Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #140: Network of Automatic Snow Observatories  (NASO)

Outline
Improve some actual Canadian Northern meteorological stations for automatic and continuous snow characterization The precise characterization of the snow is essential to better understand its role in the energy budget of Polar regions as well as in the Arctic hydrologic cycle. The snow is one of the most pertinent indicator for studying climate change, showing considerable interannual and regional variability, as for example, significant different seasonal behaviors observed in the fall and in the spring trends for Eastern or Western Canada since the last 30 years, see Brown, 2000. The continuous monitoring of the key snow parameters such as snow cover extent (SCE), snow depth (SDE), solid precipitation (SPrecip) and snow water equivalent (SWE) is needed for a better parametrization of its dynamics and long-term trend. All these parameters are “Priority 1” variables for monitoring in GCOS (see Brown and O’Neill, 2002). Among the four parameters needed, the SCE, SDE and SPrecip parameters are relatively well measured automatically from satellite (SCE) or ground-based stations (SDE and SPrecip, even if , this later is known to be problematic under windy conditions). But this is not the case for the SWE variable, as sufficiently reliable and robust technology did not exist until now. A new operational system based on the natural cosmic ray absorption measurements (a well known phenomena) is now available. This approach allows continuous and automatic measurements of the SWE at remote station requiring a relatively low power supply (from solar panel). The main idea of this proposal is thus to implement a network of new automatic and fully autonomous snow observatories (NASO) along a South to North transect crossing the strongest snow gradient in Eastern Canada. Over 3 000 km long, the mean snow depth decreases from more than 1.5 m in the South (50°N) to about 10 - 20 cm in the North (70° – 80° N). Moreover, the northern transition zones are areas known to be the most sensitive to the global warming scenarios. This network could be extended over the circumpolar belt, in the framework of the IPY, GCOS … and other international collaborative projects. The continuous measurements of the snowpack parameters from this network (depth, SWE, density) in addition to the meteorological parameters (SPrecip) will also contribute to validate remote sensing retrieval algorithms (see Roy et al., 2004) as well as to improve climate models (Canadian Regional Climate Model at UQAM, see Langlois et al., 2004). The IPY initiative could be the opportunity to deploy this new ground-based snow station at several sites where meteorological parameters are already measured (SPrecip) and to demonstrate the operationality of this approach. References Brown, R.D., and D. O’Neill, 2002: National Plan for Cryospheric Monitoring. Meteorological Service of Canada, Climate Processes and Earth Observations Division, Downsview, Ontario, M3H 5T4, May 1, 2002, 85 pp. (http://www.socc.ca/gcos_cry_plan_canada.pdf) Brown, R. D. (2000), Northern Hemisphere snow cover variability and change, 1915-1997, J. of Climate, 13, 2339{2355. Langlois, A., A. Royer, E. Fillol, A. Frigon and R. Laprise (2004). Evaluation of the snow cover variation in the Canadian Regional Climate Model (CRCM) over Eastern Canada using passive microwave satellite data. Hydrological Processes, avril 2004, no 18, p. 1127-1138. Roy, V., K. Goïta, A. Royer,A .E. Walker, B.E. Goodison (2004). Snow Water Equivalent Retrieval in a Canadian Boreal Environment From Microwave Measurements Using the HUT Snow Emission Model. IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, vol. 42, no 9, p. 1850-1859

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 2: “The activities proposed to quantify, monitor and understand snow parameters through the development of a new long-term observation system” “Concepts advocated include improvement and further development of the World Weather Watch Global Observing System in the polar regions, including space-based component, enhanced monitoring of the snow, and the establishment of an improved Arctic hydrologic cycle observing system”

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
- See the CRYSYS project submitted by Ross Brown, MSC: “Variability and Change in the Canadian Cryosphere” - CliC super sites project (MSC, Environnement Canada) - France (Lab. Glaciology, CRNS-Univ. J. Fourier, Grenoble, France)

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The selected sites are to be discussed with other projects such as the CliC supersites and relatively to the actual stations where snow courses are made (see potential candidates in the Table below). Actual National (MSC) Snow Course Network Station Start Date Lat. (°N) Long. (°W) Alert 01-NOV-1966 82.5 62.33 Baker Lake 04-JAN-1965 64.3 96 Cambridge Bay 23-NOV-1965 69.1 105.12 Churchill 15-JAN-1965 58.75 94.07 Coral Harbour 01-JAN-1965 64.2 83.37 Eureka 15-DEC-1965 80 85.93 Fort Smith 24-DEC-1964 60.02 111.97 Hall Beach 15-JAN-1965 68.78 81.25 Inuvik 01-DEC-1964 68.3 133.48 Iqualuit ) 15-NOV-1964 63.75 68.5 Normal Wells UA05-DEC-1964 65.28 126.8 Resolute Bay 01-DEC-1965 74.72 94.98 Stony Plain 15-NOV-1966 53.55 114.1 The Pas 01-FEB-1962 53.97 101.1

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: 06/06 – 10/06      06/07 – 10/07      06/08 – 10/08
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The logistic required for this project is to bring the material (one sensor = 100 kg each) at each sites, and to install the tower and the station. These resources can be easily shared with other projects.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The project will leave a legacy of cryospheric monitoring sites (e.g. snow water equivalent measurements), as well as a data management and dissemination framework (CCIN) to support future research. Collaboration with other members of the Canadian cryospheric community will leave a legacy of integrated northern observatories.

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

See CRYSYS proposal

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This new sensor deployment will be submitted to the Canadian WCRP CliC Programme. 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: Northern Environmental Observatories (GEO)

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 is a new proposal, within the framework of an existing and ongoing cryospheric monitoring and research activities. This project needs additional funding and logistics support for the deployment of the Network.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be coordinated through the CRYSYS project with data management provided by the Canadian Cryospheric Information Network at U. Waterloo. International coordination will occur through ongoing interactions and through coordinating bodies such as WCRP CliC.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Through the Canadian CRYSYS activities (web site, Newletter…)

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The CCIN is the Canadian portal for cryospheric information in Canada. It will provide current information on the state of the cryosphere in Canada from near real-time data streams, and by linking to partners’ databases and information.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Budget: - material 100 k$/station + one extra CRS unit for reference - deployment and installation: 60 k$/site (estimation) Total for 4 (TBD) sites: 750 k$ (estimation) Contributions from National funding Agencies will be submitted (NSERC, CFCAS, FQRNT). The maintenance of the Network after the IPY period will be supported, if accepted, through existing federal government funding for the management of the meteorological monitoring network.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
The IPY could be an excellent opportunity for the deployment of a new operational system for automatic monitoring of polar snow water equivalent, based on the natural cosmic ray absorption measurements. Note: Without snow, such an instrument could also provide useful data on the cosmic ray variations in the polar regions. This objective is not considered by this proposal but could certainly interest other researchers from Theme 5: To use the unique vantage point of the polar regions to develop and enhance observatories studying the Earth's inner core, the Earth's magnetic field, geospace, the Sun and beyond.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Mr Alain Royer
Centre d’Applications et de Recherches en Télédétection (CARTEL), Université de Sherbrooke
2500 Bd Université, Sherbrooke QC
J1K 2R1
Canada

Tel: 819- 821 8000, poste 2286
Mobile: no
Fax: 819-821 7944
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation