenic contaminants in the circumpolar region  (Circumpolar Contaminants (CPC))

Outline
The high Arctic regions are considered to be a final resting place for many volatile compounds generated in the industrial regions further south. Measurements taken in 1993 and 1994 in the circumpolar region showed a strong trend beginning with high pollutant concentrations in snow on ice caps in Russia, lower concentrations on the Canadian side of the Arctic Ocean, but increasing again on Southern Baffin Island. Subsequent studies attributed the pollution in the northern part of the Arctic Islands to Eurasia but North America further south. Current research is now detecting significant decreases in the major pollutant ions like sulphates and nitrates on Northern Ellesmere. These decreases are almost certainly due to the slow-down of industrial activity in the former Soviet Union and its satellite countries in Eastern Europe. It is therefore timely to re-examine the spatial distribution of some of these pollutants in the circumpolar region. The project therefore proposes to: 1) Sample the snow on several circumpolar ice caps to determine the changing patterns of deposition of both natural (pollen, dust) and anthropogenic (major ions, heavy metals, mercury) contaminants. 2) Take shallow, clean cores from Svalbard, Severnaya Zemlya (Russia), Agassiz & Penny ice caps (Canada) to determine the temporal change of the various contaminants 3) Analyse these samples at more than one laboratory to ensure that the expected parts per billion (ions) and parts per trillion (metals) are accurately determined. 4) Mercury deposition following polar sunrise has been documented in both Polar Regions but re-volatilisation was overlooked. Recent results, from Devon Island and Grinnell Ice Cap, have confirmed that while much of the mercury deposited at polar sunrise is re-volatilised, methyl mercury remains.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The new data will illustrate the present level of pollution in a large part of the circumpolar region 2: change: The proposal aims to determine how closely tied the polar regions are to changes in the outputs of contaminants from the industrial countries of Eurasia 3: Global Linkages: The contaminant time series may allow for better determination of the links between pollutant sinks and southern sources. 4: New Frontiers: not applicable 5: Vantage Point: not applicable 6: Human Dimension: not applicable

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Presently contacting: A.Glazovski, Geographical Institute, Moscow, Russia E. Isakkson, Norwegian Polar Institute,Norway H. Miller, A.Wegener Institute, Germany O. Watanabe: National Institute Polar Research, Tokyo, Japan N. Reeh: Danish Technical University, Denmark J. Moore, Arctic Centre, Univ. Lapland, Finland G. Lawson: Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Canada D. Lean, University of Ottawa, Canada

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Samples to be taken from circum-Arctic ice caps: at least one location in Svalbard, Russia (2 locations in the Franz Josef Islands, Ushakova Island, Severnaya Zemlya), N. Greenland, Canada (Agassiz, Devon, Penny ice caps)

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

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Canadian sampling may be achieved when fulfilling NRCan glacier work. Norwegian collaborators will collect from Svalbard. Russian sites will be coordinated through Glazovskiy, with helicopter funding from Canadian sources. If funded we would sample on Arctic Ocean sea ice (as in 1993/4) using tourist helicopter to N Pole and PCSP thereon.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Long-term data sets become more valuable as time moves on. Too often measurements are made that cannot be put in context with long-term trend. Here we provide reliable methods for sampling and logistics methodology that will be useful for future generations of scientists.

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

The project will require funding for Aeroflot helicopter support in Russia. If approved, sampling between Russia and the North Pole would be through a Russian tourist agency. Beyond, to Canada, we would apply for PCSP support. The Arctic Ocean sampling is the least important aspect of the proposal.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Other countries’ collaborators are presently being approached and some have shown definite interest. However, the project has not yet been sent to other national agencies. In Russia we would be working with the same agencies and collaborators as before. This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: THEME: Education, Outreach & Communication SUB-THEME: Variability and change in the Canadian Cryosphere

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?
yes
We have done the circumpolar component before in 1993/4. The GSC presently has a snow-sampling/ice coring programme that runs concurrently with the Arctic glacier programme. This has given an historic record of pollution and detected dramatic changes in the last decade.

How will the project be organised and managed?
This would be managed as in the 1993/4 exercises. For the Russian component, 2 or 3 Canadian researchers will fly to Russia and, with 2 Russian collaborators, will hire helicopters out of Sredni to visit attainable ice caps for sample collection. Sredni will be the main base for initial sample reduction and packing. The Russian to Canada component will only be undertaken if the same tourist agency runs helicopters to the North Pole and PCSP support is available. Our Norwegian and Danish collaborators will do Svalbard and N. Greenland sampling. The Analysis of samples is under discussion but would include the GSC and Inland Waters laboratories.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Results will be published in peer-reviewed literature. If funding were available, talks would be given at the more northern of the northern hamlets and, because the results would be of public interest the media (e.g. Discovery channel) would be approached well before the field season.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
This aspect of the proposal has not yet been thoroughly researched. The data would be entered into the Arctic Monitoring Assessment Programme files, put onto relevant web pages and eventually sent to one of the World Data Centres, much in the way we have handled our glacier data for decades.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The Canadian and Svalbard parts of the proposal can be achieved while doing regular glacier measurements. The Russian work will require funding from one or more of the national agencies including Canada. Total cost (possible source Northern Contaminants Project) will require about $60,000 Canadian funds.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
This project could possibly be achieved by funding only the Russian field season. The remaining fieldwork could be done on routine monitoring of glaciers. Analysis of samples may also be possible under existing NRCan A-base funding and by resources used as part of other programmes in cooperating countries.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Roy Koerner
Geological Survey of Canada, Natural Resources Canada
601 Booth St,
Ottawa, ON
K1A0E8
Canada

Tel: 613 996-7623
Mobile:
Fax: 613 996 5448
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information