Expressions of Intent for IPY 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Measuring basinwide Arctic ice thickness by the use of air-dropped tiltmeter buoys  (Waves across the Arctic)

Outline
We propose to measure sea ice thickness across the Arctic, using an array of air-dropped tiltmeter buoys. Recent work by the Russian physicist A.P. Nagurny has shown that low frequency ‘ice swell’ waves may be used to estimate ice thickness combined with shorter-period waves, induced by winds or floe collisions, without reference to mechanical parameters such as Young’s modulus. The method measures the path-integrated multi-year modal ice thickness, from the open ocean to the point of measurement - a vital climatological parameter to track the response of sea ice to the changing nature of the Arctic. The proposer has already developed very successful tiltmeter buoys to apply the theory under a current EU “GreenICE” project. These were deployed ‘by hand’ from an ice camp on the sea ice north of Greenland in May 2005 and are transmitting time series of tilt over their Iridium satellite links. Work is in progress to analyse their data in collaboration with Nagurny. The technology needs to be adapted to an air-dropped version, however, if a representative pan-Arctic array is to be implemented in areas not normally visited by ships or ice camps. The resulting buoys will be deployed from US “White Trident” aircraft, which are used by the International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP) to maintain an array of primarily meteorological buoys across the Arctic. The proposed buoys will also be equipped with air pressure and other sensors to maximise their utility to the global scientific community. This will complement the more limited emplacements of similar buoys by helicopter in the associated PASTA and CAMPARI proposals to IPY by the author, and are an Arctic equivalent to the “Waves across the Antarctic” proposal. In the far interior of the Arctic Basin, validation of buoy data will come, on an opportunity basis, from submarine under-ice missions should any such be carried out by the US or UK during the IPY period. “Climatology” will come from the analysis of existing missions, including a UK voyage in April 2004, and results will be compared with Cryosat and Icesat retrievals.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The project aims to implement an Arctic-wide climatological sea ice thickness monitoring system, providing essential data to complement UK and US efforts to track the changing ice thickness and volume using military submarines and satellites. The long-lived buoys will form a long term array for climate monitoring.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The project will bring together teams from the UK (buoy development and data analysis), the US (aircraft deployments), and Russia (theory and analysis).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Pan-Arctic Ocean multi-year sea ice cover; locations used by IABP for their deployments.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 8/2007      8/2008      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Aircraft facilities to deploy the buoys, most likely the US C-130 “White Trident” flights. These will be shared with other programmes, notably the International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP) which motivates the flights.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The buoys will be solar powered, with battery reserves for winter. They will be designed to survive as long as the ice on which they are deployed remains - up to 5-7 years. The array will be augmented by further deployments, maintaining an Arctic-wide network for years to com

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

The array is central to the aims of the IABP and their support will be arranged to allow the buoys to be flown on the US aircraft

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project has been submitted by IABP to the US national committee

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
Follows on from a current EU-funded project and will complement the IABP buoy programme.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Overall control will be from Cambridge, but with US collaborators organising the aircraft deployments.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Buoy data will go on GTS in real time and we expect to display results on IABP website in near-real time, with an explanatory interactive section to allow interested parties to work with the data.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document)?
The data will be deposited at NSIDC and in the IASC’s Arctic Ice Thickness Monitoring Programme’s databank. It will also reside at IABP where it can be addressed

How is it proposed to fund the project?
National funding will be sought in UK and US

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Peter Wadhams
Dept. of Applied Maths & Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge
Wilberforce Road
Cambridge
CB3 0WA
UK

Tel: 44-1223-760370
Mobile: 44-0774-8032371
Fax: 44-1223-760493
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation

Other Information