Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #211:The structure and evolution of the stratospheric polar vortices during IPY and its links to the troposphere  (SPARC-IPY)

Outline
The Antarctic Ozone Hole is one of the most recognized environmental issues of the 20th century. Ozone changes in the Arctic, though lesser in magnitude, are equally important. Recent research has shown that the evolution of stratospheric ozone is tightly coupled to a wide range of processes acting within and outside the winter polar vortices. Much if this understanding has been achieved within programme of SPARC (Stratospheric Processes and their Role in Climate), a WCRP core project. The IPY programme offers a unique opportunity for SPARC to assemble a range of scientific expertise to study the Antarctic and Arctic Polar Vortices, the loci of key processes associated with ozone depletion and its eventual recovery. SPARC-IPY will co-ordinate the activities of the international SPARC community in relation to IPY. This co-ordination will be directed toward both satellite and ground-based experimental campaigns, as well as specific initiatives promoted by SPARC to increase understanding of the polar atmosphere. The services of the SPARC Data Center will be made available to facilitate acquisition and archiving of key data that will be used for projects or generated by them during the IPY period. In addition to coordinating and facilitating IPY projects within the SPARC community, SPARC-IPY will promote specific initiatives directed toward understanding of major features and processes in the polar middle atmosphere during the IPY period. These initiatives will include a range of research activities involving modelling, observations, and analysis and will include workshops and meetings as needed or desirable to facilitate research and dissemination of results. These efforts will be carried out in context of the SPARC Project core thematic programmes of Stratospheric Chemistry and Climate, Stratosphere-Troposphere Coupling, and Detection, Attribution, and Prediction of Stratospheric Changes. The dynamics, transport and chemistry of the polar vortices, as well as of properties relevant to microphysical processes, such as the formation of polar stratospheric clouds will be documented as completely as possible. To achieve this detailed picture, SPARC-IPY will bring together available research and operational satellite data, as well as ground-based and aircraft data. SPARC-IPY will promote co-ordinated field campaigns to enhance the data base, and encourage work on data assimilation and inter-comparison of assimilated data sets, to yield a unique synthesis of data on the polar vortices. Weather services carrying out routine radiosonde and ozonesonde measurements would be encouraged to increase the frequency of the observations and to store the data with full resolution.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
SPARC-IPY will contribute to the following themes:Observations of a range of variables within the stratospheric polar vortex will be utilized, using data assimilation, models and other analysis techniques to create a coherent and comprehensive picture of the current state of the stratosphere in the Artic and Antarctic, and to elucidate further the interaction of the polar stratosphere with the underlying troposphere.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The project will involve the multi-national SPARC community and its affiliates, e.g. other WCRP research projects.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
SPARC-IPY will co-ordinate relevant field campaigns supported by national and international research programmes, and will seek, where possible, to promote additional campaigns where there are data gaps that need to be filled.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The SPARC-IPY will not require any additional facilities and logistic support beyond that contributed to SPARC by its affiliated community.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
SPARC-IPY will co-ordinate the production of a data base on the meteorological and chemical properties of the polar stratosphere during IPY, and will archive these data at the SPARC Data Center.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
National agency
Other sources of support

As a core project within the WCRP, the SPARC Project relies on coordinated activities by agencies and groups within the affiliated community for the resources needed to carry out observational campaigns and research within its thematic programmes. SPARC-IPY will function within this general SPARC framework of coordination and collaboration with related and linked national and institutional IPY projects.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes

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?
SPARC-IPY will be a component of the over-all WCRP IPY programme.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Coordination for SPARC-IPY will be carried out through the SPARC International Project Office under the direction of the SPARC SSG which in turn will report to the JSC of the WCRP. SPARC-IPY initiatives will be undertaken within the thematic programs and associated working groups. The Theme and Group leaders will undertake to organize contributions to these efforts as required.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
Data archiving and management that may arise in conjunction with SPARC-IPY will be undertaken by the SPARC Data Center.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Component projects within SPARC-IPY will be supported through national and institutional sources of funding, as is normal for SPARC projects. Partial support for meetings and workshops will be provided under the auspices of the WCRP as part of the overall support provided to the SPARC Project for such activities

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Norman McFarlane
SPARC IPO, Department of Physics, University of Toronto, 60 St. George Street, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A7
Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis (CCCMA), Meteorological Service of Canada, University of Victoria, P.O. Box 1700, Victoria, BC, V8W 2Y2

Canada

Tel: SPARC IPO: 1 416 946 7543; CCCMA: 1 250 363 8227
Mobile:
Fax: SPARC IPO: 1 416 946 0513; CCCMA: 1 250 363 8247
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information