Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Characterizing arctic climate variability and warming in high resolution climate proxies: application of a pan arctic precipitation isotope (d18O and dD) network  (Pan Arctic isotope (d18O & dD) precipitation network and climate proxies)

Outline
Climate proxy records in ice and vegetation have been used to develop an initial understanding of the magnitude of climate variability and warming in the Earth’s past. This has been possible due in large part to predictable relationships between temperature/climate and the isotopes of precipitation (d18O & dD) and temperature-growth relations in plants. The interpretation and evaluation of these paleoclimate records of climate variability and warming are however, incomplete and becoming outdated. This has occurred because we have not completely investigated the atmospheric circulation affects on spatial and temporal patterns of isotopes in precipitation. In addition, we have not articulated the affect atmospheric circulation phases may have on temperature-isotope correlations as well as atmospheric circulation affects on plant growth and plant isotope characteristics across the entire Arctic. This is not to say that our work to date has not been informative, but that resolving, refining and expanding our interpretation of paleoclimate requires a new set of tools and analyses. In order to modernize and improve our interpretation and understand high-resolution paleoclimate records of climate variability and warming in ice and vegetation across the Arctic, we will assess the controls exerted by atmospheric conditions (positive and negative of AO and NAO) on climate proxy parameters ( isotopes of precipitation) and apply these to ice core, ice wedge and vegetation isotope records. This project will use a multi-national network involving 30 sampling locations to: a) evaluate how the variations in synoptic climate, the AO and the NAO are manifested in the patterns of d18O & dD in precipitation and climate proxies; b) reevaluate climate records in ice cores and ice wedges based on site and region-specific modern isotope-climate relationships; c) complete retrospective climate study (~ past 100 years) using Cassiope tetragona plant growth segments collected throughout the Arctic; d) quantifying the spatial variability in the isotopic characteristics of precipitation as related to synoptic climatology, micrometerology and mean annual temperatures and e) integration, synthesis, rescue, and reconstruction of Arctic precipitation isotope (d18O and dD) data. This network will use a set of existing national and international networks including ITEX, SCANET, GNIP, USNIP and CANIP.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
1.This project will provide a completely new characterization of the processes governing the isotopic characteristics of precipitation across the entire arctic, a component of the present environmental status of the arctic, including temporal and spatial variability. The project will use a host of climate proxies and a re-examination of their climate records spanning the past 100, to 100,000 to quantify and understand past environments and the processes governing their records. And, by articulating how climate teleconnections are manifested in these records we will lean how processes in the arctic are connected to global processes.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
This project will involve main research groups from the US, Canada, Sweden, Russia, and England. In addition, we will have over 30 scientists as participants from all of the arctic countries and their research sites that are part of the ITEX (http://arcss.colorado.edu/arcss/projects/itex.html ), SCANNET (http://www.envicat.com/scannet/Scannet) and GNIP (Global Network for Isotopes in Precipitation-http://isohis.iaea.org).

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
We will use and establish precipitation sampling sites at 30 sites throughout the arctic: Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Finland, and Russia. We will use ice cores, vegetation and ice wedges in climate reconstructions from Russia, Greenland and Canada plus vegetation collected at 40 sites throughout the arctic.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: May 06- April 09            
Antarctic: n/a

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
We will require the establishment of micrometerological stations at 30 sites including precipitation samplers. In addition, we will require the use of previous ice core, ice wedge and vegetation samples that have been collected throughout the arctic. We will also require the transport of small water samples to analytical laboratories.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
We will leave a legacy of micrometerological stations and their associated data sets on temperature, humidity, pressure, precipitation and an archive of precipitation samples collected weekly from across the arctic. In addition, we will leave a legacy of ice wedge, ice core and vegetation samples and data of the d18O and dD values.

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

We anticipate that agencies such as the NSF, the ESF, VECO, PCS (Polar Continental Shelf), NERC, and other agencies will provide the logistical support necessary.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This project has been discussed among the scientific community and previously was reviewed by the NSF Earth System History Program and the NSF Office of Polar Programs. The project received many positive reviews by the scientific community but funding was declined.

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 project satisfies research activities highlighted by the report to the NSF Arctic System Science program titled: “The hydrologic cycle and its role in arctic and global environmental change” and the needs of the IGBP Hydrology and PAGES program on palaeoclimatology. This program will contribute to the US National Ecological Observatory Network.

How will the project be organised and managed?
Our project will use a coordination office and existing networks and collaborations to implement, run and assure the success of the project. We will use existing analytical laboratories for our isotopic analysis and use climate proxies that are either archived at national laboratories or that we have in our laboratories. We will utilize collaborations that currently exist in the ITEX, SCANNET programs as well as collaborations through the IGBP.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
Our education issues will be addressed by involving undergraduate and graduate students in our research activities and we will reach-out to the scientific community by presenting our findings at national and international meetings and workshops. Communication of our findings will be achieved via internet web pages, national/international data bases and journal publications.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
We will use established data management locations sanctioned by the NSF Office of Polar Programs including JOSS (Joint Office for Science Support) and the Global Change Mater Directory. In addition, we will work through the GNIP (Global Network for Isotope in Precipitation), the ITEX and SCANNET programs.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
We anticipate that this project will be jointly funded by the NSF, NERC, the Royal Academy of Sciences in Sweden, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the Russian Academy of Sciences and other national funding agencies

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Professor & Director Jeffrey M Welker
Biology Department
Environment and Natural Resource Institute
707 A St. Anchorage, AK
99501
USA

Tel: 907-257-2701
Mobile: 907-244-7785
Fax: 907-257-2707
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation