Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #125: Dynamic response of tidewater vs. land-terminating glaciers to climate change, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada  (Dynamic response of tidewater vs. land-terminating glaciers to climate change, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada)

Outline
The goal of this research is to quantify the dynamic response of tidewater vs. land-terminating glaciers to climate change on a ~50 year timescale, particularly the impact on meltwater input to the northern ocean. Glaciers on Baffin Island are affected by climate forcing from the Baffin Bay region (North Water Polynya) (England et al., 2000; Barber et al., 2001), as well as the proximity of the northern limit of the thermohaline circulation. These forcings, coupled with the climate change occurring in the Arctic (ACIA, 2004), will doubly impact glaciers in the region. Research has shown that climate change affects glacier dynamics by altering the mass balance (MB) variables of accumulation and ablation (Oerlemans, 1989). Increased ablation under warmer air temperatures may result in the transfer of increased amounts of meltwater from the glacier surface to the glacier bed, resulting in greater basal lubrication and faster glacier flow (Zwally et al., 2002). Increased accumulation can also affect glacier mass distribution by increasing (decreasing) mass in the accumulation (ablation) zone, requiring glacier movement in order to maintain MB equilibrium (Pelto et al., 1990). These impacts are constrained, however, by the seasonal extent of subglacial drainage development (Bingham, 2003), and regional glacier-climate response times (Harrison & Winchester, 2000). Given that Baffin Island has both tidewater and land-terminating glaciers, as well as a marked east-west gradient in accumulation, the impact of climate change on glaciers in this region will be highly spatially variable, and may significantly affect freshwater input to the ocean. A suite of glaciers (land terminating and tidewater) will be examined; two will be selected for detailed field study, based on their location (east-west transect) and the availability of historical (field and remote sensed) data. This research will: (1) Determine recent and historical changes in glacier extent and volume; (2) Determine the relationship between glacier melt/MB at both the micro-meteorological and synoptic scale; (3) Improve glacier MB models, then use the improved models to determine the melt/MB response of these glaciers to climate change; and, (4) Determine the dynamic response of tidewater vs. land-based glaciers to climate change.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Status: This research will determine the present environmental status of glaciers on Baffin Island. Change: This research will quantify past and present glacier and climate change in the region using both field and modeling studies. It will also contribute to improved assessments of future environmental change by fine-tuning glacier melt/mass balance models. Global linkages: The ocean system is a major driver of global climate. This research examines changes in meltwater input to the ocean system from both glacier melt and iceberg fluxes; these inputs will have subsequent impacts on ocean circulation and climate. New frontiers: Many glaciers on Baffin Island have not been studied in detail (Williams & Ferrigno, 2000); this research will fill a data gap in the region. Additionally, the dynamic response of tidewater and land-terminating glaciers to climate change conditions is relatively unknown, and has significant implications for glacier mass balance and sea! level rise.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
: International collaboration may occur at a number of levels through data exchange agreements (e.g., Global Terrestrial Network for Glaciers (GTN-G)); and contributions to international projects (e.g., WCRP Climate and Cryosphere (CliC) project, IASC Mass Balance of Arctic Glaciers and Ice Caps project, SEARCH (Study of Environmental Arctic Change)). University researchers that may contribute to this project include scientists from the United States and Great Britain.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
East coast of Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 05/07 – 08/07      05/08 – 08/08      05/09 – 08/09
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Most of the requirements will be met through ongoing logistical arrangements with the Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP), although additional PCSP support will be required during IPY. Some field resources may be shared with other Arctic glaciological projects (Geological Survey of Canada, U. Ottawa, U. Alberta).

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will leave a legacy of glacier mass balance stake networks for future repeat mass balance measurements.

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

Logistics will be secured through the PCSP program, through independent polar operators (Borek Air), and through personal funding from national funding agencies (NSERC, CFCAS, CFI)

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes- The project has been endorsed as a sub-project of a “lead-theme” activity (“Variability and Change in the Canadian Cryosphere”) by the Canadian national IPY office. The concept of an overarching “Fate and Evolution of the Cryosphere” project has been endorsed by the WCRP CliC Programme. 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
The project is a component of the Canadian lead-theme project “Variability and Change in the Canadian Cryosphere

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be coordinated through the Canadian CRYospheric SYStem (CRYSYS) network, with data management provided by the Canadian Cryospheric Information Network (CCIN) at U. Waterloo. The project will be managed within existing frameworks and management structures at U. Victoria. International coordination will occur through one-on-one interactions with scientists from the US and UK, and through coordinating bodies such as WCRP CliC. Collaboration and communication of significant results will be fostered through participation in CRYSYS annual science meetings. CRYSYS will hold a dedicated workshop after IPY to present results and prepare a summary document.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The State of the Canadian Cryosphere website will be the main tool for communication, education and outreach activities, and will have a link to this project’s website. Newsletters will be used where applicable to communicate project results (e.g., WCRP/CliC and IPA). Research results will likely be disseminated to the general public through presentations and articles in popular science magazines. There may also be opportunities to involve Canadian classrooms in field research through a program similar to the American ‘Teachers Experiencing Antarctica and the Arctic’ (http://tea.rice.edu/associatesinfo.html#findingassociates).

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
As the main portal for cryospheric information in Canada, CCIN will archive data collected from this project. CCIN is ISO 19115 compliant and supports XML4 for metadata queries. This allows the various databases involved in the project to link to World Data Centres (through NSIDC) and WCRP/CliC.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
As part of a larger project, this project will be funded through a combination of existing federal government funding obtained for the maintenance and enhancement of a cryospheric monitoring network. Proposals are currently under development to secure further federal government funding to support components of the project through the IPY period. Additionally, this project will apply for funding from NSERC, CFCAS and CFI.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
References cited: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. 2004. Impacts of a Warming Arctic: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment. ACIA Overview report. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 50 pp. Barber, D.; J. M. Hanesiak, W. Chan, J. Piwowar. 2001. Sea-ice and meteorological conditions in northern Baffin Bay and the North Water Polynya between 1979 and 1996. Atmosphere-Ocean 39(3): 343-359. Bingham, R.G. 2003. The Hydrology and Dynamics of a High Arctic Glacier. Ph.D. dissertation, University of Glasgow. 254 pp. England, J.; I.R. Smith, D.J.A. Evans. 2000. The last glaciation of east-central Ellesmere Island, Nunavut: ice dynamics, deglacial chronology, and sea level change. Can. J. Earth Sci. 37(10): 1355-1371. Harrison, S.; V. Winchester. 2000. Nineteenth-and twentieth-century glacier fluctuations and climatic implications in the Arco and Colonia Valleys, Hielo Patagonico Norte, Chile. Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research 32(1): 55-63. Oerlemans, J. 1989. Glacier fluctuations and climatic change. Proceedings of the Symposium on Glacier Fluctuations and Climatic Change. Amsterdam: 1-5 June. Boston, Kluwer. Pelto, M.S.; S.M. Higgins, T.J. Hughes, J.L. Fastook. 1990. Modelling mass-balance changes during a glaciation cycle. Annals of Glaciology 14: 238-241. Williams, R.S. Jr.; J.G. Ferrigno, eds. 2000. Satellite Image Atlas of Glaciers of the World – North America. USGS Professional Paper 1386-J, 500 pp. Zwally, H. J.; W. Abdalati, T. Herring, K. Larson, J. Saba, K. Steffen. 2002. Surface melt-induced acceleration of Greenland ice-sheet flow. Science 297: 218-222.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr  Sarah Boon
University of Victoria
Department of Geography
PO Box 3050, Victoria, BC
V8W 3P5
Canada

Tel: 250-472-4733
Mobile:
Fax: 250-721-6216
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information