1. International Arctic System for Observing the Atmosphere (IASOA)
Taneil Uttal – NOAA
James Drummond – University of Toronto
Eirik Forland – Norwegian Meteorological Institute
Esko Kyro = Finnish Meteorological Institute
Yuri Tsaturov – Roshydormet
Huigen Wang – Polar Research Institute of China
Russ Schnell – NOAA
Sandy MacDonald - NOAA
Vladimir Radionov – Russian Arcitc and Antarctic Research Institute
Shunlin Liu – Polar Research Institute of China
Robert Stone – CIRES
Contact:

2. Concept for Arctic Atmospheric Observatories
To understand the Arctic atmosphere it is necessary to have detailed, continuous, co-located measurements of clouds, aerosols, radiation, atmospheric vapor, surface fluxes, and standard surface and upper air meteorological observations. Observations should be sufficient to monitor AND understand mechanisms. Understanding mechanism requires data sets that can (1) Improve models (2) validate satellite observations (3) facilitate process studies.
Clouds and aerosols in the Arctic have a major influence on surface radiation budgets and resulting surface temperatures, ice ablation/melt rates, and the onset of the annual snow melt season.
Major components of an Arctic Atmospheric Observatory are active cloud sensors, passive and surface aerosol sensors, broadband radiation fluxes (up and down), surface fluxes, and spectral radiometry.
Intensive Observatories should also have components that integrate them into less intensive but more widely distributed networks such as BSRN, CRN, GAW and others.
Upper and lower atmosphere measurements should be integrated.
Read the slide

3. Tiksi, Russia Barrow, Alaska Ny-Alesund, Svalbard Eureka, Canada
Over the long-term, NOAA intends to develop atmospheric observatories at key locations such as shown here. We will continue to collaborate with DOE and its partners at Barrow, and are now working with Canada to install an observatory at Eureka with some effort also at Alert. The Eureka observatory should be in full operation during the IPY. Further expansion to other sites depends on the availability of resources or identification of a funding partner.
Summit, Greenland
Alert, Canada

4. Support surface measurements with annual UAV and aircraft surveys

6. Current activities of the NOAA/SEARCH Atmospheric Observatory Program
($472K/year)
Installation of BSRN station and
aerosol sensors at the Alert Global
Atmosphere Watch Station in August
of 2004.

7. Planning in Progress for Summer 2005
Installation of Cloud Radar, Cloud-Aerosol
Lidar and Commercial Vapor and Liquid Water Path
Radiometer at the Eureka Weather Station

8. Proposed NOAA Arctic Research Logo