Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

THE OCEANIC MARGINS TO THE EAST AND WEST OF THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA. A US contribution to SASSI (Synoptic Antarctic Shelf-Slope Interactions Study), an iAnZone IPY Project  (Antarctic Peninsula Margins [APM])

Outline
The ocean margins surrounding Antarctica contribute a significant amount of the dense waters that ventilate the bottom 2 km of the global ocean. These waters are formed and escape the margins by processes that are small in scale relative to the ocean basins. Their characteristics vary markedly, as a function of the small-scale processes, with location about Antarctica. Two of the regions showing particularly large contrasts, and also situated in close proximity with one another, lie directly east and west of the Antarctic Peninsula. Processes in the western margin of the Weddell Sea, along the eastern Antarctic Peninsula, account for a significant proportion of circumpolar dense, deep water formation. Waters in the eastern Bellingshausen Sea, along the western Peninsula, contrast sharply and are insufficiently dense to descend to the adjacent sea floor. The Weddell and Bellingshausen seas mark the two poles of the Antarctic dipole mode, which impacts meteorological, sea ice and oceanic conditions along the ocean margins. Consequently, conditions east and west of the Peninsula should behave out of phase with each other. Intensive field programs, including ISW, DOVETAIL and ISPOL in the east, and GLOBEC and LTER in the west, have addressed regional conditions along the margins east and west of the Peninsula. There has never been, however, a field program simultaneously addressing the spatial and temporal scales needed for us to observe and understand the relations of these two regions to each other and to the larger scale atmospheric forcing. The US research group proposes to focus on these two sectors of the Antarctic margin. This focus will provide a contribution to SASSI, and the field aspects are consistent with the SASSI Eoi. - Transects of closely-spaced CTD/LADCP stations, including tracer and chemical analyses and observations of vertical turbulent parameters, extending from the coastline to the lower continental slope. - Deployment of moored instruments to measure temperature, salinity, currents and sea level for at least one year along the CTD/LADCP transects. - Deployment of ice-hardened surface drifters to measure temperature, salinity, sealevel pressure and location, across coastal and shelf break current systems. - Deployment of acoustically-tracked, subsurface floats and temperature-salinity profilers beneath the seasonal sea ice during winter. - Air-sea heat and freshwater flux measurements. - Swath bathymetric surveys of the complex shelf and slope seafloor topography. - Observation and modeling of tidal currents.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 1: US-SASSI will provide a unique synoptic snapshot of the Antarctic continental shelf and slope environment, including physical (iAnZone), biogeochemical (GEOTRACES, SOLAS, IMBER) and biodiversity (CoML, GLOBEC) measurements: a legacy against which to measure future change.Theme 2: US-SASSI aims to understand and parameterise the continental shelf and slope processes that are currently absent from climate models, yet are critical to understanding global climate variability. Theme 3: US-SASSI will investigate the coupling the margins around Antarctic Peninsula to the Antarctic Dipole Mode which is itself coupled to ENSO. Theme 4: US-SASSI will make observations in regions never previously studied. The first sub-ice observations, through moored instrumentation, under-ice floats, and AUV/ROVs, are likely to radically alter our view of the Antarctic system.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The program represents a US contribution to iAnZone SASSI, to which many countries will contribute [See SASSI Eoi].

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The oceanic margins, extending from the coastline seaward to the lower continental slope at approximately 3000 m depth, along the western and eastern Antarctic Peninsula. Overall meridional boundaries are to be from 50 to 80 deg W.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 01-03/2008 primary sections      03/2007 - 03/2009 moored instrumentation      03/2007 - 03/2009 under ice floats and surface drifters

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
A research icebreaker or ice-strengthened research vessel will be required for use in varying concentrations of sea ice to make observations along the CTD/LADCP transects and to deploy and recover moorings, coastal meteorological sensors and drifting buoys. The observation program, and especially instrument deployments, can be greatly enhanced through use of vessel-based helicopters, use of which has proven indispensable during other recent programs such as ISPOL. Observations linked to other related programs, such as GEOTRACERS and sea ice research being planned through IPAB, may be possible from the vessel on a time available basis. Availability of helicopters can greatly enhance participation by other projects, especially, those related to sea ice.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
SASSI will leave a legacy of a design for a climate observing system on the Antarctic continental shelf and slope.

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

We will seek support from the Office of Polar Programs of the US National Science Foundation.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The US contribution to iAnZone SASSI was presented at the July 2004 iAnZone meeting where the SASSI umbrella program was developed.

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

This will be a new project while at the same time comprising an essential contribution to the existing, overarching SASSI plan. It builds logically upon the results of prior field efforts including DOVETAIL and ISPOL east of the Peninsula and GLOBEC to the west.

How will the project be organised and managed?
SASSI, of which this project will be a dedicated component, is sixth in a sequence that has been developed and coordinated through iAnZone and that has included Ice Station Weddell, AnzFlux, DOVETAIL, ISPOL and AnSlope. The international iAnZone steering committee will provide project oversight through representation on the appropriate national committees. The program will be coordinated with the CASO IPY program.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
The Office of Polar Programs, U.S. National Science Foundation, sponsors a variety of outreach and educational programs. Additionally, each of the participating institutions similar activities as required by the U.S. research funding agencies.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
CASO (see the CASO Eoi) serves as an IPY umbrella to many other proposed IPY programs such as iAnZone's SASSI, GEOTRACES; GOODHOPE.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Proposal[s] to the US National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Robin Muench
1910 Fairview Avenue East, Suite 210
Seattle, WA 98102
98102
USA

Tel: +1 206 726-0522
Mobile: no
Fax: +1 206 726-0524
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation