Glaciology Exchange (Glacio-Ex) Norwegian/Canadian/US Partnership - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Kronebreeen, Svalbard. Photo: Monica Sund

Glaciology Exchange

(Glacio-Ex) Norwegian/Canadian/US Partnership Program

Luke Copland

University of Ottawa, Canada

Jon Ove Hagen

University of Oslo, Norway

The Cryosphere is changing!

Changes in ice thickness (in centimeters per year) during 2003-2010 as measured by NASA's GRACE satellites, averaged over each of the world's ice caps and glacier systems outside of Greenland and Antarctica

http://www.nasa.gov/to pics/earth/features/gra ce20120208i.html

Late 19th century ice shelf extent (~9,000 km2) Eureka Alert

Eureka Alert July 2005 Extent (1043 km2) Late 19th century ice shelf extent (~9,000 km2)

Eureka Alert Sept 2012 Extent (~500 km2)

Ward Hunt Serson Milne Markham Petersen Ayles

Late 19th century ice shelf extent (~9,000 km2) July 2005 Extent (1043 km2)

Who cares?!

• Melting glaciers raise sea level:

greater impact from storm surges

• Ice islands major concern for
• ffshore oil exploration
• Changing sea ice impacts arctic

shipping routes

Glacio-Ex

 Glacio-Ex project is focused on the terrestrial cryosphere: glaciers, snow, ice shelves, permafrost and seasonal frost in sub-Arctic, Arctic, and high mountain environments  Primary funding from SIU (Norwegian Centre for International Cooperation in Higher Education), Partnership Program for North America: 2012- 2016  We have a common and pressing need to learn from each other’s research, and to expose university students at all levels to the similarities and differences in environmental and societal conditions in the North  This project aims to strengthen scientific cooperation, research interaction and educational activities between the project partners

The Partnership

• 2 from Norway
• 3 from Canada
• 1 from USA

University of Ottawa Department of Geography (Luke Copland, North American Coordinator) University of Oslo Department of Geosciences (Jon Ove Hagen, Project Leader) Simon Fraser University,

• Dept. Earth Sciences,

(Gwenn Flowers) University Centre in Svalbard (UNIS), Department of Geology (Doug Benn) University of Alaska Fairbanks, Geophysical Institute (Regine Hock) University of Alberta, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, (Martin Sharp)

Science Exchange

 Science Workshops

– At least one science workshop per year – One at every partner over the next 4 years

 Exchange visits of faculty & grad students

– Sabbaticals – Writing joint papers

 Research

– Sharing field equipment, develop new techniques – Inter-comparison between methods

Research sites of Cryo-Ex partners

Field instrumentation

Student and Faculty Training

 Joint courses, MSc and PhD level

– Develop new courses, build on existing

• nes

– E.g. Remote Sensing of Glaciers, Oslo

 Summer field schools

– Specialized field courses to train graduate students and researchers

 Undergraduate student exchanges

– Students go for entire semester – ~75% of past participants continue in graduate studies

Yukon Permafrost Course, 2011 Svalbard Tidewater Glaciers Workshop, 2012

Summer Schools

 2013: Wireless sensor networks

– Kananaskis Field Station, Alberta, Canada

 2014: Glaciology field techniques

– Wrangell Mountains Center, McCarthy, Alaska

 2015: Tidewater glaciers and permafrost

– UNIS, Svalbard, Norway

 2016: Permafrost and glaciology

– Kluane Lake Research Station, Yukon, Canada

UNIS Kananaskis Field Station

Kluane Lake Research Station

Wrangell Mountains Center

Field course on alpine landscapes, Norway

Field course on glaciers and permafrost, Svalbard

GEG4001: Northern Field Research, Yukon/Alaska

GEG4001: Northern Field Research, Yukon/Alaska

GEG4100 Glaciology: Patagonia, Argentina

GEG4100 Glaciology: Antarctica

Practical Issues

 Commercial flights to Canadian Arctic very expensive

– Ottawa-Resolute ~$5600 – Ottawa- Longyearbyen ~$2000

 Food costs very high in Canadian Arctic (& poor quality)

$5600 $800 $1200

 Charter flights cheap in Canada/US

– Twin Otter ~$2000/hr – Helicopters ~$1000-$2000/hr – Svalbard >$5000/hr

 Unrestricted flying in Canada/US

– Few regulations, can land essentially anywhere – Can only fly in Svalbard with permission

• f the Governor

– Also unrestricted snowmobile use in US/Canada

 Major aircraft support for Canadians from Polar Continental Shelf Project

– Operate logistics base in Resolute Bay – Virtually all equipment and flight hours provided free of charge to researchers

Practical Issues

 Glacio-Ex provides unique connection between leading cryospheric research groups in Norway and North America  Glacio-Ex will establish closer, formal linkages and exchange arrangements, and will train the next generation of cryospheric scientists  The exchange is expected to lead to long-term collaborative ties between researchers, and graduate and undergraduate students in all three countries

Conclusions

Thankyou!