Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #204:Atmospheric inputs of mercury to the polar ocean: rates, significance and outlook  (ATMER)

Outline
The atmosphere is increasingly being recognised as a key vector for transport, in gaseous and aerosol form, as metals, particularly mercury (Hg), organic compounds, including organic pollutants. Atmospheric inputs of Hg are increased by cold water temperatures, which drive the equilibrium of air and water phases towards the later. Consequently, polar oceans have a great potential to act as recipients of mercury from the atmosphere. This potential has not yet fully realised, as much of the polar oceans, both in the Southern Ocean and Arctic Seas, have been shielded from these inputs by the ice cover. Yet, the extent of sea ice is currently being reduced in both the Southern Ocean and the Arctic Seas, and is predicted to decline further as a result of global warming. This does not only increases greatly the surface area available for dynamic air-sea exchanges of mercury, but also may abruptly deliver mercury, organic carbon and associated pollutants accumulated in sea ice over time. Furthermore the Hg could be methylated by organismes and transfert through the food chain or returned to the atmosphera photo-oxidated by light. The Hg projet will be part of the ATOS project which aims are to investigate the increasing role of air-sea exchanges of materials in the polar sea by (1) quantifying the atmospheric inputs of organic carbon and key organic and inorganic pollutants both in aerosol and gaseous phases; (2) elucidating the role of sea ice cover in controlling these rates and the inputs associated to sea ice melting; (3) evaluating the fate of the materials, by assessing their use by biota and transference up the food webs, and (4) evaluating the effects on microplankton as the entry points of the materials in the food web, through evaluations of cell contamination, cell mortality in relation to pollutant inputs and parallel increases in ultraviolet raditation dosage, and the evaluation of the effect of the carbon and pollutants on planktonic primary production and community respiration.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project will greatly advance current knowledge on the relevance of air-sea interactions for the chemical changes, and flow of mercury, of pelagic polar ecosystems, as well as provide a basis to forecast the effects of future reductions of sea icea in polar seas and oceans on the contamination of the pelagic ecosystems. Moreover, as the atmospheric materials that enter the sea in polar regions are likely to be introduced elsewhere, primarily on land, this research will provide novel insights onto the role of the atmosphere as a vector linking loading of mercury, as well as organic carbon and other pollutants in temperate and tropical latitudes and the inputs of these materials to polar seas and oceans. Moreover, the process-based examination of the response of the base of the food chain, microplankton, to these inputs will allow formulation of models to forecast responses to future scenarios

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The Hg project through the European ATOS project will involve close international collaborations, under the umbrella of the OASIS (Ocean-Atmosphere-Sea Ice-Snowpack Interactions) international program, involving scientists from the USA, France, Italy and other countries. In addition, the project will contribute to the SOLAS (Surface Ocean Lower Atmosphere Study) program of the IGBP program. Contacts have been initiated with both these programs and with other Canadian scientist

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Field activities will be conducted in the Southern Ocean (Antarctic Peninsula, Weddel and Belinghausen Seas) and the Canadian Arctic Seas

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 07/2007 - 09/2007            
Antarctic: 01/2008 - 03/2008            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
In collaboration with the ATOS project we will use an Ice strengthened research ships in both the Arctic and the Southern Ocean, and land-based stations in the Southern Ocean. These resources can be shared with other projects. In the case of the research ship this is pending of compatibility with the cruise plan.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will leave a data base of air-sea fluxes of mercury in polar seas which could be used as a base line for future studies.

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

The ATMER project will be submitted to the Canadian Network of Hg and trough the ATOS project will be submitted to the Spanish National Program of Polar Research for funding, and will be coordinated internationally with the OASIS and SOLAs programs as indicated above

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes, the project will be submitted for endorsement at the national level. Confirmation of endorsement will be added to this EoI when available

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

The project is a new autonomous proposal but will draw on results derived during the COMERN project (2001-2006), run in Canada, and will be articulated with COMERN-2 and the ATOS program and OASIS program, a component of the SOLAS program

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be managed through a nested arrays of structures through COMERN-2, and ATOS with the OASIS program, a component of the SOLAS program, will be managed through the steering committees of these international programs. The ATOS program will also be managed through its own steering committee, composed of representatives of the different participant institutions in Spain and Canada. A general coordinator of the ATOS program will act as the link between the steering committees of the international programs and that of the ATOS program

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The ATOS programs will use results delivered from the ICEPOS projects (2003-2005) to produce a position paper informing the public of the role of air-sea interactions as a vector for the input of organic matter, mercury and other pollutants to polar seas

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Through ATOS, as a future component of the international OASIS program, and a component of the SOLAS program, the data obtained during the ATMER program will comply to the open-access policy of IGBP and ICSU, and will be made available through the data bases maintained by these programs. In addition, data will be made available through the data bank of projects run under Canada and the Spanish Polar Research National Programme

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The ATMER project will be submitted to the Canadian Mercury Network (COMERN-2) and ATOS program will be submitted for funding to the Spanish Polar Research National Programme

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Pro Dolors Planas
GEOTOP-UQAM-McGill
University of Quebec at Montreal
C.P. 8888 suc "Centre Ville" Montreal, QC
H3P 3P8
Canada

Tel: 514 987 4080
Mobile: no
Fax: 514 987 3635
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation