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DAMOCLES-TTC - Developing Arctic Modelling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term environmental studies - extension

Summary information

Funding:FP6 - Integrated Project
Total cost:422914
Ec contribution:422914
Start date:2006-11-01
End date:2009-11-01
Duration:36 months
Coordinator:Jean-Claude Gascard (gascard@lodyc.jussieu.fr)
Organisation:Université Pierre et Marie Curie – France
Themes:Ice melting
Regio:Arctic
Project name:DAMOCLES-TTC - Developing Arctic Modelling and Observing Capabilities for Long-term environmental studies - extension
Project summary:Abstract
DAMOCLES IP aims at reducing the uncertainties in our understanding of climate change in the Arctic and their impacts. Over the last 3 decades, the Arctic has warmed more than any other region of the world, and the sea-ice cover has decreased significantly. DAMOCLES is the largest ever effort to assemble simultaneous observations of the Arctic atmosphere-ice-ocean system. The observational time period coincides with the International Polar Year (IPY) and DAMOCLES will be an outstanding contribution, from the European Community to the IPY. The DAMOCLES data set will be assimilated in models for quantitative estimates of circulation and used for:
- Validating and improving numerical models;
- Increasing our understanding of the processes and mechanisms underpinning the Arctic climate system;
- Initialising ensemble forecasts of the future state of the Arctic DAMOCLES Extension (DAMOCLES TTC) programme and will enhance quite significantly 2 major issues of DAMOCLES IP undertaken by 4 new TTC partners.

One of the main objectives of the DAMOCLES Extension proposal is to investigate the Arctic sea ice by means of extensive data archives from Russian satellites and Arctic expeditions, as well as from new observations by Russian satellites and field experiments in 2007 - 2009. Satellite data archive and in situ measurements from expeditions, represent a unique wealth of information about the Arctic. Russian and Belarus experts involved in sea-ice, satellite remote sensing and modelling will provide high value data sets and analyses for DAMOCLES.

Objectives
The DAMOCLES Extension (DAMOCLES TTC) programme of activities will enhance quite significantly two major issues of the DAMOCLES Integrated Project undertaken by four new TTC partners. The first major issue concerns DAMOCLES work dedicated to sea-sce which is one of the central and most important themes of DAMOCLES. Three new partners, one from Belarus and two from Russian Federation, will contribute to an extension over 4 different tasks: Sea-ice thickness, Snow characteristics, Sea-ice categories and Sea-ice types, and Sea-Ice thermodynamics. The second major issue concerns DAMOCLES work dedicated to modelling and in particular model sensitivity studies taking into account some oceanic, atmospheric and terrestrial specific effects such as tides for instance, which have not been addressed into the DAMOCLES IP work programme. One new partner from the Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Numerical mathematics in Moscow will contribute to dedicated studies of ocean tidal dynamics on long-term development of sea-ice, hydrography and ocean currents. DAMOCLES work will also greatly benefit from Russian ice data to be made available.

The extension work to be performed by the new partners will include:
- Provision of extensive archives of Russian satellite data of arctic sea-ice as well as new high resolution optical and IR images supporting DAMOCLES field experiments;
- Data analysis of ice thickness, density, freeboard, snow cover from previous Russian expeditions needed for validation of satellite altimeter retrievals of ice thickness;
- Investigation of retrieval of thin ice thickness from satellite IR data in combination with models, complementing other ice thickness observing methods performed during DAMOCLES IP;
- Improvement of multiyear ice concentration retrieval using combination of passive microwave and scatterometer data. Use of Okean SLR data with similar capacity as scatterometer to identify MYI, will be investigated;
- Dedicated studies of leads and polynyas by integrating optical, IR and radar satellite data, both with Russian and non Russian data supported by field experiments;
- Investigation of sea-ice thermodynamics using surface temperature retrievals from satellites in combination with in situ data from field experiments;
- Performing field investigations of sea-ice and snow cover from the Russian drifting station and expedition by the Russian icebreaker A. Fedorov during the International Polar Year (2007-2008);
- Retrieval of snow grain size and snow pollution in the Arctic from optical satellite sensors;
- Improvement of estimation of sea-ice dynamical and thermodynamical properties;
- Improvement for large scale modelling and forecasting capabilities;
- Dedicated studies of ocean tidal dynamics on long-term development of sea-ice, hydrography and ocean currents;
- Model sensitivity experiments including boundary conditions, atmospheric forcing and river run-off, based on a finite-element model including tidal effects;
- Adding value to the integrated DAMOCLES model intercomparison and sensitivity studies by extending the range of parameters;
- Data dissemination according to DAMOCLES IP specifications.