Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

SOChIC – A multidisciplinary study in the Pacific Sector of the Southern Ocean and in the Ross Sea.  (SOChIC – Southern Ocean Chokepoints - an Italian Contribution)

Outline
Under the scientific umbrella of CASO (Climate in Antarctica and Southern Ocean), SOChIC provides an internationally, integrated, and multidisciplinary field activity in the Pacific Sector of the Southern Ocean (hereafter named SOChIC section), and along a series of transects radiating outwards across the Ross Sea continental shelf and slope. The SOChIC section extends from north of the SubAntarctic Front to the Antarctic coast at 170°W, crossing the western limb of the Ross Gyre, including the sea-ice zone and the continental slope and shelf. The field activity will include physical (CTD/O, LADCP, tracers,…), biogeochemical (e.g. nutrients, trace elements and micronutrients, carbon, isotopic measurements of export flux, DMS), and biological (primary production, pigments, bio-optics, fast repetition rate fluoromoter, acoustic,…) measurements. This section (synoptic with similar sections at the “chokepoints” of the Southern Ocean) will be preceded and followed by two high density XBT sections and a number of drifter releases, from New Zealand to Antarctica, performed by RV-ITALICA during its route to and from the Italian Base. The field activity, including a continuous acquisition of sea-surface data and state-of-the-art meteorological sensors, will be integrated by time series trough deployment of moorings, bottom pressure sensors and sea level tide gauges. SOChIC will interpret collected data using global OGC and biogeochemical models. In particular, SOChIC will add value to the CASO strategy for: 1. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean in the global water cycle To quantify the high-latitude contributions to the global water cycle, to determine the sensitivity of the water cycle to climate change and variability, and to identify the impact of changes in the high latitude water cycle on the rest of the globe. 2. Southern hemisphere teleconnections To understand the climate connections between low and high latitudes; to determine the role of air-ice-ocean interactions in southern hemisphere variability and change; and to assess the sensitivity of the modes of variability to future change. 3. Climate processes at the Antarctic continental margin To improve our understanding of ocean-ice-atmosphere interactions and ice shelf stability; to obtain a snapshot of the circumpolar distribution of the complex system of coastal, shelf and slope currents; to quantify the production rate of Antarctic Bottom Water and implement an observing system. 4. Climate–ecosystem–biogeochemistry interactions in the Southern Ocean To understand the impact of climate variability and change on Southern Ocean ecosystems, biodiversity and biogeochemical cycles, including the role of the Southern Ocean in the CO2 cycle.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
SOChIC contributes to CASO, the integrated-interdisciplinary plan for synoptic observations of the Southern Ocean environment during the IPY. In this framework SOChIC: will document temporal and spatial variability of Southern Ocean climate, ecosystems, and their interactions (Theme 1: present environmental status of the polar regions); aims to understand, interpret and predict climate variability and change in the southern polar regions and its impact on Antarctic and global processes (Theme 2: to understand change and improve predictions); will address teleconnections between polar and lower latitudes, between the ocean basins (Theme 3: polar – global teleconnections).

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
SOChIC is a contribution to the large and regional scale coverage of the Southern Ocean, and it originated from CASO umbrella. Part of such cooperation occurs within large international projects as BONUS and SASSI. The SOChIC activity will be carried on by research groups of different countries (Italy, Australia, France, U.K.).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
SOChIC is focussed on the Pacific sector of the Southern Ocean, south and southeast New Zealand (along the meridian 170°W), from north of the SubAntarctic Front to the Antarctic coast, crossing the western limb of the Ross Gyre, including the sea ice zone, the Ross Sea continental slope and shelf.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 01/07 – 02/07      01/08 – 03/08      

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The SOChIC field activity is, almost exclusively, ship-based. Specific facilities required include full equipped ice breaker (RV ITALICA), drifters, profiling floats, moorings, meteorological observations. All such facilities can be shared and managed with other projects participating to the IPY.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
SOChIC cooperating with CASO strategy will leave a legacy of a design for an observing system on the Antarctic margin for future multidisciplinary studies and the first circumpolar synoptic data set on the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, on the Antarctic continental shelf and slope against which future changes can be assessed.

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
YES. The SOChIC proposal is part of CASO strategy which is endorsed internationally by CLIVAR/CliC/SCAR Southern Ocean Implementation Panel.

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

SOChIC is a project contributing to the goals of CASO, it addresses questions put forward as a science focus for international programs as CLIVAR, GEOTRACES, GoodHope, BONUS, and SASSI. SOChIC is a substantial extension and improvement of the existing - over more than ten years - Italian CLIMA project.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The existing management structure of the Italian CLIMA project will play a coordination role for SOChIC project. This structure will interact with the CLIVAR/CliC/SCAR SO Panel (which will play a coordination and integration role for the whole CASO strategy) and with the other partner projects. We will plan regular meetings and workshops during the two years long activity, also associated with the ongoing Ross Sea International Conferences sponsored by the Italian project.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Following the previous experiences of the Italian CLIMA project, SOChIC will continue and improve the outreach activities to the three Italian Antarctic Museums (Genova, Siena, and Trieste), the students – young scientists exchange program, and the funding of graduate study grants within the Italian PhD for Polar Science (Siena University).

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The entire data set will be stored - in WOCE format - in a common data bank managed by the partner projects. After a limited period of restricted use by the investigators involved in SOChIC project, the complete data set will be available to the scientific community with any limitation.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Each partner project of SOChIC will seek funding at national and international level. The Italian components of SOChIC will submit priority a funding proposal to the Italian funding agency for Antarctic Research for the 2006-08 triennium, which will furnish also the main logistic support (e.g. ship time and logistic teams).

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Pro Giancarlo Spezie
Università di Napoli “Parthenope”
Via De Gasperi, 5
Napoli
80133
Italy

Tel: 0039 081 5476586
Mobile: 0039 335 6270076
Fax: 0039 081 5513679
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation