Witness Community Highlights Archive | ARCUS

Witness Community Highlights is an online publication launched in May 2017 to complement the regular publications of Witness the Arctic. It was developed in response to community feedback identifying the need for a monthly publication to highlight 1–2 Arctic research efforts and other timely items of interest to our readers. Community Highlights is distributed monthly via our Witness the Arctic mailing list of over 8,600 subscribers.

22 May 2023 Issue

Arctic Beaver Observation Network—Tracking a New Disturbance Regime

Figure 1. Example of stream disturbance by beaver lodge and dam. Note the contrast of the pond in the foreground to the free-flowing stream in the background. Photo courtesy of Ken Tape.

The Arctic Beaver Observation Network (A-BON) is a group of scientists, Indigenous groups, land managers, and local observers who are concerned about the expansion of beaver populations into Arctic landscapes. This collaboration, funded by NSF's Office of Polar Programs, began in 2020 and assembles a broad range of perspectives from circumarctic nations to coordinate research and observations related to beaver colonization of the Arctic and the impacts it is having on ecosystems and people.

By: Ken Tape, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Reflections on the Displacement of Yupik in Chukotka

Figure 1. Map of Asian/Siberian Yupik settlements (red dots) along the Bering Strait. Image from Central Siberian Yupik Language posting on Wikipedia.

Luda Kinok shares reflections on the historical and ongoing impact of displacement, war, hunger, and disease on survival of the culture, language, and traditional subsistence economies of the Yupik in Chukotka.

By: Luda Kinok, Sighineghmiit Immigrant to Alaska

New Partnership Between IARPC and UIC Science

Figure 1. The Barrow Arctic Research Center (BARC) facilities in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. Photo courtesy of Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC).

The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) announces that IARPC's Secretariat is now supported by UIC Science, a subsidiary of the Ukpeaġvik Iñupiat Corporation (UIC), the Alaska Native Corporation representing shareholders from the community of Utqiaġvik, Alaska. Their expertise encompasses Traditional Knowledge, technical and logistical support, project management and strategic planning, Indigenous community outreach, and science support while understanding the politics, culture, land use issues, regulations, and environmental conditions related to scientific research in Alaska.

By: Liz Weinberg, Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) Engagement Director

25 April 2023 Issue

Sediment, Ice, and Learning on the Tanana (SILT) River

Figure 1. SILT Team, left to right, Tamlin Pavelsky, Lilian Cooper, Julianne Davis, Ted Langhorst, Allen Bondurant, and Katie Spellman; getting ready for pre-freeze-up installations of optical backscatter sensors (OBS) to measure turbidity on the Tanana River in early October 2023. Photo courtesy of Emily Eidam.

The Sediment, Ice, and Learning on the Tanana (SILT) project is centered on developing and testing low-cost sensor networks that can be deployed in the Tanana River when it is ice covered to better capture full sediment fluxes to downstream ecosystems. Additional new learning about silt and ice is coming from working with K–12 students in Nenana and Fairbanks, Alaska, who help in sensor construction, testing methods, and envisioning new hypotheses.

By: Emily Eidam, Oregon State University; Christopher D. Arp, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); Julianne Davis, University of North Carolina (UNC); Allen Bondurant, UAF; Sarah Clement, UAF; Lillian Marguerite Cooper, UNC; Ted Langhorst, UNC; Tamlin Muir Pavelsky, UNC; and Katie Spellman, UAF

Doing Ethnography and Engaging with Indigenous Alaskan Communities Based on Ethnographers’ Identities

Figure 1. Map of the project partnering communities. Image courtesy of G. Iwahana.

While conducting ethnographic fieldwork with partnering communities in the Arctic, this team of social scientists recognized that their roles as participant observers were slightly different because of their identities. They came to understand that their identities could help in learning insider perspectives about the distribution of whale meat during Qagruq (Whale Festival) in Tikiġaq (Point Hope), Alaska.

By: Michael Koskey and Yoko Kugo, Center for Cross-Cultural Studies, Indigenous Studies Graduate Programs, University of Alaska Fairbanks

24 March 2023 Issue

Reflections on a Recent Conference Session: Alaskan and Arctic Anthropology Since Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

Figure 1. Map of the Bering Strait communities which, together with the nearby seasonal hunting, fishing, and reindeer herder camps, have been the sites of the authors' ethnographic research. The Indigenous men from the Chukotkan communities, who over the past year perished in the war in Ukraine, have relations in communities on both sides of the Bering Strait. Image courtesy of Igor Pasternak.

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, ethnographic research in Chukotka has not been possible. A recent conference session was organized to focus on the direct relevance that the suffering and displacement of millions of people in Ukraine and in Chukotka has for Arctic social sciences. Although the war and Putin's regime will eventually come to an end, the future of the social science research in Russia has possibly reached a "turn of no return" due to the fact that hundreds of Indigenous hunters, reindeer herders, culture, language, and knowledge bearers will be gone.

By: Sveta Yamin-Pasternak, Department of Anthropology, University of Alaska Fairbanks and Igor Pasternak, Department of Art, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Improving the Arctic Observing Network in a Changing Environment: A Report Summary

Figure 1. Global five-year average temperature anomalies from 2017–2021 from the NASA GISS analysis. The rate of warming in the Arctic is significantly faster than the rest of the planet. Image courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) and the United States Arctic Observing Network (US AON) Board released a report to Congress on 13 December 2022 describing the need for a sustained Arctic Observing Network. The report recommends that sustained and enhanced Arctic observations will contribute invaluable information to global models and forecasts, national security decisions, community resilience efforts, health and well-being, and economic prosperity.

By: Hazel Shapiro, Program Analyst at US Arctic Observing Network (US AON) and Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC); Sandra Starkweather, Executive Director, US AON; Thorsten Markus, Cryospheric Science Program Manager, NASA; and Olivia Lee, former Program Director, Arctic Observing Network Office of Polar Programs

Greenland's Largest Ice Stream Likely to Lose Ice Six Times Faster than Thought

Figure 1. The Northeast Greenland Ice Stream with its two main outlets, the Zachariae Glacier, bottom right, and the Nioghalvfjerdfjorden Glacier top right, which flow into the North Atlantic Ocean (Landsat scene from August 2021). Photo courtesy of Christopher Shuman, University of Maryland.

An interdisciplinary team combined field measurements, satellite observations, and numerical modeling to discover that the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream was much more sensitive to the intrusion of warm water along the coast than what was previously thought. Their work helped identify how the ice slides on the bedrock. This new knowledge led to a revised assessment of the future mass loss of this sector, which is six times higher than previous estimates.

By: Mathieu Morlighem, Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College and Shfaqat Abbas Khan, DTU Space, Technical University of Denmark, Denmark.

17 February 2023 Issue

USARC Releases Report on the Goals and Objectives for Arctic Research 2023–2024

Figure 1. USARC Goals Report cover image. Image courtesy of John Farrell, USARC.

The United States Arctic Research Commission has released its "Report on the Goals and Objectives for Arctic Research 2023–2024." The Report focuses on five goals: Environmental Risks and Hazards; Community Health and Well-Being; Infrastructure; Arctic Economics; and Research Cooperation. In addition, the Report emphasizes a cross-cutting theme of data analytics and informatics, considers the impact of COVID-19 on the Arctic region, and highlights select emerging topics in the region.

By: Isaac Edwards, Senior Counsel, United States Arctic Research Commission

Celebrating 75 Years of Arctic Research in Utqiaġvik, Alaska

Figure 1. Opening slide of Naval Arctic Research Laboratory (NARL) 75th Anniversary video. Figure courtesy of Lloyd Pikok Jr, Science Liaison/Videographer, UIC SCIENCE.

In early August 2022, a multidisciplinary, intergenerational, and cross-cultural group of more than 140 participants converged on Utqiaġvik, Alaska to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory (NARL) and to take part in an NSF funded workshop focused on Enhancing Arctic Science and Engineering. The workshop, grounded in a legacy of promoting sustainable Arctic science in Utqiaġvik, was guided by the important role of the Iñupiat in furthering scientific understanding of climatic and social-ecological change in the rapidly changing Arctic. The post-workshop report will help plan for the coordination of future Arctic research efforts and identify logistical and facility needs.

By: Benjamin M. Jones, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks on behalf of the Workshop Organizing and Advisory Committee

Caribou Migrations in a Changing Arctic

Figure 1. Western Arctic Herd caribou on their northward, spring migration in northwest Alaska. Image courtesy of Kyle Joly, National Park Service.

In early August 2022, a multidisciplinary, intergenerational, and cross-cultural group of more than 140 participants converged on Utqiaġvik, Alaska to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory (NARL) and to take part in an NSF funded workshop focused on Enhancing Arctic Science and Engineering. The workshop, grounded in a legacy of promoting sustainable Arctic science in Utqiaġvik, was guided by the important role of the Iñupiat in furthering scientific understanding of climatic and social-ecological change in the rapidly changing Arctic. The post-workshop report will help plan for the coordination of future Arctic research efforts and identify logistical and facility needs.

By: Kyle Joly, Wildlife Biologist, National Park Service

30 January 2023 Issue

The 2022 Arctic Report Card

Figure 1. A sample of notable events and widespread disturbances from across the Arctic. Image courtesy of Climate.gov.

The 2022 Arctic Report Card, released on 13 December 2022, provides an updated annual view into the state of the Arctic by checking in on key vital signs — eight defining elements of the Arctic's climate and environmental system. The report also includes a range of essays on critical and emerging topics across the Arctic, bringing into focus diverse collections of observations that help to assess the overall trajectory of Arctic change, highlighting an Arctic in transition.

By: Matthew L. Druckenmiller, National Snow and Ice Data Center and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder; Rick Thoman, Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks; and Twila A. Moon, National Snow and Ice Data Center and Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder

New Observatory Supports Broader Understanding of Climate-Change and Infrastructure Impacts to Ice-Rich Permafrost Systems

Figure 1. The NIRPO research site. The observatory includes a wide variety of landforms typical of ice-rich permafrost landscapes in the Prudhoe Bay Oilfield, including: flat-centered ice-wedge polygons with degraded ice-wedges and thermokarst ponds (left), photo courtesy of Jana Peirce; and small bird mounds with rich plant communities (right), photo courtesy of Amy Breen.

The NSF Navigating the New Arctic project, titled "Landscape Evolution and Adapting to Change in Ice-Rich Permafrost Systems (NNA-IRPS)" seeks to develop a broader understanding of how Arctic landscapes and ecosystems are evolving under the combined influence of climate change and local sources of disturbance. The project team established ice-rich permafrost observatories to study ground-ice conditions in relation to surficial geology, vegetation, other geoecological features, and disturbances. The Roadside Ice-Rich Permafrost Observatory (RIRPO) and the Natural Ice-Rich Permafrost Observatory (NIRPO) are in the Prudhoe Bay Oilfield. Research at the new NIRPO site investigates what has happened in areas of the oilfield that are mainly affected by climate change in the absence of infrastructure.

By: Donald A. Walker, Alaska Geobotany Center, Institute of Arctic Biology, and Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks

20 December 2022 Issue

Permafrost Pathways Project: Advancing Just Strategies to Address Arctic Warming

Figure 1. The Alaska Native village of Nunapicuaq (Nunapitchuk). Photo courtesy of Sue Natali / Woodwell Climate Research Center.

Permafrost Pathways is an ambitious new project that brings together scientists, Arctic residents, Indigenous Knowledge holders, environmental justice and human rights experts, and climate policymakers to improve permafrost science in collaboration with the international scientific community, and to inform and develop adaptation and mitigation strategies to address the hazards of permafrost thaw. The project addresses monitoring and modeling gaps as well as potential adaptation strategies and equitable mitigation policy.

By: Sue Natali, Arctic Program Director and Senior Scientist at Woodwell Climate Research Center and Project Lead for Permafrost Pathways, and Brendan Rogers, Associate Scientist at Woodwell Climate Research Center and Project Co-Lead for Permafrost Pathways

International Arctic Coastal Networks Connecting in Connecticut

Figure 1. Attendees of the International Arctic Coastal Network retreat in Mystic, Connecticut. Photo courtesy of Aimee Harvey.

The International Arctic Coastal Network (IACN) retreat, held in Mystic, Connecticut in mid-October 2022, brought together 42 researchers from eight different countries to focus on the unprecedented climate and land use change issues impacting Arctic coasts and the communities located there. Future Arctic coastal system dynamics will challenge conventional wisdom impacting human decision-making and adaptation planning, impacts to cultural heritage resources and communities, and likely resulting in unforeseen social and environmental challenges. The IACN retreat promoted synergy across networks to address the scale and complexity of future challenges.

By: Benjamin Jones, University of Alaska Fairbanks

IARPC Releases Arctic Research Biennial Implementation Plan 2022—2024

Figure 1. IARPC Biennial Implementation Plan 2022—2024 report cover graphic. Image courtesy of the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee of the National Science and Technology Council.

IARPC has released a companion for the Arctic Research Plan 2022—2026. The new implementation plan outlines 90 deliverables centered around supporting research, creating products, and coordinating information sharing. Like the Arctic Research Plan, the Biennial Implementation Plan 2022—2024 focuses on improving community resilience and well-being, advancing scientific understanding of ongoing changes in the Arctic system, creating more sustainable economies and livelihoods, and improving risk management and hazard mitigation.

By: Liz Weinberg, Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) Engagement Director

21 November 2022 Issue

ARCUS 2022 Annual Meeting and Institutional Member Updates

2022 ARCUS Institutional Members

The ARCUS 2022 Annual Meeting, held virtually on 1 November, brought together members from the Arctic research and education community. Small group discussion were focused on a range of Arctic research-related themes. A report on the meeting discussions and recommendations is in development and will be made available to the broader Arctic community. ARCUS member institutions were invited to share updates on Arctic research activities. Links to those updates are provided in this article.

By: ARCUS Staff

Decadal Review of the Long-Term Ecological Research Program

The Fourth Decadal Review Report on the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) network was released publicly in June 2022. The report discusses the strengths and challenges of the LTER network, summaries of findings, and includes recommendations from the committee. The report states that, "After more than forty years of sustained support from NSF, the LTER program has become one of the most highly regarded and successful programs in ecology." Response to the report, approved by the LTER Executive Board in October 2022, summarizes recent progress and plans in four focal areas from the review: diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice; synthesis; human-environment interactions; and education and outreach.

Editor's note: Text is excerpted from the LTER Network Response to the Fourth Decadal Review Committee Report

The Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies — Newest Regional Center of the US Department of Defense

Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies

The Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, a Department of Defense (DOD) Regional Center established by the Secretary of Defense in June 2021, is located on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska. The mission of the Stevens Center is to build strong, sustainable, domestic and international networks of security leaders and to promote and conduct focused research to advance DOD security priorities in the Arctic that include addressing the impacts of climate change in the region. The range of activities, seminars, symposiums, and products produced in support of that mission are highlighted in this article.

By: Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Randy "Church" Kee, USAF, Senior Advisor, Arctic Security Affairs, Ted Stevens Center

25 October 2022 Issue

Tribal Climate Adaptation Guidebook Now Provides Online Resources

Figure 1. The Tribal Adaptation Guidebook's framework has five major steps and includes specific activities that incorporate multiple knowledge systems for each step. Figure from the Tribal Adaptation Guidebook.

The Tribal Climate Adaptation Guidebook, published as a PDF in 2018 and adapted to a website in 2022, supports Tribes in their efforts to prepare for climate change. The Guidebook provides a comprehensive framework for climate change adaptation planning that explicitly recognizes the distinct circumstances of Tribal governments, culture, and knowledge systems while highlighting exemplary efforts by Tribes to adapt to climate change. The Guidebook's framework includes considerations for integrating and protecting Traditional Knowledges throughout the adaptation planning process relying on the Guidelines for Considering Traditional Knowledges (TKs) in Climate Change Initiatives.

By: Sascha Petersen, Adaptation International

SALVO: Monitoring Arctic Snowmelt and Changes in Albedo in Alaska

Figure 1. Map of SALVO's four sample sites near Utqiaġvik, Alaska. The boxes upper left show the location of the roughly 200x20 meter swaths we monitored taking aerial photographs and terrestrial lidar scanning measurements, the dotted lines indicate the location of the sampling line for in-situ measurements. The two tundra sites included gently sloping terrain (ARM) and flat terrain mostly comprising low-centered polygons (BEO). The two sea-ice sites included smooth sea ice of Elson Lagoon (ICE) and the ro

In spring of 2022, a Snow ALbedo eVOlution (SALVO) research team traveled to Utqiaġvik (formerly known as Barrow), Alaska to monitor snowmelt patterns and albedo trajectories on two tundra and two sea-ice sites. The team investigated the nature and differences in the melt mechanisms operating in these two environments, and their role as drivers of regional and global climate systems.

By: Serina Wesen, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); Anika Pinzner, UAF; Matthew Sturm, UAF

27 September 2022 Issue

ARCUS Member Profile of Gaurav Madan

ARCUS Community Member Profiles highlight our individual members and member representatives. They are short, easy-to-read profiles to help the ARCUS community get to know one another and support connections across disciplines and perspectives. This article summarizes the featured Profile of Gaurav Madan, Doctoral Research Fellow at the University of Oslo. For more information, please download the attached Member Profile and the transcript of a related interview.

Point Lay Permafrost

Figure 1. A home in Point Lay that is affected by ice-wedge thermokarst. Photo courtesy of Benjamin Jones.

The Native Village of Point Lay (Kali) on the North Slope of Alaska has been identified as the second-most permafrost thaw-affected community in the state of Alaska. In June 2022 a team of physical scientists, social scientists, and engineers traveled to Point Lay to observe, study, and discuss the effects of thawing permafrost on homes and critical infrastructure in the village. The multi-disciplinary team learned from one another and shared their discipline-centric ideas and observations which allowed for a more robust transfer of knowledge to the community, regional governance bodies, and engineers coping with the combined effects of thawing permafrost, infrastructure, and climate change.

By: Benjamin Jones, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); Jana Peirce, UAF; Billy Connor, UAF; Mikhail Kanevskiy, UAF; Yuri Shur, UAF; Tracie Curry, Northern Social-Environmental Research; Peppi Bolz, UAF; and Bill Tracey, Native Village of Point Lay

Arctic Observing Summit 2022: A Call to Action

Arctic Observing Summit

The Arctic plays a critical role influencing and driving planetary change and is part of the global geopolitical system. As such, Arctic observing must contribute to and enhance existing global observing networks to support forecasting, planning, adaptation, mitigation, and the identification of emerging issues in the context of ongoing change. The 2022 Arctic Observing Summit (AOS) is a biennial event convened as part of the Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) initiative to guide the design, coordination, and long-term operation of an international network of observing systems that improves our understanding of, and response to, Arctic change.

By: Alice C. Bradley, Williams College; Maribeth Murray, Arctic Institute of North America; Malgorzata Smieszek, Arctic University of Norway

30 August 2022 Issue

Supporting Arctic Food Sovereignty through Sustained, Coordinated Observations of Arctic Change

Figure 1. Conceptual depiction of developing an Indigenous-centered Food Security Observation System. Figure courtesy of Chythlook, Rudolf, Biermann, Eicken, and Starkweather.

The Research Networking Activities for Sustained Coordinated Observations of Arctic Change (Arctic CoObs RNA), now in its third year, helps define and build linkages between observations serving local-scale needs of Arctic and Indigenous communities and broader scale regional and global observing frameworks. The project works in partnership with the Indigenous-led Food Sovereignty Working Group to identify benefits and essential variables central to Pacific Arctic Indigenous food security and sovereignty.

By: Maureen Biermann, International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); Margaret Rudolf, UAF; Victoria Qutuuq Buschman, UAF; Craig Chythlook, UAF; Hajo Eicken, IARC/IUAF; and Sandy Starkweather, US Arctic Observing Network

Puzzling Vegetation Trends in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta are Resolved in 40-year Climate Record

Figure 1: Time integrated Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) magnitude trends (unitless) for the period 1982–2021 shows a mix of positive and negative values across the circumpolar Arctic tundra. Figure courtesy of Uma Bhatt, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

While the Arctic overall exhibits increasing vegetation productivity trends, Alaska’s Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta has appeared repeatedly as a notable region of declining trends. This has puzzled climate scientists for some time. A new 40-year analysis reveals an unmistakable long-term pattern of rising and falling vegetation productivity in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta and finds that spring sea-ice concentration is a low-frequency driver of vegetation productivity in that region.

By: Amy Sakura Hendricks, University of Alaska Fairbanks

New Project Connects Indigenous Knowledge and Western Science to Better Understand Impacts of Climate Change on Arctic Rivers

Figure 1. While exact boundaries for language groups do not exist, this map depicts dominant traditional languages across different regions of the Arctic. Information provided by the Alaska Native Language Preservation & Advisory Council. The study area for the Arctic Rivers Project is outlined in black. Figure courtesy of the US Geological Survey.

The Arctic Rivers Project, funded by the National Science Foundation's Navigating the New Arctic Program in 2020, is a five-year effort to improve understanding of how rivers, ice transportation corridors, fish, and communities might be impacted by and adapt to climate change. The project is guided by an Indigenous Advisory Council and focuses on Arctic rivers in Alaska and Canada and the Yukon River drainage.

By Keith Musselman, University of Colorado Boulder and the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research

22 July 2022 Issue

Satellite Observations Indicate a Boreal Forest Biome Shift is Underway

Figure 1. White spruce (Picea glauca) seedlings colonizing Arctic tundra in the Alaskan Brooks Range. Rising temperatures are making it possible for trees and shrubs to grow larger and colonize Arctic tundra along parts of the cool, northern margins of the boreal forest. Photo courtesy of Logan Berner.

Researchers find emerging evidence that climate change is causing boreal trees and shrubs to expand along the cool northern margins of the boreal forest, while at the same time causing trees to become more stressed and die along the warm southern margins of the boreal forest. These dynamics could lead to a gradual northward shift in the geographic extent of the boreal forest biome, but the extent to which such changes are already underway remains unclear.

By: Logan Berner and Scott Goetz, Northern Arizona University

A Community Level and Strength-Based Approach to Suicide Prevention

Figure 1. Participants at the 2020 Alaska Native Collaborative Hub for Research on Resilience (ANCHRR) 2020 meeting in Juneau, Alaska. Photo courtesy of ANCHRR.

The Alaska Native Collaborative Hub for Research on Resilience (ANCHRR), funded through the National Institute of Mental Health, is a network of Alaska Native leaders, social advocates, researchers, educators, and students working to change the narrative on suicide prevention and re-imagine Indigenous research partnership within an academic environment. The importance of community-level protection for suicide prevention is becoming clearer with the first phase of research, and the team is preparing to describe how the various kinds of community protection are maintained within communities, and how they work in the lives of young people.

By: Evon Peter, University of Alaska Fairbanks; Lisa Wexler, University of Michigan; Stacy Rasmus, Center for Alaska Native Health Research at the University of Alaska Fairbanks; James Allen, University of Minnesota Medical School in Duluth

23 June 2022 Issue

Remote Uncrewed Aircraft System Inspection and Response Team Developed in Unalakleet, Alaska

Figure 1. The project team during a hands-on training event in Fairbanks, Alaska. Pictured from left to right: Margy Hall, Co-Investigator; John Henry, Jr., Co-Investigator; Jessica Garron, Principal Investigator; Katie Daniels, Native Village of Unalakleet Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (NVU UAS), Harry Ivanoff (NVU UAS), Mike DeLue (UAF UAS), Sam Jeffries (UAF UAS). Photo courtesy of J. Garron.

A remote uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) inspection and response team was developed with funding through a grant from US Department of Homeland Security. The project was designed to train a set of UAS pilots in the remote, coastal, hub community of Unalakleet, Alaska to fly small UAS as a means to monitor climate change impacts, inform local decision-making, and support the US Coast Guard mission in western Alaska.

By: Jessica Garron, Deputy Director of the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center and Research Assistant Professor with the International Arctic Research Center; John Henry, Jr., Deputy Director of the Native Village of Unalakleet; and Margaret Hall, Assistant Director of the Model Forest Policy Program

Rethinking Scientific Meetings in a COVID World, an Example of the 16th International Circumpolar Remote Sensing Symposium

Figure 1. Group photo of virtual and in-person attendees during the closing ceremony. Photo courtesy of H. Bergstedt.

The 16th International Circumpolar Remote Sensing Symposium convened 16–20 May 2022 in Fairbanks, Alaska. The symposium offered both in-person and virtual attendance options and saw 102 registrants from 12 countries. The 49 oral presentations were given by both in-person and virtual attendees, who received continual technical support to enhance participation. Organizers made COVID-19 safety and mitigation a priority—creating a detailed mitigation plan and requiring all attendees to acknowledge it during registration.

By: Melissa K. Ward Jones, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), Jessica Garron, (UAF), Benjamin M. Jones, (UAF), Helena Bergstedt (b.geos), Martha Raynolds, (UAF), Simon Zwieback, (UAF), and Gerald "JJ" Frost (ABR, Inc.)

23 May 2022 Issue

Legal and Inupiat Perspectives on Adaptations to Repetitive Flooding Events in Arctic Communities

Figure 1. Rainbow over racks of drying seal or “ugruk” meat in Nigiitchiak, Alaska. Photo courtesy of Dennis Davis, all rights reserved, do not reprint without permission.

A team of disciplinary and local experts seeks to investigate options, obstacles, and opportunities to climate change adaptation from a legal and Inupiat perspective through the NSF-funded project, "Adaptations to Repetitive Flooding: Understanding Cross-Cultural and Legal Possibilities for Long-Term Solutions to Flooding Disaster." The team aims to examine what constitutes culturally relevant relocation from the perspective of Kigiqtamiut residents.

By: Elizabeth Marino, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Sustainability, Oregon State University-Cascades

ARCUS Member Profile of Hannah Holland-Moritz

ARCUS Community Member Profiles highlight our individual members and member representatives. They are short, easy-to-read profiles to help the ARCUS community get to know one another and support connections across disciplines and perspectives. This Profile features Hannah Holland-Moritz, Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of New Hampshire. A transcript of the related interview accompanies the Member Profile and provides further information.

Springtime at the Arctic Data Center

Figure 1. A screenshot of the Social Science Resource page from the Arctic Data Center website.

As the Arctic Data Center enters its seventh year of operation, the staff is busy developing and teaching data management courses, collaborating on workshops and Arctic-related projects, and creating new resources for the Arctic social science research community.

By: Natasha Haycock-Chavez, Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator, Arctic Data Center

27 April 2022 Issue

Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Tools for Arctic Research

Figure 1. A commonly found workflow and cycle of inquiry used for inference in machine learning and artificial intelligence projects (e.g., Bluhm et al. 2010; Gulyaeva 2020; Huettmann 2020). Figure by F. Huettmann.

For the Arctic and the polar regions, accurate data mining and forecasting are a basis for good decision-making. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) offer tools and new approaches to obtain powerful and best-possible predictions for inference and policy for the current time period, as well as for the future.

By: Falk Huettmann, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Investigating Dramatic Growth in Thermokarst Features in Interior Alaska

Figure 1. Active layer depths along a transect at the Permafrost Tunnel site showing an increase in depths from 2013 to 2021. Of particular note is the dramatic thaw at trail crossings, at a thermokarst feature, and along a stream.

Climate warming across interior Alaska over the past ten years has dramatically increased top-down thaw of permafrost, as well as the initiation and growth of thermokarst features. Since 2013, seasonal thaw depth has increased by at least 50% in most places. In some areas, particularly near clearings, trail crossings, and other disturbed sites, it has more than doubled.

By: Thomas A. Douglas, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center's Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, Alaska

28 March 2022 Issue

ARCUS Member Profile of Gabriella Gricius

Gabriella Gricius

ARCUS Community Member Profiles highlight our individual members and member representatives. They are short, easy-to-read profiles to help the ARCUS community get to know one another and support connections across disciplines and perspectives. This Profile features Gabriella Gricius, PhD Student in Political Science at Colorado State University and the North American and Arctic Defense and Security Network. A transcript of the related interview accompanies the Member Profile and provides further information.

COVID-19 in Remote Alaska Communities: A Longitudinal View of a Novel Pandemic

Figure 1. Alaska communities by population. Image courtesy of Hahn 2021.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an urgent need to understand the impacts on daily life in remote Alaska. Researchers used an ecosocial approach that allowed analyses and interpretation based on the fact that the health and well-being of individuals and populations are dependent on and manifested through multi-level pathways linking biological, ecological, and social organization factors to one another. Study results provide evidence to tribal health organizations and community leaders to support past and ongoing pandemic responses.

By: Ruby Fried, University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA), Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies (ICHS); Micah Hahn, UAA, ICHS; Patricia Cochran, Inupiaq Elder, Alaska Native Science Commission; and Laura Eichelberger, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Research Services, Tribal Water Center

24 February 2022 Issue

Fourth International Conference for Arctic Research Planning

The Flatiron mountains outside Boulder, Colorado, where ICARP IV will be hosted in Spring 2025. Photo courtesy of Glenn Asakawa, University of Colorado.

The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) is coordinating a multi-year planning process for the Fourth International Conference for Arctic Research Planning (ICARP). This process will engage Arctic researchers, policy makers, residents, and stakeholders from around the world to discuss the state of Arctic science, the place the Arctic occupies in global affairs and systems, to consider the most urgent knowledge gaps and research priorities that lie before us, and to explore avenues to address these research needs.

By Larry Hinzman, International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) President; Matthew L. Druckenmiller, US Delegate to IASC; Gerlis Fugmann, IASC Executive Secretary; Andrey N. Petrov, Alternate US Delegate to IASC; and Federica Scarpa, IASC Communications Manager

Supporting Collaboration and Equitable Knowledge-Sharing Within and Beyond the Navigating the New Arctic (NNA) Initiative

Figure 1. Organizational structure for the Navigating the New Arctic Community Office (NNA-CO). Image courtesy of the NNA-CO.

The Navigating the New Arctic Community Office (NNA-CO) was formed in February 2021. As a distributed office across across three universities, efforts focus on engaging and supporting Arctic communities in diverse ways and developing training resources to assist researchers in ethically and equitably partnering with Arctic communities; facilitating connections among NNA researchers and communities, teachers, and students across Alaska and beyond; and providing overall coordination and developing partnerships across US and international Arctic research communities.

By Matthew L. Druckenmiller, Navigating the New Arctic Community Office (NNA-CO) Director; Jenna Vater, NNA-CO Program Manager; and Karli Tyance Hassell, NNA-CO Indigenous Engagement Coordinator

21 January 2022 Issue

ARCUS Member Profile of Ming Xiao

Dr. Ming Xiao

ARCUS Community Member Profiles highlight our individual members and member representatives. They are short, easy-to-read profiles to help the ARCUS community get to know one another and support connections across disciplines and perspectives. This Profile features Ming Xiao, a Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Penn State University. A transcript of the related interview accompanies the Member Profile and provides further information.

Arctic Research Plan 2022–2026: A Bold Strategy for a Changing Arctic

Figure 1. Cover page of The Arctic Research Plan 2022–2026. The plan provides a roadmap for federal agencies to nimbly and collaboratively understand and support resilience in the Arctic. Image courtesy of the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee.

The new Arctic Research Plan 2022–2026, released by the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC), outlines key research goals that will address community resilience and health, Arctic systems interactions, sustainable economies and livelihoods, and risk management and hazard mitigation. Where the Arctic Research Plan 2022–2026 provides the high-level strategy and goals for federal investment in Arctic research, new two-year implementation plans will be more granular, providing specific and tangible objectives and deliverables. The first implementation plan will run from September 2022 through October 2024. IARPC invites the Arctic research community to share input on what should be included in the first biennial implementation plan.

By: Liz Weinberg, Web Manager and Community Coordinator, Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee

16 December 2021 Issue

ARCUS Member Highlights from the 2021 Annual Meeting

ARCUS

The 2021 ARCUS Annual Meeting brought together 128 members of the Arctic research and education communities to meet, talk, and connect. The event provided opportunities for participants to share what they and their organizations are doing to address key challenges and opportunities in Arctic research and identify actionable ways for people to work together and support each other. In preparation for the meeting, ARCUS Member Representatives from eight of ARCUS' 27 member institutions shared a few recent activity highlights from their home institutions. This article includes summaries of, and links to, those Member Updates.

By: Katherine Schexneider, ARCUS Volunteer; and ARCUS Staff

25 October 2021 Issue

Investing in Inuit Futures

The Inuit Futures in Arts Leadership: The Pilimmaksarniq / Pijariuqsarniq Project supports Inuit and Inuvialuit to become leaders within their communities in all areas of the arts. The project focuses on providing hands-on mentoring and training opportunities for Inuit Futures students/learners who undertake research in the arts, participate in other Inuit-led artistic projects, or gain valuable skills and knowledge by participating in paid internships within our network of arts institutions across the Canadian North and South. These experiences improve their readiness for careers in the arts as well as creating a new generation of knowledge creators.

By: Napatsi Folger, alumna of the Inuit Futures in Arts Leadership: The Pilimmaksarniq/Pijariuqsarniq Project, and Associate Editor for Inuit Art Quarterly
Introduction by Danielle Aimée Miles, Research and Administrative Coordinator, Inuit Futures in Arts Leadership: The Pilimmaksarniq / Pijariuqsarniq Project

Planning Grants Awarded by NSF's Navigating the New Arctic Program

As part of its Fiscal Year 2021, NSF's Navigating the New Arctic Program awarded funding to several Planning Grants. These grants support efforts of developing convergence teams from disparate disciplines and communities to tackle projects of larger scope in the future.

Editors: ARCUS Staff

Jennifer Mercer Appointed as Section Head for the Arctic Sciences Section, NSF Office of Polar Programs

Dr. Jennifer Mercer has been appointed as Section Head for the Arctic Sciences Section within the Office of Polar Programs effective October 25, 2021. Mercer has a broad scientific background with extensive field experience in both the Arctic and Antarctic. She has been conducting research and leading projects in remote field locations for over two decades with efforts on all seven continents, as well as four ocean research vessels.

By: NSF Office of Polar Programs Staff

30 September 2021 Issue

NSF's Navigating the New Arctic Program: Recently Funded Projects

In a special report, "NSF expands Arctic investment through the Navigating the New Arctic Initiative" published in early September 2021, NSF announced the funding of 17 projects as part of its Fiscal Year 2021 awards for the NNA program. The awards, totaling $32 million, support 96 investigators across 38 institutions, as well as students, and postdoctoral scholars. The NNA program, with its focus on convergence research across the social, natural, and built environment, supports projects with the potential for meaningful engagement with Arctic communities. Summaries of funded projects are highlighted in this article.

Editors: ARCUS Staff

Interview with ARCUS Member Sasha Liedman

Image 1. Sasha Leidman, PhD candidate in the Department of Geography at Rutgers University, Photo courtesy of Sasha Leidman.

A new ARCUS Member Profile product is featured in this interview between ARCUS volunteers Katherine Schexneider and Sasha Leidman. This interview and the Member Profile are the first in a new series developed to highlight the work of our individual members and help ARCUS members get to know one another, by supporting connections across disciplines, communities, and career paths.

By: Katherine Schexneider, ARCUS Volunteer

31 August 2021 Issue

Accelerated Sea Ice Loss in the Wandel Sea Points to a Change in the Arctic’s Last Ice Area

Image 1. This photo of sea ice on the Wandel Sea north of Greenland was taken 16 August 2020, from the German icebreaker Polarstern, which passed through the area as part of the year-long MOSAiC Expedition. Historically, this area remained fully covered in ice throughout the year. Satellite images showed that a record low sea ice concentration for this region, of 50%, observed on 14 August 2020. Image courtesy of Felix Linhardt, Kiel University.

The Arctic Ocean’s Wandel Sea is the easternmost sector of the Last Ice Area, where thick, old sea ice is expected to endure longer than elsewhere. Nevertheless, in August 2020 the area experienced record-low sea ice concentration. Led by a team from the University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory, investigators used satellite data and sea ice model experiments to determine what caused this record sea ice minimum.

By: Axel J. Schweiger, University of Washington Applied Physics Laboratory (UW/APL); Michael Steele, UW/APL; Jinlun Zhang, UW/APL; G. W. K. Moore, University of Toronto; and Kristin L. Laidre, UW/APL.

Ethnography of and during the Pandemic Era in Alaska

Image 1. The communities of Gambell in the Bering Strait region and Galena, Alaska, in the middle-Yukon River region are located in the Siberian Yupik and Koyukon Athabascan Dene lands, respectively. This map is adopted from Krause et al. (2011). Permission to use this map for non-commercial, educational purposes is granted under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Ongoing research funded through an NSF RAPID grant, seeks to identify the sources of Indigenous community strength and resilience amidst the COVID-19 pandemic at two sites in Alaska: the village of Gambell, St. Lawrence Island, and Galena, in interior Alaska. Working collaboratively with community-based partners, researchers are investigating local pandemic responses in the areas of safety, security, and vitality.

By: Sveta Yamin-Pasternak, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); Christina Edwin, Community-Based Partner; Marina Koonooka, Community-Based Partner; Jake Pogrebinsky, Community-Based Partner; and Igor Pasternak, UAF

23 July 2021 Issue

One Health, One Future 2021

The University of Alaska Center for One Health Research hosted the virtual One Health One Future conference in April 2021. This international conference brought together scientists, health care providers, policy makers, agency workers, students, and community members to present and discuss One Health issues facing the circumpolar north.

By: Arleigh Reynolds, Director University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Center for One Health Research; Kelsey Nicholson, Program Administrator, UAF Center for One Health Research; and Hannah Robinson, Master's Program Coordinator, UAF Center for One Health Research

26 May 2021 Issue

Studying the Potential for Changing Global Seaborne Trade Flows as a Consequence of a Thawing Arctic Ocean

Figure 1. Collisions of vessels with waves produces spray that freezes on topsides of vessels, which reduces stability and complicates vessel operation. Larger waves in the Arctic Ocean, due to reduced sea ice, increases the risk of vessel icing. Photo courtesy of Mariners Weather Log Vol. 59, No. 3, December 2015.

A changing climate has brought a thawing of the Arctic Ocean with increasingly viable passageways. This opening of the Arctic routes over coming years is likely to lead to a shift in the flow of cargo across world seaborne trade lanes. This NSF-funded NNA project is developing capabilities to forecast conditions along these passageways to understand related risks.

By: Elise Miller-Hooks, George Mason University; Sara Cobb, George Mason University; Celso Ferreira, George Mason University; Anne Garland, ARIES; Ralph Pundt, Maine Maritime Academy; Thomas Ravens, Consultant; and Jinlun Zhang, University of Washington

Circumpolar Collaboration: An Arctic Youth Perspective

Figure 1. Image of Arctic Council Permanent Participant Youth Panel. Photo courtesy of the Wilson Center.

From her experiences organizing an international Arctic youth symposium, as well as related volunteer and travel experiences, Michaela Stith observes that solutions to systemic problems like climate change and racism will not come with a quick or technical fix. It will take a culture shift to develop deep relationship-building and policy change.

By: Michaela Stith, Program Assistant, Polar Institute, the Wilson Center

27 April 2021 Issue

Observing the Cycle of Ice through Fresh Eyes

Figure 1 Summary of ice thickness data collected by students and teachers in communities across Alaska this year. Measurements collected throughout the winter were standardized by fitting temperature-driven ice growth curves (Arp et al. 2020) to their data. Teams were encouraged to make final observations and see how close these predicted values of maximum ice thickness were to their observations. Image courtesy of Chris Arp.

The NSF-funded Fresh Eyes on Ice project is revitalizing and modernizing river and lake ice observations in Alaska through archiving and analyzing existing historic datasets, remote sensing, field studies, real-time cameras and buoys, and community-based monitoring. Documenting changes in break-up, freeze-up, and other ice dynamics of river and lake ice help detect responses to climate change.

By: Chris Arp, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); Katie Spellman, International Arctic Research Center, UAF; Laura Oxtoby, Water and Environmental Research Center, UAF; and Dana Brown, Institute of Arctic Biology, UAF

Broadening Participation in Freshwater Ice Science and Education with Fresh Eyes on Ice

Figure 1. Maps of changes observed in river and lake ice drawn by educators participating in Fresh Eyes on Ice workshops (left), and trends in the observations across the maps (right). Figure courtesy of Katie Spellman.

The community science dimension of the Fresh Eyes on Ice project establishes a baseline of geographically diverse measurements and observations, and ground-truthing data for comparison with the other types of data being collected remotely. The project elevates local perspectives on these data, provides opportunity for ice safety information sharing, and facilitates science learning.

By: Katie Spellman, International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); Laura Oxtoby, Water and Environmental Research Center, UAF; Chris Arp, Water and Environmental Research Center, UAF; and Dana Brown, Institute of Arctic Biology, UAF

30 March 2021 Issue

President Biden Changes Leadership of US Arctic Research Commission

The White House informed US Arctic Research Commission (USARC) Commissioners and staff that President Biden designated David Kennedy as Chair of the USARC, effective 3 March 2021. Kennedy succeeds Jon Harrison as Chair, and both continue to serve on the commission. Mr. Kennedy has over 50 years of experience and leadership in science, research, environmental management, and development of legislation and national initiatives.

By: Cheryl Rosa, US Arctic Research Commission Deputy Director

Appointment of Dr. Jennifer Mercer as Acting Section Head for NSF Office of Polar Programs Arctic Sciences Section

Dr. Jennifer Mercer

Dr. Jennifer Mercer has been appointed as Acting Section Head for NSF Office of Polar Programs Arctic Sciences Section. Mercer has a broad scientific background with extensive field experience in both the Arctic and Antarctic. She has been conducting research and leading projects in remote field locations for over two decades with efforts on all seven continents, as well as four ocean research vessels.

By: Terri Edillon, Lead Communications Specialist, NSF Office of Polar Programs

Request for Public Comment on the Draft Arctic Research Plan 2022-2026

IARPC Policy Drivers

The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) has released a draft of the 2022–2026 Arctic Research Plan. The plan identifies priorities for US interagency collaboration and partnerships that will increase the value of the federal research investment in the Arctic and for Arctic residents. IARPC seeks input on priority area goals, justifications, and potential partners; the foundational activities; and the implementation and metrics for measuring success. Please submit comments by 11 June 2021.

By: Liz Weinberg, Web Manager and Community Coordinator, Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee

25 February 2021 Issue

DOE’s Arctic Innovator Fellowship Promotes Technology Projects in Alaska

Figure 1. Proposed ammonia fuel supply chain from the Alaskan Arctic to Japan. Importantly, ammonia export facilities can also support "green ammonia" produced using renewable energy. Figure courtesy of Nathan Prisco.

The US Department of Energy's Arctic Advanced Manufacturing Innovator Program supports fellowships for early career professionals with fresh ideas and innovative approaches to address fundamental hard technology manufacturing challenges. Nathan Prisco, the program's first Innovator Fellow, shares overviews of two technology projects in the Alaskan ecosystem that have potential for broad global impacts.

By: Nathan Prisco, DOE Advanced Manufacturing Office Arctic Innovator Fellow at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

NSF Arctic Sciences Section Head, Simon Stephenson, to Retire

Simon Stephenson, Section Head, Arctic Sciences, NSF. Photo courtesy of IARPC.

Simon Stephenson, Section Head, Arctic Sciences Section, in the Office of Polar Programs (OPP), will retire at the end of February 2021, concluding an extraordinary decades-long career at the National Science Foundation (NSF). Highlights of his contributions to and support of the research community are highlighted here.

By: Renee D. Crain, Program Officer, Arctic Research Support and Logistics, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation

20 January 2021 Issue

The 2020 Arctic Report Card

Figure 1. Temperature departures from normal for the 12 months ending September 2020. Graphic created by climate.gov for ARC2020.

The 15th annual NOAA Arctic Report Card was released on 8 December 2020 as part of the American Geophysical Union 2020 Fall Meeting. The Arctic Report Card, initiated in response to the need for concise and timely Arctic information, serves as a readily available resource for viewing the rapid changes that have engulfed the region. Taken as a whole, the story is unambiguous. The transformation of the Arctic to a warmer, less frozen, and biologically changed region is well underway.

By: Rick Thoman, Climate Specialist with the Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy; and Jacqueline Richter-Menge, Arctic Report Card Editor

17 December 2020 Issue

NSF's Navigating the New Arctic Program: Projects Funded in 2020

Navigating the New Arctic (NNA), one of NSF's 10 Big Ideas, has supported fundamental convergence research across the social, natural, environmental, engineering, and computing and information sciences since 2017. A wide range of topics and regions is represented in the 21 Arctic research projects that were funded in 2020. This article includes a list of the 2020-funded NNA projects, with brief descriptions.

Editors: ARCUS Staff

23 October 2020 Issue

Creating Institutional Changes to Improve Indigenous Students' Learning Experiences

Figure 1. Kimberly Kivvaq Pikok and her father, Lloyd Pikok Sr. study vegetation on the Arctic tundra near the cabin at Pikok Camp on the North Slope of Alaska. Kimberly was telling her dad about Labrador Tea and Heather. Photo courtesy of Lloyd Pikok Jr.

Kimberly Kivvaq Pikok shares observations from her experiences as an Indigenous student pursuing a degree in wildlife biology and questions how institutions could change courses and the classroom environment to make everybody feel capable and accepted in their field. As one of the three Arctic Indigenous Scholars selected in 2020, Kimberly will have opportunity to discuss these issues with officials at NSF and other agencies in Washington DC.

By: Kimberly Kivvaq Pikok, Utqiaġvik, Alaska

The Migration in Harmony RCN Investigates the Drivers and Consequences of Arctic Coastal Migrations

Migration in Harmony

Migration in Harmony, a three-year international, cross-disciplinary network funded by NSF, aims to facilitate open communication and build new collaboration teams of scientists, stakeholders, and practitioners to investigate how drivers and consequences of Arctic coastal migrations intersect and interact with one another—and explore the related implications for society.

By: Victoria Herrmann, The Arctic Institute, President and Managing Director

30 September 2020 Issue

Seasonal Forecasting of Arctic Sea Ice and Atlantic Hurricanes

Figure 1. Infrared satellite image of Hurricane Laura making landfall east of Houston on 27 August 2020. Image courtesy of NOAA satellite data.

Accelerated Arctic sea ice melt and increased Atlantic hurricane activity are often quoted as tangible manifestations of ongoing climate change. The desire to improve forecasting capabilities at seasonal time scales has been a primary concern in the respective scientific communities. Fueled by advances in fundamental research on climate predictability and by continued dialogue between the scientific community and stakeholders, expectations can legitimately be high for the years to come.

By: François Massonnet, UCLouvain; Louis-Philippe Caron, Barcelona Supercomputing Center; Philip J. Klotzbach, Colorado State University; Tom J. Philp, London School of Economics; and Julienne Stroeve, National Snow and Ice Data Center and the University of Manitoba.

Inuit Food Sovereignty and Self-Governance — A Healthy Arctic

Figure 1. Front cover image of the 2020 Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska facilitated report: Food Sovereignty and Self-Governance: Inuit Role in Managing Marine Resources. Image courtesy of the Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska.

This Inuit-led research and report, resulting from a three-year co-production of knowledge project, illuminates the unique and rich Inuit values and management practices that have successfully safeguarded the Arctic for thousands of years. The report further links Inuit Food Sovereignty to holistic and adaptive management strategies that can ensure the food security and well-being of Inuit throughout the Arctic for generations to come, along with the health of the entire ecosystem.

Provided by: Carolina Behe on behalf of a nine-member Advisory Committee and over 90 Inuit authors who contributed to the Inuit Circumpolar Council Alaska facilitated Report: Food Sovereignty and Self-Governance: Inuit Role in Managing Marine Resources.

21 August 2020 Issue

Co-Producing Knowledge of Shorefast Ice in Uummannaq Bay, West Greenland

Figure 1. Location of Uummannaq in western Greenland. Map image courtesy of Johnny Ryan.

This NSF-funded Navigating the New Arctic project seeks to co-produce knowledge about shorefast ice in the Uummannaq region of West Greenland. As the climate warms, local residents report that the ice is breaking up earlier in the year and is thinner than it was a few decades ago. Combining the latest advances in satellite remote sensing technology with community-based monitoring and local and Indigenous knowledge, researchers aim to understand not only how the shorefast ice has changed but how these changes matter to individuals and communities in the Uummannaq region.

By: Johnny Ryan, postdoctoral researcher in the Institute at Brown for Environment and Society (IBES) at Brown University

Activity Updates from the Arctic Domain Awareness Center

The Arctic Domain Awareness Center (ADAC), established in 2014 by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Science and Technology's University Programs, provides a scientific basis to address the challenges faced by U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) and other DHS maritime missions in the Arctic region. ADAC investigates capability shortfalls and gaps, and orients research activity to support the USCG mission needs including Arctic search and rescue, humanitarian assistance, disaster response, and security matters.

By: Director Randy "Church" Kee, ADAC Executive Director

30 June 2020 Issue

Arctic Data Center's New Customizable Portal Service

Figure 1. Screen shot of the Toolk Field Station Data Portal.

The new data portal allows users to create a curated collection of datasets from the Arctic Data Center by selecting data based on a particular region, taxa level, or keyword search—or a combination of any number of metadata characteristics present in the metadata of the Center's catalog. These dataset collections, as well as other related information, can be shared widely among a lab group or an interdisciplinary project via a customized URL. Several groups are making effective use of this new service.

By: Erin McLean, Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator with the Arctic Data Center

US Arctic Research Commission Hosts Virtual Conference and Workshop

Event Banner for COVID-19 Impacts in the Arctic event banner for virtual conference.

The Virtual Conference | COVID-19 Impacts in the Arctic, convened on 19 and 29 May 2020 by the U.S. Arctic Research Commission in partnership with the U.S. Naval War College and the Wilson Center's Polar Institute, hosted 10 moderated panel discussions involving an international group of 46 panelists. Discussion topics ranged from International Arctic Governance, to U.S. Coast Guard Arctic Operations, to the Arctic History of Viral Epidemics and Pandemics. Additionally, the Commission and the Alaska Center for Energy and Power co-hosted a free Virtual Alaska Electric Vehicle (EV) Workshop on 16 and 17 June 2020 to explore the technical and economic potential of EVs in Alaska and the Arctic.

By: Cheryl Rosa, Deputy Director and Anchorage-based Alaska Director of the United States Arctic Research Commission (USARC).

22 May 2020 Issue

Winter Worlds Project Highlights the Wonders of Snow in Alaska and Beyond

Figure 1. Snow has been central to Northern cultures for millennia, as evidenced by artifacts related to working with snow and surviving in winter. This traditional snow knife (handle is new) comes from Baker Lake, Nunavut, and the beaded mittens (courtesy of Museum of the North) come from around 1930 and are Gwich'in. Photo courtesy of M. Sturm.

"Our Winter World," is an NSF-funded Informal Science Learning project focused on snow. This outreach project has three components including 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.

By: Matthew Sturm, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute, et al.

27 April 2020 Issue

Tracking Alaskan Arctic Changes Through a Collaborative Network of Coastal Indigenous Communities

Figure 1. Map of current AAOKH communities, local observers, and Science Steering Group members. Figure by Heather McFarland, courtesy of AAOKH.

The Alaska Arctic Observatory & Knowledge Hub (AAOKH) provides sustained long-term observations of shifting environmental conditions in the Arctic. The primary goal of AAOKH is 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. Collectively, local observations provide a broad-scale and synoptic view of changing coastal sea ice and ocean conditions, and ultimately impacts at the community scale.

By: Donna D.W. Hauser, International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at Univ. of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF); Joshua Jones, IARC and the Geophysical Institute at UAF; Robert (Bobby) Puya Schaeffer, AAOKH Observer, Kotzebue, Alaska; Billy Adams, AAOKH Observer, Utqiaġvik, Alaska; Matthew L. Druckenmiller, National Snow and Ice Data Center at Univ. of Colorado Boulder; Roberta Tuurraq Glenn, graduate student at UAF; Elena Bautista Sparrow, IARC and Dept.of Natural Resources and Environment, at UAF; and Hajo Eicken, Director of IARC at UAF.

30 March 2020 Issue

Indigenous Foods Knowledges Network: Facilitating Exchange between Arctic and Southwest Indigenous Communities on Food and Knowledge Sovereignty

Photo 1. Amy Juan learning to fillet salmon at Nay'dini'aa Na'Kayax' in June 2018. Photo courtesy of Lydia Jennings.

The Indigenous Foods Knowledges Network brings together Indigenous scholars, practitioners, and community members and non-Indigenous scholars to exchange knowledge and experience in support of food sovereignty. Network gatherings include visits to community projects focusing on strengthening and revitalizing traditional foods and the lands and waters that sustain them, and innovating new ways of cultivating or harvesting healthy foods.

By: Noor Johnson, Research Scientist, National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado Boulder; Mary Beth Jäger, Research Analyst, Native Nations Institute, Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy at the University of Arizona; Lydia Jennings, PhD Candidate, Department of Soil, Water, and Environmental Science, University of Arizona; Amy Juan, Sovereign Remedies, LLC; Stephanie Russo Carroll, Assistant Research Professor, Native Nations Institute, Udall Center for Public Policy and Assistant Professor, Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, University of Arizona; and Daniel B. Ferguson, Associate Research Scientist, Institute of the Environment, University of Arizona.

Long-Term Monitoring Program Sheds Light on High-latitude Landscape Response to Ongoing Warming

Figure 1. Ground temperature across a latitudinal transect in Alaska at depths of 20 or 15 meters. Figure courtesy of Vladimir Romanovsky.

The University of Alaska Geophysical Institute Permafrost Laboratory manages an extensive network of permafrost monitoring sites across Alaska, Canada and Siberia. These long-term monitoring sites provide important baseline data that enable the research team to explore how ground temperature responds to ongoing climate change and lead to understanding future landscape response to ongoing warming and the potential implications for both the built and natural environment.

By: Louise Farquharson, Postdoctoral Researcher; Vladimir Romanovsky, Professor of Geophysics; Dmitry Nicolsky, Research Professional; and Alexander Kholodov, Research Associate; Geophysical Institute Permafrost Laboratory, University of Alaska Fairbanks

28 February 2020 Issue

Alaska Fire Science Consortium Addresses Management Information Needs

Figure 1: Warmer springs and earlier snow melt had lengthened the wildfire season to the point in 2006 when Alaska's interagency fire management organization changed the "start date" for wildfire response from May 1 to April 1. While the year-to-year variability of acreage burned has changed little, the frequency of large wildfire seasons has increased dramatically. Wildfire seasons with more than one million acres (red bars in graph) burned have increased by 50% since 1990, compared to the 1950–1989 period

The Arctic and boreal regions saw an active wildland fire season in 2019. In Alaska, wildland fire consumed more than 2.5 million acres, more than half the total acreage burned in the U.S. As climate change affects wildland fire regimes fire and land managers need current, specific, actionable science on a range of issues to support their decision-making. The Alaska Fire Science Consortium is one of 15 regional fire science exchanges supported by the federal Joint Fire Science Program to accelerate the awareness, understanding, and adoption of wildland fire science information by end users.

By: Alison York, Alaska Fire Science Consortium Coordinator

Long-Term Research Addresses Resilience of Beaufort Sea Lagoons

Figure 1: To capture seasonal variability in the lagoons, BLE LTER field work occurs during ice cover (April), ice break-up and high river flow (June), and the open-water summer (August). By sampling and measuring aspects of hydrology, chemistry, biology, and ecology over three seasonal timepoints, our multi-institution program will gain a clearer understanding of how lagoon ecosystems function, and how they might respond to perturbations. From left, photos courtesy of K. Dunton, C. Bonsell, T. Dunton.

The NSF-funded the Beaufort Lagoon Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research (BLE LTER) program addresses questions of ecosystem connectivity, stability, and resilience in an environment structured by highly dynamic and seasonally-driven physical forces, over seasonal and multi-decadal time scales, in six lagoons distributed across 500 kilometers of the northern Alaskan coastline.

By: Christina Bonsell, Project Manager, Beaufort Lagoon Ecosystems Long-Term Ecological Research Program

"MicroFEWs": Exploring the Impacts of Local Renewable Energy Projects on Remote Arctic Community Security and Resilience

Figure 1: The Food-Energy-Water (FEW) dynamics as outlined in the MicroFEWs project. Image courtesy of the MicroFEWs project.

Food, energy, and water are critical necessities for sustaining community health, well-being, and economic development. Reliance on fuel and energy can place remote Arctic communities in precarious situations where they are vulnerable to fluctuations in prices, energy subsidies, and supplies. The NSF-funded MicroFEWs project aims to explore the impact of local renewable energy projects on FEW security and resilience in the Arctic.

By: Jennifer Schmidt, Assistant Professor of Natural Resources Management and Policy University of Alaska Anchorage and Erin Whitney, Research Faculty, Data Collection and Analysis Program Manager, Solar Technologies Program Manager at the Alaska Center for Energy and Power

31 January 2020 Issue

NOAA Arctic Report Card 2019: Brief Summary

Figure 1. Some Arctic Report Card 2019 essay highlights from across the Arctic. Image prepared by M. Druckenmiller for Arctic Report Card 2019.

Arctic Report Card 2019, an interagency and international publication coordinated by NOAA, was released on 10 December 2019. The peer-reviewed Arctic Report Card provides comprehensive summaries of key land, ice, ocean, and atmosphere observations made throughout the Arctic in the context of historical records and makes clear that Arctic ecosystems and communities are increasingly at risk due to continued warming and declining sea ice.

By: Jacqueline Richter-Menge, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Northern Engineering, Fairbanks, Alaska; Matthew Druckenmiller, National Snow and Ice Data Center, Boulder, Colorado; and Martin Jeffries, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory of the Engineer Research and Development Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hanover, New Hampshire.

Development of UArctic's Thematic Network on Collaborative Resource Management

Participants from the Experience Exchange Workshop, Hokkaido Japan June 2019. Back row (L to R): Finn Danielsen, Jason Akearok, Natsuhiko Otsuka, Yasushi Fukamachi, Katsushi Iwamoto, Hiroyuki Enomoto, Martin Enghoff. Front row: (L to R): Olivia Lee, Yuka Oishi, Lene K. Holm. Photo courtesy of Finn Danielsen.

There is a growing urgency to learn more about ecosystem change and its impacts in the Arctic. In an effort to better leverage the knowledge of local experts, UArctic has newly established the Thematic Network on Collaborative Resource Management.
This network seeks to develop capacity in collaborative natural resource management and community monitoring in the Arctic and to support community-based approaches to gather information and its use to support management decisions.

By: Olivia A Lee, Assistant Research Professor, International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

23 December 2019 Issue

The Future Shape of the Greenland Geodetic Network

Figure 1. Current GNET stations. Sites indicated with a black triangle proceeded GNET; those indicated by a circle were part of the original IPY installation, in years 2007 (blue), 2008 (red), and 2009 (yellow). Sites indicated with a yellow triangle came later. Image courtesy of Finn Bo Madsen.

The Greenland Geodetic Network (GNET) is a series of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) installations located on the bedrock exposed around the perimeter of the island. The network initially aimed at observing the polar regions, predominantly through the use of GNSS and seismologic systems,this network maps vertical and horizontal movement of Greenland, over time, to help improve our understanding of ice-mass changes, allowing scientists to quickly detect and analyze any abrupt changes in the rate of ice loss in this region.

By: Robert Hawley, Associate Professor in Earth Sciences at Dartmouth College and Kelly Brunt, Associate Research Scientist with Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center at the University of Maryland

Permafrost Discovery Gateway: A New Online Platform Supporting Knowledge-Generation from Big Imagery

Permafrost Discovery Gateway

The Permafrost Discovery Gateway (PDG), aimed at making big imagery permafrost information accessible and discoverable. New pan-Arctic data products will encompass relevant spatial (down to sub-meter) and temporal scales (down to daily) and provide easy access and discovery of these large datasets through visualization tools accessible through an interactive web browser which will enable knowledge-generation by researchers and the public.

By: Anna K. Liljedahl, Water and Environmental Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, et al

18 October 2019 Issue

Widespread Permafrost Degradation in the Canadian High Arctic at 80°N

Figure 1. Active retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS) counted during the 2016 aerial helicopter survey. Photo courtesy of Melissa Ward Jones.

A recent study in the high Arctic finds widespread and rapid increases in active retrogressive thaw slumps that are a signs of permafrost instability. The study area is a polar desert landscape and is sensitive to small increases in summer air temperatures. Observations indicate that permafrost response to temperature here is complex and, although climate-initiated, terrain factors such as slope may become more important over time in determining slump activity and retreat rates.

By: Melissa Ward Jones, Department of Geography at McGill University

31 July 2019 Issue

Working for Food Security in Interior Alaska

Figure 1. Existing Fairbanks North Star Borough Food System.

Reliable food supply is a central concern for residents of cities located in remote locations with extreme climate conditions. In a recent project, researchers examined how stake-holders in such northern cities ensure a high level of food security using a case study of the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, which is located in the interior of the state near the Arctic Circle. Through that work they hope to develop a prototype of a model that could be applied in other Arctic and near-Arctic cities.

By: Robert Orttung, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.

Tracking Ticks in Alaska: Understanding how an Invasive Species may Impact the Health of Humans and Animals in the Arctic

Tick stages from left to right, Ixodes scapularis (black-legged tick) larva, nymph, adult male, and adult female. Photo courtesy of the Alaska Division of Environmental Health, State Veterinarian.

The effect of global environmental change on the distribution of species across the globe has been widely assessed. Invasive species do not stop at country borders. In Alaska, a new study is helping us understand if invasive ticks are being imported, and surviving, in the Last Frontier.

By: Micah Hahn, PhD, MPH, University of Alaska Anchorage, Institute for Circumpolar Health Studies and William George, MS Candidate; University of Alaska Anchorage

26 June 2019 Issue

Re-establishing an Arctic Research Station at Teshekpuk Lake, Alaska

Figure 1. MODIS satellite image of northern Alaska showing the location of Teshekpuk Lake relative to other long-term Arctic observatories. Image courtesy of Benjamin M. Jones.

Arctic landscapes are responding to climate change, however long-term observation sites focused on landscape and ecosystem changes in the Arctic are extremely limited. For the past 12 years Ben Jones, University of Alaska Fairbanks, and colleagues have re-established the Teshekpuk research station in northern Alaska to address this need. They have combined renovation efforts with active and diverse research projects funded primarily by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Bureau of Land Management, European Space Agency, and European Union.

By: Benjamin M. Jones, Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks

30 April 2019 Issue

A New and Exciting Age in Polar Science

Steve Kirsche prepares to launch a radiosonde (weather balloon) at Summit Station, Greenland. Photo by Heather McIntyre, Courtesy of Steve Kirsche (PolarTREC 2017), Courtesy of ARCUS.

"We are embarked on a new and exciting age in polar science; NSF, I am proud to say, is solidly committed to keeping the U.S. at the forefront of this new era ... It is clear today that changes in the polar regions affect the rest of the globe, and the need to understand and try to predict and even remediate those changes, has become a national and international priority." - Kelly K. Falkner, Director of the Office of Polar Programs, NSF

By: Kelly K. Falkner, Director of the Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation

Editor's note: This article was excerpted from a piece that originally appeared on 27 March 2019 in the journal Open Access Government.

29 April 2019 Issue

Comparative Study Explores Northern Dene Astronomical Knowledge

Figure 1. Map of Northern Dene ethnolinguistic groups. Courtesy of Cannon 2019.

The sky is routinely overlooked in Northern Dene (Athabaskan) ethnology as a meaningful site for investigating linguistic and cultural knowledge. The central research question of this study asked: How do Northern Dene peoples perceive, conceptualize, and integrate the sky and its contents into systems of knowledge and worldview? Results have shown that systems of stellar knowledge are especially complex and detailed.

By: Chris Cannon, Ph.D. student in Cultural Anthropology at the University of Alaska Fairbanks

A Remarkable Response of Ice-Rich Permafrost Terrain to Summer Warming

Figure 1. Active retrogressive thaw slumps (RTS) in Aulavik National Park, northern Banks Island. Most of these RTS were first observed on the Timelapse imagery from 2012. Photo courtesy of Sarah Beattie, Parks Canada.

Thaw of permafrost containing high concentrations of ground ice can dramatically impact Arctic environments through resulting thermokarst features. Once exposed to melt, retrogressive thaw slumps, the most important type of thermokarst landform on sloping terrain, may reactivate every summer for up to 50 years—altering water quality and aquatic ecosystems, and liberating frozen organic carbon for subsequent decomposition, thereby contributing to the permafrost carbon feedback.

By: Antoni Lewkowicz, Department of Geography, Environment, and Geomatics at the University of Ottawa

31 March 2019 Issue

Alaska NSF Program Releases Stakeholder Engagement Report

Southeast Test Case workshop: Tour guides listen to a presentation at a Southeast Test Case research symposium, held in May 2016 in Juneau. Photo courtesy of Tom Moran/Alaska NSF EPSCoR.

A recent study by Alaska NSF Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (EPSCoR) examined the capacity of different Northern communities to adapt to change. A key element of the project was directly engaging with community stakeholders to help shape the direction of the research, and to ensure that research outcomes met local needs. The subsequent report, "Sharing Questions, Sharing Answers" details strategies used by different parts of the project to engage stakeholders, and lessons learned along the way.

By: Tom Moran, Alaska NSF EPSCoR, Communications Manager

Novel Project Seeks Understanding of Air Pollution Processes in Arctic Conditions

Figure 1. An illustration of the ALPACA field study highlighting the trapping of pollution under the temperature inversion layers. The goal of the study is that field results will inform chemical models that will improve pollution remediation strategies. The results will also be communicated to the public, improving understanding of the situation and empowering residents to do their part to improve air quality. The field studies will also be used in laboratory studies that will increase fundamental understa

Pollution in Arctic cities and near industrial areas can be quite severe and wintertime Arctic conditions differ greatly from the more-studied pollution problems during summertime in the more populated mid-latitude regions. The Alaskan Layered Pollution And Chemical Analysis (ALPACA) project seeks to close knowledge gaps in understanding of atmospheric chemical mechanisms occurring under cold and dark conditions.

By: William R. Simpson, Geophysical Institute and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks

28 February 2019 Issue

2018 Arctic Observing Summit Meeting News

Hajo Eicken, Co-Chair of the Arctic Observing Summit – Working Group on Implementation and Optimization meeting, provides context-setting presentations to the working group for consideration prior to their work in breakout groups. Photo courtesy of Sandy Starkweather.

Members of the Arctic Observing Summit—Working Group on Implementation and Optimization met recently to gather input for a draft Task Team Scope of Work supporting Sustaining Arctic Observing Network—Committee on Networks objectives. The draft task statement addresses several areas, including how to develop a process that will generate strong international investments in Arctic observing and promote synergies and interoperability among observing efforts.

By: Sandy Starkweather, Executive Director of the U.S. Arctic Observing Network

Revised Principles for Conducting Research in the Arctic: 21st Century Guidelines to Ethical Research

After installation of a soil temperature data logger unit, Edward Tiknor, Tribal Member (with laptop), gets hands-on training. Also included in photo: Alexander Kholodov (foreground), Adam Nikolai, Tribal Member (far left), Teresa Hanson, Environmental Director of Telida Village Council (back left), and Steven Nikolai, Jr., Tribal Member (back right). Photo courtesy of Santosh K. Panda, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The U.S. Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee has completed the revision of the Principles for Conducting Research in the Arctic. These Principles provide guidelines for researchers to engage with people and conduct research in the Arctic. They cover a range of topics from creating a safe work environment, crediting and compensating collaborators, coordinating with local communities, learning about the history and culture of the region, data ownership, and limiting environmental impact.

By: Renee Crain Wagner, Arctic Research Support and Logistics (RSL) Program Manager at NSF; Amina Schartup, AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellow hosted in the NSF Office of Polar Programs, Arctic Sciences Section; and Meredith LaValley, IARPC.

31 January 2019 Issue

NOAA Arctic Report Card 2018: Brief Summary

Figure 1. (top) Surface temperature in the Arctic from 1 October 2017— 30 September 2018, compared to the 1981—2010 average, based on National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Reanalysis data from NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory (ESRL). (bottom) Annual Arctic (red line) and global (gray line) air temperatures over land stations since 1900 compared to their 1981—2010 averages. Adapted from Figure 1 in the 2018 Arctic Report Card.

The Arctic Report Card 2018, released on 11 December 2018, describes a range of land, ice, and ocean observations made throughout the Arctic. The report includes 14 essays written by more than 80 scientists from 12 countries. The collective content of the report makes clear that the continued warming of the Arctic atmosphere and ocean are driving broad change in the environmental system in predicted, and also unexpected, ways. The results reported show that the effects of persistent Arctic warming continue to mount.

By: Emily Osborne, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Arctic Research Program; Jacqueline Richter-Menge, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Northern Engineering; Martin Jeffries, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory of the Engineer Research and Development Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

20 December 2018 Issue

Arctic Science Ministerials: High Level Political and Policy Support for Grass Roots Level International Scientific Collaboration

Figure 1. ASM-1 was held in the ornate Indian Treaty Room in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House. Here, Alaska Native and other Arctic Indigenous peoples are meeting with senior U.S. Government officials preceding ASM-1, on 27 September 2016. Photograph Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Connie Terrell.

The socio-ecological consequences of changes in the Arctic environmental system extend far beyond the Arctic, and international collaboration is essential to address the challenges arising from a warming Arctic. Scientists are very effective in international scientific collaboration, developing research-driven joint projects and programs from the bottom up. The Arctic Science Ministerials, where governments of Arctic and non-Arctic states are making commitments that provide high-level political and policy support for the scientists' grass-roots efforts, are an important addition to the landscape of Arctic scientific collaboration and the development of Arctic science diplomacy.

By: Martin O. Jeffries, PhD, Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), Engineer Research and Development Center, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Hanover, New Hampshire

NSF's Navigating the New Arctic (NNA)

Roberto Delgado

Navigating the New Arctic, one of NSF's 10 Big Ideas, embodies the Foundation's forward-looking response to the profound challenges associated with the Arctic. The solicitation tackles scientific challenges in the rapidly changing Arctic and seeks innovations in Arctic observational networks and fundamental convergence research across the social, natural, environmental, computing and information sciences, and engineering that address the intersection of natural, social, and built systems. The most competitive proposals will include expertise from multiple traditionally distinct and independent science and engineering disciplines.

By: Roberto Delgado Program Director, Arctic Observing Network, Section for Arctic Sciences, Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation

30 November 2018 Issue

Unique Fellowship Program Promotes Community Interaction

Scientist in Residency Fellow, Dr. Rachel Lauer, shows 7th grade students in Sitka, Alaska how she works with submarine cores. Photo courtesy of Kristina Tirman.

Funded by the National Science Foundation, the Sitka Sound Science Center's Scientist in Residency Fellowship (SIRF) program is designed to help communities learn about polar research and broaden participation in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) disciplines. The Fellowship facilitates community engagement activities for polar scientists and provides time for them to work. Capitalizing on the kind of casual way that people in Alaskan rural communities have of getting to know people is what makes the SIRF model unique.

By: Lisa Busch, Executive Director, Sitka Sound Science Center

A New Season for Sea Ice and Walrus

Walrus resting on ice in late spring of 2018. On 18 May, Clarence Irrigoo Jr. reported "Very little ice left. Boats are harvesting walrus. Some went very far to the ice—up north 48 nautical miles—and some in the water." Photo courtesy of Clarence Irrigoo Jr., Gambell, Alaska.

Unusually low Arctic sea ice conditions in the winter of 2017 brought to the forefront questions about what the impacts of low sea ice would mean for the communities and ecosystems in the Bering Sea.
The Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO) program, a long-term collaborative effort between academic and federal researchers, ARCUS, the Eskimo Walrus Commission, and coastal subsistence hunters in the Bering Strait region, was poised to provide some answers about how Pacific walruses migrating north in spring might respond to low ice conditions.

By: Olivia Lee, Assistant Research Professor, International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks.

Co-Production of Knowledge and Multi-Level Governmental Collaboration in A Rapidly Changing Arctic

Figure 1. Open ocean in Shishmaref, Alaska on 15 January 2018. Photo courtesy of Russell Nayokpuk.

The Arctic is in the midst of an unprecedented environmental transition caused by increasing land and ocean temperatures. Arctic sea ice is rapidly decreasing and, with little sea ice, Alaska Native coastal communities have limited protection from storm surges. In the United States, no institutional framework currently exists to determine whether and when relocation needs to occur in order to protect people from environmental hazards. Inspired by usteq, the Yup'ik word for catastrophic land collapse, the Alaska Institute for Justice is working with 15 Alaska Native communities to address this institutional gap.

By: Robin Bronen, JD, PhD, Executive Director the Alaska Institute for Justice and Denise Pollock, Research Director at the Alaska Institute for Justice

31 October 2018 Issue

2018 Arctic Sea Ice Minimum Extent Reached in Late September

Figure 1. September average sea ice extent for 1979-2018 (black line) and linear trend line (blue line). Data from the NSIDC Sea Ice Index.

According to the recently published Sea Ice Outlook 2018 Interim Post-Season Report, the 2018 Arctic summer melt season official ended on 14 September. The September monthly averaged sea ice extent was 4.71 million square kilometers, based on the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) Sea Ice Index. This ranks as effectively tied with 2008 for the 6th lowest in the satellite record that began in 1979.

This article is adapted from the 2018: Sea Ice Outlook Interim Post-Season Report.

ICESat-2 Launches to Measure Earth's Ice

The United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II rocket launches with the NASA Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) onboard, Saturday, 15 September 2018, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. The ICESat-2 mission will measure the changing height of Earth's ice. Photo courtesy of Bill Ingalls, NASA.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite-2 (ICESat-2) launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California on 15 September 2018. The ICESat-2 mission, managed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, will measure the changing height of Earth's ice using the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System (ATLAS), which measures height by timing how long it takes individual laser photons to travel from the spacecraft to Earth and back, with a precision of better than a billionth of a second. With this and other technological advancements of ICESat-2, scientists will be able to provide new insights into how the polar regions are changing with global temperature rise.

By: Kate Ramsayer and Nathan Kurtz, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

28 September 2018 Issue

Highlighting the Stories and People Behind Preserved Arctic Data

Rose Cory at Imnavait Creek (May, 2011), a stream that drains into the Kuparuk River in Alaska during her 2011-2012 research of photo-bio apparent quantum yield. Photo courtesy of G.W. Kling.

The Arctic Data Center has recently established a Dataset Highlights page. The Dataset Highlights page provides insights directly from the researchers, including how their data might be applied to other questions in support of Arctic research. The six datasets highlighted here are from studies of Arctic soil bacteria, Arctic river geochemistry, Indigenous subsistence harvest, local community response to ecosystem change in the Bering Sea, the habitability of fragile rotten ice, and phenological mismatch in the Arctic.

By: Kathryn Meyer, Community Engagement and Outreach Coordinator at the Arctic Data Center

News from the National Science Foundation

Colleen Strawhacker working with colleagues in Siberia. Photo courtesy of Strawhacker.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) welcomes new staff to the Arctic Sciences Section including Program Directors Colleen Strawhacker, Arctic Social Sciences and Arctic Systems Science; Gregory J. Anderson, Arctic Systems Sciences; and Roberto Delgado, Arctic Observing Network. Brief introductions to Program Directors Colleen Strawhacker and Roberto Delgado are highlighted in this article. The NSF announcement of new measures to protect the research community from harassment is also included in this article.

29 June 2018 Issue

Results and Highlights from the "Sea State and Boundary Layer Physics of the Emerging Arctic" Program

Arctic State 2015

A recent program funded by the Office of Naval Research has focused on the sea state and boundary layer physics of the emerging Arctic, which is defined by less sea ice and larger expanses of open water in summer. After developing a climatology of the sea state in the region, the program planned and executed a 42-day field measurement campaign on the R/V Sikuliaq during the autumn of 2015. A key observation of the prevalence of pancake ice indicates that surface waves are having a significant effect on sea ice formation in the region. Along with the field campaign, the program developed and applied models for wave-ice interactions as well as models for air-ice-ocean interactions, which were tested and improved with the field data.

By: Jim Thomson, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington

31 May 2018 Issue

Community-Driven Sea Ice Modeling with the CICE Consortium

Figure 3: CICE Consortium process for incorporating community developments to the sea ice code. Figure courtesy of Andrew Roberts and Elizabeth Hunke.

CICE, also known as the Community Ice CodE and the Los Alamos Sea Ice Model, is a computer code developed to support modelling of the physical processes associated with sea ice evolution. Today, the CICE sea ice model is used in more than 20 countries for applications as diverse as global climate projections, research into fundamental sea ice processes, daily sea ice and weather forecasting, and special missions such as NASA Operation IceBridge flights and the Navy's 2018 ICEX Camp. The CICE Consortium aims to incorporate and maintain scientific sea ice model development in CICE for the community, accelerating its transfer into operational applications.

By: Alice K. DuVivier, Associate Scientist, Climate and Global Dynamics Laboratory, National Center for Atmospheric Research; and Elizabeth C. Hunke, Deputy Group Leader, T-3 Fluid Dynamics and Solid Mechanics Group, Los Alamos National Laboratory

30 April 2018 Issue

Adaptive Management of Freshwater Ecosystems in the Arctic

Figure 2. The Fish Creek (Iqalliqpik in Inupiaq) Watershed is land mosaicked by rivers, streams, lakes, and wetlands that provide important subsistence resources for Alaska Native communities and water resources for petroleum exploration and development. Photo courtesy of Chris Arp.

In 2012, the Arctic Landscape Conservation Cooperative provided support for teams of interdisciplinary scientists to address habitat and species’ responses to climate change in Arctic Alaska. The Fish CAFE team, in response to the call, developed research to address those questions in the focal watershed of Fish Creek, Alaska. The science outcomes are part of an ongoing adaptive management process that is essential to sound decision making in the NPR-A and can serve as a model for other Arctic regions facing climate and land-use uncertainty.

By Chris Arp and Vladimir Alexeev, University of Alaska Fairbanks; Benjamin Jones, U.S. Geological Survey; Matthew Whitman, Stacey Fritz, Deb Nigro, Bureau of Land Management; Hannah Uher-Koch, University of Alaska Anchorage; and Ronnie Daanen, Alaska Department of Natural Resources

29 March 2018 Issue

Building the Arctic Data Center Community

The first cohort of Data Science Fellows at NCEAS. Left to Right: Steven Chong, Stephanie Freund, Dominic Mullen, Mitchell Maier, Rachel Carlson, Emily O'Dean, Irene Steves. Photo courtesy of Kathryn Meyer.

Since 2016, the Arctic Data Center has supported the curation and preservation of Arctic research data. Currently, the Center hosts about 5000 datasets representing over 650,000 files, and the size of data holdings has quintupled during the past two years to over 20 terabytes today. The Center's software developers and data support team continue the ongoing curation of Arctic data and building of efficient data management and discovery tools. At the same time, the outreach and training team is ramping up community engagement with new activities, including Data Science Fellowships and training events, throughout the coming year.

By: Kathryn Meyer Community Engagement & Outreach Coordinator, Arctic Data Center; Vanessa Raymond, Training and Outreach Coordinator, Arctic Data Center; Amber Budden, DataONE, Co-Principal Investigator Arctic Data Center; Matthew Jones, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS), Principal Investigator Arctic Data Center

28 February 2018 Issue

Engaging a New Generation of Arctic Researchers: Lessons Learned from 15 Years of Summer Programs

Participants of the 2015 IARC Summer School on the North Slope of Alaska. Photo courtesy of Erica Zell.

Since 2003, the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) has organized NSF-supported summer schools for students and early career scientists. These programs provide students with the current state of knowledge, hands-on training in conducting Arctic research, and the skills necessary to communicate science across disciplines. Experts from a range of Arctic disciplines introduce the cutting-edge science in their research areas through lectures, model-based experimentation, and field excursions. Students are guided in group projects that encourage participants to explore the intersections between traditional disciplines. An international component of the summer school provides perspectives and international collaboration— key elements of future Arctic research. Building on the knowledge gained during 15 years has led to success and innovation in the summer school program.

By: Vladimir A. Alexeev, International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks; John E. Walsh, International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks; Danica J. Loucks, Department of Anthropology, University of California Irvine; Regine Hock, Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks; and Ute Kaden, School of Education, University of Alaska Fairbanks

NSF's Sikuliaq Joins a New Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium

The research vessel Sikuliaq navigates through Arctic ice in summer 2016. The ship, which is owned by the National Science Foundation and operated by the University of Alaska Fairbanks, has joined the Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium. Photo courtesy of Mark Teckenbrock.

The University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) and the research vessel Sikuliaq will join partners from Europe and Canada in the newly formed Arctic Research Icebreaker Consortium (ARICE). This new international consortium, consisting of 15 partners from 13 different countries, will support planning and implementation of Arctic research cruises by better coordinating the existing icebreaker fleet, allowing researchers to compete for fully-funded ship time, and collaborating with commercial vessels to increase Arctic data collection. For the first time, scientists conducting research in the Arctic Ocean will be able to apply for fully funded access to six international icebreakers, including Sikuliaq. While cruise time will be granted to researchers based on merit, ARICE project coordinators hope the program will increase opportunities for early career researchers and scientists from countries who do not have easy access to an icebreaker.

By: Lauren Frish, Public Information Officer, Sikuliaq Science Liaison, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks

31 January 2018 Issue

Arctic Sea Ice Conditions and Predictions from the 2017 Sea Ice Outlook Post-Season Report

Figure 1. June, July, and August 2017 SIO contributions of the September pan-Arctic sea ice extent as box plots, broken down by type of method. Boxes show medians and interquartile ranges. Colors identify method types, and n denotes the number of contributions. Individual boxes for each method represent, from left to right, contributions to the June, July, and August SIO. The heavy gray line shows the 2017 observed September sea ice extent from the NSIDC index. Figure updated from Hamilton and Stroeve (2016

The Sea Ice Outlook (SIO), an activity of the Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN), provides an open forum for researchers and others to develop, share, and discuss seasonal Arctic sea ice predictions. The SIO produces reports in June, July, and August containing a variety of perspectives on Arctic sea ice—from observations of current conditions, to advanced numerical models, to qualitative perspectives from citizen scientists. A post-season report provides an in-depth analysis of factors driving sea ice extent in the summer and explores the scientific methods for predicting Arctic sea ice. Key highlights from the SIO 2017 Post-Season Report, released earlier this month, include discussion of 2017 Arctic weather and ice conditions; the Outlook contributions and methodologies, including regional forecasts; and sea ice extent probability maps. The report also includes discussion of contributions for forecasts of the Antarctic maxima through the "SIPN South" project.

By: Julienne Stroeve, NSIDC; Cecilia Bitz, U. Washington; Walt Meier, NSIDC; Edward Blanchard-Wrigglesworth, U. Washington; James Overland, NOAA/U. Washington; Muyin Wang, NOAA/U. Washington; Hajo Eicken, International Arctic Research Center; Lawrence Hamilton, U. New Hampshire; Jenny Hutchings, Oregon State U.; Helen Wiggins, ARCUS; Adrienne Tivy, National Research Council of Canada; Philip Jones, Los Alamos National Laboratory; and Elizabeth Hunke, Los Alamos National Laboratory

The Leadership and Strength Project in Utqiaġvik, Alaska

Project team members Charlene Apok and Sarah Huang enjoying a meal of traditional foods in Utqiaġvik, Alaska. Photo courtesy of Courtney Carothers.

Indigenous values, cosmologies, and frameworks are critical to the future of conservation, natural resource management, and climate change sciences. These are pillars from which to craft researcher-community relationships that have specific policy outcomes that support pursuits of sovereignty and self-determination.The Leadership and Strength project, which began in 2009, is a decade-long process of collaboration with local advisors and community members in Utqiaġvik, Alaska (formerly known as Barrow). This project draws upon engaged community-based research approaches to examine community strength and well-being and to focus on the pathways that women, men, and families forge to live well in Utqiaġvik. The stories shared as part of this work discussed historical legacies in the community that were sources of trauma as well as positive stories of community leadership and strength.

By: Dr. Laura Zanotti, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Purdue University; Dr. Courtney Carothers, Associate Professor of Fisheries, University of Alaska Fairbanks

31 October 2017 Issue

New Agreement to Enhance International Arctic Scientific Cooperation

Figure 1. Outcome of U.S. requests to conduct marine scientific research in the Russian Exclusive Economic Zone. Over the 25-year period, access was granted 58% of the time. Image courtesy of J. Farrell. Data from the U.S. Department of State.

The eight member states of the Arctic Council vowed to improve cooperation on Arctic science via a legally binding agreement, entitled "Agreement on Enhancing International Arctic Scientific Cooperation” signed on 11 May 2017 at the Arctic Council Ministerial meeting in Fairbanks, Alaska. The goal of this science agreement is to facilitate access, whether to territory and research areas, platforms, infrastructure, facilities, materials, samples, data, or equipment. In the words of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the document promises to ease "the movement of scientists, scientific equipment and, importantly, data sharing" across the North. Barriers to research, such as denied visas, the inability to carry equipment and samples across national borders, or denial of access to data, preclude scientific investigation, slow progress, increase cost, and retard the growth of knowledge.

By: John Farrell, Executive Director, U.S. Arctic Research Commission

29 September 2017 Issue

Archaeology and Pacific Cod Ear Bones Provide Clues on Climate Cycles in the Gulf of Alaska

Sugpiaq research participants Dan Anahonak (l) and Forest Kvasnikoff (r) examine an artifact during excavations at the Early Contact Village site in Aialik Bay. Pacific cod otoliths found in this archaeological midden were used in the isotopic temperature study.. Image courtesy of A. Crowell.

In a recent study, a team of investigators analyzed oxygen-18 isotopes (δ¹⁸O) from the otoliths—or ear bones—from archeological Pacific cod (dating about 1790-1920) to reconstruct nearshore temperature regimes in the Gulf of Alaska. By comparing those values to δ¹⁸O levels in fish sampled in the same location in 2004, the team determined that ocean temperatures in the Gulf of Alaska today are about 3˚C warmer than they were during the late Little Ice Age (LIA) two centuries ago. The work was supported by NSF, the National Park Service, and the Oceans Alaska Science and Learning Center in Seward, Alaska.

By: Aron L. Crowell, Alaska Director, Arctic Studies Center, Smithsonian Institution

28 August 2017 Issue

Second Fulbright Arctic Initiative Will Build on Success of 2015-17 Inaugural Program

Members of the first Fulbright Arctic Initiative gathered for Fulbright Arctic Week in Washington, D.C., October 2016, for policy meetings and public events, including a capstone symposium showcasing the results of the Fulbright Arctic Scholars' research and collaborations. Photo courtesy of the Fulbright Program.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs has announced the launch of the second Fulbright Arctic Initiative, which will run from spring 2018 through fall 2019. This program follows the first Fulbright Arctic Initiative (2015–2017), which was a new multidisciplinary and multinational team research program designed around specific applied research challenges in the areas of water, energy, and health and infrastructure. The first Fulbright Arctic Initiative, which coincided with the U.S. chairmanship of the Arctic Council, was designed to create a network to stimulate international research collaboration on Arctic issues and build the relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries that are needed to solve global challenges.

By: Lee McDavid, Arctic Program Manager, Institute of Arctic Studies Dartmouth College, Dickey Center for International Understanding

U. S. Naval Academy Participation in NASA's Operation IceBridge

Figure 1. USNA midshipmen conducting snow depth surveys over fast-ice on North Star Bay using GPS-enabled MagnaProbes. Picture taken by Dr. Joseph Smith.

In mid-March 2017, nine midshipmen and four faculty members from the U. S. Naval Academy (USNA) participated in a joint ice experiment (ICEX) with the NASA Operation IceBridge, an airborne survey program established to mitigate the gap in polar observations between the termination of NASA's Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) and ICESat-2, scheduled to launch in 2018. The team from USNA were members of the Polar Science and Technology Program, which is an initiative that engages students in technology innovation and introduces them to Arctic environments. The overall goal of the exercise was to collect measurements of snow and ice along the Thule Air Base survey track for validation of NASA Operation IceBridge airborne radar systems. The Thule Air Base track is part of the NASA Operation IceBridge mission inventory. It is revisited each year to monitor snow and ice changes in the polar regions.

By: Commander Shawn Gallaher and Dr. Joseph Smith, U. S. Naval Academy, Oceanography Department

28 July 2017 Issue

Making Headlines! PolarTREC Teachers Rewarded for their Achievements

Paula Dell, Liliana Diaz, Francisco Flores, Raymond Thicklin, and Miguel Limon consult on the Fish Spy design. Lindblom Math & Science Academy, Chicago, Illinois. Photo by Andy Fitz, courtesy of Paula Dell (PolarTREC 2013), courtesy of ARCUS.

In the past 10 years, PolarTREC has provided over 150 U.S. teachers with hands-on experiences with researchers working in the Arctic and Antarctica. In turn, those 150 teachers have reached thousands of students both in and out of their classroom. Data collected through the program evaluation demonstrates that these research experiences impact the teachers long after the initial experience. Every year, PolarTREC teachers are recognized for their dedication to science education. Many have received awards, are featured in the news and present at local and national meetings. These teachers share their experiences as they happen, and carry a new perspective back to the classroom.

Article contributed by Judy Fahnestock and Janet Warburton, Arctic Research Consortium of the U. S.

Captain Cook and the Earliest Historical Charts of the Ice Edge in the Chukchi Sea

Figure 1. Detail from Henry Roberts' Chart of the NW Coast of America and the NE Coast of Asia (Skelton, 1955, plate LIII). The annotation in thick black and red was added by Stern.

Historical documents can provide valuable context for current changes in sea ice and climate conditions. A recent review of the history of sea-ice observations included examination of the journals and charts from Captain James Cook's third voyage as he sailed north through Bering Strait into the Arctic Ocean in search of the Northwest Passage. Cook's documents from 1778 and 1779 provide the earliest historical record of the summer sea-ice edge in the Chukchi Sea.

Article contributed by Harry Stern, Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington

1 May 2017 Issue

Arctic Knowledge of the U.S. Public

Figure 1. 2016 results from POLES surveys: responses to four basic knowledge questions about the Arctic. Image courtesy of L. Hamilton.

The most recent nationwide project to assess Arctic knowledge, the Polar, Environment, and Science (POLES) survey, was carried out in two stages in August and November–December of 2016. One unique feature of this survey was its deliberate oversampling of Alaska residents, which allowed a first-time comparison of their Arctic knowledge with that of other U.S. residents. Contributed by Lawrence Hamilton, Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire and project colleagues. Article contributed by Lawrence Hamilton, Carsey School of Public Policy, University of New Hampshire and project colleagues

University of Alaska to Host the 2017 Week of the Arctic

The aurora creates a dynamic display behind the University of Alaska (UAF) Murie Building on upper campus. UAF photo by JR Ancheta.

The University of Alaska and the Alaskan Host Committee to the Arctic Council will host the 2017 Week of the Arctic in Fairbanks and Anchorage, Alaska during the week of 8-14 May 2017. The schedule includes a series of events to advance the scientific and technical understanding of Arctic policy, human-environmental interactions, and stakeholder information needs. Contributed by Larry D. Hinzman, Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Article contributed by Larry D. Hinzman, Vice Chancellor for Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks.