Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

OCoc- from Ocean Colour to Organic Carbon  (Ococ)

Outline
Reports of enhanced coastal erosion, permafrost thawing, and higher river discharges in the Arctic regions have heightened concern about the potential impact of increased supply of terrigenous organic matter to arctic aquatic ecosystems. This study proposes to develop and apply remote sensing tools to measure the present environmental status – the spatial and temporal dynamics of organic matter input by rivers and coastal erosion. Ocean Colour satellite data (SeaWiFS (NASA), MODIS (NASA), MERIS (ESA)) will allow us to use the chromophoric dissolved organic matter (cDOM) fraction of the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) pool to trace the pathways of the terrigenous input during ice-free late-summer months. A circum-Arctic Ocean Colour satellite data-base will be collected from 1998 up to the present. An adapted atmospheric correction will be developed according to the optical conditions of the coastal Arctic atmosphere. Optical remote sensing analyses will be combined with biogeochemical field data and spectroradiometrical field measurements to investigate Arctic-specific optical correlations of water colour and biogeochemistry. The output will be spectral remote sensing algorithms for near-coast Arctic cDOM. These algorithms will be applied in the spectral processing of the atmospherically corrected satellite data to produce circum-Arctic remote sensing information on the organic matter pathways in the coastal zone.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Determination of organic matter input into coastal waters and its pathways in coastal surface waters. Assessment of the spatial and temporal dynamics during ice-free late summer months. Novel approach in processing Ocean Colour satellite data adapted to the optical conditions of the coastal Arctic atmosphere. Development of spectral remote sensing algorithms for near-coast Arctic cDOM. Interdisciplinary working task: by evaluating and validating remote sensing techniques using geochemical data from the field and from geoscientific data archives.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Arctic Circumpolar Observatory Network ACCO-Net, IPY #90 Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research AWI, Research Unit Potsdam, http://www.awi-bremerhaven.de/ Arctic Coastal Dynamic ACD, http://www.awi-potsdam.de/acd/

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Siberian Arctic coastal waters; Fieldwork along the Lena delta coastal areas within the frame of AWI and ACD-measurement programmes

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

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Ocean Colour satellite data from 1998 up, mainly free of charge. The data archive will be processed using an adapted atmospheric correction scheme. These circumarctic higher level satellite data will be freely accessible by the ACD-GIS. Small research vessel for coastal waters, based at Tiksi, Lena delta.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Circum-arctic Ocean Colour satellite data archive (raw and processed data) Protocol of optimized atmospheric correction for arctic coastal zones using NASASeaDAS and ESA BEAM software packages (freely available)

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

Fieldwork within the framework of the German-Russian bilateral activities in the Lena delta region. Support by national funding.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes - Arctic Circumpolar Observatory Network ACCO-Net framework Arctic Coastal Dynamics ACD framework, http://www.awi-potsdam.de/acd/

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?


This arctic Ocean Colou satellite study starts as a new arctic remote sensing project, however within the well established ACD framework

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be self-organised and managed as part of a nationally funded project. It will be based on the scientific expertise and technical facilities of the Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Research Unit Potsdam, Germany and the ACD geodata and ACD GIS-facilities.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The outreach activity will be the provision of freely available satellite maps.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The freely available satellite data will be stored as grid-components within the ACDGIS, and permanently and freely available managed and stored on the AWI data server using DOI-facilities.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Deutsche Forschungs Gesellschaft DFG (German national funding agency)

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Birgit Heim
Berlin Program for Equal Opportunities for Woman in Research
Potsdam, Telegrafenberg
14473
Germany

Tel: +49-(0)331-13 47
Mobile: no
Fax: +49-(0)331-1302
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation