Planning for the International Polar Year 2007-2008 Report of the Implementation Workshop (2004) / Chapter Skim
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2 Opening Remarks
2 Opening Remarks
Pages 9-22
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From page 9... ...
The recent Vision report was developed in a "bottom up" fashion, with wide input from the science and engineering communities and from the government agencies with responsibilities in the polar regions. This report is an important first step in creating what will become the U.S.
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From page 10... ...
The Academies third goal was to ensure that IPY 2007-2008 was planned using a transparent process and with strong "bottom-up" input from the science community and agencies. The recent NRC Vision report is the result of significant outreach to the U.S.
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From page 11... ...
In the polar regions, environmental change is observable in reduced sea ice extent, retreating glaciers, shifting patterns in flora and fauna, and environmental observations by Arctic natives. These changes -- whether environmental, biological or social -- have implications for the rest of the globe.
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From page 12... ...
A field camp in West Antarctica would have potential to support activities beyond drilling, depending on scientific and international interest. We also need to study the bedrock beneath the ice sheets, which strongly influences ice stability.
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From page 13... ...
DOE is interested in regional climate, ocean circulation, sea ice, and coupled climate-biogeo-chem models. Most of DOE's climate process studies involve the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM)
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From page 14... ...
The EPA focus for IPY could be centered on three objectives: 1. Improve basic knowledge about Arctic stressors and effects: EPA activities related to this objective include the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP)
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From page 15... ...
During the IPY, USGS Arctic interests include glacier studies, especially re-visiting glaciers surveyed in the IGY; ice coring/climate history studies; the biology impacts of deglaciation; earthquakes; permafrost; minerals and energy assessment; borehole temperature measurements; migratory birds; polar bear habitat; and marine mammals. In the Antarctic, the USGS is interested in seismology; geodesy, especially autonomous measurements and aerogeophysical observations in the interior; establishing a geomagnetic observatory at the South Pole; improving GIS/on-line data delivery, and helping to develop an air geophysics science platform.
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From page 16... ...
NOAA believes the IPY is an ideal opportunity to advance observations of the polar region, and NOAA noted that "observations" include not only the original acquisition of data, but also archiving and long-term stewardship of the data and its application to societal needs. NOAA stressed that the IPY is an ideal time for advancing observations of sea ice, polar oceans and seas, and biological variables, and for vigorous efforts to provide ground-truth for satellite instrument-derived data sets.
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From page 17... ...
Among the activities NOAA will consider for its FY2007 budget are several that relate to recommendations of the U.S. National Committee: NRC Recommendation 1: Initiate a sustained effort to assess environmental change and variability · Extend GOOS/GEO to the Arctic Ocean -- sea ice thickness, snow cover, motion, and energy balance; Arctic Ocean structure and circulation; Bering Strait Observations · Begin Arctic System Reanalysis -- high resolution Arctic coupled oceanice-atmosphere model with data assimilation to produce uniform gridded fields from non-uniform observations · Capture historical polar data sets, construct data atlases, and make available to public through web-based means · Implement North Pacific and Arctic Observing Enhancement (THORPEX)
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From page 18... ...
NRC Recommendations 4 and 5: Create observing networks and improve science infrastructure · Accelerate Alaskan coastal bathymetry and shoreline mapping · Add real-time water level stations in Alaska · Accelerate application of NOAA satellites, ships, and aircraft to observation of polar regions U.S.
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From page 19... ...
NASA also has polar missions that reach beyond Earth, including the PHOENIX Mission that will land near Mars North Pole in 2008, the Lunar Recon Orbiter that will map Lunar polar regions for the first time in 2008, and the Mars Recon Orbiter (MRO) that will explore Martian polar regions from orbit.
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From page 20... ...
· Surveys of ice thicknesses around the perimeter of Antarctic and Greenland grounding lines with ice-penetrating radar NRC Recommendation 2: Study of coupled human-natural systems · Ozone observations and process studies NRC Recommendation 3: Explore new frontiers · Polar Regions as stepping stones to planetary environment · Polar analogies to other planets, including surface and environmental characteristics, and paleo-environmental proxies NRC Recommendations 4 and 5: Create observing networks and improve science infrastructure · New observation networks that are stepping stones to exploring other planets. Sensor networks, intelligent data collection (e.g.
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From page 21... ...
Olsen, Associate Director for Science, indicated that Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) is supportive of IPY and its wide range of exciting scientific questions covering many disciplines and providing opportunities for advancing interdisciplinary sciences of north and south polar regions.
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From page 22... ...
. During discussion of the framework, it became clear that the potential activities described by the agencies tracked well to the main themes of the Vision report and that the agencies had many concrete ideas for IPY activities that would be in line with the international context, and at the same time, further U.S.
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