Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Subpolar glaciers network as natural sensors of global warming evolution  (SUGLANET: SUbpolar GLAciers NETwork)

Outline
The existence of flows and drainages both endoglacier and subglacier in the subpolar glaciers has been observed. As much length and wet perimeter of endoglacier pipes much melting friction. Explorations show the importance of lenght of endoglacier conduits, for example more than 500 meters long in Svalbard, Greenland and Ellemere between 71ºN and 79ºN of latitude. It is nevertheless true that discharges of temperate glaciers (1–1.2 m3/seg km2) are bigger than those one coming from subpolar glaciers (0.2–0.3 m3/seg km2), but also it is true that extension of subpolar glaciers (+/-750000 km2) is much more bigger than extension of temperate glaciers (+/-70000 km2). Our working hypothesis is based on considering that the role played by the discharge of subpolar glaciers due to the global warming could be as important as those coming out of temperated glaciers. For that our proposal is to implement experimental pilot catchment areas able to register glacier discharge continuosly, recordering time series with hourly cycletime of different hydraulic parameters (water level, conductivity, water temperature, redox, pH, solid contents). Later using correlative and spectral analysis between input time series (meteorological parameters as air temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, solar radiation) and output time series (hidrological parameters) we establish their characteristics in the time and frequency domains. The use of cross correlogram for temperature and discharge, for example, will define the influence of air temperature in glacier discharge, as well as its law of time distribution, which means the glacier answer to weather changes and global warming. In former research we began at 2001 to develop the GLACE Project: “GLAciers, Cryokarst and Environment” (Proyecto GLACKMA, in Spanish). At the moment we have implemented 4 experimental pilot catchement areas: Iceland at 64ºN and Patagonia at 51ºS in temperated glaciers and Svalbard at 79ºN and Insular Antarctica at 62ºS in subpolar glaciers. In all them the discharge glacier is registering continuously for studing also the effect of latitude in front of global warming. The proposal presented here means maintain operating continuously those 4 experimental catchment areas, generating time series with cicle time hourly for studying the evolution on time of global warming. Also to implement new more pilot stations (at less one in the Antarctic Peninsula at S 63º 24’ near ECARE, another in the Eastern Antarctica at 71ºS near Novolazarevskaya and another one around 70ºN latitude) for studying the distribution on latitude of the global warming.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Establishment of a network of pilot stations measuring glacier discharge in different latitudes in both hemispheres. This network will be enlarged successively -Define on time the exponential funtion that described the increase of specific glacier discharge in every station -Find the correlation between glacier discharge with solar radiation, air temperature and another meteorological parameters using correlative and spectral analysis -Compare specific discharge glacier for several laitutes in both hemispheres and its time evolution applied to prediction models of sea rise level -Estimation of physico-chemical characteristics of subpolar waters (Eh, pH) and its influence in the hydrolisis processes on bed rocks

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Due to location of catchment areas we establish agreements with: -Uruguayan Antarctic Institute -Russian Academy of Natural Sciences -Moscow Geographical Institute -Korea Antarctic Research Program -Water Division, XII Region of Chile -Norks Polar Instittut, Ny-Alesund -Laboratoire Souterraine Moulis, -CNRS-, France -Icland Geosurvey q2_1_Location : 1) Catchment areas already implemented: -Kiviarjökull, 64ºN in Iceland -Austrelovenbreen, 79ºN in Svalbard -Collins glacier in King George Island, 62ºS 2) New pilot catchment areas: -Antarctic Peninsula, S 63º 24’ ECARE -Eastern Antarctica, 71ºS, Novolazarevskaya -About 70ºN polar circle (searching)

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
1) Catchment areas already implemented: -Kiviarjökull, 64ºN in Iceland -Austrelovenbreen, 79ºN in Svalbard -Collins glacier in King George Island, 62ºS 2) New pilot catchment areas: -Antarctic Peninsula, S 63º 24’ E

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/07 – 09/07      07/08 – 09/08      
Antarctic: 11/07 – 02/08      11/08 – 02/09      

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Logistic suppor and facilities required for this project are coordinated with the agreements that we have with the Polar Institutions enumerated in point 1.7 of this document. They are: existing field stations (Artigas, King Sejong, ECARE, Novolazarevskaya, Ny-Alesund), snow terrain vehicles and ship/air transport for approximation to place of work.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
All the monitoring stations implemented in the pilot catchment areas will be remain registering time series of glacier discharge for future. Due to our working pilot catchment area implemented in Austrelovenbreen, near Ny-Alesund (Svalbard), Kings Bay SA management has offered to Spain rent a building in Ny-Alesund as research station.

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

Required logistic will be secured with the agreements that we have with Polar Institutions enumerated in point 1.7 of this document: Uruguayan, Russian and Korean for Antarctic, and French, Icelandic, and Norwegian in Arctic.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Though this project is an international collaboration as the leader is Spanish, it is endorsed by the Spanish IPY Committee before being presented to International IPY Committee.

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

This project is an existing plan that began at 2001: GLACE Project: “GLAciers, Cryokarst and Environment” (Proyecto GLACKMA: “GLAciares, CrioKarst y Medio Ambiente”, in Spanish). The first phase of the project has been developped during 2001-2004 and now begins the second pahse in 2005.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be organised and managed as we have made during the first phase of GLACE Project abovementioned. It is based on coordination between the scientifics of the Institutions enumerated in point 1.7, and research developped for different groups. Logistic required is also always coordinate with those Polar Institutions including it in their own program of activities and seeing the possibility of increasing the scientific groups and works developped. In this way we have been working during the first phase of GLACE Project and now we have research coordinated with Uruguayan, Russian, French, Korean, Norwegian, Chilean, Germany and Icelandic. q3_3_EOCplan : -Develop of doctoral thesis, postgraduate projects and student workshops -Elaboration of book chapters, monographic publications, videos, conferences and media -Web-site during the develop of expeditions with photos and daily reports scientific and outreach-education -Update lectures of the official teaching programmes in Universities according to the results of expeditions

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Time series of glacier discharge -cycletime hourly- generating on all pilot catchment areas implemented will be used in two ways: -Issued by the different scientifc groups of countries involved in the project -Included in the international data organisation through the Spanish Meteorological Institute in the Ministry of Environment.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
As this project it will be part of the second phase of GLACE Project, that begins at 2005, it is proposed to fund through the Spanish Meteorological Institute included in the Ministry of Environment and through the National Program of Ministry of Education and Science in Spain.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Project also includes those complementary topics: -Comparative studies between discharge glacier versus calving of tide water glaciers in King George. Coordinate with the Institute of Geophysisc, WWU-Münster (Germany) -Comparation between glacier discharge and modelled/measured mass balance. Coordinate with the Center for Remote Sensing on Land Applications of Bonn University (Germany) -Quantification at the present time the dinamic conditions of solid transport generated by glacier discharge in Marian cove (near King Sejong Sation) and its relation with paleoclimatic registration and for biological research. Coordinate with Korea Antarctic Research Program.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Pro Adolfo Eraso
ETSIM, Polythecnical University of Madrid, Spain
Fundación Gómez Pardo, C/Alenza 1,
Madrid
28003
Spain

Tel: +34 91 3366456
Mobile: +34 629318770
Fax: +34 923600637
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation