Ocean-Ice Interaction Measurements using Autonomous Ocean Flux Buoys in the Arctic Observing System

This is a proposal to continue deployment in the Central Arctic and to extend deployment to the Western Arctic of Autonomous Ocean Flux Buoys (AOFB) on ice floes with co-located instruments measuring T/S profiles, ice fluxes and surface forcing including atmospheric bulk fluxes and radiative terms. Observations of vertical fluxes of heat, salt and momentum between the ocean interior and surface are important to our understanding and modeling of processes that maintain perennial ice cover in the Arctic, particularly at a time of such rapid changes in ice coverage and volume.

Underway alterations of the Arctic system, in particular of its thermodynamic balance, may be precursory indicators of more widespread changes to come. Yet the observations to fully document such processes are lacking. To begin to address this measurement gap, it is proposed to deploy 4 ocean flux buoys each year for a four years. This award funds the first year of the expanded deployment while the network design takes place under the auspices of SEARCH and the International Polar year (2007-2008). The work will be conducted with other researchers who will make complimentary, co-located observations and share logistic costs which would otherwise be overwhelming. This co-operative approach was discussed and recommended by participants of the international workshop Arctic Observing Based on Ice-Tethered Platforms.