News Archive

The 2020 June Sea Ice Outlook (SIO) report is now available online. The Sea Ice Outlook, an effort managed by the Sea Ice Prediction Network–Phase 2 (SIPN2), provides an open process for those interested in Arctic sea ice to share predictions and ideas. The monthly reports contain a variety of perspectives—from advanced numerical models to qualitative perspectives from citizen scientists. The Outlook is not an operational forecast.

For the 2020 June report, 33 contributions were received that included pan-Arctic predictions. Of those contributions eight included predictions for pan-Antarctic and the Alaska Region. Additionally, we received 13 submissions of sea-ice probability and ten submissions of first ice-free date. New this year, the report includes ice-free conditions for the Hudson Bay region; September sea-ice concentration contour in the Fram Strait region, motivated by the MOSAiC expedition; and we invited contributors to submit initial conditions (sea-ice concentration and sea-ice thickness) of their forecasts to better understand how observations are being used in forecasts.

For the pan-Arctic, the median June Outlook value for September 2020 sea-ice extent is 4.33 million square kilometers, with quartiles of 4.06 and 4.59 million square kilometers. The median is close to the 2019 June Outlook, of 4.40 million square kilometers, and to the observed 2019 September sea-ice extent of 4.32 million square kilometers.

ARCUS is seeking an Accounting Assistant. This position, based in Fairbanks, Alaska, reports to the Director of Finance and Human Resources and provides accounting and administrative support to ARCUS. The position is temporary part-time with the possibility of developing into regular part-time.

The Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook concluded the 2020 season on Friday, 12 June after twelve weeks of weekly reports featuring local observations from seven Bering Strait Communities, National Weather Service sea ice and weather forecasts, and NWS and ACCAP satellite images. All reports are available in our archive. Thank you to our local observers and partners for a productive season!

Lightning talk videos, project update reports, and summary notes from the first Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) Investigators Meeting are now available and can be found on the NNA Investigators Meeting webpage. The meeting was held virtually 16-17 April 2020.

"Informed by history, scientists and indigenous people must assess where the Arctic environment is headed and share their knowledge in words accessible to those who influence and make policy. Moreover, the words of policymakers should help define, for researchers, the most urgent societal needs. The Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) approaches environmental Arctic change with a recognition that history, people, and words matter. Paying attention to the Arctic’s past, its inhabitants, and how we talk about its environment is necessary to properly define the problems."

Learn more in a new SEARCH article published today in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs.

The Sea Ice Prediction Network–Phase 2 (SIPN2) announces the Call for Contributions for the 2020 Sea Ice Outlook June Report (based on May data). The Sea Ice Outlook (SIO) provides an open process for those interested in Arctic sea ice to share ideas.

Pan-Arctic and Regional Sea Ice Extent Outlooks and any additional figures and gridded fields will be accepted for the 2020 June Outlook. We particularly encourage submissions for the Alaska region (i.e., Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas). All participants whose methods provide information at the local scale to are encouraged to provide full spatial fields via the SIPN Data Portal. First ice-free dates (IFD) for Hudson Bay will be calculated from the full spatial fields that cover this region. For those interested, submissions the September 2020 80% sea ice concentration contour for Fram Strait are also invited.

The 2020 SIO will also accept pan-Antarctic sea ice extent of the September monthly mean. Additionally, we encourage submissions to the associated effort of the Sea Ice Drift Forecast Experiment.

Submission deadline: 6:00 p.m. (AKDT) Wednesday, 10 June 2020 (Firm)

The May 2020 issue of Witness Community Highlights is now available online. This issue includes “Winter Worlds Project Highlights the Wonders of Snow in Alaska and Beyond.” This article summarizes the science education efforts of the Informal Science Learning project, “Our Winter World,” with examples of snow-themed community science nights in Alaskan villages; the design and development of a traveling museum exhibition on snow; and research exploring how cultural background affects learning in museum settings.

ARCUS invites registration for our next Arctic Research Seminar featuring Gerald “J.J.” Frost (Alaska Biological Research, Inc.). This seminar, discussing the “greening” of the Arctic, will be held Friday, 29 May 2020 from 9:00-10:00 a.m. AKDT (1:00-2:00 p.m. EDT) online via Zoom.

Update: We are no longer accepting applications for this position. ARCUS is seeking a freelance contract science writer/editor! This three- to six-month contract position will work with staff and contributors to our Witness the Arctic and Witness Community Highlights online newsletters, and other publications. Applications were due by 5:00 pm AK on Sunday, 31 May 2020.

The Polar Technology Conference was held during 10–12 March 2020 in Boulder, Colorado. The goal of the meeting was to link experts in polar science and technology development to discuss current technological resources for polar research and identify barriers to research and application of technology for problems unique to polar regions. Recordings of plenary presentations and presentation files for talks and posters are now available on the conference webpage. This activity was a cooperative effort among the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs, the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States, and the polar research community.

The Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) is holding two webinars—open by registration and scheduled for 14 May and 18 May—for participants to discuss Arctic research needs in the context of the Arctic Futures 2050 conference report and other observations and research. Those discussions will help SEARCH develop both its future programs as well as offer input to the 5-year Arctic research plan being developed by the Interagency Arctic Policy Research Committee (IARPC).

The April 2020 issue of Witness Community Highlights is now available online. This issue includes an article, “Tracking Alaskan Arctic Changes Through a Collaborative Network of Coastal Indigenous Communities,” that is an overview of the Alaska Arctic Observatory & Knowledge Hub (AAOKH) ongoing work to provide northern Alaska coastal communities with the tools, resources, and scientific support to share their expertise through observations of changing coastal conditions and associated impacts to their access of traditional marine resources.

Two webinars—open by registration and scheduled for May 14th and May 18th—will allow participants to discuss Arctic research needs in the context of the Arctic Futures 2050 conference report and other observations and research. Those discussions will help SEARCH develop both its future programs as well as offer input to the 5-year Arctic research plan being developed by the Interagency Arctic Policy Research Committee (IARPC).

The Sea Ice Prediction Network – Phase 2 (SIPN2) invites registration for an open webinar entitled "Understanding Stakeholder Information Needs for Sea-Ice Forecasting." This webinar will include an overview of stakeholder groups and their information needs, examples of how stakeholder groups deal with sea-ice and relate to sea-ice information, and discussion of how information gathered through stakeholder engagement can be of use to the sea-ice forecasting community. Time for participant questions will follow the presentations. This one-hour event will be held on Tuesday, 28 April 2020, starting at 8:00 a.m. (AKDT).

The Arctic Futures 2050 Conference Report and executive summary are now available online! The conference report provides a comprehensive summary of conference sessions and discussions.

COVID-19 has had far reaching impacts. In response to this uncertainty and for the safety of the teams and the communities of which they would visit, the deployment of all the 2020 PolarTREC educators to both the Arctic and Antarctica has been postponed until 2021. We will continue working with all the teams over the next year and in preparation for 2021. In the meantime, we'll be highlighting past expeditions and continuing to host science focused seminars.

In a new interview with Yale Climate Connections, SEARCH Executive Director Brendan Kelly discusses the impact that Arctic warming is having on ringed seals.

ARCUS and the Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska are pleased to announce the 2020 Arctic Indigenous Scholars. Please welcome Kimberly Pikok from Utqiaġvik, Richard B. Slats from Chevak, and Naidene Baechler from Newhalen. The three scholars will travel to Washington DC to share their views and build relationships with policy and decision-makers. Please view our webpage to learn more about this year’s scholars.

The Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO) season is now underway. SIWO is a resource for Alaska Native subsistence hunters, coastal communities, and others interested in sea ice and walrus. The SIWO provides weekly reports during the spring sea ice season with information from the National Weather Service, local observers, and other sources on weather and sea ice conditions relevant to walrus in the northern Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea regions of Alaska.

The March 2020 issue of Witness Community Highlights is now available online. This issue includes two articles: “Long-Term Monitoring Program Sheds Light on High-latitude Landscape Response to Ongoing Warming,” an overview of the data-supported research on how ground temperature responds to ongoing climate change; and "Indigenous Foods Knowledges Network: Facilitating Exchange between Arctic and Southwest Indigenous Communities on Food and Knowledge Sovereignty,” a summary of how this program brings together Indigenous scholars, practitioners, and community members to exchange knowledge and experience in support of food sovereignty.

PolarTREC educators from across the country are attending their orientation virtually this week due to the cancellation of the in-person meeting that was to take place in Boulder, CO. Learn more about their upcoming 2020-2021 expeditions to various Arctic and Antarctic research sites and onboard research vessels.

Visit the Arctic Calendar to see updates on events that have made postponements, cancellations, or that have moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We've been updating changes as we see them, but please contact us if you have any additional updates or if you would like to submit a new virtual event through the online form at: http://www.arcus.org/events/arctic-calendar/submit or by emailing calendar [at] arcus.org

A livestream broadcast of the Polar Technology Conference plenary sessions will be available during 10–12 March 2020. The goal of the meeting is to link experts in polar science and technology development to discuss current technological resources for polar research and identify barriers to research and application of technology for problems unique to polar regions. Please visit the conference webpage to view details including our line-up of speakers and topics, agenda, and abstracts, and details on how to access the livestream.

PolarTREC educator Sarah Slack, currently aboard the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer in the Amundsen Sea, was a guest blogger for the National Wildlife Federation Blog. The article is based on one of Sarah’s journals during her expedition looking offshore from the Thwaites Glacier in West Antarctica at the seafloor and the records of glacial and ocean change contained in the sediments around it. You can read more of Sarah’s journals and about what she has learned on the Thwaites Offshore Research expedition.

Join PolarTREC educator Sarah Slack and researcher Frank Nitsche who will be presenting from aboard the R/V Nathaniel B. Palmer somewhere in the Amundsen Sea. Sarah and Dr. Nitsche will discuss the fieldwork investigating the Thwaites Glacier, surrounding waters, and seafloor in West Antarctica. They will also talk about what it's like to be part of a large research team and how it is to live on a research vessel. This event is free and will take place Monday, 9 March at 7:15 AM AKDT (8:15 AM PDT, 9:15 AM MDT, 10:15 AM CDT, 11:15 AM EDT).

Find out more about what Sarah is learning through her journals on Thwaites Offshore Research here.