Research Programme Polar, Marine and Coastal Systems. Current and future Arctic research priorities of Germany Nicole Biebow, AWI

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1 Research Programme Polar, Marine and Coastal Systems Current and future Arctic research priorities of Germany Nicole Biebow, AWI Arctic Science and Technology (S&T) Collaboration and Engagement Workshop, Ottawa,

2 German Arctic Research Strategy: Rapid Climate Change in the Arctic: Polar Research as a Global Responsibility Published 2012 based on Framework programme: "Research for Sustainable Development (FONA) " by the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)

3 The content 22 Pages Four main chapters: 1. The Strategic Goals for Arctic Research 2. Arctic Research: The Central Questions 3. The State of German Polar Research 4. Implementation of the Arctic Research Strategy

4 The Strategic Goals for Arctic Research The program recognizes the need: to observe the changes in the Arctic in more detail; to measure the feedback effects of polar and global processes in the Earth system; to improve prediction models. The research is intended to inform society and policy makers, so that the potential local and global consequences of climate change in the Arctic can be appraised. This will form the basis for sustainable development strategies on the national and international and especially the European level.

5 Arctic Research: The Central Questions 2.1 The Past, Present and Future of Climate Change in the Arctic 2.2 Contributions of the Greenland Ice Sheet to Sea Level Rise 2.3 The Decline in Arctic Sea Ice 2.4 Permafrost and Gas Hydrates as Unknown Variables in the Climate System 2.5 Adaptation of Polar Organisms to Changes in the Arctic Environment 2.6 The Risks and Opportunities of Increasing Commercial Exploitation of the Arctic

6 AWI contribution to the German Research Strategy - examples-

7 AWI contribution to the Arctic Research Strategy Topic 1 Changes and regional feedbacks in Arctic and Antarctic Poles Oceans Coasts Stakeholder

8 WP4: Arctic sea ice and its interaction with ocean and ecosystems Questions What governs the longterm variation in Arctic sea ice cover? What are the consequences of sea-ice retreat on ocean circulation and ecosystems? How do shifts in Arctic biodiversity alter geochemical functions? Research Strategy Physics Sea ice Ocean Impacts of Ice properties Habitat sea ice change Geochemistry Nutrients Gas exchange Production Sedimentation Biology Biodiversity Ecology Objectives Asses changes of seaice volume Quantify changes in ocean heat and fresh water Clarify impacts of ice retreat on productivity, ocean circulation, geochemical fluxes Quantify ecosystem changes from surface to depth Topic 1 / WP 4: Arctic Sea Ice

9 Topic 1 / WP 4: Arctic Sea Ice Sea ice volume assessment => Assess changes Continuation of time-series measurements Simulated Model validation and development Arctic-wide estimates Observed

10 Topic 1 WP3: Degrading permafrost Carbon export: riverine export, greenhouse gas emission, and microbial degradation CO 2 CH 4 How much DOC and POC is exported? What is its molecular composition and age? DOC, POC, nutrients dissolved CH 4 How much greenhouse gas is exchanged? Which OM is microbially decomposed?

11 International initiatives in AWI interest

12 International initiatives Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) Multi-year, coordinated, and comprehensive measurements, extending from the atmosphere through the sea-ice and into the ocean, are needed in the central Arctic Basin to provide a process-level understanding of the changing central Arctic climate system. This will contribute to improved modeling of Arctic climate and weather, and prediction of Arctic sea-ice concentrations. Why? Lack of system- and process-level understanding of Arctic change Model parameterization shortcomings Few process-level observations in new central Arctic Changing Arctic has implications for lowerlatitude weather & large-scale circulation Resource development, commerce, ecological, & societal interests

13 MOSAiC Scientific Questions How do changes in the Arctic atmosphereice-ocean system drive heat & mass transfers of importance to climate & ecosystems? What are the processes & feedbacks affecting sea-ice cover, atmosphereocean stratification and energy budgets in the Arctic? Will an ice-reduced Arctic become more biologically productive and what are the climatological consequences of this? How do interfacial exchange rates, biology & chemistry couple to regulate the major elemental cycles? How do the different scales of spatial and temporal heterogeneity within the ocean, ice & atmosphere interact to impact the linkages or feedbacks within the system?

14 European & international cooperation at Svalbard SIOS marine component: multidisciplinary studies in a rapidly changing part of the ocean Key components of the marine component marine observatories and ship-based ecosystem time series - deep sea observatory HAUSGARTEN west of Svalbard - stations in fjords in western and northern Svalbard Map: SIOS Photo: Andreas Winter

15 FRontiers in Arctic marine Monitoring - FRAM In-situ observation at the sea-floor and in the water column. Development of a novel deep sea observatory in the Fram strait

16 ARICE Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium for Europe A strategy for meeting the needs for marine research in the Arctic 21 partners from Europe, USA and Canada, Letters of support from IASC, ISAC and SAON Initiated & coordinated by:

17 The objectives of ARICE. The primary objectives are to: Achieve a year-round availability of heavy icebreakers in the Arctic by operating Oden and Polarstern in an European/International consortium, Increase the coordination of available heavy icebreakers with ice-margin vessels in order to relieve the heavy icebreakers, Create a mechanism for a more costeffective usage through transnational harmonisation, especially in the High Arctic, to concentrate today s heterogeneous national polar research strategies into a coherent science planning based on an open, transparent international consensus.

18 EU-PolarNet Connecting Science with Society Invited to grant preparation 22 Partners from 17 European nations, Letters of Support from 16 national or international organisations (e.g. SCAR, IASC, IASSA etc.) MISSION The overall goal of EU-PolarNet is to develop for the first time an Integrated European Polar Research Programme that is co-designed with all relevant stakeholders and international partners. This European Polar Research Programme will be accompanied by a realistic and feasible implementation plan to provide Europe with the capability to define the nature of environmental risks so that governments can design policy measures to mitigate them and businesses and other stakeholders benefit from the opportunities that are opening up in the Polar Regions.

19 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT To improve coordination in polar research and develop a comprehensive European Polar Research Programme and related infrastructure implementation plan, To communicate user needs to the appropriate scientific community by setting up a continuous stakeholder dialogue, To implement the Transatlantic Research Alliance by including partners from the US and Canada, To cooperate with partners from other third countries and to support the Belmont Forum cooperative research actions, To enhance the coordination with international research organisations, programmes and operational services, To support the coordination and optimisation of existing monitoring and modelling programmes and related infrastructures, To work towards interoperability of and open access to observational and modelling data and related products.

20 FIRST ACTIONS Trilateral EU/US/Canada Workshop Arctic scientific cooperation in the framework of the Transatlantic Ocean Research Alliance Tromsø, 21 st January, 2015 Participants will be invited by the respective partner Projects envisaged by the EC for Transatlantic Cooperation Calls for the following themes might be opened 2016/2017 1) Arctic observing systems, data sharing and observing infrastructure; 2) The impact of Arctic changes on the weather and climate of Northern latitudes; 3) The impact of climate change on Arctic ecosystems and the related socio-economic risks and opportunities.

21 Thanks a lot for your attention Questions?