Past Events

John Walsh, Chief Scientist, International Arctic Research Center (IARC), University of Alaska Fairbanks & Lena Krutikov, Climate Science Analyst, Scenarios Network for Alaska & Arctic Planning (SNAP) will be the guest speakers for this ACCAP sponsored webinar.

Coastal communities, marine navigation, industry (fishing, tourism, offshore resource extraction), the military, and Earth/Arctic system science research have all expressed a clear need for an Alaska sea ice atlas. Indeed, many requests for historical and climatological sea ice information for Alaska coastal waters presently go unanswered because such an atlas does not exist.

The availability of GIS software, in-house expertise and historical databases extending back to the 1850s makes the construction of an Alaska sea ice atlas timely and feasible. The atlas consists of digitally-stored sea ice concentration data on a grid covering all Alaska coastal waters to a distance of ~500 km (300 mi) from shore, with a spatial resolution of 25 km. The time resolution is monthly for the period 1850s-1950s, and weekly for the period from the early 1950s to 2010 with the allowance of subsequent updates.

The Historical Sea Ice Atlas is a joint project by International Arctic Research Center’s research units, ACCAP and SNAP, funded by the Alaska Ocean Observing System (AOOS).

Dr. David Sutherland from the University of Oregon will provide an overview of ice-ocean interactions in glacial fjords. A general introduction of glacial fjords will be presented, followed by more detailed information on fjord circulation and how changes in fjord circulation can impact marine-terminating glaciers.

You can register for the webinar at: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/389431569.

The new Ice-Ocean Interactions webpage (http://apecs.is/research-sp-359857820/areas-of-research/geosciences/ice…) contains basic background information on glacier ice- and sea ice-ocean interactions, abstracts and citation information for relevant journal articles, and hyperlinks to journals that frequently publish ice-ocean interaction articles. Video recordings of the three webinars described below will be added to the research feature content by the end of February and relevant posters will be added over time.

If you would like to feature one of your posters on ice-ocean interactions on the new webpage, please submit a virtual copy of your poster by following the instructions found at http://apecs.is/research/virtual-poster-session/submit-your-poster. After submitting your poster, please send an email with the subject ‘submission of APECS ice-ocean poster’ to Ellyn Enderlin (ellyn.enderlin [at] gmail.com) so that a direct link to your poster can be included on the Ice-Ocean Interactions webpage.

The presenters will be Dr. Jeff Dozier from the University of California, Santa Barbara, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management in conjunction with Dr. Anne Nolin - Oregon State University, Department of Geosciences.

Abstract:
Our objective is to estimate seasonal snow volumes, relative to historical trends and extremes, in snow-dominated mountains that have austere infrastructure, sparse gauging, challenges of accessibility, and emerging or enduring insecurity related to water resources. The world's mountains accumulate substantial snow and, in some areas, produce the bulk of the runoff. In ranges like Afghanistan's Hindu Kush, availability of water resources affects US policy, military and humanitarian operations, and national security. The rugged terrain makes surface measurements difficult and also affects the analysis of remotely sensed data. To judge feasibility, we consider two regions, a validation case and a case representing inaccessible mountains. For the validation case, we use the Sierra Nevada of California, a mountain range of extensive historical study, emerging scientific innovation, and conflicting priorities in managing water for agriculture, urban areas, hydropower, recreation, habitat, and flood control. For the austere regional focus, we use the Hindu Kush, where some of the most persistent drought in the world causes food insecurity and combines with political instability, and occasional flooding. Our approach uses a mix of satellite data and spare modeling to present information essential for planning and decision making, ranging from optimization of proposed infrastructure projects to assessment of water resources stored as snow for seasonal forecasts. We combine optical imagery (MODIS on Terra/Aqua), passive microwave data (SSM/I and AMSR-E), retrospective reconstruction with energy balance calculations, and a snowmelt model to establish the retrospective context. With the passive microwave data we bracket the historical range in snow cover volume.

The sixth installment in this webinar series focuses on the management of long-term observing awards. Questions discussed target the management structure of the awardee teams and the methods that they use to implement their observing strategy. Included in these concepts are risk management, interdependent infrastructure, critical path planning, and cost benefits of non-traditional observing methods and interdisciplinary or interagency collaboration. The webinar will be available through Webex (details available at www.arctichub.net).

Background: On October 31, 2013, a kick-off webinar was held by the National Science Foundation to introduce 35 questions grouped in 8 thematic areas which address best practices for long-term observing management and governance. Over the next 20 weeks, 9 webinars will be held to further delve into each of the 8 themes: (1) Definition, (2) Life cycle and horizons, (3) Review: frequency, criteria, and process, (4) Network relevance, (5) Funding models, (6) Award structure and management, (7) Information sharing and communication, and (8) National and global connectivity. The ninth webinar will be a wrap-up discussion and assessment of current exchanges on these 8 themes. For a list of the 35 questions within these 8 thematic areas, please visit www.arctichub.net and click on the "Long Term Observing Management Discussion Group" link on the home page and then click Discussion on the left-hand side of the group page.

The webinars will introduce the themes and questions in detail, but the discussion continues beyond the webinar timeframe. Interested persons who would like to lead discussions on one or more of the 35 questions are encouraged to apply for discussion funding support through an online application at: http://www.arcus.org/search/aon/discussion-funding-form. Funding details and eligibility are on the form webpage. The discussion content provided through this activity will inform best practices and lessons learned in long-term observing from the viewpoint of the wide range of actors involved in natural and social observing, its management, support, and development.

Coastal communities, marine navigation, industry (fishing, tourism, offshore resource extraction), the military, and Earth/Arctic system science research have all expressed a clear need for an Alaska sea ice atlas. Indeed, many requests for historical and climatological sea ice information for Alaska coastal waters presently go unanswered because such an atlas does not exist. The availability of GIS software, in-house expertise and historical databases extending back to the 1850s makes the construction of an Alaska sea ice atlas timely and feasible. The atlas consists of digitally-stored sea ice concentration data on a grid covering all Alaska coastal waters to a distance of ~500 km (300 mi) from shore, with a spatial resolution of 25 km. The time resolution is monthly for the period 1850s-1950s, and weekly for the period from the early 1950s to 2010 with the allowance of subsequent updates.

Pre-registration for webinars is strongly encouraged. The audio portion of the call is through a toll-free phone line and the slide presentation is streamed via computer. For instructions on participating through your home office or at a satellite viewing location with others in your community, please see our webinar information page.

The webinar is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. AKST (12:00-1:00 p.m. PST, 1:00-2:00 p.m. MST, 2:00-3:00 p.m. CST, and 3:00-4:00 p.m. EST) on Thursday, 20 February 2014. The webinar will provide a brief summary of SIPN project goals and will begin discussions on how to improve sea ice predictions, specifically for the 2014 Sea Ice Outlook. This webinar will be a prelude to the April workshop to be held at National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) on 1-2 April 2014 in Boulder, Colorado. The webinar is open to all interested participants, including sea ice researchers, students, decision-makers, and others. Please visit the website for further information.

Presenter: Dr. Timothy E. Link - University of Idaho, Department of Forest, Rangeland, and Fire Sciences

Abstract:
In mountainous, forested environments, vegetation exerts a strong control on snowcover dynamics that in turn affect ecohydrological processes, streamflow regimes, and riparian health. Snowcover deposition and ablation patterns in forests are controlled by a complex combination of canopy interception processes coupled with radiative and turbulent heat flux dynamics related to topographic and canopy cover variations. Recent research has elucidated variations that can result in snowcover dynamics that run counter to conventional wisdom, but which are important for advancing the understanding of hydrological processes in complex terrain. In most seasonal snow environments, snowcover ablation dynamics in forests are dominated by net radiation. In discontinuous forests however, net radiation in forested areas may exceed radiation in open sites, whereas in other cases, net radiation may be less than in closed canopy forests. The low-radiation paradox most pronounced early in the winter, at high latitudes and on north-facing slopes due to low solar elevation angles relative to the ground. Physically-based simulations of snowpack dynamics indicate that desynchronization of snowmelt by approximately 3 weeks can occur between north and south facing discontinuous forests relative to continuous canopies, whereas timing differences are minimal between east and west facing slopes. These results indicate that forest thinning may be used to reduce snowmelt rates and/or alter melt synchronicity, but that the exact configuration will be highly spatially variable. This evolving line of research holds important implications for a wide range of disciplines including water resources management, fire hazard risk reduction, vegetation regeneration, forest entomology, soil processes and winter recreation.

The Bering Sea Project Science Advisory Board is making a call for expression of interest in an Open Science Meeting (OSM) provisionally planned to convene in 22-23 February 2014 in association with the 2014 Ocean Sciences Meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii.

The OSM aims to communicate research results of the 2007-2013 Bering Sea Project -- also known as the Bering Sea Ecosystem Study (BEST) and the Bering Sea Integrated Ecosystem Research Program (BSIERP) -- and to engage the community working in related disciplines and regions. It is conceived as a one-day meeting featuring a series of integrated talks, including a poster session and oral presentations, preceding the opening of the Ocean Sciences conference.

The OSM will welcome topics within the broad scope of the Bering Sea Project, "to understand the impacts of climate change and dynamic sea ice cover on the eastern Bearing Sea ecosystem" and related work from disciplines not included in the program, other related research programs, and other subarctic regions.

The intent of the survey is to gauge community interest and availability to inform OSM planning.

To participate in the survey, please go to:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/BSP_OSM_call_for_interest.

For questions about the survey, please contact:
Tom Van Pelt
Email: tvanpelt [at] nprb.org

The 17th biennial Ocean Sciences Meeting, co-sponsored by the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography (ASLO), The Oceanography Society (TOS), and the American Geophysical Union (AGU), will be held at the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu from 23-28 February 2014. The Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM) is an important venue for scientific exchange across broad marine science disciplines. Sessions will include all aspects of oceanography, especially multidisciplinary topics, as well as presentations that reflect new and emerging research on the global ocean and society, including science education, outreach and public policy. The OSM originated in 1982 as a joint effort between AGU and ASLO, TOS joined as a regular co-sponsor in 2004.

Increasing evidence of multiple human impacts on the oceans makes this is a critical time for the largest international assembly of ocean scientists, engineers, students, educators, policy makers, and other stake holders to gather and share their results on research, application of research, and education. What better place to hold the meeting than an island in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, where there is emphasis on mauka to makai (ridge to reef) connection, the ultimate in ecosystem-based management; where there is interest in combining traditional knowledge with science-based understanding; where islands are in threat of disappearing from sea level rise; and where East and West can easily meet? Throughout their history, Hawaiians have demonstrated a thorough understanding of sustainability with an approach to land and water use that allowed them to self-sustain nearly one million islanders. Today they build on that heritage with innovations in science and clean energy. Hawaii is a place where interdependence and sustainability are both historic and necessary.

Abstract submissions are now being accepted through 4 October 2013.
An updated meeting schedule has been posted at: http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2014/ataglance.asp

Organizers of the 5th Polar Shipping Summit announce a call for registration. The summit will convene 26-27 February 2014 in London, United Kingdom.

The goal of the Polar Shipping Summit is to create awareness of international commercial shipping to the North American region and promote understanding of international polar shipping activities. The summit will address key developments in transport and regulation in the Arctic as well as commercial, communication, and safety issues. Particular emphasis will be put on evaluating potential opportunities in the region.

To download a brochure and agenda, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/PolarShippingSummit.

For questions, please contact:
Mohammad Ahsan
Email: mahsan [at] acieu.net
Phone: +44(0)-207-981-2503

The 18th Alpine Glaciology Meeting (AGM) will take place in Innsbruck, Austria, on February 27-28, 2014.

The AGM is an informal platform where young and senior researchers can meet in a relaxed atmosphere and we very much look forward to provide this setting also for the 18th AGM in Innsbruck. Contributions (oral and poster presentations) addressing all kind of cryospheric topics are welcome and no registration fee is required.

For organizational reasons, we would like to ask you to send us an intend-to participate e-mail (to irmgard.juen [at] uibk.ac.at) by October 30, 2013.

A call for titles of your intended presentations will reach you in January, 2014.

More information on travel and accommodation will be posted as it becomes available.

Presenter: Dr. David A. Robinson - Rutgers University, Department of Geography

Abstract:
Annual snow cover extent (SCE) over Northern Hemisphere (NH) lands averages 25.8 million square kilometers. It ranges from an average of 47.1 million sq. km. in January to 3.0 million sq. km. (mostly atop the Greenland Ice Sheet) in August. SCE is calculated at the Rutgers Global Snow Lab from daily SCE maps produced by meteorologists at the National Ice Center, who rely primarily on visible satellite imagery to construct the maps.

Annual SCE over NH lands has averaged lower since the late 1980s than earlier in the satellite era that began in the late 1960s. This is most evident from late winter through spring, and in the past decade has been exceedingly pronounced at high latitudes in May and June. The most recent four Mays have had four of the five lowest NH SCEs on record, with Eurasian (Eur) SCE at a record low in 2013. North American (NA) SCE achieved a record minimum in May 2010, but of late has not been as consistently low as over Eur. The past six Junes have seen record minimum SCEs over the NH and Eur, with five of these six Junes the lowest over NA. The recent early timing of arctic snowmelt appears to be occurring at an equivalent if not greater pace than the loss of summer Arctic sea ice extent.

While when projecting snow melt discharge it is much preferable to know the water equivalent of a snowpack (SWE) rather than its extent, the response of streamflow to seasonal SCE changes has been found to be significant within large basins in Siberia and the North American arctic. Along with an overview of continenal SCE kinematic, this hydrological relationship will be examined in this presentation, along with results looking at satellite microwave derived SWE and discharge, which also show promising results on a large scale.

The Intercomparison of Snow Grain Size Measurements Workshop will take place from March 9-14, 2014 in Davos, Switzerland, and a follow-up workshop from August 4-5, 2014 in Reading, UK. It was motivated by the "IACS Snow Grain Size Workshop - Measurements and Applications" held April 2013 in Grenoble.

The workshop goal is to compare all currently used direct and indirect methods of measuring snow “grain size”. The following instruments are currently on our partial list to compare:

• Tomography
• BET adsorption methods
• Casting methods
• Stereology and sectioning
• Spectroscopic methods (e.g. using 1030 nm absorption feature)
• Near-infrared photography
• Direct optical methods (e.g. based on 1300 nm reflectance)
• High-resolution penetrometry (e.g. SnowMicroPen)
• Traditional grain size

The measurements will be conducted in the cold laboratories of the WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF and on a dedicated field site near Davos. Homogenous snow samples will be prepared by the SLF.

There will be a follow-up workshop from August 4-5, 2014 in Reading, UK - detailed announcement will follow.

The International Glaciological Society will hold an International Symposium on Sea Ice in a Changing Environment in 2014. The symposium will be held in Hobart, Australia from 10 to 14 March 2014. This will be the fourth IGS symposium dedicated to sea-ice research.

Topics are to include:

• Pole to pole: Large-scale change and variability in sea ice and climate, including: regional to hemispheric response, teleconnections, attribution of change (including large-scale atmospheric and oceanic circulation changes and feedback mechanisms), and possible extreme events
• Seymour Laxon and Katharine Giles celebration session: Advances in sea- ice analysis using remotely sensed data, including: hemispheric and global assessment, sea-ice thickness and volume, algorithm development and validation, accuracy of retrieved parameters, multisensor synergies, new technologies
• Advances in instrumentation and observation methods, including: non-destructive observations, autonomous observatories (including underwater and aerial platforms), new analytical methods
• The challenge of melding sea-ice modelling with observations, including: sea-ice and coupled model validation, advances in numerical parameterizations, current gaps, translating observations into models, IPCC-AR5 ensemble synthesis
• A new regime for sea-ice growth and decay?, including: New observations of sea-ice growth and decay processes and of the characteristics of the sea-ice matrix, including the contribution of snow to sea-ice formation and decay (e.g. snow–ice and melt-pond formation), microphysical properties
• Snow on sea ice, including: snow thickness, density, characteristics and processes, gas exchange, surface radiation budget and remote sensing considerations
• Interactions between sea-ice drift & deformation and sea-ice morphology, including: ice kinematics, dynamics and mechanics, linkage to floe-size distribution and ice concentration, and dynamic effects on the sea-ice matrix
• Ocean–ice–atmosphere interactions, including: boundary-layer processes, waves, tides, drag coefficients, synoptic scale forcing
• The marginal ice zone, including: processes at the outer ice–ocean boundary, numerical and experimental advances in wave–ice interaction, wave attenuation, and floe-size modification
• Sea-ice interaction with ice sheets, ice shelves and icebergs, including: fast ice, polynyas, basal melt and refreeze, water-mass modification, freshwater balance, oceanic heat content, and possible linkage to ice-shelf stability
• The role of sea ice in ecosystems dynamics, including: sea-ice biota, primary productivity, microorganisms, microbial food webs, trophic levels
• Sea-ice biogeochemical properties and processes in a world of change, including: gas fluxes, nutrients, trace elements, carbon and oxygen cycling, brine composition and nutrients
• Palaeo and pre-satellite sea ice distribution, including: historical records and observations, reconstructions from ice core records and deep-sea sediments.

Information will be updated on the conference website as it becomes available.

Climate change is complicating the variables that Alaskans consider when planning for the future. Communities, agencies and other entities have begun to grapple with both the information that they need to adapt to a changing climate and how the processes and practices of science should change to make science more useful. We reviewed and coded sixty-three documents that expressed practical research needs related to climate change in Alaska. Our goals were to document stakeholder-defined research needs, assess whether there are spatial or topic-related gaps in needs assessment, and understand what stakeholders suggest about how science might be more relevant and useful in a changing climate. Overarching themes include the need for more baseline data to understand change, an interest in the social impacts of climate change, and a need to incorporate local perspectives. Research needs that were most frequently mentioned related to infrastructure, economics costs of climate change, adaptation planning, policy, and impacts to subsistence. Gaps included inadequate engagement of local perspectives and few examples of community-level assessments. Documents nearly unanimously expressed that science, as it is currently practiced, is unable to meet the challenges of climate change. They call for processes that are more transparent, collaborative, and accessible. They recommend changed practices including maintaining accessible data-sharing archives, building networks for knowledge sharing, and creating place-based long-term partnerships with communities. This review complements the climate-change literature by providing concrete suggestions about stakeholder relevant research needs as well as how to increase the utility of science from a region that is experiencing some of the most dramatic climatic change on the planet.

Pre-registration for webinars is strongly encouraged. The audio portion of the call is through a toll-free phone line and the slide presentation is streamed via computer. For instructions on participating through your home office or at a satellite viewing location with others in your community, please see our webinar information page.

With the melting of Arctic sea ice, the predictions for the shipping sector in the Arctic have radically changed. The Northern Sea Route and the North West Passage could become major trading routes in the near future. Transports between Europe and Asia could be cut by up to 40 % in costs and time. The Arctic maritime traffic will most likely be dominated by transit shipping of natural resources from the Arctic region to the world market. But is the Arctic prepared for this increase in Arctic shipping? Are the shipping routes, lighthouses, radar systems and Search and Rescue capacities in order for increased shipping activities? How are the ice conditions and how do they change over time? How much of the investments shall be covered by the states and how much could the contribution of the companies operating in the Arctic be? Could the maritime sector agree on an Arctic Marine Best Practice Declaration to make the future of the Arctic shipping more sustainable? With the aim to come closer on how to shape sustainable shipping in the Arctic, join us for a one day conference 11 March 2014.

The 5th Arctic Business Forum in March 2014 introduces the Rising Business Potential in the Arctic Vast natural resources and melting of arctic sea ice have led the arctic regions to become an interesting new destination for investments. Only this decade the European High North region hold ongoing and planned investments worth of over more than 100 billion euro. The 5th Arctic Business Forum conference will be held at Rovaniemi, Finland from March 11th to 13th, 2014. The annual conference introduces the latest business development and future prospects of the rising arctic economy as a vital part of worldwide developments. Two days of world class presentations by invited speakers, a trade show and a high class social program in the very heart of Lapland Finland make the event an excellent opportunity for anyone interested in the arctic business development in terms of business opportunities and networking, exchanging ideas, insight and learning experience.
The following current issues will be featured by the presentations:

• What effects climate change has on arctic business
• Arctic sea routes and the influence on other transport methods
• Shale gas developments and effects on arctic oil & gas industry
• Raw material prices – is mining still profitable and sustainable
• Best practices - how do SME’s get in and part of the large scale projects

Additional information with program and registration details are available on the conference website. The conference is organized by Lapland Chamber of Commerce, Finland.

The 4th European Marine Board Forum will bring together Arctic stakeholders from multiple sectors (science, industry, policy & governance, NGOs, etc.) to:

• Discuss current trends and patterns of change in Arctic Ocean ecosystems, including human activity;
• Identify possible "2050" scenarios for Arctic Change and the corresponding implications for human health and well-being;
• Highlight key research gaps, needs and challenges in support of understanding, mitigating against, or adapting to Arctic change;
• Stimulate dialogue across sectors to aid common understanding, collaborative actions and sustainability targets;
• Promote the need for a sustainable ecosystem-based management of the Arctic Ocean.

Moderated by David Shukman, BBC Science Editor, the programme will include David Vaughan (British Antarctic Survey), Paul Connolly (President of the International Council for Exploration of the Sea), Antje Boetius (Alfred Wegener Institute for Marine and Polar Research), Kári Fannar Lárusson (Arctic Council), Robert Blaauw (Shell Den Haag) and Kurt Vandenberghe (European Commission, DG Research & Innnovation). The event will conclude with a high-level panel discussion with participation from science, industry and policy.

The Forum will take place in the centre of Brussels, at the Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium for Sciences and the Arts (KVAB, Hertogsstraat 1, 1000 Brussels), on Wednesday 12 March 2014. The Academy is situated to the left from the Royal Palace, across Hertogsstraat.

Further information on registration can be found at www.marineboard.eu/4thforum.

The Tranzit-DV Group, with the participation of the Ministry for the Development of the Russian Far East, is holding a conference in Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The conference theme is the creation of a logistics complex - MILC (Multimodal Industrial-Logistics Complex) in the Asia-Pacific Region with developed infrastructure and traffic network. Topics include: Seaports in the Primorsky and Kamchatka regions: experience, opportunities, prospects and development of sea transport; use of the Northern Sea Route in the global transport services market; state programs for investment support and development of the Russian Far East; analysis of the situation on the Russian and global container transport and bunkering markets; prospects for port hub development and multimodal carriage; and, maritime insurance issues.

This workshop on 12 March will focus on the risks from operating in ice with a particular focus on the gap between the different rules and regulations of the IACS Polar Class Rules, the (draft) IMO Polar Code and the lack of a pan-Arctic benchmark for determining when different ice class requirements apply. In this workshop, the world’s leading marine, insurance and ice experts will try to come to a consensus to highlight these issues. A recommendation will be drafted with a request to fill the knowledge gap and create a viable cross jurisdictional ice regime that will enable the IMO Polar Code and IACS Polar Class classifications to work efficiently. The objective is in other words, to support the sustainable development of the Arctic.

To register, reply to ud.registration.11march [at] gov.se no later than 4 March.