Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #67: Fundamental Geophysical Data to Study Change in Antarctica  ( Antarctic Geophysics)

Outline
This is the Canadian component (NRCan, Univ. Victoria) of a US-led (NSF, USGS, and others) effort to install continuously operating GPS and meteorological packages in the interior of West Antarctica. The GPS observations will be complemented with absolute gravity observations at a sub-set of sites to provide additional control on vertical crustal motion and on mass change phenomena. The proposal is included in the POLENET cluster proposal. The observations of crustal motion will provide new constraints on glacio-isostatic adjustment in the Antarctic interior. This will promote the development of a new generation of models of past and present Antarctic ice mass change, and will give a better understanding of global sea level change. The observations will ground-truth and complement space-based observations of ice sheet elevation change (e.g., ICESat) and global gravity change (e.g., GRACE). USGS has requested NRCan to provide expert staff and the A-10 gravimeter for this project. As well, funds will be sought from Canadian sources (NSERC, IPY) to contribute to the GPS installations. A glacio-isostatic modelling effort is also anticipated.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Improved geodetic (GPS, absolute gravity) measurements in Antarctica will assist in better understanding past and present ice mass balance (addresses Themes 1 and 2) and hence global sea-level (Theme 3). Instrumentation will need further development in order to successfully deploy in the remote interior of West Antarctica (Theme 4), and glacio-isostatic modelling should provide new information on the Earth’s structure underlying south polar regions (Theme 5).

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
This project will be led by a group of US universities and the USGS (Terry Wilson, Ohio State University, and Larry Hothem, USGS, are our contacts). It supports the SCAR Geodetic Infrastructure of Antarctica (GIANT) project and the International Association of Geodesy Commission Project 2.4 - Antarctic Geoid (AntGP). Additional partners expected from New Zealand and Italy. Possible additions include Australia and France.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
A broad-scale GPS deployment is planned for West Antarctica. Absolute gravity observations will probably take place at previously observed (GPS, absolute gravity) sites near the American McMurdo station.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: Summer 2007-2008            
Antarctic: Nov.-Feb. of 07/08 and 08/09            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
We anticipate that US Antarctic Programme (USAP) will address logistics issues. Depending on external funding availability, we will pay for some logistical support (aircraft time) and provide GPS instrumentation in addition to the A-10 absolute gravity instrument.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Yes. The installation of continuous GPS sites will leave a legacy of geophysical observatories in West Antarctica for future environmental change and tectonics studies. As well, the measurement of precise absolute gravity provides a knowledge legacy: a snapshot of the current environmental state that enables future quantitative determination of change.

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Yes - Yes. This project has been included in the POLENET cluster.

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?
yes

This will be the first Canadian contribution to Antarctic geodesy. The project is a continuation of several current international efforts to install GPS sites in Antarctica, including WAGN, TAMDEF, and the SCAR campaigns. The funding to undertake this work will come from new proposals in the US, Canada, and elsewhere. The project supports the SCAR Geodetic Infrastructure of Antarctica (GIANT) project and the International Association of Geodesy Commission Project 2.4 - Antarctic Geoid (AntGP).

How will the project be organised and managed?
Selection of scientific priorities and new sites will be decided by the investigators. The work will take place under the auspices of the US Antarctic Program, which has long-standing expertise in Antarctic field work

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Support for a graduate student to work on Antarctic glacio-isostasy will be sought. Web pages will be developed in collaboration with our international colleagues describing the project.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data archival and release specifications are presently being decided upon. They will probably follow standard US National Science Foundation and NRCan guidelines. USGS and NRCan will also archive the data.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
Funding requests will be made through NRCan to the Canadian IPY office, and to NSERC. The USGS may cover additional costs, but this must be confirmed.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
A commitment to, and clear documentation of, a transparent and fair project selection process is a prerequisite to the development of a detailed proposal. This process should include an appeal mechanism.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr  Calvin Klatt
Natural Resources Canada
Geodetic Survey Division, 498J, 615 Booth St., Ottawa, Ontario
K1R 5R5
Canada

Tel: 613-943-0019
Mobile: no
Fax: 613-947-3602
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation