Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Antarctic and sub-Antarctic Permafrost, Periglacial and Soil Environments  (ANTPAS - Antarctic Permafrost And Soils)

Outline
Antarctic permafrost is integral to the terrestrial cryosphere, however, knowledge of its distribution, thickness, age, and physical and geochemical properties is fragmented or absent for large sectors of the continent and sub-Antarctic islands. At the same time, active layer and permafrost conditions are highly sensitive to climatic fluctuations and changes will affect regional hydrology, ecosystems functioning, landscape stability, human infrastructures and environmental impacts. Antarctic permafrost and soils hold potential to archive long-term (Ma) records of past environmental conditions and biological activity, and provide millennial-scale archives of surface temperature. Furthermore, this is the closest analogue for understanding planetary permafrost. The combined working groups of the International Permafrost Association (IPA) and the SCAR Standing Scientific Group on Geosciences (SSGG) on Antarctic Permafrost and Periglacial Environments, with several partner organisations and groups, have launched the ANTPAS project to develop an internationally coordinated, web-accessible, database and monitoring system on Antarctic permafrost and soils. Specific objectives are to: • Integrate existing datasets on permafrost, ground ice, active-layer dynamics and soils into a common, web-accessible, database system. This will also provide a managed, open-access repository for all new data developed under this project and future ongoing monitoring • Produce a set of thematic maps on Antarctic permafrost and soils as models of our current scientific understanding of the region. They will also provide useful information for the location of sites for detailed studies on past and future climate changes. • Utilize non-invasive imaging methods including remote sensing/photogrammetry/GIS, as well as imaging sub-surface conditions with geophysical methods. • Implement a network of boreholes and collect intact cores (up to >100 m at select sites) along selected environmental gradients to measure chemical, physical and biological parameters in permafrost as proxies for past environmental conditions, as well as to record permafrost responses to climate change. This forms the Antarctic component of the IPA Thermal State of Permafrost (TSP) project, and extends the current Circum-polar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) network to the Antarctic region (CALM-S). • Implement a monitoring network of active-layer and periglacial conditions and process responses to climate change coupled to the borehole network (CALM-S). ANTPAS will develop an extensive program of activities that will have long-term important scientific outputs on our understanding of the Antarctic terrestrial cryosphere, its responses to climate change and human impacts. The established monitoring network will provide a platform for long-term monitoring of the thermal state of permafrost and future responses to climate change. The database system will provide a legacy for systematic archiving of Antarctic permafrost and soils parameters. It currently enlists 36 primary investigators from 15 countries.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 1 -Characterize permafrost and soil parameters, including results from applications in remote sensing/photogrammetry/GIS and geophysical techniques, and develop in a web-accessible database -‘Snapshot’ view of current active-layer and permafrost conditions at GTN-P and CALM-S boreholes provides baseline data for future changes in permafrost. Theme 2 -Long-term (Ma) environmental change record based on chemical, physical and biological parameters from boreholes. Themes 3 and 5 -Extension and integration of permafrost and active-layer response signals to climate change from Antarctica in the global cryosphere through the global networks GTN-P and CALM-S. Theme 4 -Exploring Earth’s oldest permafrost and soils as an analogue for planetary permafrost and astrobiology (IPA Astrobiology WG, NASA).

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
ANTPAS is coordinated by the IPA and SCAR SSGG working groups on Antarctic permafrost. ANTPAS implements the GTN-P and CALM networks in the Antarctic regions (IPY/TSP of IPA and CliC/IGOS). ANTPAS integrates with SCAR SSGG activities. Other collaborators: IPA Cryosols, Periglacial Processes, and Astrobiology working groups; Dry Valleys LTER, RiSCC, NASA, IPY/ANTPAGE.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The database system will be located where appropriate support can be achieved (such as NZ Gateway Antarctica or NSIDC). The monitoring systems will be placed along environmental gradients from the sub-Antarctic islands to Antarctica, with additional regional transects on the continent. Site location for the initial deep borehole project is under discussion.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 11/06 – 03/07      11/07 – 03/08      11/08 – 03/09

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Core-drilling, sampling and frozen-storage capability, including transport by snow terrain vehicles, helicopter or Twin-otters. Field camps will be required at drill and active-layer sites. Mostly routine logistical support for summer expeditions including helicopter support in some regions. Air-borne geophysical surveys and mapping.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
A data repository for existing and new data sets on Antarctic permafrost and soils will be established. An Antarctic observational network for permafrost and ground temperature and related meteorological data (AWS) will provide long-term data on changes in climate and environment (part of the International Network of Permafrost Observatories (INPO)).

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

Logistics are mainly at the individual national project level. Large drilling activities will take place in an international collaborative context.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
ANTPAS is endorsed by the IPA, ISPRS (International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing) and support is pending from the SCAR SSGG and the IUSS (International Union of Soil Sciences). All IPA and SCAR working group members have been asked to include ANTPAS in their national IPY proposals.

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 is a new autonomous programme developed by the combined IPA and SCAR working groups in collaboration with the IPA Cryosols and Astrobiology working groups in support of IPY. In part, it extends existing activities, notably GTN-P and its TSP/INPO, and CALM, to the Antarctic.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The ANTPAS coordinating committee consists of the committee of the two initiating working groups and the leaders of the sub-groups of each project component. Annual meetings have been established to develop and track plans. A website and listserver have been developed (http://earth.waikato.ac.nz/antpas/). Additional meetings are planned by the sub-groups as required. The Second European Conference on Permafrost, Potsdam, June 2005, hosts the next full planning meeting.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
An outreach component of the database website including map outputs and explanatory notes. Participating researchers will include undergraduate and graduate student involvement in their national project submissions. Public lectures and press releases

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data management concerns are central to the proposal. NZ Gateway Antarctic could host the web-based database system and offer long-term data management support, with mirror sites at other institutions such as the U.S. Antarctic Resource Center. Need for links to national digital map products, National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC, USA), AADC.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding will be applied for by individuals and research groups through their national funding agencies. International, collaborative projects will be encouraged, particularly for those countries without existing Antarctic infrastructure. Pending an IPA planning proposal with the International Union of Geological Sciences funding of meetings and resources can be coordinated.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The following countries are involved in ANTPAS at this stage. Those indicated with * have existing CALM or TSP sites. Argentina, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Italy*, Japan, New Zealand*, Portugal*, Russia, Spain*, South Africa, Sweden*, Switzerland, USA*. Discussions involving China and Australia will take place during the forthcoming WCRP/CliC conference.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Jan Boelhouwers
Villavägen 16
Uppsala
75236
Sweden

Tel: +46 18 4712524
Mobile: no
Fax: +46 18 4712737
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation