1. 1 Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System = SIOS Ragnhild Rønneberg, senior adviser Presentation for EU Expert group on Marine Infrastructure Brussels March 4 th, 2011

2. 2 Agenda Many thanks for the invitation! Background for SIOS Status and content of SIOS Marine initiatives (SIOS-related) Discussion - input from you to us !

3. 3 SIOS in a nutshell Build an interdisciplinary environmental research and monitoring infrastructure capable of observing the Earth system in the Arctic and providing the observational basis for verification of Earth System models in this region. Integrate the studies of: – Meteorological, Geophysical, Cryospheric, Hydrological, Chemical and Biological processes …….From a set of monitoring platforms (ocean, ice/glacier, terrestrial, atmosphere/space) matching the ESM Establish a Knowledge Centre

4. 4 SIOS goals for the future… Understand the environmental and climate state/changes in the high arctic …. Efficiency in research in/on/around Svalbard International cooperation Sharing of equipment, data and knowledge Lessen the burden on a vulnerable environment Improve observation systems and provide data to modelling systems….. And for policy making.

5. 5 SIOS - international project Project endorsed by the Norwegian Ministry of Research and Education in 2009 The Research Council of Norway being the coordinating institution (supported by UNIS and NPI) 14 nations and 26 active cooperating partners (11 Norwegian) + 24 associated partners (…… Norwegian) Total cost: approx. 6,6 mill Euros (36 months) – Contribution from EU: 4 mill Euros (36 months) – October 1. 2010 – September 30. 2013 1 of 2 Norwegian initiatives in the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructure (ESFRI). A total of 44 initiatives.

6. 6 Why Svalbard ?

7. 7 High Arctic = early warning for climate changes Many observations done and many ongoing in a broad range of disciplines Many different modelling systems in many disciplines Many un-answered questions ! Sub-optimal use of research equipment !? New investments needed – which and for what purpose?

8. 8 Why Svalbard ? cont. Excellent opportunities for studies of ecosystem changes. Well positioned to observe and analyse the changing Arctic ice cover. Well positioned to study the energy balance in the atmosphere. The location provides for dense satellite monitoring.

9. 9 Why Svalbard ? cont. Research organizations from 20 countries are present on a regular basis, operating a wide variety of land and sea-based facilities. Norway has established an international university in Longyearbyen with students and staff from 32 countries. Svalbard is accessible all year round because of its advanced community infrastructure and its relatively mild climate. Svalbard has the highest available data bandwidth in the High Arctic. And…….

10. …existing research facilities UNIS Russian station Barentsburg Meteorological station, Aldegondabreen HAUSGARTEN seafloor observatory Ny-Ålesund International Research Station Polish Polar Station Hornsund

11. 11 Work packages in SIOS WP A legal aspects WP 3 financial strategy WP 2 legal and governance structure WP 6 data management and utilisation plan WP 5 logistics plan WP 7 remote sensing strategy WP 8 internal integration strategy WP 9 international coop. and integration WP1 project management WP B environmental framework WP C gap analysis WP 4 infrastructure access 01.10.10 Funded by EU Funded by RCN/MRU

12. Major steps towards the goal: 1.Assess the present infrastructure and activities in Svalbard to identify gaps and weaknesses related to the needs of Earth System Models (ESM). Invest in additional infrastructure and activities to close these gaps 2.Organize all relevant infrastructure and all research and monitoring activities into observation platforms which are most appropriate w.r.t. practical and organisational aspects 3.Establish a Knowledge Centre in Longyearbyen for data collection/aggregation/access, education and outreach, cooperative efforts, and input to Earth System modeling 4.Take action to coordinate the SIOS initiative with complementary ESFRI environmental initiatives as well as other global and Arctic observation systems and related modelling efforts

13. 13 From gaps to platforms…. Gap –analysis 1.Magnetosphere, ionosphere and connection to climate 2.The coupled arctic climate system; atmosphere – ocean – ice 3.Environmental changes and marine ecosystems 4.Environmental changes and terrestrial ecosystems 5.Solid Earth large-scale processes 6.Environmental pollution; sources, transport and effects Ocean/ Marine Terrestrial Ice/Glaciers Atmospheric/ Space What exists, where, owned by whom - and what is on the wish list and for what purpose ??

14. 14 SIOS research key topics 1.Vertical coupling in the arctic atmosphere downward from space 2.The Arctic lower atmosphere – boundary layer system: dynamical and radiation feedback processes 3.Oceanic and sea ice processes 4.Marine transport of energy, nutrients and pollution (horizontally, vertically and through the food chain) 5.Glacier and ice cap mass balance and dynamics 6.Greenhouse gas processes and feedbacks in the Arctic climate system 7.Arctic permafrost, periglacial geomorphological processes including geohazards related to periglacial landscape development 8.Isostasy and changes in Solid Earth’s local and regional stress field 9.Direct human impact of the Arctic System 10.Inter-compartmental transition processes related to pollutants and impact of climate change 11.Arctic ecosystem resilience to climate variability and change

15. 15 Key topics identified by WGs (selection) Primary coupling processes that connect the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere and lower thermosphere (WG1) Response of coupling processes to solar variability and climate change; causes of observed long-term changes in ionospheric parameters (WG1) Sea ice in the Arctic: studies of processes and fluxes through the gateways (WG2) Oceanographic processes in the Svalbard region and the Fram Strait: small scales - large impacts on regional climate and the Arctic Ocean as a whole (WG2) The Arctic troposphere - boundary layer – surface system and its impacts on arctic climate in a region with large natural variability (WG2) Terrestrial cryosphere, weather and hydrology in the Svalbard region (WG2)

16. 16 SIOS Key topics identified by WGs (selection, cont.’d) Spatial and temporal variations in the species composition and distribution of zooplankton, benthos, key fish species and arctic, endemic top trophic marine mammals (WG3) Assessment of trends in carbon export and biogeochemical cycling (WG3) Identify thresholds that can change Arctic marine food webs and energy transfer (WG3) Arctic geohazards: deglaciation-related seismicity, permafrost thawing, gas hydrates decay (WG5) Glaciology: mass balance and dynamics (WG5) Past and present marine sedimentary processes, climate and environments on Svalbard (WG5) The influence of climate change on introduction, distribution, accumulation and transformation of anthropogenic pollutants (WG6) Complex mixture (contaminant cocktail) effects on wildlife and humans in the Arctic (WG6) Fig. 1. Map of Svalbard seismicity for years 2007-April 2009. Temperature transect of Isfjorden summer 2009 (glider)

17. 17 KC - the node in the structure Atmospheric / Space Terrestrial Ocean / Marine Ice / glaciers Observational platforms Integrating platforms Selected contributing organizations UNISNPIAWIAARINERCCNRIGFPASPRIC ACIA Selected end- users: Policy makers, modelling systems, NGOs IPCCEU European government policy boards

18. 18 The Knowledge Centre “ The heart and mind of SIOS”: Where the needs of Earth System Modeling are addressed. Where all activities are coordinated. Where all research and monitoring data are shared. Where all participating nations/ institutions have equal influence on priorities. Where all participating nations/ institutions have equal access to results. … including Education, Outreach and field support…… … building on Svalbard Science Forum

19. What are the challenges?  History of establishment of the various polar stations:  topics, character, size determined in advance at national level  cooperation opportunities investigated after establishment  Svalbard Treaty freedom Can one build an integrated autonomous facility out of this?  Choice of research sites: determined by historical factors (coal mining, not scientific suitability): all along the west coast; to a large degree cemented by today’s environmental jurisdiction Will it be possible to build the required network with these practical limitations?  Interdisciplinary character (”intellectual barriers”): between disciplines based on history (e.g., lower – upper atmosphere), ways of working and thinking, logistical approaches Can SIOS achieve what numerous previous initiatives didn’t? SvalSat, Platåberget, Longyearbyen

20. 20 Challenges, cont.  Valid systems on both sides (observers – modellers) - Who requires what and for which purpose ?  Relevant data / quality of data /scaling /grids ?  Arctic perspective (not necessarily from Svalbard) ?  All IPY-data from the Arctic ?  Financial structure, - which nations will put money into the pool ?  Organisation?  Agree on the building blocks for the common future…….

21. … but the opportunities…  Genuine interest of all nations present in Svalbard to integrate activities  SIOS already influences other cooperation initiatives in Svalbard, e.g., Ny-Ålesund flagship projects  Much more effective use of financial resources  Fronting as an EU large research infrastructure  Already today great interest from countries not present in Svalbard: Denmark, USA, Canada  excellent conditions for contributing to a pan-Arctic cooperation  SIOS can be a true node/glue between most of the environment-related ESFRI projects: EMSO – ERICON AB – ICOS – LIFEWATCH – EISCAT-3D – EPOS – EURO-ARGO

22. 22 Sites on Svalbard… Existing infrastructure: 322 Proposed infrastructure: 174

23. Infrastructure Inventory – Gap Identification

24. 24 Infrastructure proposals, 2 examples: Real-time biophysical Arctic observatories and fjord laboratories (37 mill NOK, 2011-2013), 5 new ones ! High-resolution acoustic sounding system for marine research in Svalbard and Norwegian high arctic (5,3 mill NOK, 15 år)

25. 25 KongHau Real-time bio-physical Arctic observatories on Svalbard FramCentre partners: – Norwegian Polar Institute – University Centre in Svalbard – AkvaplanNiva AS – University in Tromsø International partners – AWI (Germany) – SAMS (UK) – IOPAS (Poland) Project leader and photo: Professor Jørgen Berge, UNIS og AkvaplanNiva

26. 26 Our plans - in short… From October 1th 2010 - October 1th 2013 Masterplan (Governance structure, financial strategy, investments, strategic processes etc.) During spring/summer 2011 Finalize the gab-synthesis report Organize a workshop for WP8 (in Svalbard) Coordination of future investments with related ESFRI projects: EMSO, EISCAT_3D, ICOS, Aurora Borealis, EuroARGO, EPOS etc. 2 next years: – Establishment of cooperation with international Arctic networks (SAON, SCANNET,…) and EO organisations (ESA, NASA,…) in the next 2 years From the end of 2013 - SIOS formal estblishment - operational phase the KC is up and running, ready to provide good service and excellent science (since much infrastructure already in place)

27. 27 Thanks for your kind attention Foto: Janne Søreide Photos: Ragnhild Rønneberg,08.02.2011

28. The SIOS consortium Research Council of Norway (coordinator) Norwegian Polar Institute University Centre in Svalbard, UNIS Norwegian Space Centre University of Bergen University of Tromsø Norwegian Meteorological Institute Nansen Environmental & Remote Sensing Center Institute of Marine Research Norwegian Institute for Air Research Andøya Rocket RangeAR Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany Institute of Geophysics - PAS, Poland National Research Council, Italy National Environmental Research Council, UK Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland Aarhus University - National Environmental Research Institute, Denmark University of Groningen, Netherlands Korea Polar Research Institute, Korea Polar Research Institute of China, China Institut Polaire Paul Emile Victor, France Institute of Oceanology – PAS, Poland Polar Geophysical Institute – RAS, Russia ITM, Stockholm University, Sweden National Institute of Polar Research, Japan Norwegian Institute of Water Research Kings Bay AS Akvaplan-niva AS University of Oslo Norwegian Institute of Nature Research Norwegian University of Science & Technology Norwegian Energy and Water Resources Directorate Kongsberg Satellite Services AS Northern Research Institute Tromsø Norwegian Mapping Authority Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research Centre of Ocean & Antarctic Research, India Institute of Botany – Czech Academy of Sciences, Czech Republic Ministry of Science and Innovation, Spain National Science Foundation, USA Scottish Association for Marine Science, UK EISCAT Scientific Association Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Finland University of Leicester, UK Kola Science Center – RAS, Russia Geophysical Survey – RAS, Russia University of Helsinki, Finland SIOS-PP associated partners SIOS-PP full partners