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NASA NTRS2008

Polar Gateways Arctic Circle Sunrise Conference 2008, Barrow, Alaska: IHY-IPY Outreach on Exploration of Polar and Icy Worlds in the Solar System

Polar, heliophysical, and planetary science topics related to the International Heliophysical and Polar Years 2007-2009 were addressed during this circumpolar video conference hosted January 23-29, 2808 at the new Barrow Arctic Research Center of the Barrow Arctic Science Consortium in Barrow, Alaska. This conference was planned as an IHY-IPY event science outreach event bringing together scientists and educational specialists for the first week of sunrise at subzero Arctic temperatures in Barrow. Science presentations spanned the solar system from the polar Sun to Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and the Kuiper Belt. On-site participants experienced look and feel of icy worlds like Europa and Titan by being in the Barrow tundra and sea ice environment and by going "on the ice" during snowmobile expeditions to the near-shore sea ice environment and to Point Barrow, closest geographic point in the U.S. to the North Pole. Many science presentations were made remotely via video conference or teleconference from Sweden, Norway, Russia, Canada, Antarctica, and the United States, spanning up to thirteen time zones (Alaska to Russia) at various times. Extensive educational outreach activities were conducted with the local Barrow and Alaska North Slope communities and through the NASA Digital Learning Network live from the "top of the world" at Barrow. The Sun- Earth Day team from Goddard, and a videographer from the Passport to Knowledge project, carried out extensive educational interviews with many participants and native Inupiaq Eskimo residents of Barrow. Video and podcast recordings of selected interviews are available at http://sunearthday.nasa.gov/2008/multimedidpodcasts.php. Excerpts from these and other interviews will be included in a new high definition video documentary called "From the Sun to the Stars: The New Science of Heliophysics" from Passport to Knowledge that will later broadcast on NASA TV and other educational networks. Full conference proceedings are accessible at http://polargateways2008.org/.

Cooper, John F.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Comparison of Monthly Mean Cloud Fraction and Cloud Optical depth Determined from Surface Cloud Radar, TOVS, AVHRR, and MODIS over Barrow, Alaska

A one year comparison is made of mean monthly values of cloud fraction and cloud optical depth over Barrow, Alaska (71 deg 19.378 min North, 156 deg 36.934 min West) between 35 GHz radar-based retrievals, the TOVS Pathfinder Path-P product, the AVHRR APP-X product, and a MODIS based cloud retrieval product from the CERES-Team. The data sets represent largely disparate spatial and temporal scales, however, in this paper, the focus is to provide a preliminary analysis of how the mean monthly values derived from these different data sets compare, and determine how they can best be used separately, and in combination to provide reliable estimates of long-term trends of changing cloud properties. The radar and satellite data sets described here incorporate Arctic specific modifications that account for cloud detection challenges specific to the Arctic environment. The year 2000 was chosen for this initial comparison because the cloud radar data was particularly continuous and reliable that year, and all of the satellite retrievals of interest were also available for the year 2000. Cloud fraction was chosen as a comparison variable as accurate detection of cloud is the primary product that is necessary for any other cloud property retrievals. Cloud optical depth was additionally selected as it is likely the single cloud property that is most closely correlated to cloud influences on surface radiation budgets.

Uttal, Taneil↗
NASA NTRS1993

Backscatter from ice growing on shallow tundra lakes near Barrow, Alaska, winter 1991-1992

The timing of freeze-up and break-up of Arctic lake ice is a potentially useful environmental indicator that could be monitored using SAR. In order to do this, it is important to understand how the properties and structure of the ice during its growth and decay affect radar backscatter and thus lake ice SAR signatures. The availability of radiometrically and geometrically calibrated digital SAR data time series from the Alaska SAR Facility has made it possible for the first time to quantify lake ice backscatter intensity (sigma(sup o)) variations. This has been done for ice growing on shallow tundra lakes near Barrow, NW Alaska, from initial growth in September 1991 until thawing and decay in June 1992. Field and laboratory observations and measurements of the lake ice were made in late April 1992. The field investigations of the coastal lakes near Barrow confirmed previous findings that, (1) ice frozen to the lake bottom had a dark signature in SAR images, indicating weak backscatter, while, (2) ice that was floating had a bright signature, indicating strong backscatter. At all sites, regardless of whether the ice was grounded or floating, there was a layer of clear, inclusion-free ice overlaying a layer of ice with dense concentrations of vertically oriented tubular bubbles. At some sites, there was a third layer of porous, snow-ice overlaying the clear ice.

Jeffries, M. O.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Polar Gateways Arctic Circle Sunrise 2008 Conference at the Top of the World

The Polar Gateways conference was hosted during January 23-29, 2008, the first week of polar sunrise at Barrow, Alaska, at the new Barrow Arctic Research Center of the Barrow Arctic Science consortium (BASC). The dawn week of polar day, the highly variable low temperatures, and the ice-covered shore tundra and adjacent sea ice conditions provided an appropriate locale for a conference dedicated in the spirit of the International Polar and Heliophysical Years 2007-2009 to the educational exploration of polar and icy world science of Earth and the solar system. The many scientific, educational, and cultural interactions with the local community of four thousand residents, sixty percent native Inupiat Eskimo, further provided an unforgettable experience of what life might be someday be like on other remote polar and icy worlds to be explored and eventually inhabited. Over one hundred active participants, more than half participating remotely, contributed science presentations and educational activities during this unique circumpolar and very "green" conference. Most remote contributions came via videoconference from the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) at Kisuna, Sweden, the EISCAT Svalbard Radar Facility at Spitzbergen, Norway, the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Arizona. A few contributors participated via teleconference, including one from the Polar Geophysical Institute at Apatity in Russia. These active contributions spanned up to thirteen time zones (Alaska to Russia) at various tirnes during the conference. Primary videoconferencing support between Barrow and other sites was ably provided by the University of Alaska at Fairbanks, and local operators at each remote site collectively made this conference possible. Science presentations spanned the solar system from the polar Sun and heliospheric environment to Earth, Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Kuiper Belt, and the solar wind termination shock now crossed by both Voyager spacecraft. Barrow participants experienced look and feel of icy worlds like Europa by going "on the ice" during snowmobile expeditions to the near-shore sea ice and Point Barrow. Extensive educational outreach activities were conducted with the local Barrow township and North Slope Borough communities, partly through several interviews with local host Earl Finkler on Barrow's KBRW Radio, and through the NASA Digital Learning Network (DLN) "live from the top of the world" at Barrow. The Goddard robotic rover "Nunuq of the North" became a local celebrity. The complete science program and photo library, eventually also including video recordings of all main presentations, will be available at the new polargateways2008.gsfc.nasa.gov web site (old version: polargateways2008.org) with links to educational materials from the conference already accessible at sunearthday.nasa.gov/polarsunrise.

Cooper, John F.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Applications of ERTS-1 imagery to terrestrial and marine environmental analyses in Alaska

ERTS-1 imagery provides a means of distinguishing and monitoring estuarine surface water circulation patterns and changes in the relative sediment load of discharging rivers on a regional basis. It also will aid local fishing industries by augmenting currently available hydrologic and navigation charts. The interpretation of geologic and vegetation features resulted in preparation of improved surficial geology, vegetation and permafrost terrain maps at a scale of 1:1 million utilizing ERTS-1 band 7 imagery. This information will be further utilized in a route and site selection study for the Nome to Kobuk Road in central Alaska. Large river icings along the proposed Alaska pipeline route have been monitored. Sea ice deformation and drift northeast of Point Barrow, Alaska has been measured and shorefast ice accumulation and ablation along the west coast of Alaska is being mapped for the spring and early summer seasons. These data will be used for route and site selection, regional environmental analysis, identification and inventory of natural resources, land use planning, and in land use regulation and management.

Anderson, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1998

LAPS Lidar Measurements at the ARM Alaska Northslope Site (Support to FIRE Project)

This report consists of data summaries of the results obtained during the May 1998 measurement period at Barrow Alaska. This report does not contain any data interpretation or analysis of the results which will follow this activity. This report is forwarded with a data set on magnetic media which contains the reduced data from the LAPS lidar in 15 minute intervals. The data was obtained during the period 15-30 May 1998. The measurement period overlapped with several aircraft flights conducted by NASA as part of the FIRE project. The report contains a summary list of the data obtained plus figures that have been prepared to help visualize the measurement periods. The order of the presentation is as follows: Section 1. A copy of the Statement of Work for the planned activity of the second measurement period at the ARM Northslope site is provided. Section 2. A list of the data collection periods shows the number of one minute data records stored during each hour of operation and the corresponding size (Mbytes) of the one hour data folders. The folder and file names are composed from the year, month, day, hour and minute. The date/time information is given in UTC for easier comparison with other data sets. Section 3. A set of 4 comparisons between the LAPS lidar results and the sondes released by the ARM scientists from a location nearby the lidar. The lidar results show the +/- 1 sigma statistical error on each of the independent 75 m altitude bins of the data. This set of 4 comparisons was used to set and validate the calibration value which was then used for the complete data set. Section 4. A set of false color figures with up to 10 hours of specific humidity measurements are shown in each graph. Two days of measurements are shown on each page. These plots are crude representations of the data and permit a survey which indicates when the clouds were very low or where interesting events may occur in the results. These plots are prepared using the real time sequence plot program which has no smoothing in either the altitude or time (except that you are allowed to pick the integration time and time step. All of these plots were prepared with 15 minute integration and 5 minute time step. Section 5. A set of time sequence data for all of the extended observation periods are shown with a smoothing algorithm from the Matlab plotting library. Most of these data are integrated for 5 minutes and stepped at I minute intervals but several plots are shown with both 15 minute integration and 5 minute steps. The upper level on these data was selected and converted to the white background where the error in the specific humidity reached 25%. Section 6. The set of one hour integrated plots shown with up to 4 hours per page are provided- from the real time analysis snapshot program. The only difference in these plots and the real time display is that the plots are stopped at an altitude where the error appears to be too large for the data to contain any meaningful information.

Philbrick, C. Russell↗
NASA NTRS1974

Arctic and subarctic environmental analyses utilizing ERTS-1 imagery

The author has identified the following significant results. ERTS-1 imagery provides a means of distinguishing and monitoring estuarine surface water circulation patterns and changes in the relative sediment load of discharging rivers on a regional basis. Physical boundaries mapped from ERTS-1 imagery in combination with ground truth obtained from existing small scale maps and other sources resulted in improved and more detailed maps of permafrost terrain and vegetation for the same area. Snowpack cover within a research watershed has been analyzed and compared to ground data. Large river icings along the proposed Alaska pipeline route from Prudhoe Bay to the Brooks Range have been monitored. Sea ice deformation and drift northeast of Point Barrow, Alaska have been measured during a four day period in March and shore-fast ice accumulation and ablation along the west coast of Alaska have been mapped for the spring and early summer seasons.

Anderson, D. M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Boreal forests and atmosphere - Biosphere exchange of carbon dioxide

Two approaches to investigating the role of boreal forests in the global carbon cycle are presented. First, a tracer support model which incorporates the normalized-difference vegetation index obtained from advanced, very high resolution radiometer radiances was used to simulate the annual cycle of CO2 in the atmosphere. Results indicate that the seasonal growth of the combined boreal forests of North America and Eurasia accounts for about 50 percent of the mean seasonal CO2 amplitude recorded at Pt. Barrow, Alaska and about 30 percent of the more globally representative CO2 signal at Mauna Loa, Hawaii. Second, tree-ring width data from four boreal treeline sites in northern Canada were positively correlated with Pt. Barrow CO2 drawdown for the period 1971-1982. These results suggest that large-scale changes in the growth of boreal forests may be contributing to the observed increasing trend in CO2 amplitude. They further suggest that tree-ring data may be applicable as indices for CO2 uptake and remote sensing estimates of photosynthetic activity.

D'Arrigo, Rosanne↗
NASA NTRS2001

Polar Cirrus Cloud Properties Through Long-Term Lidar and Radiometer Observations

In comparison to mid latitude cloud cover, knowledge of polar cirrus and other cloud cover is limited. The interpretations of satellite-based cloud imaging and retrievals in polar regions have major problems due to factors such as darkness and extreme low temperatures. Beginning in 2002 a NASA orbiting lidar instrument, GLAS, (Geoscience Laser Altimeter System) will unambiguously define cloud type and fraction with good coverage of polar regions. Active laser sensing gives the spatial and temporal distribution of clouds and diamond dust. In preparation for, and supplementing the GLAS measurements are ground based MP (micro pulse) lidar experiments providing continuous profiling. MP lidar installations have been operating at the South Pole since December 1999 and at the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program arctic site since 1996. Both at the ARM Barrow, Alaska site and at the South Pole station, Fourier-transform interferometers also observe clouds in the wavelength intervals between approximately 5 and 18 microns. Spectral instruments can yield cloud microphysical properties with additional information from lidar about the vertical extent of clouds being modeled. We examine the simultaneous lidar and spectral data from both Barrow and South Pole, to obtain cloud properties (optical depth, particle size) by the use of both instruments. The results have applications to interpretation of current satellite data, and GLAS measurements when available.

Spinhirne, James↗
NASA NTRS1977

All-weather ice information system for Alaskan arctic coastal shipping

A near real-time ice information system designed to aid arctic coast shipping along the Alaskan North Slope is described. The system utilizes a X-band Side Looking Airborne Radar (SLAR) mounted aboard a U.S. Coast Guard HC-130B aircraft. Radar mapping procedures showing the type, areal distribution and concentration of ice cover were developed. In order to guide vessel operational movements, near real-time SLAR image data were transmitted directly from the SLAR aircraft to Barrow, Alaska and the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Glacier. In addition, SLAR image data were transmitted in real time to Cleveland, Ohio via the NOAA-GOES Satellite. Radar images developed in Cleveland were subsequently facsimile transmitted to the U.S. Navy's Fleet Weather Facility in Suitland, Maryland for use in ice forecasting and also as a demonstration back to Barrow via the Communications Technology Satellite.

Gedney, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS2010

Optical Properties of Boreal Region Biomass Burning Aerosols in Central Alaska and Seasonal Variation of Aerosol Optical Depth at an Arctic Coastal Site

Long-term monitoring of aerosol optical properties at a boreal forest AERONET site in interior Alaska was performed from 1994 through 2008 (excluding winter). Large interannual variability was observed, with some years showing near background aerosol optical depth (AOD) levels (<0.1 at 500 nm) while 2004 and 2005 had August monthly means similar in magnitude to peak months at major tropical biomass burning regions. Single scattering albedo (omega (sub 0); 440 nm) at the boreal forest site ranged from approximately 0.91 to 0.99 with an average of approximately 0.96 for observations in 2004 and 2005. This suggests a significant amount of smoldering combustion of woody fuels and peat/soil layers that would result in relatively low black carbon mass fractions for smoke particles. The fine mode particle volume median radius during the heavy burning years was quite large, averaging approximately 0.17 micron at AOD(440 nm) = 0.1 and increasing to approximately 0.25 micron at AOD(440 nm) = 3.0. This large particle size for biomass burning aerosols results in a greater relative scattering component of extinction and, therefore, also contributes to higher omega (sub 0). Additionally, monitoring at an Arctic Ocean coastal site (Barrow, Alaska) suggested transport of smoke to the Arctic in summer resulting in individual events with much higher AOD than that occurring during typical spring Arctic haze. However, the springtime mean AOD(500 nm) is higher during late March through late May (approximately 0.150) than during summer months (approximately 0.085) at Barrow partly due to very few days with low background AOD levels in spring compared with many days with clean background conditions in summer.

Eck, T. F.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Springtime surface ozone fluctuations at high Arctic latitudes and their possible relationship to atmospheric bromine

At high Arctic stations such as Barrow, Alaska, springtime near-surface ozone amounts fluctuate between the highest and lowest values seen during the course of the year. Episodes when the surface ozone concentration is essentially zero last up to several days during this time of year. In the Arctic Gas and Aerosol Sampling Program (AGASP-I and AGASP-II) in 1983 and 1986, it was found that ozone concentrations often showed a very steep gradient in altitude with very low values near the surface. The cold temperatures, and snow-covered ground make it unlikely that the surface itself would rapidly destroy significant amounts of ozone. The AGASP aircraft measurements that found low ozone concentrations in the lowest layers of the troposphere also found that filterable excess bromine (the amount of bromine in excess of the sea salt component) in samples collected wholly or partially beneath the temperature inversion had higher bromine concentrations than other tropospheric samples. Of the four lowest ozone minimum concentrations, three of them were associated with the highest bromine enrichments. Surface measurements of excess filterable bromine at Barrow show a strong seasonal dependence with values rising dramatically early in March, then declining in May. The concentration of organic bromine gases such as bromoform rise sharply during the winter and then begin to decline after March with winter and early spring values at least three times greater than the summer minimum.

Oltmans, Samuel J.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Measurements of the structure and circulation of the stratosphere and mesosphere, 1970

Complete data from a total of 26 meteorological rocket soundings of the stratosphere and mesosphere conducted from Barrow, Alaska; Churchill, Canada; and Wallops Island, Va., are presented. These data consist of temperature, pressure, density, and wind profiles from 16 acoustic grenade soundings that cover the 30- to 90-km altitude range, and temperature, pressure, and density profiles from 10 pitot probe soundings that cover the 25- to 120-km altitude range. Errors for each of the 16 grenade soundings are also included. No analysis of the meteorological significance of the data is attempted.

Smith, W. S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Measurements of the structure and circulation of the stratosphere and mesosphere, 1971-2

Complete data from a total of 43 meteorological rocket soundings of the stratosphere and mesosphere conducted from Barrow, Alaska; Churchill, Canada; Wallops Island Va.; and Kourou, French Guiana are presented. These data consist of temperature, pressure, density, and wind profiles from 35 acoustic grenade soundings that cover the 30 to 90 km altitude range, and temperature, pressure, and density profiles from 8 pitot probe soundings that cover the 25 to 120 km altitude range. Errors for each of the 35 acoustic grenade soundings are also included.

Smith, W. S.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Radar studies of arctic ice and development of a real-time Arctic ice type identification system

Studies were conducted to develop a real-time Arctic ice type identification system. Data obtained by NASA Mission 126, conducted at Pt. Barrow, Alaska (Site 93) in April 1970 was analyzed in detail to more clearly define the major mechanisms at work affecting the radar energy illuminating a terrain cell of sea ice. General techniques for reduction of the scatterometer data to a form suitable for application of ice type decision criteria were investigated, and the electronic circuit requirements for implementation of these techniques were determined. Also, consideration of circuit requirements are extended to include the electronics necessary for analog programming of ice type decision algorithms. After completing the basic circuit designs a laboratory model was constructed and a preliminary evaluation performed. Several system modifications for improved performance are suggested. (Modified author abstract)

Rouse, J. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Spectral albedos of midlatitude snowpacks

Spectral albedos of impure-nonhomogeneous snowpacks, typical of midlatitudes, from 400 to 2200 nm were modeled through a numerical solution of the radiative transfer equation in the two-stream approximation. Discrete depth-dependent values of density, grain size and impurity concentration were used to characterize the snowpacks. The model is for diffuse incident radiation, and the numerical method is based on doubling and invariant imbedding. The effect of soot impurities on snowpack albedos is illustrated when a snowpack is several centimeters deep and soot reduces the albedos at visible wavelengths, however, when a snowpack is only a few centimeters deep, soot may increase the albedos at visible wavelengths. By adjusting soot content and snow grain size, good quantitative agreement with some observations at the Cascade Mountains (Washington) and at Point Barrow (Alaska) are obtained; however, the model grain sizes are found to be fifty to four hundred percent larger than the measured values. For satellite snowcover observations, a model for effective albedo of partially snow-covered areas was developed and compared with some NOAA-2 observations of the southeastern United States.

Choudhury, B.↗
NASA NTRS1992

A model of the CO2 exchanges between biosphere and atmosphere in the tundra

A physical model of the soil thermal regime in a permafrost terrain has been developed and validated with soil temperature measurements at Barrow, Alaska. The model calculates daily soil temperatures as a function of depth and average moisture contents of the organic and mineral layers using a set of five climatic variables, i.e., air temperature, precipitation, cloudiness, wind speed, and relative humidity. The model is not only designed to study the impact of climate change on the soil temperature and moisture regime, but also to provide the input to a decomposition and net primary production model. In this context, it is well known that CO2 exchanges between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere are driven by soil temperature through decomposition of soil organic matter and root respiration. However, in tundra ecosystems, net CO2 exchange is extremely sensitive to soil moisture content; therefore it is necessary to predict variations in soil moisture in order to assess the impact of climate change on carbon fluxes. To this end, the present model includes the representation of the soil moisture response to changes in climatic conditions. The results presented in the foregoing demonstrate that large errors in soil temperature and permafrost depth estimates arise from neglecting the dependence of the soil thermal regime on soil moisture contents. Permafrost terrain is an example of a situation where soil moisture and temperature are particularly interrelated: drainage conditions improve when the depth of the permafrost increases; a decrease in soil moisture content leads to a decrease in the latent heat required for the phase transition so that the heat penetrates faster and deeper, and the maximum depth of thaw increases; and as excepted, soil thermal coefficients increase with moisture.

Labgaa, Rachid R.↗