International Arctic Systems for Observing the Atmosphere IPY Activity 196 Taneil Uttal NOAA Earth Systems Laboratory.

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1 International Arctic Systems for Observing the Atmosphere IPY Activity 196 Taneil Uttal NOAA Earth Systems Laboratory

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3 IASOA Beginnings Lots of high level governments approved the idea of an International Polar Year which was really a two year period Investigators were invited to submit Expressions of Intent (EoI) resulting in about 1400 submissions The IPY committee grouped the EoIs into clusters and asked the EoI leaders to synthesis their EoI s into an Activity The IASOA activity was the result of a cluster of 28 individual EoIs

4 Atmospheric Science and the IPY Very few Arctic atmosphere activities even less went forward..

5 Latitude (N) IPY IPY IGY IPY IASOA was not a novel idea. Striking resemblances to the first International Polar Year Atmosphere Project Year Temperature Anomaly 20th century Arctic warming Zonal-average annual surface air temperature (SAT) anomaly in degrees C. From Johannessen (2004).

6 So extensive and dangerous a work UK/Canada United States Date unknown Germany Russia Denmark Sweden United States Netherlands Austria Norway Finland Russia 12 primary stations 12+ auxilary

7 Very popular graphic WMO, Russia, Finland, Canada, U.S

8 Part 1: History The inspiration behind the first IPY FRANZ JOSEF LAND Carl Weyprecht and the 2 nd Austro- Hungarian Polar Expedition ( ) [Thousands of observations] only furnish us with a picture of the extreme effects of the forces of Nature in the Arctic regions, but leave us completely in the dark with respect to their causes. C. Weyprecht (1875). J. Roy. Geography. Soc., XLV. C. Weyprecht NOVAYA ZEMLYA Ice drift of the Tegethoff From: Mittheilungen aus Justus Perthes Geographischer Anstalt. 21 Band, 1875.

9 There is an emphasis on HOW the climate is changing Long term monitoring International programs (GAW, AMAP, BSRN etc.) Quality Control Satellite validation BUT Also need an emphasis WHY the climate is changing Process Studies Research Grade Observations Model Support ALSO Need to respond to the NOW issues Sudden events

10 Part 1: History Weyprecht s Fundamental Principles of Scientific Arctic Investigation Abandon costly competition for mere geographic discovery. Field coordinated expeditions dedicated to scientific research. Collect comparable synoptic observations for a period of at least one year. Seek fundamental laws of largescale geophysical phenomena. Weyprecht s address to the 48 th meeting of German Naturalists and Physicians in 1875.

11 Each observatory is autonomous Separate funding Separate objectives Separate management Unique circumstances (Alert is a military base, Barrow is a local community, Summit is a science station, Eureka is a weather station, Tiksi is a community and a multi-national effort) The operation of each observatory is a daily challenge IASOA has provide an integrating function, not a controlling function

12 Correction Part 2: Analysis Data quality investigated Temperature Central Physical Observatory. Calibrations for Russian instruments were performed at this site near St. Petersburg. Image: Science (1884) Thermometer calibration series. The majority of uncorrected readings fall within 0.25 C of standard instrument values at temperatures above 20 C.

13 New measurements can be used to backwards calibrate existing records

14 Part 1: History The outcome of the first International Polar Year Historic example of peaceful international scientific cooperation that inspired subsequent Polar Years. A wide-ranging and extensive set of observations collected and published between 1885 and The synoptic data were never analyzed, no fundamental discoveries followed as a result of the first IPY. Why? No arrangements for post-expedition synthesis Long delays in publication of the data

15 Part 2: Analysis First synoptic view of the Arctic: Pressure (SLP) Anomaly Temp (SAT) Anomaly Standard deviations from reference mean NAO Index data provided by the Climate Analysis Section, NCAR, Boulder, USA, Hurrell (1995).

16 SAT WINTER SLP Part 2: Analysis Characteristic large-scale patterns evident DEC JAN FEB SAT anomalies related to fluctuations in atmospheric circulation H L Similar in scale to modern values C C W Std. dev. from ref. mean NAO Index data provided by the Climate Analysis Section, NCAR, Boulder, USA, Hurrell (1995). NAO -1.4 NAO +2.4

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18 Original Science Objectives: (from IPY web site) (1) How do clouds, aerosols and atmospheric chemistry interact to force the Pan-Arctic surface energy balances and albedo-temperature feedback? (2) What is the relative role of tropospheric dynamics and stratospheric linkages in controlling the Arctic surface variability? (3) What portion of the recent changes in the Arctic weather and climate can be attributed to increases in anthropogenic sources? (4) How does the Arctic atmosphere interact with the rest of the Arctic (marine, cryospheric and terrestrial) system?

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22 27 papers presented (oral and poster) All abstracts are posted at

23 IPYorganized a media blitz IASOA was featured on 10 Feb 2009 Created a Media Day web page, lined up scientists for interviews

24 Designed for AON and SEARCH PIs It s been requested that IASOA have a presence on CADIS web site Using Eureka as a test site We are only offering links to data bases

25 A Program Critically Dependant on Partnerships

26 International Linkages Past and Future 5 meetings were held to gain input on how to establish longterm Arctic observations for several disciplines IASOA is considered a potential building block for the atmospheric component of SAON The Arctic Council has approved SAON s recommendations International Polar Year March 2007 March 2009 Sustained Arctic Observing Network

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29 Original Infrastructure Objectives: (from IPY web site) The legacy of infrastructure will include substantially enhanced atmospheric observatories with coordinated measurement programs in Barrow, Eureka, Greenland, and Ny-Alesund. The existing observatory at Eureka, Nunavut, Canada (PEARL EoI 699) and the Meteorological Services Canada weather station in Alert is already being substantially upgraded and expanded for IPY. Another major new infrastructure element will be development of a new atmospheric observatory in Tiksi, Russia to begin filling the present measurement void across Siberia (Polar Atmosphere EoI 820). It is expected that a number of networks will also be substantially enhanced and will be expanded to include the atmospheric observatory sites when practical and possible.

30 Tiksi was a major infrastructure goal of IASOA that has had great coordination successes