Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #139:Enhanced Northern Environmental Observations for IPY  (Enhanced Northern Environmental Observations for IPY)

Outline
This initiative intends to bring the sustained earth observation systems in Canada’s North and Arctic closer to national and international standards to ensure a fully operational basic observing network for the atmosphere, cryosphere, ocean, land surfaces and their ecosystems over the Canadian Arctic as the basis of Canada’s northern International Polar Year (2007-2009) program. It will add new multidisciplinary observatories, enhanced atmospheric observations critical for circumpolar analyses, and networks to identify major sources and pathways of airborne contaminants (radiological and non-radiological). It will provide long term observations to support sustainable development in these regions and provide assessments of the impacts of climate change and the development of adaptation measures and observations of key global climate processes occurring in the Canadian Arctic. Expansion of the current observing network to fill key thematic and regional gaps is essential for better analyses and assessments of current conditions and the impact of climate change. Existing and new partnerships with government departments, universities, industry and communities will be utilized to enhance the network. Remote sensing will be an essential component to extend the in situ observations to the broader spatial domain. Network enhancements to the reference climate station and hydrometric networks will be initiated. Cryospheric network improvements, including fast ice and snow depth water equivalent and permafrost will be complemented by development of new satellite products. The measurement program at Alert will be upgraded for gaseous and PM constituents, and toxic contaminants and allow the addition of remote sensing capability for gases and aerosols while Eureka plans to enhance the radiation and remote sensing measurements. The university sponsored Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) will be a permanent atmospheric research laboratory at Eureka, in conjunction with Environment Canada facilities. Both these stations will be upgraded in co-operation with the SEARCH program. GPS systems are planned to provide additional geodetic data in the north. Multidisciplinary reference sites or “supersites” have been recommended in international assessments (eg. IPCC, ACIA, AMAP) and by research Programmes (WCRP CliC and GEWEX, IGOS-P Water and Cryosphere) to provide circumpolar data to develop new knowledge on cold climate water, energy and carbon cycles, for model parameterization, satellite validation, and development of new integrated models of the climate system. Additional “northern environmental observatories” will provide transects in Canada’s northern regions to meet IPY science and provide on-going reference sites for multidisciplinary studies related to atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, biogeochemistry, ecology. The Canadian Arctic Network of Coastal observatories will complement these observatories in coastal zones and contribute to the international network. The proposal by Laval University for an integrated network of Automated Climatological and Geocryological Stations in the circum-Subarctic zone would be a logical component of this integrated observing system. Atmosphere-ice-ocean observations will be supported through the proposed development of an atmospheric chemistry measurement package to add future IBOs (Ice Based Observatories), as part of the OASIS project. These IBOs are expected to become the next generation of buoys deposed on the ice in the Arctic as part of the International Arctic Buoy Program (IABP). It will also provide ship based radiosonde capability to Canadian ships in polar regions during IPY to acquire atmospheric data for improved modelling of arctic weather and climate. This initiative recognizes the importance of remote sensing, and aims to provide broad distribution of processed RADARSAT imagery into the hands of a large number of international researchers and institutes to address improved knowledge of basin-wide and regional ice, ocean and atmospheric processes and allow refinement and validation of operational and climate models for improved weather and climate predictions, and assessment of impacts as well as improved operational ice monitoring and hazard warnings, and marine safety.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This activity will build on existing efforts to improve systematic environmental observations. It will provide: 1. Synoptic set of multidisciplinary observations to establish the status of polar environment (atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, ocean, ecosystems etc) during IPY and beyond. 2. Enhanced satellite and in-situ observation program to provide an affordable and effective monitoring network of multidisciplinary observations during IPY and beyond to detect climate change in the Arctic and to provide a benchmark for future change and further understanding of recent changes. 3. Acquisition of key data sets necessary to understand factors controlling change in polar environments. 4. Measurements will allow better definition of global linkages 5. A legacy of multidisciplinary observational network. 6. Production of improved products of key climate and environmental variables. 7. Develop and test parameterizations of important Arctic processes for use in numerical, climate and hydrological models. 8. Evaluate numerical models for climate prediction against observations from the Arctic marine, terrestrial, atmospheric and cryospheric environments. 9. Co-ordinated satellite imaging of Canada’s North during IPY 10. Establishment of 4-5 northern “Super sites” in different northern environments for scaling, process parameterization, model and remote sensing validation.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
These observing systems will be part of the global observing systems for atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere, ocean and terrestrial systems. They include new observatories for studying the northern ecosystems over the long term. They will contribute to GCOS/GOOS/GTOS goals and objectives and the observing systems of WMO. Where appropriate they will be made available on the GTS. It is an essential element of Canada’s contribution to GEOSS. Individual components contribute to international initiatives, such as SEARCH ( Study of Environmental Arctic Change) (Alert/Eureka enhancements and PEARL) and the Arctic Coastal Dynamics Program. It will contribute to other programs such as, WMO/GAW, Network for Detection of Stratospheric Change, and Network for Atmospheric/Biospheric Studies, WCRP/CliC Project and WCRP/CEOPII.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The primary target is Canada’s North, including the drainage basins flowing into the Arctic Ocean, Canadian Archipelago, Hudson Bay and Labrador Sea.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 04/05-03/10            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
This project will require installation and maintenance through existing national structures. This project will provide support facilities/infrastructures to support the science planned by IPY investigators nationally and internationally.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
This project is designed to be a legacy project, a contribution to GEOSS and associated activities. It contributes to many IPY science projects and themes

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

This project is led by departments within the Government of Canada and involves co-operation with university collaborators. Logistics will be provided largely through national operators.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project has been endorsed by Government of Canada departments which are funding the proposal. This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Northern Environmental Observatories (GEO)

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

This component is for new/enhanced observation systems/observatories, but within existing departmental observing programmes and collaborative university and territorial/provincial monitoring . As a contribution to GEOSS, the aim is to have these enhanced systems installed and operating for all or most of the IPY period and to continue beyond. The program will bring together Canadian networks in a more collaborative manner than the past to address IPY needs.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be organized and managed as a component of Canada’s contribution to GEOSS and IPY. Each department will be responsible for installing and operating their specific proposed networks through their existing network operations. Data and information management will meet IPY and GEOSS requirements. An IPY project committee will be address collaborative issues among network components, including regular reporting to meet Canadian IPY requirements.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Individual initiatives will address these issues as the project evolves. Each component will have their own method to address outreach, communication and education, as appropriate. National agencies will use their existing outreach, education and communication facilities to meet IPY needs.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data management is a key element of the observing strategy of each of the components proposed by the federal departments. Data will be made available through existing or new channels, and meet the needs of IPY projects. International exchange standards will be followed and data archives will meet international protocols. Some data will be on the GTS, other data will be made available through existing national systems (e.g. Meteorological Service of Canada). All data from observatories will meet IPY standards.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
This component is part of the GEOSS proposal and the IPY proposal seeking Government of Canada funding. Funding decisions are not yet known. New funds are required to meet the level of planned network enhancements

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
This projects aims to co-ordinate Canada’s observational enhancements for IPY – government, universities and other agency initiatives so that multidisciplinary observatories, enhanced specialty networks and Canada’s observing networks are co-ordinated nationally and allow co-ordination with international programs that would not be otherwise possible.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr  Barry Goodison
Meteorological Service of Canada
4905 Dufferin St., Downsview, Ontario
M3H 5T4
Canada

Tel: (416) 739-4345
Mobile: no
Fax: (416) 739-4265
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation