Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #106: Canadian GEOTRACES in the Arctic  (Canadian GEOTRACES in the Arctic)

Outline
The Canadian marine biogeochemical community is developing a research plan to contribute to a new international research initiative (the GEOTRACES program), which aims to identify, characterize and quantify processes that control the distribution of key trace elements and isotopes (TEIs) in the global ocean and their sensitivity to changing environmental conditions in order to elucidate the supply of micronutrients, contaminant dispersal, and tracers of past and present ocean conditions. This initiative builds on recent advances in clean sampling protocols, analytical techniques, data assimilation, and modeling strategies, and is prompted by the increasing recognition that TEIs are playing a crucial role as regulators and recorders of important biogeochemical and physical processes that control the structure and productivity of marine ecosystems, the dispersion of contaminants in the marine environment, the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and global climate. The GEOTRACES program will consist of sampling detailed water column sections in all major ocean basins to establish the large scale distribution of selected TEIs, including their concentration, chemical speciation, and physical form, in relation to more traditional hydrographic parameters. This information will be introduced into large-scale forward and inverse models to evaluate quantitatively the sources and sinks of the TEIs at the ocean interface with atmosphere, freshwater, ocean margins, mid-ocean ridges, and deep-sea sediments. This large scale sampling strategy will be complemented by process and time-series studies in strategically located regions to (1) more firmly establish their internal cycling within the ocean (physical transport, biological uptake and regeneration, chemical scavenging), (2) characterize more completely the physical, chemical and biological processes regulating their distributions, (3) develop geochemical proxies for reconstructing the evolution of these processes from the sediment record, and (4) assess their sensitivity to and role in global change. Following a long Canadian tradition, the Arctic Ocean will be one of the areas of focus for the Canadian GEOTRACES community. Integration of a detailed study of the distribution and cycling of key TEIs [such as micronutrients (Fe, Cu, Zn, Co etc.), source tracers (Ba, Al, Mn, isotopes of Nd, Hf, Fe, Mo, Cd, etc.), natural (Th, Ra, 231Pa, 10Be, etc. ) and artificial radioisotopes (239/240Pu, 129I, 99Tc etc.) documenting removal and transport processes, contaminants (Hg, Pb, Ag, Sn etc.)] into a multidisciplinary program aimed at investigating the rapid environmental changes occurring today in the Arctic Ocean (such as iAOOS: integrated arctic ocean observing system), will uniquely contribute to further documenting and elucidating the causes and consequences of on-going changes in sea ice cover, primary production, food web structure, carbon flux, hydrography, circulation, shelf-basin exchange and river discharge in this important oceanic region.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
Theme 1: Determination of present day distribution and biogeochemical cycles of key TEIs providing unique insights into changes in circulation, hydrography, sea ice movement, ecosystem structure, carbon cycle, greenhouse gas emission, contaminant dispersal and their interactions in the Arctic Ocean. Theme 2: Baseline for future studies. Ground-truthing of existing geochemical paleoceanographic proxies and development of new ones specifically for the Arctic environment for reconstructing past changes in the processes and factors listed under theme 1. Theme 3: Arctic GEOTRACES will be integrated within the global GEOTRACES program, which will also cover sub-polar and low latitude regions of the ocean. Theme 4: Use and further development of state-of-the-art sampling, analytical, data reduction and modelling techniques to systematically study and retrieve information from seawater TEIs.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
GEOTRACES is an international project under development, which has been initiated by an international consortium of scientists (Organizing Committee: R. Anderson, USA; R. Francois, Canada; M. Frank, Germany; G. Henderson, UK; C. Jeandel, France; M. Sharma, USA). A science plan is being written by a larger group of scientists with funding from SCOR (ICSU) and will be available in January 2005. A workshop to further delineate the Canadian contribution to GEOTRACES and ARCTIC-GEOTRACES will be held in Spring 2005. Anticipated Arctic collaborations within IPY are with SPACE (Germany) and SNAPSHOT (USA) , coordinated in iAOOS (coordinator Dickson, UK).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
Multiple transects across the major Arctic shelves and basins as per the umbrella proposal “iAOOS (integrated arctic ocean observing system)”, which includes SNAPSHOT/SPACE and proposes a synoptic and interdisciplinary study of the Arctic Ocean.

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

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Ice-breakers, ice strengthened research ship, remotely operated vehicles, satellites.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?

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

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
We anticipate approval of the international GEOTRACES Science Plan by SCOR and ICSU in Spring 2005 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: THEME: Education, Outreach & Communication SUB-THEME: Arctic Ocean Fluxes & Flows

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

The work proposed here will be integrated in the international GEOTRACES program

How will the project be organised and managed?
A Canadian GEOTRACES organizing committee has recently been established. Its first task is to organize an open workshop to develop a research strategy for a Canadian contribution to the international program. Funds to organize the meeting, which will be held next spring, are being sought from NSERC and Arctic GEOTRACES will be one aspect of the program that will be further discussed. A science and implementation plan will be available by the end of 2005. The Canadian GEOTRACES committee will work in close association with the international GEOTRACES SSC, which will oversee an International Program Office (IPO) and a Data Management System.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
One of the central objectives of the GEOTRACES program is education, building and maintaining a core community of marine scientists and other HQP’s who understand and are able to integrate the chemical, physical and biological processes regulating the distribution and properties of TEIs well enough to exploit them reliably in future interdisciplinary studies. Outreach and communication will be conducted through various media outlets, internet, brochures and by promoting school participation through interactive distance learning websites.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data management for this project will be handled through the international GEOTRACES Data Assembly Center under the supervision of a Data Management Committee, which will handle data from all countries participating in the GEOTRACES program

How is it proposed to fund the project?
GEOTRACES-Canada will seek funding from appropriate funding programs such as the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences (CFCAS) or NSERC's Research Network or Special Research Opportunity programs.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Prof  Roger François
University of British Columbia
6270 University Blvd
Vancouver, B.C.
V6T 1Z4
Canada

Tel: 604 822 3278
Mobile: no
Fax: 604 822 6091
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation