Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

GEOTRACES: An international study of the biogeochemical cycles of trace elements in the Arctic and Southern Oceans  (GEOTRACES Umbrella Expression of Interest)

Outline
The community of marine biogeochemists is developing a new international research initiative (the GEOTRACES program) that aims to identify, characterize and quantify processes that control the distribution of key trace elements and isotopes (TEIs) in the global ocean and their sensitivity to changing environmental conditions. Doing so will elucidate the supply of micronutrients to phytoplankton, contaminant dispersal in the ocean, and tracers of past and present ocean conditions. This initiative is prompted by the increasing recognition that TEIs are playing a crucial role as regulators and recorders of important biogeochemical and physical processes that control the structure and productivity of marine ecosystems, the dispersion of contaminants in the marine environment, the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and global climate. The primary objectives for the global GEOTRACES program are: •Determine global ocean distributions of selected TEIs •Evaluate the oceanic sources, sinks, and internal cycling of these TEIs and thereby characterize more completely their global biogeochemical cycles •Provide a baseline distribution as reference for assessing past and future changes. Specific objectives for polar GEOTRACES research include: •Characterize sources, sinks and internal cycling of trace elements that serve as essential micronutrients, including sources of material delivered to the ocean by rivers (primarily Arctic) and by glacial weathering (primarily Antarctic) of adjacent land masses •In collaboration with companion IPY initiatives, establish the role of micronutrient trace elements in regulating the structure and variability of polar marine ecosystems, with implications for interests ranging from fisheries (primarily Arctic) to the ocean-atmosphere exchange of carbon dioxide (primarily Southern Ocean). The IPY offers the opportunity to obtain synoptic TEI distributions among all major Polar ocean basins. The strong projects that have been proposed for the synoptic studies (Arctic and Antarctic) within IPY will offer the hydrographic and biological context that is needed for a robust interpretation of the TEI fields. Individual IPY – GEOTRACES proposals (EoIs) have been submitted to ICSU to: •Make GEOTRACES part of the synoptic studies planned for the polar oceans •Arctic: join forces with SNAPSHOT, SPACE, SEARCH and CARE, under the coordination of iAOOS, to achieve a detailed picture and improved understanding on the distribution of trace elements and their isotopes along - shelf-deep basin sections - sections across major pathways of Arctic ocean circulation •Southern Ocean: join forces with complementary IPY projects in physical and biological oceanography to perform multiple transects. Present options are: - Three dedicated GEOTRACES sections across “chokepoints” constraining the flow of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current: (1) an international program (BONUS; on a French vessel) studying together the South African margin/upwelling effect on water masses and the GoodHope/CLIVAR section down to 50°S, 0°W, (2) an international program aboard the Polarstern (German research vessel) connecting with the BONUS transect along 0° W and also working across the Drake Passage, and (3) a US study south of New Zealand. - Ancillary meridional sections where micronutrient cycling can be studied within the context of other programs (e.g., SASSI, CLIVAR, SCACE) - Both dedicated and ancillary cruises would be coordinated under the CASO (Climate in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean) umbrella to maximize interdisciplinary benefits from Southern Ocean research during the IPY.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 1-Present environmental status: This multidisciplinary study will establish the interplay of physical and geochemical processes that regulate the supply of essential micronutrients to polar marine ecosystems, with implications for the physiological state (health) of these ecosystems, their spatial and temporal patterns of variability, and their impact on carbon storage and export to the deep sea. Theme 2-Understand past changes: Trace elements contained in marine sediments provide important information about past changes in ocean circulation, biological productivity and carbon fluxes. Ground-truthing of existing geochemical paleoceanographic proxies and development of new ones for polar environments will improve our understanding of past changes in these sensitive regions. Theme 3-Links to other regions: Processes in the Arctic Ocean precondition the headwaters of meridional overturning ocean circulation in the North Atlantic. TEIs are used to trace modern water masses in this region, and to quantify past variability of these processes, for which climate impacts are felt throughout the northern hemisphere and, perhaps, globally. Processes in the Southern Ocean regulate the supply of nutrients to tropical ocean regions (impacting fisheries) and the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere (impacting climate). The sensitivity of these processes to the availability of trace elements (micronutrients) will be established. Theme 4-Frontiers: A complex interplay of physical and chemical conditions influences the unique character of polar marine ecosystems. This work provides an essential component of an interdisciplinary study that will establish the sensitivity of polar marine ecosystems to changing environmental conditions, and the implications for global biogeochemical cycles of carbon and related substances.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
GEOTRACES is an international project under development, which has been initiated by an international consortium of scientists (Organizing Committee: R. Anderson, USA; R. Francois, Canada; M. Frank, Switzerland/Germany; G. Henderson, UK; C. Jeandel, France). A science plan is being written by a larger group of scientists with funding from SCOR (ICSU) and will be available for public comment in January 2005. Collaboration with other projects is described in Sections 1.3 and 3.6.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Arctic: Multiple transects across the major Arctic shelves and basins as per the umbrella proposal iAOOS (integrated Arctic Ocean Observing System), which includes SNAPSHOT/SPACE/SEARCH and proposes a synoptic and interdisciplinary study of the Arctic Ocean.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/07 – 09/07      06/08 – 09/08      
Antarctic: 3/07 – 3/09            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Ice-breakers, ice strengthened research ship, remotely operated vehicles, satellites. Dedicated trace-metal clean facilities aboard ships, including rosettes, winches, and lab vans.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
GEOTRACES will develop new technologies for sampling and analysis of seawater for trace elements and isotopes (e.g., see Zero&Drake EoI submitted by GEOTRACES investigators in Germany and the Netherlands), but will not leave infrastructure deployed in the ocean upon completion of the program.

