IPY International Polar Year Progress report to STG 2

IPY International Polar Year started IPY as an intensive and internationally coordinated campaign of high quality research activities and observations in the polar regions started on 1 March 2007 and will continue up to 1 March The WMO/ICSU Joint Committee (JC) for IPY and its three Sub-Committees including the Space Task Group worked actively to facilitate implementation of IPY projects that are consistent with the six themes and observational initiatives outlined in the IPY Framework document and in the Scope of Science for IPY The WMO Inter-commission Task Group (ITG) on IPY and technical commissions addressed the IPY preparation at their sessions and developed relevant actions to facilitate the effective IPY implementation.

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IPY Funding for IPY projects According to reliable information the IPY International Programme Office now estimates US$ 430 million in new IPY science funding. Those new funds combined with roughly US$ 800 million in existing polar research funding applied to IPY provide a total of approximately US$ 1.25 billion over the two IPY years. Of 222 endorsed projects: 100 projects received substantial funding, 70 projects- partial funding 52 projects - information is not yet received.

IPY IPY implementation The implementation of the IPY projects in the field has started in both polar regions, more widely in the Arctic.  Several international multidisciplinary marine expeditions were actively working in July - September 2007 in the Arctic Ocean, implementing a large number of IPY projects related to studies of physical and chemical oceanic processes, sea- ice properties and changes, physical and chemical interaction between atmosphere, sea-ice and ocean, marine geology and biology.  On land IPY projects are implemented at present in both polar regions, carrying out the studies of atmospheric processes, glaciers and ice sheets, permafrost, hydrological cycle, the ecosystems, circumpolar human societies, etc.

IPY Circumpolar Atmospheric Observatories Network proposed in International Arctic Systems for Observing the Atmosphere (IASOA) Project Courtessy by Y. Viisanen

IPY No data on temperature and salinity under sea ice…

IPY IPY Project No 14 AOSB and WCRP/CliC, EU Project DAMOCLES Gascard’s iAOOS plan

IPY C. Terrestrial Snow Cover A. Antarctica and Greenland (Glaciers, ice caps, ice sheets) D. Permafrost B. Arctic and Antarctic Sea Ice E. Lake and River Ice Geographic coverage maps by the space agencies proposed for Global Inter-agency IPY Polar Snapshot Year (GIIPSY) project Full array of geographic coverage maps available at www-bprc.mps.ohio-state.edu/rsl/GIIPSY

IPY Activities of IPY Joint Committee and its bodies in IPY preparation (1) The JC 6 (Quebec, October 2007) focussed on IPY’s legacies. With respect of IPY’s observing systems legacy, JC endorsed the proposal of SCOBS to develop a roadmap that will provide a consolidated vision of IPY observing systems legacy, which should be based on the outcomes of series of meetings such as: - sessions of IPY Space Task Group; - planning meetings on the Southern Ocean Observing System; - series of workshops on Sustaining Arctic Observing Networks; - a workshop planned to be organized by WCRP/CliC in cooperation with GEO on legacy of IPY observing systems related to the establishment of Global Cryosphere Watch (this proposal was welcomed by WMO Cg-XV). The roadmap developed by SCOBS should include a detailed proposal on establishing a mechanism for early assessment of benefits acquired from IPY observations in order to prepare for the support of long-term reinforcement and maintaining of networks in polar regions.

IPY Activities of IPY Joint Committee and its bodies in IPY preparation (2) As regards IPY’s data legacy, the JC 6 stressed that a lack of support for international data coordination hindered IPY’s progress toward a complete data inventory and eventual full data accessibility, two basic elements of IPY free and open data policy. In the longer term, the JC foresees need for substantial new data archive services. The JC will report these concerns as part of a short overall assessment of IPY status addressed to ICSU and WMO as well as to IPY community.

IPY IPY conferences JC 6 reviewed and adopted planning process for IPY conferences and events including: the SCAR-IASC Joint IPY Conference “ Polar Research - Arctic and Antarctic Perspectives in the International Polar Year"will be held in St Petersburg on July 8-11, 2008; an Early Science Conference in Oslo in 2010 proposed to host by Norwegian government; a ‘concluding’ conference in 2012 with focus on scientific results and assessments and on IPY practical and political implications proposed to host by Canada.

IPY Thank you!