Collaboration Team Activities for February and March 2020
April 15, 2020
By Kelley Uhlig
Health & Well-being February Meeting
Health & Well-being and Atmosphere February 18th Meeting (Agenda, Notes (see comments), Recording):
- Topic: Wintertime Air Pollution
- Presentations:
- Highlights:Bill gave an overview of the current and future project plans for ALPACA. ALPACA is focused on measuring indoor and outdoor air quality in Fairbanks and its surrounding borough. They are adding a citizen science component as well as conducting research to address the following questions in February of 2021. Nicole walked through some of the data on air quality from the Fairbanks North Star Borough and a tool they are developing for health impact analysis (BenMAP).
- Performance Elements: NA (Teams might consider adding PEs related to this)
- Relevant Links: public website for the -TEC project is https://fairair.community.uaf.edu where you can find updates on our planning meeting and activities.
- What’s next: State of Alaska and Covid-19 Update for Researchers- April 21st
Atmosphere February Meeting
Atmosphere March 24th Meeting (Agenda, Notes (see comments), Recording)
- Topic: Arctic Water Vapor Isotope Measurements and Recent Results
- Presentations:
- Highlights: Jeff walked through some of the water isotope research at Toolik lake and Thule airbase, where water vapor isotopes are measured continuously. Bruce walked through their process of taking drone real-time measurements of atmospheric variables and the accuracy of the MAR model.
- Performance Elements: 2.2.1, 2.2.2, 2.2.3
- Linkages to other teams:
- What’s next: Topic TBA- April 28th
Sea Ice February Meeting Canceled
Sea Ice March 23rd Meeting (Agenda, Notes (see comments), Recording)
- Topic: Report Out and Gathering Sea Ice Community Input
- Presentations:
- Highlights: Marc spoke to ice coring methods on the first leg of and the large interdisciplinary effort between Ecosystem, Ice Physics and Biochemistry team. He shared some preliminary data and answered questions about logistical challenges the team faced.
- Performance Elements: 3.1.1
- What’s next: Topic TBA- April 27th
Marine Ecosystems February Meeting Canceled
Marine Ecosystems March 25th Meeting (Agenda, Notes (see comments), Recording)
- Topic: Central Arctic Ocean monitoring, Recent Fisheries Studies, and the International Synoptic Arctic Survey () Efforts
- Presentations:
- Highlights: Franz gave an overview of recent fish surveys, trends in catch rates with latitude, limitations of survey data, and some preliminary results from the fall 2019 Sikquliak cruise’s under ice sampling for Arctic cod. Jackie walked through the motivation for the and gave an overview of the program. Severa questions followed about add on research and activities and how the fit into other efforts.
- Performance Elements: 2.3.1, 3.1.5, 4.1.1, 4.2.2, 4.2.3, 4.3.4, 9.1.1, 9.4.5
- Linkages to other teams: , , ,
- What’s next: Bering Sea Field Season: Joint with - April 22nd
Glaciers & Sea Level February 13th Meeting (Agenda, Notes (see comments), Recording)
- Topic: How thick? Seriously? Modern measurements and models of glacier thickness
- Presentations:
- Outcomes from five years of activities within the Working Group on ice thickness estimation- Daniel Farinotti (ETH Zurich)
- Glaciers on the Brink: New Alaskan Ice thickness Constraints from Operation IceBridge Airborne Radar Sounding- Jack Holt (UA)
- Performance Elements: 5.1.1, 5.1.2, 5.1.3, 5.1.4
- Linkages to other teams:
- What’s next: Modeling ALL the Glaciers: Global Glacier Modeling- April 9th
Glaciers & Sea Level March Meeting Cancelled
Permafrost February 19th Meeting (Agenda, Notes (see comments), Recording)
- Topic: Navigating the New Arctic with a focus on Ground Ice
- Presentations:
- Highlights:
- Skip reviewed the basics of ice-rich permafrost systems (IPRS) and its importance.
- Skip reviewed the project he is working on in Point Lay
- Key project questions include:
- Where, why, and how is ground ice accumulated in IRPS?
- How do IRPSs evolve and how are they currently changing?
- How can people and their infrastructure adapt to the changes?
- Jana reviewed the human connections side of the project, explaining their strategy, listing collaborators, and pointing to other projects in Point Lay that need to be coordinated with.
- Jana also described circum-polar connection through (-sponsored forum for developing and sharing new ideas and methods regarding sustainable development in the face of rapid arctic change.) and T- (Coordinate complementary activities that aid and benefit from by extending the work to the lands surrounding the Arctic Ocean and to the northern communities who live on those lands)
- Performance Elements: 6.1.5
Permafrost March 18th Meeting (Agenda, Notes (see comments), Recording)
Terrestrial Ecosystems February 20th Meeting (Agenda, Notes (see comments), Recording)
- Topic: Arctic Greening
- Presentations:
- Highlights: As the Arctic warms, vegetation is responding, and satellite measures indicate widespread greening at high latitudes. This ‘greening of the Arctic’ is among the world’s most important large-scale ecological responses to global climate change. However, a consensus is emerging that the underlying causes and future dynamics of so-called Arctic greening and browning trends are more complex, variable and inherently scale-dependent than previously thought. Here we summarize the complexities of observing and interpreting high-latitude greening to identify priorities for future research. Incorporating satellite and proximal remote sensing with in-situ data, while accounting for uncertainties and scale issues, will advance the study of past, present and future Arctic vegetation change.
- Performance Elements: 7.1.1, 7.1.3, 7.2.1
- Linkages to other teams: ,
- Relevant Links:
- What’s next: TBA- April 16th
Coastal Resilience Meeting January 21st (Agenda, Notes (see comments), Recording)
- Topic: Shorefast Ice and Community Safety in the Arctic
- Presentations:
- Navigating the New Arctic (): Co-production of shorefast ice knowledge in Uummannaq Bay, Greenland- John Ryan (Brown University)
- Highlights:
- Do community members in Uummannaq Bay use satellite imagery? They are interested in it but it is new and not used often. Internet connectivity impacts this.
- On Baffin Island, the science community helped developed GPR “smart sleds” that the high school students used to map the ice thickness. It was a very cool idea. This might be a good talk for . Smart Ice, POC Trevor Bell.
- How can scientists more effectively work with communities? Not a simple answer. What constitutes co-production? How do we be sensitive to community capacity? Building relationships over time, going back, listening, learning what works and being willing to be flexible. There are other ways to work with the community as well. Facebook is a good way to stay in touch with people. Make connections 3-dimensional.
- What are communities interested in? Is climate change the biggest issue facing communities? Henry identified identity as perhaps being central to well-being.
- Performance Elements: 3.2.1, 3.3.2, 8.1.1, 8.1.2, 8.4.2
- Linkages to other teams:
- Relevant Links: See above
- What’s next: TBA
Environmental Intelligence
- What’s next: 2020 Pre Field Season Coordination in the Bering; Joint meeting of with Arctic Field Operations Working Group and Marine Ecosystems Collaboration Team Meeting - April 22, 3:00 - 4:30 ET (11 - 12.30 AKT)
Arctic Observing Systems Meeting February 19th (Agenda, Recording)
- Topic: Exploring Observation Frameworks for the Alaskan Marine Sector
- Presentations:
- Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Group Update (Cathy Coon)
- Indigenous Food Security Working Group (Josie Sam)
- Highlights:
- The Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program () falls under the Arctic Council’s Biodiversity Monitoring Group. The has 4 steering groups (Freshwater, Terrestrial, Marine, and Coastal), composed of expert networks, each of which has produced or is producing a State of the Arctic Report.
- The Coastal steering group released a monitoring plan in 2019 with co-production of knowledge with Indigenous Knowledge Networks being incorporated from the beginning. This is notably different than other monitoring plans, and they are setting an example for other steering groups.
- has a need for experts in Sea Ice Biota and Fish
- Cathy is focused on US implementation – how to make this international work relevant and useful to US stakeholders. is doing initial work to survey and connect with US possible participants and end-users (i.e. AK Landscape Conservation Coops, holders, researchers, agencies)
- Josie Sam gave an overview of working group structure and contributions to the Arctic Observing Summit, discussing ways to create meaningful, equitable engagement Indigenous Knowledge Holders around issues of food security in the Arctic.
- There is the possibility of future work funded by , led by Hajo Eicken to advance ROADS effort.
- Linkages to other teams:
- Relevant Links:
Arctic Observing Systems and Data Meeting March 18th (Agenda, Notes, Recording)
- Topic: Arctic Observing Summit - US Preparation and Synthesis
- Presentations:
- Highlights: This meeting was a preview of some of the topics that would be discussed in the upcoming Arctic Observing Summit with a particular focus on the ROADS process and on ties to the Data and Observing themes. There was significant discussion around engagement - both in the Summit and in the data/observing processes. Additionally, Bill Manley gave an update on his team’s whitepaper and the establishment of a new working group to inventory and share observations/data across Arctic networks – to develop a comprehensive view of who is measuring what, where, when and how.
- Performance Elements: 9.1.1, 9.1.2, 9.4.1
- Linkages to other teams:
- Relevant Links:
- What’s Next: Arctic Observing Summit 2020 - Readout and Future collaborative opportunities (April 14 Arctic Observing Systems Sub-team Meeting)
Arctic Data January 19th Meeting (Agenda, Notes, Recording):
- Topic: Flipping the model; Data, model and system development to facilitate user engagement and co-production of knowledge
- Presentations:
- Highlights: This session of the Data Collaboration Team revisited the Federal Data Strategy, and in particular the Federal Data Action Plan, Action 5. to identify priority data assets. https://strategy.data.gov/action-plan/#action-5-identify-priority-data-assets-for-agency-open-data-plans. The Open Data Act requires that Federal agencies conduct user engagement whenever data is disseminated, to 1) report on data usage, 2) facilitate public use, and 3) collaborate on value-added products. This marks a distinct change in the way Federal Agencies are directed to produce data, models, and systems for the purposes of evidence building. While the Office of Management and Budget has yet to deliver their guidance on developing open data plans, we can begin to anticipate some of the implications of this and how it might be implemented across the Federal Government and may change the paradigm for Environmental Intelligence and associated efforts. collaborations serve as a hub to help Federal Agencies engage with end-users and facilitate the co-production of knowledge. A standing theme for this and future Data Collaboration Team will be to identify use cases for Arctic data and engage with stakeholders across the collaboration teams.
- Performance Elements: 9.4.1, 9.4.2
- Linkages to other teams: All other teams
- Relevant Links:
- What’s Next: TBA
Modeling February 27th Meeting (Agenda, Notes, Recording)
- Topic: The InteRFACE project and modeling of Arctic coastal processes and human interactions
- Presentations:
- Performance Elements: 9.2.3
- Linkages to other teams: ,
Modeling March 26th Meeting (Agenda, Notes, Recording)
- Topic: Methods of Tracking Water Masses in the Arctic Ocean
- Presentations:
- Performance Elements: 9.2.2
- Linkages to other teams: POST
- What’s Next: Modeling Collaboration team meeting April 23rd Cancelled