Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Interferometric modelling and analysis of glaciomarine interactions along European ice coasts  (IMAGINE)

Outline
European ice coasts, i.e. those formed by glaciers extending into the sea, stretch for ca. 3,600 km and represent the most varied elements of the arctic coastline, which are shrinking under current environmental conditions. We still do not know whether the current retreat of most European tidewater glaciers (TWGs) and ice coasts is a result of the increased speed of ice loss processes at glacier fronts or decelerated influx of glacier ice to calving faces. The total ice discharge through European maritime glacier fronts on a continental scale remains largely uncertain and “…the representation of land-ice processes in global climate models remains rudimentary. In particular, we are lacking information on the most important maritime glacier areas” (IPCC 2001). The proposed IMAGINE project is concentrated on detailed topokinetic studies and enhanced morphological and rheological modelling along calving fronts of the largest European TWGs using satellite interferometry, altimetry and field surveys with the aim to improve the representation of land-ice processes and glaciomarine interactions in regional climate models. Special emphasis is placed on the interferometric analysis of glaciomarine interactions along ice coasts demonstrating different modes and rates of motion. The underlying concept of the research is to compensate the lack of reliable basic control and accurate reference models, which are needed for precise interferometric modelling of glacierized areas, with spaceborne altimetry and apply an original transferential approach to determining frontal velocities of calving glaciers by measuring the fast sea ice translation away from the shore due to the glacier flow. Major accent is put on the following objectives: · detecting, measuring, interpreting and inventorying changes of European ice coasts both in volumetric and fluxometric terms. Appraising interactions between glacier and fast sea ice and assessing other periglacial processes as additional indicators of coastal changes; · determining the total ice discharge through maritime glacier fronts and estimating glacier mass balance characteristics at both regional (Barents Sea region) and local (specific test sites) scale; ·visualization and full-value mapping of ice-coast dynamics, glacier regime, glaciomarine interactions and related processes in the form of satellite image maps, value-added interferometric products and controlled composites, scalable animated graphics, and basic layers for dynamic GIS; · promoting an observation technology and arguing an advanced concept for the long-term satellite monitoring of large maritime glacial complexes, assessing and forecasting main tendencies in the state of land-ice resources and related socio-economic impacts in response to climate change.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
A hypothesis of general thinning and accelerating of maritime glacier margins in the Barents Sea region will be verified, a new inventory of European ice coasts and their changes will be created, and the evidence of coastal changes or stability will be used for detailed comprehensive classification of ice coasts. The integral estimation of the present state and spatial changes of ice coasts at pan-European scale will be done for the first time in the history of their explorations. New generation of rheological models and image maps based on controlled value-added interferometric products will be developed and demonstrated.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Collaboration with the ongoing ACD initiative (co-ordinator Dr. V.Rachold) and IASC-WAG proposal GLACIODYN (co-ordinator Prof. H.Oerlemans) is foreseen. Data exchange with the Arctic & Antarctic Research Institute and the organisation of joint field campaigns with the Sevmorgeologiya Enterprise is planned. Coordination with other IPY and IASC activities will be detailed.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Shokal’skogo Glacier (Main Ice Sheet, North Novaya Zemlya), Renown Glacier (Tyndall Ice Cap, Franz Josef Land), Etonbreen (Austfonna, Svalbard) and several smaller tidewater glaciers at Jan-Mayen Island.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 04/07 – 07/07      04/08 - 09/08      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Ice strengthened research ship, transport helicopters, snow mobiles and precise geodetic/hydrographic equipment will be required. Travel expenses and the logistics available at polar stations in Svalbard (Ny Alesund) and Franz Josef Land (Krenkel) will be shared with ongoing research projects (e.g. ACD), student courses and other IPY initiatives.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
There are no activities planned that explicitly leave a legacy of infrastructure. The project foresees the complementary use of cartographic and hydrographic materials and national glacier inventories hold by partners. Multitemporal SAR imagery, altimetry data and long-term records from tide-gauge and meteorological stations will be used as well.

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

Joint field campaigns will be organized together with the Arctic & Antarctic Research Institute, Sevmorgeologiya Enterprise (both in St.Petersburg) and the Administration of Natural Park (Arkhangelsk). The required logistics for field campaigns in Svalbard will be provided by the NPI. Joanneum Research will supply geodetic devices for field surveys.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Russian national IPY committee and the administration of Joanneum Research have endorsed the IMAGINE project as a potential contribution to the cooperative research on “Climate change”. The project will be endorsed by Norwegian national IPY Committee and the IUGG Committee at the Austrian Academy of Sciences before June 2005.

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?
New

IMAGINE is a new autonomous proposal. RS data and some results from our previous INTEGRAL FP6 GMES and SIGMA CryoSat AO No.2611 projects can be useful for the proposed initiative.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The management organisation will be based on the FP6 standard scheme. Main decision making structures are steering committee, project coordinator, workpackage leaders, exploitation and data manager. Annual meetings and workshops will be used to review the project performance. The workplan, scientific transactions, administrative and financial management, and data management plan will be discussed in details during the EGU General Assembly in Vienna, April 2005.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The proposed research will provide an input for updating student courses in Svalbard and will serve a base for several diploma- and PhD studies. The IMAGINE project homepage will be established and supplied with FTP server. An electronic newsletter will be issued on a regular basis.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
RS data is partly available from parent projects. Output products, such as "New inventory of ice coasts in Europe” (NICE), glacier reference database and satellite image maps will be available for use outside the consortium. Metadata forms for glacierized coastal key sections will be submitted to the relevant databanks.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The project funding will be based on the financial contribution supplied by national funding organisations and own funds provided by each participating institution. Some support is anticipated from the ongoing projects funded by the European Commission.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
We are looking forward to collaborating with other IPY and IASC activities devoted to studying tidewater glaciers and are wishing to stress that the proposed research might substantially contribute to the proper maintenance and wider use of the ENVISAT, ICESat, CryoSat, TerraSAR and other operational and upcoming polar observation systems.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Aleksey Sharov
Wastiangasse 6, 8010 Graz


A-8010
Austria

Tel: +43 316 876 1745
Mobile: 0664 5838283
Fax: + 43 316 876 1720
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation