Base de données de recherche des TNO

Régions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

étiquettes: physical sciences, climate change, oceanography, sea ice, marine ecosystem, meteorology

Objectif(s): The Circumpolar Flaw Lead (CFL) system study is designed to examine the importance of climate processes in changing the nature of a flaw lead system and the Arctic marine environment in the Northern Hemisphere, and the effect these changes will have on the marine ecosystem, contaminant transport, carbon fluxes, and greenhouse gases. Using the Canadian Research Icebreaker (CCGS Amundsen), the team will measure many aspects of the marine ecosystem and the physical system.

Description du projet: CONDITION: This licence has been issued subject to the environmental terms and conditions recommended by the Environmental Impact Screening Committee. For copies of these recommendations please contact the EISC.The Circumpolar Flaw Lead (CFL) system study is designed to examine the importance of climate processes in changing the nature of a flaw lead system and the Arctic marine environment in the Northern Hemisphere, and the effect these changes will have on the marine ecosystem, contaminant transport, carbon fluxes, and greenhouse gases. Using the Canadian Research Icebreaker (CCGS Amundsen), the team will measure many aspects of the marine ecosystem and the physical system. The CFL project is organized around 10 highly integrated science teams. In an effort to clarify the license summary, the ship-based research has been roughly divided into three interconnected subprojects: 1) Atmosphere, sea-ice & coastal circulation Objective & purpose: Climate change affects the ocean, sea ice and atmosphere. The major objective here is to link the sea ice, water circulation, and meteorological conditions to the creation and maintenance of the flaw lead and Cape Bathurst polynya. Relating the physical conditions of the sea-ice and water column to the biological populations and vertical movement of carbon on the Shelf and in the polynya is another major focus of the project. There will also be a modeling component, where researchers will work towards the ability to realistically predict future conditions. 2) Pelagic (water-column) processes Objective & purpose: The objectives of this subproject are to study primary production, microbial activity, and zooplankton & larval fish dynamics. The objective of this subproject is to measure the response of the planktonic community (from viruses to larval fish) to physical processes over an annual cycle, under the landfast ice, in the flaw polynya, and at the edge of the Arctic ice pack. These processes affect the movement of carbon to the ocean floor and the transfer of energy (and contaminants) up the food web to higher trophic levels such as marine mammals, birds and polar bears. 3) Benthic (ocean-bottom) processes Objective & purpose: The main objective of this subproject is to study the effects of sea ice variability on life on the ocean floor, as well as to reconstruct the history of climate change in the Mackenzie Shelf–Amundsen Gulf. The project plans to have several community visits before, during, and after its field studies. Plain language summaries will be prepared and faxed and mailed to each community. They hope to continue to use local media (i.e. CBC radio, News North) as well. During community visits, they will bring school children and teachers, as well as HTC members and elders on board the Amundsen to discuss research and climate change. A general logistical plan & timeline for the project is available from the project coordinator, Dan Leitch (leitch@cc.umanitoba.ca). Fieldwork will be conducted from October 18 to December 31, 2007 on the oceanic region of the Mackenzie Shelf, Shelf Break, and Amundsen Gulf.