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?
Individual EoIs under this umbrella have been submitted for review at the national level. We anticipate approval of the international GEOTRACES Science Plan by SCOR and ICSU in Summer 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?
Exp

This project will be an integral part of the international GEOTRACES program, which aims to conduct a global study of the marine biogeochemical cycles of trace elements and their isotopes. Approximately 200 scientists from more than 15 nations have participated in GEOTRACES planning activities to date.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The national GEOTRACES committees will work in close association with the international GEOTRACES Scientific Steering Committee, which will oversee an International Program Office (IPO) and a Data Management System.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
One of the central objectives of the GEOTRACES program is education, building and maintaining a core community of marine scientists who understand and are able to integrate the chemical, physical and biological processes regulating the distribution and properties of TEIs well enough to exploit them reliably in future interdisciplinary studies. Outreach and communication will be conducted through various media outlets, internet, brochures and by promoting school participation through interactive distance learning websites.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data management for this project will be handled through the international GEOTRACES Data Assembly Center under the supervision of a Data Management Committee, which will handle data from all countries participating in the GEOTRACES program.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
GEOTRACES- will seek funding from appropriate national funding programs.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
GEOTRACES investigators are submitting 5 separate EoI documents to participate in the IPY: (1) this umbrella document, (2) GEOTRACES in the Arctic, (3) BONUS-GoodHope (Antarctic), (4) U.S. GEOTRACES in the Southern Ocean, and (5) ZERO&DRAKE (Antarctic). These projects will be coordinated within the global context of the international GEOTRACES program. Anticipated Arctic collaborations within IPY are with SPACE (Germany), SNAPSHOT and SEARCH (Study of Environmental Arctic Change) (USA), coordinated in iAOOS (coordinator R. Dickson, UK). GEOTRACES research in the Southern Ocean will be integrated with complementary physical and biological studies (e.g., CLIVAR/ GoodHope, iAnZone/SASSI, SCACE) under the supervision of the CASO (Climate in Antarctica and the Southern Ocean) umbrella.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Robert Anderson
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
P. O. Box 1000
Palisades, NY+1 845 365 8508
10964
USA

Tel: +1 845 365 8508
Mobile: no
Fax: +1 845 365 8155
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation