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Expeditions

Phenology and Vegetation in the Warming Arctic 2021

Phenology and Vegetation in the Warming Arctic 2021
Dates
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Location
Toolik Field Station, Alaska

What Are They Doing?

Steve Oberbauer and Jeremy May set up the Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform (MISP) tram. Utqiaġvik, Alaska.
Steve Oberbauer and Jeremy May set up the Mobile Instrumented Sensor Platform (MISP) tram. Utqiaġvik, Alaska. Photo by Alejandra Martinez.
The goal of this expedition is to understand arctic terrestrial change by monitoring vegetation communities in northern Alaska associated with the International Tundra Experiment Arctic Observatory Network (ITEX-AON). The team will study environmental variability and increased temperature on tundra plant phenology, growth, species composition and ecosystem function.

The ITEX network works collaboratively to study changes in tundra plant and ecosystem responses to experimental warming. The network monitoring sites are located across many major ecosystems of the Arctic. This project will provide urgently needed data critical to understanding the impact of multi-scale vegetation change on ecosystem function, namely land-atmosphere carbon and water fluxes and energy balance.

Liza Backman
Educator
Brooklyn Emerging Leaders Academy

Brooklyn, NY
United States

Expedition Map

High Arctic Change 2021

High Arctic Change 2021
Dates
-
Location
Svalbard, Norway

What Are They Doing?

The Svalbard Archipelago has an arctic climate and is home to several large bodies of ice - alpine glaciers in the mountains, and tidewater glaciers that descend into the sea. Svalbard is currently undergoing rapid climate change with the dramatic retreat of its tidewater glaciers.

A view in front of Kronebreen Glacier. Ny Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway. Photo by Mark Goldner (PolarTREC 2011), Courtesy of ARCUS.
A view in front of Kronebreen Glacier. Ny Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway. Photo by Mark Goldner (PolarTREC 2011), Courtesy of ARCUS.

The goal of the research is to gain a deeper understanding of ice-ocean interactions and processes at the faces of tidewater glaciers. This important research will increase our knowledge of climate change and tell the visual story - in particular, this research will further our understanding of ice retreat rates and the impact on sea level rise in the future.

Tidewater glaciers are among the fastest-changing systems in the Arctic, and the dynamic Kronebreen glacier is situated a short distance from the scientific research base of Ny Ålesund at 79°N latitude. In particular, the team will investigate how climate change affects sediment transport and deposition associated with the tidewater glaciers, icebergs, meltwater streams, and marine currents.

The summer ice mélange at the ice face in these smaller systems is flushed out rapidly making it possible to work safely from small boats at a distance (between 200m to 2 km) from the calving ice face. Our proposed work follows on our earlier observations that warm North Atlantic Water is impacting the ice face more today than seen in 2005, 2009, 2011, and 2014, increasing retreat rates. Over these years, we have observed different meltwater plumes turning on and off on a daily to weekly basis. Funded by National Geographic, we have planned the science to add observations to other aspects of the glacial system being monitored by Norsk Polar scientists (Jack Kohler, Katerine Husmin, et al).

The team will be mapping bathymetry of the ice margin area to compare with earlier surveys, and recording oceanographic data (including temperature, salinity, and turbidity of the water column) to track the inflow of North Atlantic water at the ice face. They are particularly interested in monitoring the position and velocities of subglacial jets as they exit the glacier and enter the fjord. The team will also record and monitor iceberg calving at the glacier face.

Beyond the science, public outreach using science and imagery will be used to communicate to the public critical climate change issues, exposing them to the challenges and rewards of conducting high latitude research. Public outreach will showcase arctic processes and how what happens in the Arctic high latitudes impacts coastal resiliency.

Mark Goldner
Teacher
Heath K-8 Elementary School

Brookline, MA
United States

Expedition Map

Nansen and Amundsen Basins Observational System

Nansen and Amundsen Basins Observational System
Dates
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Location
Eastern Eurasian Basin

What Are They Doing?

Deployment and recovery of moorings
Deployment and recovery of moorings
Research is carried out through the NABOS (Nansen and Amundsen Basins Observational System) program. The goal of this study is to develop a comprehensive and quantitative understanding of how the Eastern Eurasian Basin (EEB) functions as a switchgear, accumulating and releasing major Arctic riverine transports and redistributing ice and freshwater between the eastern and western Arctic in response to atmospheric and oceanic forcings. Three biennial cruises, planned for August-September, will take measurements between Franz Josef Land and the central East Siberian Sea, following a path that moves from shallow water to the deep sea. The sampling program connects observations using moorings, ship sampling, and drifters.

Jonathan Pazol
Educator
West Leyden High School

Northlake, IL
United States

Expedition Map

Thermal Sensitivity of Embryos and Larvae of Antarctic Marine Ectotherms 2021

Thermal Sensitivity of Embryos and Larvae of Antarctic Marine Ectotherms 2021
Dates
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Location
McMurdo Field Station, Antarctica

What Are They Doing?

A giant sea spider towers over a field of polyps at Turtle Rock, Antarctica.
A giant sea spider towers over a field of polyps at Turtle Rock, Antarctica. Photo by Timothy R. Dwyer.
Cold-blooded animals in the Antarctic ocean have survived in near-constant, extreme cold conditions for millions of years and are very sensitive to even small changes in water temperature. However, the consequences of this extreme thermal sensitivity for the energetics, development, and survival of developing embryos is not well understood.

This project will investigate the effect of temperature on the metabolism, growth rate, developmental rate, and developmental energetics of embryos and larvae of Antarctic marine ectotherms. The project will also measure annual variation in temperature and oxygen at different sites in McMurdo Sound, and compare embryonic and larval metabolism in winter and summer to determine the extent to which these life stages can acclimate to seasonal shifts. This research will provide insight into the ability of polar marine animals and ecosystems to withstand warming polar ocean conditions.

Tammy Orilio
Educator
Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School

Parkland, FL
United States

Expedition Map