Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Understanding and Quantifying Carbon Sources and Sinks in the Canadian Sub-Arctic Region using Surface and Vertical Profile Measurements  (UCSA)

Outline
A major goal in global carbon cycle research is to improve our understanding of the spatial distribution and magnitude of carbon sources/sinks and their possible response to climate change. It is known that a significant amount of organic carbon and methane (as hydrate) is “locked up” in the frozen soils of the arctic and sub-arctic region. These carbon reservoirs will likely be sensitive to variations in climate and could substantially impact global atmospheric CO2 and CH4 levels. Canada accounts for a large portion of the global arctic and sub-arctic region. It is critical that we begin monitoring atmospheric levels of CO2, CH4 and their isotopes in the Canadian sub-arctic regions to identify early warning signals and possible “biospheric surprises”. Isotopes are expected to provide unique information for source identification and process understanding. Currently, very limited research is conducted on carbon cycling in Canadian sub-arctic ecosystems using atmospheric measurements. The impact of these carbon sources on regional and global scales is highly uncertain. The sub-arctic region has been identified as an under-sampled/data poor area in the current Environment Canada greenhouse gases (GHG) measurement network. Proposed activities: In this project, we propose to measure (1) atmospheric CO2, CH4, CO and their isotopes at two new sub-arctic sites from surface to free troposphere using tower and aircraft sampling to obtain spatial and temporal variations (including continuous and flask measurements); (2) CO2, H2O and heat flux, collocated with the atmospheric GHG measurements (3) soil carbon content and their isotope to constrain the isotopic signal of the respired CO2 from the tundra soil and; (4) to develop a model-data fusion approach (STILT/RAMS/VPRM) that uses a Lagrangian transport model, a mesoscale model, and a biospheric flux model to obtain mutually constrained estimates of C sources/sinks for the Canadian sub-arctic. Our Main Objectives are: (1) Recording the current levels and accurate spatial gradients of GHGs over Canadian sub-arctic region and obtaining their seasonal and inter-annual variations; (2) Monitoring the possible early warning signals of CO2 and CH4 responding to environment/climate changes in the region; (3) Understanding ecosystem processes controlling carbon cycle in the region and their response to climate change; (4) Providing the information for carbon budget estimation in Canadian sub-arctic region in the context of global and North American Carbon Cycle. This project will be carried out under a frame work of Canadian Carbon Program (CCP) and North American Carbon Program (NACP) through close collaborations across government organizations and universities in Canada, United States and Japan.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
The project will leave a legacy on - The first record for current levels and spatial gradients of atmospheric GHGs in Canadian sub-arctic region via establishing new observing and sampling systems (theme 1); - The seasonal and inter-annual variations of GHGs and CO2 flux in the region and the possible mechanisms controlling the variations (theme 2); - Carbon budget estimation of Canadian sub-arctic region as part of global and North American Carbon Program (theme 3); - A model-data fusion approach applying a Lagrangian transport model and a biospheric flux model to the data from both atmospheric and flux measurements (theme 4).

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Scientists from Environment Canada will be responsible for ground tower measurements through collaborations with scientists from GMD (former CMDL)/NOAA in the United States, who will be responsible for vertical profile measurements using a small aircraft (up to ~5 km) and scientists from Japan who will be responsible for methane isotope measurements for ground flasks. The data will be submitted to WMO/GAW and other international data centre.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Churchill, MB, Canada (58? 44’N; 93?50’W). The site is at the Southern edge of the tundra area, 5km away from Hudson Bay and is in the enriched zone of soil organic carbon. The site could be influenced by both the land and the Bay in the Canadian sub-arctic region. Baker Lake, Nunavut, Canada (64?17’N; 96?04’W). The site is on the North side of a large lake (Baker Lake) and ~ 250km Western of Hudson Bay. It is mainly impacted by the land in the sub-arctic region.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/2006 – 03/2011            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
A tower and a small hut are required at the sites for installing a flask sampling system, in-situ CO2 and CH4 analyzers and flux measurement instrumentations. We are willing to share those resource with other projects (e.g. at Churchill Northern Studies Centre).

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Yes, the multi-instrumented platforms and the new stations for GHGs measurements will leave a legacy of infrastructure. We expect that the infrastructure will be continually used for monitoring of atmospheric GHGs in the sub-arctic region and their response to climate change beyond the IPY time.

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

We will apply to the Canadian IPY program for funding to support the logistics. At the same time we will expect that our own organization, Environment Canada will provide some in-kind contribution; GMD/NOAA will contribute to aircraft sampling, shipping and analysis; Japanese institutes (Tohoku University and NIPR) will provide support for flask sampling, shipping and analysis.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes - Yes, this project has been officially endorsed by an international IPY coordination proposal (activity#196) i.e. The International Arctic System for Observing the Atmosphere (IASOA). Our proposal has also received endorsement from the Science Committee of the Fluxnet Canada Research Network as part of a new network proposal, Canadian Carbon Program.

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 Canadian sub-arctic region has been identified as an under-sampled/data poor area in Environment Canada GHGs measurement network. This project will be established over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe as a new component (i.e. sub-arctic observations) of an existing GHGs measurement network by Environment Canada, with a focusing on some specific objectives.

How will the project be organised and managed?
This project will be carried out through close and coherent national and international collaborations. The corresponding responsibilities are Environment Canada (1) The main field logistics (including instrument installations, sampling coordination and shipping); (2) in situ GHGs measurements and (3) GHGs and CO2 isotope measurements for surface flask samples (4) CO2 flux measurement at Baker Lake. Trent University and University of Manitoba, Canada: CO2, H2O vapor, and heat flux measurements at Churchill. University of Waterloo, Canada: related modeling work. GMD/NOAA, US: (1) Providing aircraft sampling systems; (2) GHGs and CO2 isotope measurements for flask samples from aircraft sampling; and (3) resource support for aircraft sampling. National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) & Tohoku University, Japan (1) Carbon and hydrogen isotopes measurements in CH4 for surface flask samples; and (2) resource support for surface flask sampling. The investigating scientists will conduct these individual activities as self-managed project and the primary investigator will be the one to coordinate the different activities and to make sure that the whole project is carried out in a coherent way.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
This project is going to involve training of highly qualified personnel (Ph.D students) and working with the people from local community who will be trained to collect flask samples (e.g. Churchill Northern Study Centre, a community based research and education facility in the North). We will communicate the project objectives, progress and findings, as presentations, at local events organized by the communities and Territorial government agencies.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The data will be collected and archived according to the updated protocols recommended by the WMO Expert meeting of CO2 and related tracers measurement techniques. The data will be shared between the collaborators for scientific purposes once they are available after QA/QC and submitted to international databases, e.g. WMO data centre and GLOBALVIEW for public access.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The possible funding sources of the project are - Canadian IPY program - NOAA, US - Funding agency in Japan

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Lin Huang
Environment Canada
4905 Dufferin Street
Toronto, Ontario
M3H 5T4
Canada

Tel: (416)-739-5821
Mobile: no
Fax: (416)-739-4664
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation