Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Campaign for Airborne Sounding of the Ice Sheets  (CASIS)

Outline
We propose to develop precise, robust and cost-effective technologies for wide coverage probing of the depths of the ice sheets and to demonstrate this technology for two critical regions: Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica and Jacobshavn Glacier in Greenland. The techniques will employ the state of the art signal processing techniques including polarimetry and interferometry to resolve layers from within the ice sheet and to remove unwanted signal associated with the surface. The development of such technology is critical in enabling the glaciological community to fully understand the dynamics of the ice sheets, to unravel their recent history and to have the means to monitor comprehensively their behaviour in future. The current technologies that will feed into this programme will include the University of Kansas wideband UHF radar and the British Antarctic Survey VHF polarimetric radar. Funding from NASA and ESA will be leveraged to support the development of sensors over the next 2-3 years. The observations will be processed, inverted into glaciological information on layers and bedrock characteristics, and made available in a timely fashion to the scientific community to extend and complement the highly detailed surface observations now available for point locations in Pine Island and Jacobshavn glaciers.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
CASIS will support the exploration of a new scientific frontier: the interior and base of the ice sheets. It will deepen our understanding of how the ice sheets behave, both fundamentally and in historical terms; it will enhance our ability to detect fundamental changes in the dynamics rather than to infer such changes through more noisy changes at the surface. The issue which frames all these questions is whether the ice sheets are likely to respond sensitively to a change in climate or, indeed, are already doing so. CASIS will bring together scientists involved in developing ice sounding using separate funding sources on both sides of the Atlantic, offering complementary technologies and skills.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
The project will build on initiatives underway in Europe and the USA and will bring these together and will include scientists from the USA, UK, France and potentially others. The project will work play a major role in bring these two groups together with the ultimate goal of implementing a joint ESA/NASA Explorer/ESSP satellite mission to map the interior and base of the ice sheets.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Greenland: Jacobshavn Glacier and flight lines adjacent to NGRIP Antarctica: Pine Island Glacier plus additional BAS flight lines Flight lines to be confirmed.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: June-July 2007            
Antarctic: December-January 2007-8            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
BAS: twin otter adapted for radar (BAS and/or ESA airborne radar to be developed) NSF: long range aircraft adapted for Kansas radar

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will result in proven state of the art radar technology for probing the ice sheets which could be deployed for other regional studies as well as providing a test bed for future satellite mission technology.

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

We anticipate that the campaign will require logistical support from NSF and BAS and will require additional funding support from one or more of NASA, NSF, NERC and ESA.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
The project currently consists of separately "endorsed" activities funded by NASA/NSF in the US and by ESA in Europe, consisting of the development of airborne sensors and associated techniques for sounding the ice sheets. The project also has links to activities that form part of the BAS science programme.

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?
Expansion

This proposal ties in IPY to existing activities, at the same time drawing together groups who are currently working separately on related initiatives. It is also timely in that IPY will occur when planned airborne developments will be coming to completion thereby enabling a significant airborne campaign to take place.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Principal Investigators will be appointed on the US and European sides who will jointly agree on a campaign plan. A core team of Co-Principal Investigators will ensure that decisions are agreed and implemented within the various organisations involved. Links to agency representatives will be established. Proven management practices will be followed.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
A project website will be established, hosted by a participant organisation. The campaign will be publicized (as an IPY activity). Other outreach activities will be planned in consultation with agency facilities and IPY events. The results from the data acquisition will be interpreted and published in a timely fashion according to a publication plan agreed by the PIs.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data will be managed according to good scientific practices, providing it to the broad scientific community in a timely fashion and in a manner which in which access is straightforward, following appropriate data formating standards, etc. Organisations like NSIDC will be provided with access and appropriate metadata information.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Fdd

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Kim Partington
3 Great Farm Offices
West Woodhay
Newbury
RG20 0BP
UK

Tel: +44 1488 669831
Mobile: +44 7796 956594
Fax: +44 1488 669839
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation