Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Regional assessment of polar terrestrial water and carbon cycle interactions using global satellite remote sensing and ecosystem modeling  (Remote sensing of polar water and carbon cycle dynamics)

Outline
Polar biomes contain much of the global terrestrial carbon reservoir and are currently undergoing significant change coinciding with recent and persistent climatic warming including melting permafrost and deepening soil active layer depths; advances in the timing and length of seasonal growing seasons; increased vegetation growth and alteration of land-atmosphere exchanges of both carbon dioxide and methane. These changes could result in large net carbon emissions to the atmosphere, reinforcing regional and global warming. Alternatively, recent warming trends may be enhancing carbon sequestration through increased vegetation growth, potentially offsetting losses from decomposition and respiration processes. Much of the potential response of the system involves the interplay between carbon uptake from plant net primary production (NPP) and carbon losses from respiration and volatilization processes, which, in turn depend on regional hydrology including soil moisture, snow cover and runoff processes. Our proposed International Polar Year activities will be to synthesize and apply the current wealth of multi-sensor and multi-platform global satellite remote sensing within a dynamic ecosystem process modeling framework to assess spatial patterns, temporal variability and recent trends in surface energy, carbon and hydrological cycles and their interactions. Our initial investigations over Alaska and the pan-Arctic basin indicate that NPP has generally increased over the polar region since the early 1980’s, primarily through enhanced photosynthesis and a lessening of low temperature constraints to plant growth. Model simulations are generally consistent with satellite remote sensing observations of increasing NPP and photosynthetic leaf area for the region, but model simulations also indicate that decomposition of previously recalcitrant soil organic carbon is accelerating with regional warming, which is enhancing NPP through increases in plant available nitrogen. These changes, however, are also an indication that the polar terrestrial carbon cycle is accelerating. We will build on these initial investigations by combining satellite active-passive microwave remote sensing of surface moisture and temperature controls to heterotrophic respiration with greater precision satellite optical-NIR remote sensing from recent NASA EOS sensors. This new information will improve regional assessments of the major environmental drivers of soil respiration rates and allow satellite based assessment of net carbon exchange. We will also be active participants in several new landscape level field and modeling studies in Alaska designed to improve our understanding of surface moisture as a control on tundra carbon cycle dynamics, and our ability to identify and scale critical processes to the level of global models and satellite remote sensing.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Improved representation of polar environments in global ecosystem models; Global satellite remote sensing algorithms and data sets directed at improved regional characterization of polar landscapes; A mechanism for regional assessment and monitoring of net ecosystem production for the global tundra from global satellite remote sensing.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
Our proposed activities are integrative and span the entire pan-Arctic region.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Intensive field activities will be conducted primarily across the Alaskan North Slope at Barrow, Atqasuk and Ivotuk in conjunction with existing NSF and NASA funded projects (Kimball and Oechel, PIs).

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 05/2005 - 09/2005      05/2006 - 09/2006      05/2007 - 09/2007
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Flux towers, chambers, light aircraft, satellites (MODIS, AMSR-E, SSM/I, SMMR, Radarsat, JERS, ERS, AVHRR), computer processing and storage facilities.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project modeling and remote sensing activities will leave a legacy of satellite remote sensing algorithms and global models that are directed toward improved characterization of polar terrestrial environments. The legacy will also include a wealth of information on tundra carbon and water cycle dynamics from intensive field based investigations on the Alaskan North slope.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
National agency

All of the infrastructure and logistical support for this effort is being provided through existing NSF and NASA funded investigations by the research team, and interactions with regional organizations including the BARROW BEO, University of Alaska-Fairbanks

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project has been endorsed through peer-review and successful funding from national agencies including the National Science Foundation and National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be managed through our existing NSF and NASA funded project activities.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Education and outreach will occur through our existing funded projects.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
All data will be archived and available online through existing agencies including NASA ESIP activities at the University of Montana; the ORNL-DAAC; NSF and the National Snow and Ice Data Center.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding for the project has already been aquired through NASA and NSF.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr John Kimball
Flathead Lake Biological Station, The University of Montana
311 Biostation Lane
Polson MT
59860-9659
USA

Tel: 406-982-3301 (ext. 2
Mobile: no
Fax: 406-982-3201
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation