Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Sea-ice and atmosphere interaction associates with the Tibetan Plateau snow cover and the East Asian climate  (SAIATE)

Outline
The bi-polar sea-ice and Tibetan plateau snow cover play a significant role in global climate and in climate model response to East Asia change. Recent the sea-ice and the snow cover have underwent rapid decreases and persistent positive polarities of the bi-polar Oscillation (NAO and AAO). Although study have demonstrated that the variability of the sea-ice and the snow cover are connected with strong signal of climate variations over East Asia, the mechanisms and processes for the linkage between the bi-polar and East Asia are still remain. Consequently, this proposal will focus on those issues, including how sea-ice/snow-cover/atmosphere interaction process affect the weather and climate over East Asia, how climate variations over the bi-polar regions influence climate variations over the Tibetan Plateau,and how interactions between atmospheric eddy activities induced by the sea-ice variations and the atmospheric mean flow produce atmospheric teleconnections. Field observations of sea-ice/snow-cover/atmosphere interaction process over bi-polar regions and the Tibetan Plateau will perform during IPY, which is crucial important to investigate effects of the sea-ice on the atmospheric boundary layer and glacier variations over the Tibetan Plateau. Obtaining new data set The updated studies already revealed that snow cover of the Tibetan Plateau and Arctic sea-ice, particular in the Barents Sea, have important impacts on summer rainfall in China in terms of observations and simulation experiments. Consequently, through performing the project, we can move toward understanding mechanisms responsible for interactions between snow/ice and atmospheric circulation, and accumulate new observational datasets, which is also favourable for performing other projects relevant to cryosphere. More important is that performing the project will improve our knowledge on possible causes responsible for summer rainfall anomalies in China.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
This project will address themes from 1 to 3 and will provide the opportunity for themes 4, including that how the interaction between atmospheric eddy activities induced by the sea-ice variations and the atmospheric basic flow produce atmospheric teleconnections, which conveys impacts of Atmosphere/snow/ice/ocean interactions to East Asian climate and correctly parameterizing the processes involved in models, and providing improved data sets. The cryosphere is considered as an indicator of climate variability and change. Atmosphere-snow/ice-land interactions are concerned with the role of the terrestrial cryosphere within the climate system and with improved understanding of the processes, and of observational and predictive capabilities applicable over a range of time and space scales. Meanwhile, this project could provide potential for improvement of the predictability over East Asian area.

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
International Arctic Research Centre(IARC) and Australia Antarctic Division(ANARE) and Finnish Institute of Marine Research (FIMR) and Japan National Institute of Polar Research (JNIPR) are involved in this project and open for other countries and international organizations interested. China has already collaborated with many international communities to exchange observations and their scientific knowledge.

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The field woks in this project include: The project will carry out the boundary layer observations in different surface, such as ocean, sea-ice, snow-cover, glacial over the Antarctic ice sheet and Southern ocean and Arctic Ocean and Tibetan Plateau glacial area.

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: July-Sept, 2008 Arctic Ocean. Annual program in the Yellow River station at Ny-Alesund      July-Sept, 2009 Arctic Ocean. Annual program in the Yellow River station at Ny-Alesund      Annual program in the Yellow River station at Ny-Alesund
Antarctic: Nov.-March 2006/2007 Antarctic Southern Ocean      Nov.-March 2007/2008 Antarctic Southern Ocean      Nov.-March 2008/2009 Antarctic Southern Ocean

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
1. Ice breaker vessel with multi-instrumented platforms 2. Snow terrain vehicles and supproted ficilities 3. Helicopters and supproted ficilities 4. Automatic Weather Stations 5. Boundary layer instruments All resources can be shared with other IPY projects at the coordinated international level. 2007, Tibetan Plateau field travel and summer station over Glacial surface 2008, Tibetan Plateau field travel and summer station over Glacial surface

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
It is planned to install Automatic Weather Station over the Arctic Ocean and Southern Ocean and Eastern Antarctic Plateau.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?
Consortium
Own national polar operator
Another national polar operator
Own support
Other sources of support

Field activities are organized by Chinese Antarctic and Arctic administration, China Meteorological Administration and Chinese Academy of Sciences under the leading of national IPY committee.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
This national project is endorsed by Ministry of Science and Technology and China Meteorological Administration and and National Natural Science Foundation and Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration and other research communities as a component of national IPY program .

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 is a new proposal special for IPY as component of national IPY project but related to an existing polar research plan, which is supported by China Meteorological Administration and National Natural Science Foundation of China and Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration.

How will the project be organised and managed?
China IPY Scientific Committee will meet at least once a year. The SC will be in charge of coordinating the international effort, to insure data delivery and education outreach. Each traverse (national or multinational) will be autonomously organized with its own co-ordinator and traverse. National IPY Scientific Committee will be going to hold IPY workshop each year from 2005 in China for addressing related China IPY activities including this project. IPY international workshop is planning to hold in 2006 in China which intent is discussing how China IPY activities coordinates with international program and community.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
National IPY project will serve as a platform for communication and education outreach: permanent contact with scientific and with involved Scientists. Invited journalists or students could visit to the traverse activities for short periods. Web sites will be created with on line information including this project.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data repositories will be maintained at National Antarctic and Arctic Data Center of China, integrating all boundary layer data collected as part of field activity, laboratory studies and modelling results. Data policies will follow International Polar data management guidelines and will be made available

How is it proposed to fund the project?
The founding of this project as component of national IPY project will be Mainly through national funding agencies open in some cases to the institutes of the project members. Specific fundings will also be searched at the CMA, NSFC, CAAA, CAS levels.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
None

PROPOSER DETAILS

Dr Zhanhai Zhang
Polar Research Institute of China



China

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Other project members and their affiliation