NWT RESEARCH DATABASE

Regions: Inuvialuit Settlement Region

Tags: physical sciences, climate change, atmospheric sciences, sea ice, meteorology

Objective(s): To improve the understanding of the processes in the Arctic atmosphere and to use these measurements to improve the performance of regional and global climate models of the Arctic.

Project Description: The main aim of these weather and air quality studies is to improve the understanding of the processes in the Arctic atmosphere and to use these measurements to improve the performance of regional and global climate models of the Arctic. The aim of the sea ice studies is to obtain a snapshot of ice thickness in a vast region of the Arctic, and to create an inventory of Arctic sea ice volume. The Polar 5 aircraft will take off from Sachs Harbour and fly 500 km (approx. 2 hours) on a N/NW route (see proposed flight plan) at a low altitude (approx. 100m) over frozen sea ice taking sea ice thickness measurements. The aircraft will not fly at low altitudes until it is safely away from the coast of Banks Island. The aircraft will follow the same route back (approximately 500km & 2 hours) at high altitudes (approximately 2300-6600m) measuring gases, aerosols, and atmospheric soot. No landing of the aircraft will take place. The aircraft will avoid the floe edge and bird sanctuaries. The crew on board the aircraft will look for marine mammals on the sea ice, and if encountered during low altitude flight, the aircraft will change course to avoid them. Between one and two flights will be conducted on April 5, 2011 (planned date may change due to weather conditions) from Sachs Harbour. The number of flights conducted will be decided based on weather and schedule. The stop in Inuvik will be for refueling purposes only. If the proposed flight plan is not suitable for this flight, the crew will take a different route based on the recommendation of the Hunters and Trappers Committee in POLAR Airborne Measurements and Arctic Regional Climate Model Simulation Project Sachs Harbour. The crew can also consult with the committee upon arrival in Sachs Harbour if they wish. The Polar 5 research aircraft will be equipped with the following instruments: ozone monitor, mercury monitor, aerosol and gaseous inlets, single particle soot photometer, ultrahigh-sensitivity aerosol spectrometer (particle size distribution), condensation nucleus counter (particle concentration), broadband and spectral radiation sensors, York U. Lidar, AIMMS-20 (winds and turbulence), CPFM spectrometer (composition and photodissociative flux measurement), electromagnetic bird (sea ice thickness), digital video cameras. Climate and sea ice change affects all who live in the north. The aim of this project is to measure weather, atmosphere and sea ice thickness to improve the understanding of the processes in the arctic atmosphere and to use these measurements to improve the regional and global climate models of the Arctic. Local resources and labour will be used whenever possible for needs such as hotels, food, supplies, and fuel. A summary report will be submitted to the Aurora Research Institute and to the Sachs Harbour HTC. The fieldwork for this study will be conducted from April 5, 2011 to April 7, 2011.