Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Canada #141: Holocene natural climate variability in the Arctic  (Holocene natural climate variability in the Arctic)

Outline
Very short instrumental records and observations suggest that major changes in the Arctic climate and hydrology occurred during the last few decades, possibly associated with global warming. However, some of the observed variations could be superimposed or the result of natural climatic variability associated with the Arctic or North Atlantic Oscillations (AO/NAO), whereas the longer term trends and the actual role of anthropogenic forcing on the Arctic climate and hydrology remains uncertain. The recovery of longer timeseries such as sedimentary sequences is thus necessary to determine the natural climatic variability in the Arctic and to decipher natural trends from anthropogenic forcing. Unfortunately, one major limitation in paleoclimatic research in the Arctic are the very low sedimentation rates, allowing only the recording of millennial-scale variability. Furthermore, research in the Arctic is impaired by complex and expensive logistics. The International Polar Year thus provide a unique opportunity to optimize the resources and logistics associated with finding and obtaining high resolution sedimentary sequences. In this project, we propose to use the CCGS Amundsen ice-breaker to core such recently discovered Holocene high sediment accumulation sequences in order to determine the natural variability of the Arctic climate, including the influence of climatic oscillations such as the AO/NAO and changes in solar activity during the last 10 000 years. To achieve this goal, we are proposing to measure the palynological, edimentological, geochemical, isotopic, magnetic and physical properties of the sediments collected by piston, gravity and box coring. A special emphasis will be given to untangle natural vs anthropogenic climate forcing during the last few centuries in the Arctic.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Our project will address themes 2, 4 and 5 of the IPY. 2) This project will allow to quantify climate variability in the Arctic over the last 10 000 years and will try to decipher the effect of human-induced vs natural climate variability on the current changes observed in the Arctic; 4) this project will try to link the influence of natural climatic oscillations such as the AO/NAO, solar variability and anthropogenic changes on the current and past Arctic environment; 5) Recent observations indicate that the current global warming trend is most important in the Arctic. It is therefore the most appropriate area to monitor long and short term climatic changes.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
This program will build upon our existing collaborations in several international programs such as JWACS, CASES and ArcticNet in order to have access to coring infrastructure of the CCGS Amundsen ice-breaker.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Sedimentary cores will be collected in the Mackenzie Trough, Beaufort Sea, along the Northwest Passage and in the Eastern Canadian Arctic.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 08/2007 – 09/2007      08/2008 – 09/2008      
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The main logistic support will be an ice-breaker equipped for piston coring, multibeam and sub-bottom profiling capabilities such as the CCGS Amundsen. This resource can easily be shared as piston coring only requires a fraction of the available ship time.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
This project will make use of existing infrastructures and equipments, therefore leaving no infrastructure legacy.

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

A major portion of the logistics required is already secured through research programs such as JWACS, ArcticNet and government agencies such as DFO, NRCan and the Canadian Coast Guard.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This pre-proposal has been reviewed and is being submitted by the Canadian Steering Committee (CSC). Ongoing discussions will integrate this pre-proposal into a larger network of related national and international initiatives. The CSC has initially sorted this pre-proposal into: Ecosystems Terrestrial Processes

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?


This project will be built upon the success of programs such as JWACS, CASES and ArcticNet, through which high sedimentation accumulation areas were recently discovered in Arctic Canada by multibeam and sub-bottom profiling. It will also benefit from already secured ship time on board the Amundsen.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be organised and managed by the two principal investigators (André Rochon and Guillaume St-Onge) and in active collaboration with the JWACS and ArcticNet research programs.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
This research project will benefit from the already existing outreach structure of the ArcticNet network such as the “School on Board” program, community visits and media coverage.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
This research project will benefit from the data management structure already in place for the ArcticNet program.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
A major portion of the ship time required is already secured through research programs such as JWACS and ArcticNet. Nevertheless, additional funding will be required to obtain dedicated time on the CCGS Amundsen, logistic support, student salaries and analyses.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The IPY provides a unique opportunity to complement and integrate results from existing programs aimed at understanding climate changes in the Arctic. Moreover, this project will allow the investigation of natural cycles such as the AO/NAO or solar variability at a resolution rarely achieved, highlighting the sensitivity of the Arctic climate system to these oscillations and providing important insights for climate modelling of future climatic changes.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof Guillaume St-Onge
Université du Québec à Rimouski
310, allée des Ursulines
Rimouski, Québec
G5L 3A1
Canada

Tel: (418) 723-1986 ex. 1741
Mobile: no
Fax: (418) 724-1842
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation