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Status: Not confirmed |
Open to sharing: Yes |
Confidential: No |
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Transnational Access: No |
Open to training: Yes |
Grounded / Maintenance: No |
Aircraft name: POLAR 5 - AWI
Airport: various Canada, Greenland, Svalbard
Project theme: Polar Airborne Measurements and Regional Climate Model Simulation Project) as contribution of NETwork on Climate and Aerosols: Addressing Key Uncertainties in Remote Canadian Environments
Project abstract: The operation with the AWI POLAR aircraft represents one key component of the atmospheric and sea ice study in the Arctic within the PAMARCMIP program (Polar Airborne Measurements and Regional Climate Model Simulation Project). Within PAMARCMIP large-scale measurement of sea ice thickness in key Arctic areas will be performed in the framework of an international cooperation between German, Canadian and US institutes. The plan for spring 2017 is similar to the successful PAMARCMiP campaigns since 2009. Sea ice thickness is the key property for predicting the summer minimum sea ice extent. Sea ice thinning and retreat are expected to continue as a result of climate change with a major uncertainty introduced by decadal and long-term natural climate variability. Accurate ice thickness information is still sparse over the Arctic Ocean. Additionally snow thickness measurements are planned with a radar system. Further, atmospheric components will be measured simultaneously to the Sea ice and snow thickness measurements, amongst which are aerosols, black carbon and different trace gases. These measurements have been performed since 2009 with the aim to fill the knowledge gaps in the spatial and temporal distribution and variability. The research focus for the aircraft activity is the area from Svalbard to Alaska. As described below, the flight campaigns will contribute to our understanding of the role, the sources, and the transport pathways of atmospheric aerosol - especially black carbon - in the Arctic. The study will include the identification of local sources of observed aerosol layers.
Science context: Polar regions, troposphere Aerosol chemistry and physics, Geophysics and Glaciology, Pollution (includes air, sea and soil)
Measurements to be made by aircraft: - sea-ice thickness - altimetry - basic meteorological parameters - aerosol distribution
Flights (number and patterns): 20-25 flights, max. 130 h
Instruments: None
Name: None