Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

CANADA #63: Detection of modern and long-term glacial change, Auyuittuq National Park, Canada  (Detection of modern and long-term glacial change, Auyuittuq National Park, Canada)

Outline
BACKGROUND: Glaciers are sensitive indicators of past and present climates (e.g Oerlemans, 1994). Frontal variations of glacier snouts have been used for early detection of enhanced greenhouse effects on climate and to obtain information on climatic changes at a secular scale (Hoelzle et al., 2003). In order to relate glacier fluctuations to changes in climatic conditions, rates of advance/retreat must be scaled with the dynamic response time of individual glaciers (Jóhannesson et al., 1989), which for a large samples of glaciers, may be inferred from a few physical parameters measured at each glacier (Hoelzle et al., 2003). OBJECTIVE: The objective of the proposed research is to measure the recent fluctuations (1948-2004) of glaciers in Auyuittuq National Park and to interpret these fluctuations in the context of past and recent climate change. DATA AND METHODS: The measurement and analysis of modern glacier fluctuations will follow a remote-sensing and GIS-based approach. The principal steps of the analysis are: 1.Delineation of ice masses on a LANDSAT 7 TM scene (August 2000), and individual glacier basins from a digital elevation model and GIS analysis. 2.Calculation of physical parameters for each glacier polygon (length, area, gradient, exposure, hypsometry) to evaluate the response time of each glacier. 3.Mapping of glacier snouts on each time layer, which include air photos from 1948, 1959-60, 1974-75, 1977, Landsat 7 TM images from 1991, 1995 and 2000, a SPOT image from 1998 and an IKONOS image from 2003. 4.Statistical classification of glaciers according to their physical parameters and measured rates of movement (dynamic). DELIVRABLE: This study will depict the current trends in glacial activity in Auyuittuq National Park, which will then be compared with longer-term (Neoglacial) changes of a smaller subset of glaciers for which terminal moraines have been dated by lichenometry (Mercier 2004). Integration of these results will provide an assessment of the sensitivity of glaciers in the park to past and future climate change. The methodology to measure and to analyze modern glacier fluctuations in Auyuittuq National Park will be evaluated for possible implementation in others Canadian national Parks. _____________________________ Hoelzle M.et al. 2003. Secular glacier mass balances derived from cumulative glacier length changes. Global and Planetary Change 36, 295-306. Jóhannesson T. et al. 1989. A simple method for determining the response time of glaciers. In: Oerlemans J. (Ed.) Glacier Fluctuations and Climatic Change. Kluwer Academic: 343-352. Oerlemans J. 1994. Quantifying global warming from the retreat of glaciers. Science 264 (5156), 243-245. Mercier, G. 2004. Fluctuations des fronts glaciaires dans le sud de la Passe Askayuk, Parc national d’Auyuittuq. Nunavut. MSc Thesis. Geography, University of Ottawa.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
National Parks are well suited for detecting and monitoring impacts of Climate Change because the effects of anthropogenic stressors are relatively small. Climate change is predicted to have a major impact on the biodiversity of many Canadian national parks as a result of changes in species’ ranges. This project feed directly into the ‘changes in the polar regions’ theme by developing a framework for analysing glacier fluctuations over time. Furthermore, this project has the opportunity to demonstrate Earth Observation products (satellite images) and historic airborne aerial photographs in relation with monitoring of Arctic ecosystems and landscape spatial changes to the IPY community.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
At the present, no international collaborators are involved in the project. We intend to make contact with Swiss scientists (Dr.Andreas Kääb and Frank Paul, University of Zurick) who have been working on glacier mapping in the Cumberland Peninsula and have the most advanced expertise in glacier inventories.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The study area is located in Auyuittuq National Park, Nunavut (centred at 65ºN, 63ºW). The study will focus on the Askayuk Pass, a major U-shaped valley running SW-NE across the Cumberland Peninsula. The experience gained in Auyuittuq National Park will be used to measure and to analyze the modern glacier fluctuations in others Canadian National Parks in the years following the IYP 2007-2008.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: July –August 2006      July –August 2007      July –August 2008
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
The project will be mainly based on Remote Sensing: satellites sensors and aerial photographs. Minimum field work will be required for supporting and validating the monitoring framework. The field work will use the existing infrastructure of Parks Canada in Askayuk Pass.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
Pilot sites will address spatial data/geoinformation needs identified during first phase. Techniques and methods developed will be transferred to other ‘protected areas’ and to Canadian and international end users as well as through program outreach activities.

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

We expect that the following organisations will provide contribution (in-kind and/or financial): Parks Canada, University of Ottawa, Northern Scientific Training Program, Polar Continental Shelf Project.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Both organisations (Parks Canada, UofO) will provide in-kind contribution 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: Variability and change in the Canadian Cryosphere

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 project is part of an existing plan intituled Glacier margins and hydrogeomorphological mapping of Auyuittuq National Park. (Research permit numbers: 03YR048 and 04YN025 from Parks Canada). The details of the project can be consulted at: ftp.geog.uottawa.ca (ID: parkscanada, Password: Paula). Twenty students have been involved in this project since July 2002.

How will the project be organised and managed?
This project is a joint proposal by the University of Ottawa (Department of Geography) and Parks Canada – National Parks Directorate. This initiative will be managed from existing management structures between organisations. Some aspects of the project will be conducted by graduate students. Furthermore, this project has a great potential to contribute directly into the Parks Canada monitoring program to assess Ecological Integrity (EI) in Canada’s Arctic National Parks.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
: This project will communicate its results to the scientific community via publications (papers, maps), presentations, workshops and conferences. The project will contribute in increasing awareness in the Canadian and international community: this will be conducted primarily by senior management in government of Earth Observation (EO) capabilities in addressing issues of public concerning associated with climate change

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
The project will take full advantage of data collected from Earth Observation sensors. Field data collected since the creation of Auyuittuq National park and previous field work from University of Ottawa since 2002 will be integrated. All metadata and visualisation products will follow the Canada Geomatics Data Infrastructure (CGDI), Open Geomatics Consortium (OGC) and the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) standards and specifications.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The field work will be funded via the Northern Scientific Training Program (NSTP), Polar Continental Shelf Project (PCSP), University of Ottawa (Faculty of Arts) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC).

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
University of Ottawa already works closely with Parks Canada Agency (PCA). The team of principal investigators has extensive research experience in the fields of monitoring, Earth Observation-Remote Sensing, glaciology and visualisation products. Because this project is in line with PCA regarding Ecological Integrity and PCA monitoring programs, it has a high probability of sustaining itself after the design/prototype phase.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr  Bernard M. Emile Lauriol
University of Ottawa
60 University Street
Ottawa, Ontario
K1N 6N5
Canada

Tel: (613) 562-5725
Mobile: no
Fax: (613) 562-5145
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation