Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Variability in Transport of Atlantic Water in the Norwegian Slope Current in Response to Wind: Teleconnections between the Atlantic and the Arctic.  (Coherence in Atlantic and Arctic Time Series (CoAATS))

Outline
The Norwegian Atlantic Slope Current (NwASC) is the main heat source for the Arctic Ocean, bringing Atlantic Water (AW) from the North Atlantic Current (NAC) and being constrained to follow the continental shelf slope northwards. The explanation to variations in the AW inflow to the Arctic must therefore be sought upstream of the NwASC. We propose to start coherent monitoring of the volume transport in the NwASC from 2006 at five locations to study the response to variations in North Atlantic wind stress curl. The two northernmost locations will be the ASOF sections in the branch entering the Barents Sea and the branch passing through the Fram Strait. The other locations included will be the Gimsøy section (69ºN), the Svinøy section (63ºN) and the Ellett line (57ºN), the last location being south of the Nordic Overall Aim: To determine the pathways and mechanisms of the teleconnection between the Atlantic and the Arctic through measurements and analysis of long time series of Atlantic Water transport in slope currents. Background: The delivery of Atlantic Water (AW) to the Arctic Ocean is a key component in defining the Arctic environment. Heat is supplied through the Norwegian Atlantic Slope Current (NwASC) where the AW is constrained to follow the continental shelf slope. This proposal focuses on the teleconnections between the mid-latitude Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic by understanding how transport variability in the NwASC is influenced by variations in the wind stress curl in the North Atlantic. Establishing this link is a crucial step in determining sources of oceanic variation in the Arctic. To determine the validity of the pathways and forcing mechanism of the slope current we propose to start coherent monitoring and analysis of the volume transport at 5 locations. The two northernmost locations will be the ASOF sections in the Barents Sea and the Fram Strait. Other locations will be: i) Gimsøy section (69ºN) ii) Svinøy section (63ºN) and iii)Ellett Line (57ºN). In all three locations the shelf slope is well defined, and the southernmost location is south of the inflow to the Nordic Seas. An approach to this problem has been made at the Svinøy section where AW transport is found to respond to wind stress curl at 55ºN in the North Atlantic with a time lag of 15 months. The length of the time lag suggests arrival of baroclinic signals, but the slope current is highly barotropic all along its path from the Irish-Scottish shelf to the Fram Strait. The transition from baroclinic signal to barotropic signal at the Irish-Scottish shelf will be studied theoretically. Specific Objectives: i. Reanalyse the wealth of historic hydrographic data to establish the level of coherence between the component parts of the shelf transport ii. Use bottom mounted pressure sensors (PIES) to determine transport at each location. iii. Use satellite altimeter data of the sea surface slope to extend the spatial and temporal extent of the hydrographic analysis. iv. Use wind data from Nordic Seas region in addition to the North Atlantic to distinguish the remote to the direct response to the large-scale wind forcing. This proposal forms an element of the IPY submission by the Scottish Association for Marine Science Northern Seas – Arctic activities.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
A key element of the Arctic marine and climate system is the supply of warm Atlantic Water (AW). We will achieve a better understanding of the current state of the Arctic by investigating the volume transport of AW in the Norwegian Atlantic Current. Through a programme of observations along the path of AW we will investigate the effects from upstream Atlantic wind forcing on the transport variability thereby advancing our understanding of the processes that cause change in the Arctic improving the possibility for prediction. Finally, we will link Atlantic action to Arctic reaction through a marine teleconnection.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The observational aspects of this project will involve 1 British and 2 Norwegian organisations. Data interpretation involves additional 3 Norwegian organisations. Association with an ongoing project involves also 1 German organisation.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The Ellett line off the Scottish shelf, the Svinøy section off the west coast of Norway at 63ºN and the Gimsøy section off Lofoten at 69ºN. The Barents Sea Opening (Fugløya-Bjørnøya section) and the Fram Strait (West Spitsbergen Current).

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/2006-07/2009            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The only significant logistics required are access to ships for deployment/recovery of instruments. Each location will be ice free thereby precluding the need for ice-breaking/strengthened capability increasing the opportunity for procuring ship time. Therefore we anticipate making additional use of ships already planning to be operate in those areas

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
At the conclusion of the IPY period, this project will leave a legacy of collaborative observations and analysis along a climatically important transect. A consistent network of instrumentation and interpretation will have been established that will facilitate the retention of high value scientific interaction in Europe.

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

The most significant logistical requirement is ships. We plan to obtain time from ships operated by national polar institutes (Lance, James Clark Ross), national fleets (IMR, UKORS), university operated ships (University of Bergen) and ships already earmarked in support of core programmes with external organisations.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The proposal will be submitted to the national IPY committees of the participating countries for endorsement.

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?
Exp

The most significant logistical requirement is ships. We plan to obtain time from ships operated by national polar institutes (Lance, James Clark Ross), national fleets (IMR, UKORS), university operated ships (University of Bergen) and ships already earmarked in support of core programmes with external organisations.

How will the project be organised and managed?
NPI will be responsible for the project coordination and GI at Univ. of Bergen will be responsible for scientific management. The organisations traditionally managing the different sites are included in the proposal and will be responsible for and have ownership to the data collected and instrumentation used at each site; SAMS at Ellett line, GI, Univ. of Bergen at Svinøy section and IMR at Gimsøy section and Barents Sea Opening, AWI in the Fram Strait.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
We are expecting this project to generate numerous spin-off analyses of Atlantic Water transport suitable for educational projects from high-school to doctoral level. Project activities, particularly field work, will be publicised on a dedicated website. This project is ideally suited to public understanding of the significance of geographical connections between localities in a climate context.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data will be shared amongst all partners. Data management will be handled within the operating data management system at the organisation associated with each data site. Data collected by UK participants will be banked with national datacentre. All data will be fed to the ICES database and channelled through IPY databases.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
A joint Norwegian proposal will be submitted to the Norwegian National funding Agency. The Fram Strait, BSO and Svinøy sites are included in the DAMOCLES proposal. Funding for UK participation will be sought from public funds, primarily UK funding council NERC. We anticipate that a proportion of the project costs will be met in kind.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Each institute has a history in the maintenance of long time series along the path of Atlantic Water. This is apparent in the length of some of these records which extend back to the 1950s providing a valuable archive of change. There is also a pedigree of successful and productive collaboration between institutes on other projects over many years. Our proposed consortium is a natural development of established cooperation and not an artificial grouping for the purposes of IPY alone. Such a collaboration is essential to pursue a successful and internationally valuable scientific goal that spans a large geographic area.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Vigdis Tverberg
Norwegian Polar Institute
Polarmiljosenteret
TROMSO
9296
Norway

Tel: +47 77 75 05 41
Mobile: +47 41 47 43 23
Fax: +47 77 75 05 01
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation