ARCTIC RESOURCES
Early Release Data on the Thickness, Snow Depth and Ice Characteristics (SEARCH)
In an effort to provide timely information to the international sea-ice prediction community, this website provides access to early-release data sets on ice thickness, snow depth, and ice characteristics collected in March/April of 2012 in the North American Arctic. Data was obtained by different projects, centering around the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Operation IceBridge survey flights with key contributions by activities supported through the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the interagency Arctic Observing Network (AON). this work is motivated by the Arctic Sea Ice Outlook, led by the U.S. Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH). The data acquisition reflect collaboration with local government and co-management boards to avoid interfering with subsistence hunting activities and provide information of relevance to coastal communities.
The SEARCH Sea Ice Outlook is an international effort to provide a community-wide summary of the expected September arctic sea ice minimum. Monthly reports released throughout the summer synthesize community estimates of the current state and expected minimum of sea ice- at both a pan-arctic and regional scale. The intent of this effort is to summarize all available community, stakeholders, and the public, the best available information on the evolution of arctic sea ice.
The August Report is now available. For further information and to view the Pan-Arctic and Regional report please visit SEARCH Sea Ice Outlook
Or contact: Helen Wiggins, SEARCH Project Office, ARCUS, Email: helen@arcus.org
International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean
The goal of this initiative is to develop a digital data base that contains all available bathymetric data north of 64° North, for use by mapmakers, researchers, institutions, and others whose work requires a detailed and accurate knowledge of the depth and the shape of the Arctic seabed.
A new NSF-funded website entitled 'Climate Data Guide is now available. The website is a source for inofrmation and advice on the strengths, limitations, and applications of climate data. It shares expertise and advice on datasets, including strengths and limitations from expert users. The Climate Data Guide facilitates access to many types of datasets and arranges them in convenient categories. Over 3,000 unique monthly visitors from around the world make the Climate Data Guide a one-of-a-kind platform for increasing the visibility of climate data sets as well as studies assessing climate data. Users are from academia, government, and the private sector. This website depends on contributions from data developers and users. Comments and perspectives on datasets or model evaluation strategies are encouraged and will be credited to the author.
Suggestions and questions may be submitted to the website itself or emailed to: climatedataguide@cgd.edu
U.S. Arctic Research Commission
The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum to promote cooperation, coordination and interaction among the Arctic States.
Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program
New Organization Available - Polar Educators International
Polar Educators International (PEI) announces the establishment of a formal international professional network for those that educate in, for, and about the polar regions.
Membership is open to everyone in the polar science and science education communities. The founding members come from polar and non-polar nations such as Belgium, the United Kingdom, India, Italy, the United States, Canada, Norway, and Portugal. The new group brings together museums, schools, science centers, formal and informal education, expeditions, NGOs, companies, and governmental and nonprofit organizations. Working across national, disciplinary, and age boundaries, PEI wants to improve science education for the next generation of policymakers, entrepreneurs, explorers, citizen scientists, journalists, and educators.
The new group, which consists of more than 200 leading educators and scientists, will develop innovative teaching resources and practices designed to bring the importance of the polar regions closer to home. We intend to excite students about learning and about their planet, and thereby change the terms of debate, and the framework of education, to rekindle student and public engagement with global environmental changes.
The PEI Steering Committee is currently doing strategic planning, planning for upcoming conference and polar events, developing a formal web presence, and building the network of polar educators and scientists.
For further information or to become a member, please email: polareducators@gmail.com
New Report Available
Framework to Improve Health and Well-Being of Arctic Communities
A report released by the Dickey Center for International Understanding and the Arctic Institute for Applied Circumpolar Policy (ICARP) finds that rapidly changing health conditions in he Arctic, due in part to climate change and globalization, call for a dramatically new approach to research and delivery of services to improve the health and wellness in arctic communities. The report's recommendations include assuring that health research creates tangible benefits for communities as well as individuals, brings local and traditional knowledge into health practices, actively involves the community in making health research priorities, and focuses more on holistic practices that protect and sustain people rather than solely on health problems.
Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks (SAON) homepage can be reached here
SAON will act as a clearinghouse for information about pan-Arctic, long-term observing activities. It will promote international partnerships and synergies among observing networks and sites as a way of reducing duplication and redundancy and it will facilitate the use and incorporation of traditional knowledge and promote community based monitoring.
Sea Ice Freeboard, Show Depth, and Thickness Quick Look
NASA's Operation Icebridge
National Snow and Ice Data Center
A new sea ice thickness and snow depth product over the Arctic Ocean entitled "SeaIce Freeboard, Snow Depth, and Thickness Quick Look" is now available. To access the data, please click on the Sea Ice Freeboard link here.
The products contain several geophysical parameters derived from laser altimeter, snow radar, and digital aerial photography measurements. Community comments related to the science are welcome, and can be directed to Michael Studinger (michael.studinger@nasa.gov) and Nathan Kurtz (nathan.t.kurtz@nasa.gov). The IceBridge Project Science Office at Goddard and the IceBridge Sea Ice Science Team will jointly review the community comments.
The National Snow and Ice Data Center website is found here.
New version of the Arctic Research Assets Map released
The map, developed by the Alaska Ocean Observing System, shows the location of research instruments and monitoring efforts in the Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas. The map is intended to assist with region-wide planning and research logistics, and also allow the public to get a visual impression of what type of data collection is taking place in the Alaskan Arctic. Check out the updated version of the map to view new instruments being deployed this season, and explore the new capabilities allowing users to personalize their view. More info can e found here.
Newsletter Available
IDPO Ice Bits, Summer 2012
Ice Drilling Program Office
The Summer 2012 issue of the Ice Drilling Program Office IIDPO) newsletter Ice Bits is available online. Ice Bits, an update of IDPO and Ice Drilling Design and Operations activities, is published quarterly in electronic format and can be accessed as a PDF file.
- Items in this issue include:
- Replicate Coring System Characterization Testing Underway
- Intermediate Depth Drill Starts Taking Shape
- Intermediate Depth logging Winch in Fabrication
- Rapid Access Ice Drill
- Technical Advisory Board Meeting
- GISP2 Borehole Casing
- New Drilling Fluid
- Change Management Policy
- New Outreach Effort Distills Your Research Paper into Key Points
- Educational Outreach
- Ice Drilling Technology Workshop Proceedings
- Requesting Ice Drilling Support
To download the newsletter, please go here.
ERMA: A mapping tool that could help emergency response to the Arctic
The Environmental Response Management Application or ERMA is an interactive map, with data layers that can be switched on and off. The various layers have information like offshore lease areas, sea ice extent and critical animal habitats. With all that information consolidated on a single map, the hope is that responders can act more efficiently and effectively in the event of an oil spill or maritime disaster. A different version of ERMA was used in the Gulf of Mexico during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.