Future research needs and priorities for Permafrost & Periglacial environments of Antarctica

Our diverse group Earth scientists (soil, geology, geophysics) Earth scientists (soil, geology, geophysics) Geomorphologists Geomorphologists Permafrost climatologists Permafrost climatologists Planetary scientists Planetary scientists Ecologists Ecologists Remote sensing/GIS specialists Remote sensing/GIS specialists Environmental scientists Environmental scientists Glaciologists Glaciologists

SCAR Science Questions a. Age and history of Antarctic permafrost, landscape dynamics, & evolution (including erosion, ground ice formation, patterned ground) b. Impact of climate change on permafrost c. Physical and chemical weathering d. Layer processes along environmental gradients e. The role of permafrost and frost action in Antarctic biodiversity and soil ecology f. Research methods (geophysics & drilling) g. Impact of human activity on permafrost (contaminants) h. Astrobiology and planetary analogs

Climate warming and Environmental Change

Opportunities IPY USA Proposals due January 14, 2005 IPY USA Proposals due January 14, 2005 The International Council for Science (ICSU) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued a call for preliminary expressions of intent from those seeking to participation in International Polar Year (IPY) The US National Committee to the IPY has made these available on our website as Briefly, there are three relevant documents: -- A letter from ICSU-WMO explaining the procedure and deadline (14 January) -- Annex 1: Expression of Intent Form -- Annex 2: Criteria for Identifying IPY Activities The International Council for Science (ICSU) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has issued a call for preliminary expressions of intent from those seeking to participation in International Polar Year (IPY) The US National Committee to the IPY has made these available on our website as Briefly, there are three relevant documents: -- A letter from ICSU-WMO explaining the procedure and deadline (14 January) -- Annex 1: Expression of Intent Form -- Annex 2: Criteria for Identifying IPY Activitieshttp://us-ipy.org

Canadian International Polar Year Program Pre-proposal solicitation The first call for submitting International Polar Year (IPY) project proposals to the IPY Joint Committee is fast approaching. In advance of the IPY deadline of January 10, 2005, the Canadian Steering Committee for IPY (CSC) is soliciting preproposals by December 6, The first call for submitting International Polar Year (IPY) project proposals to the IPY Joint Committee is fast approaching. In advance of the IPY deadline of January 10, 2005, the Canadian Steering Committee for IPY (CSC) is soliciting preproposals by December 6, 2004.

Environmental change topics Climate change Climate change Climate history as recorded in soils and permafrost Climate history as recorded in soils and permafrost Climate history as recorded in boreholes Climate history as recorded in boreholes Climate history from lake sediments (”Mumyo”) Climate history from lake sediments (”Mumyo”) Antarctica and the prediction of future climate change Antarctica and the prediction of future climate change Age of permafrost and soils; paleoclimate Age of permafrost and soils; paleoclimate Model energy transfers at an implemented CALM-S network, including validation sites for climate models Model energy transfers at an implemented CALM-S network, including validation sites for climate models Impact of changing climate on permafrost and infrastructure Impact of changing climate on permafrost and infrastructure Influence of permafrost on biogeochemical cycling and carbon dynamics Influence of permafrost on biogeochemical cycling and carbon dynamics Periglacial features as indicator of past and current environmental change Periglacial features as indicator of past and current environmental change Feedbacks of thawing permafrost on climate Feedbacks of thawing permafrost on climate Hydrates Lake Bonney Hydrates Lake Bonney Climate forcing factors – Milankovitch, etc. Climate forcing factors – Milankovitch, etc. Anthropogenic impacts Anthropogenic impacts Protection of extreme habitat Protection of extreme habitat Global pollutants Global pollutants Development vs. protection of high-latitude/high-elevation wilderness areas Development vs. protection of high-latitude/high-elevation wilderness areas Delineate sensitive soils re: human impacts Delineate sensitive soils re: human impacts

Importance of Proposed Permafrost Drilling Project: Questions Questions How deep are dry-frozen materials? How deep are dry-frozen materials? Of what importance are buried soils for interpreting environmental change (e.g., atmospheric conditions from salt chemistry)? Of what importance are buried soils for interpreting environmental change (e.g., atmospheric conditions from salt chemistry)? What are the consequences of melting of wet-frozen permafrost on transitory water? What are the consequences of melting of wet-frozen permafrost on transitory water? Is there a biological signature from deep cores? Is there a biological signature from deep cores? How is the biological signature related to climate? How is the biological signature related to climate? Approach Approach Aseptic drilling Aseptic drilling Prototype for Mars Prototype for Mars Short (10 2 yr) and long-term (10 6 yr, mountain sites) scales Short (10 2 yr) and long-term (10 6 yr, mountain sites) scales Cryopedological and cryolithological studies - geochemistry/mineralogy, isotopic analysis Cryopedological and cryolithological studies - geochemistry/mineralogy, isotopic analysis Ground-Penetrating Radar, echo sounding, and other geophysical techniques Ground-Penetrating Radar, echo sounding, and other geophysical techniques Cosmogenic and exposure dating Cosmogenic and exposure dating Fine-increment temperature probes Fine-increment temperature probes

Importance of Climate Warming on Andes Permafrost: Questions Questions What impact will melting of Patagonian Ice Caps have on local water supply? What impact will melting of Patagonian Ice Caps have on local water supply? What will be the impacts of physical disturbance and environment change on livelihood of indigenous peoples in SA (e.g., flooding, agriculture, mass wasting)? What will be the impacts of physical disturbance and environment change on livelihood of indigenous peoples in SA (e.g., flooding, agriculture, mass wasting)? Approach Approach Mineralogy of buried soils and climate change Mineralogy of buried soils and climate change [make summary table showing relevance for (1) SH, (2) periantarctic islands, (3) antarctic continent]

Biodiversity on Earth’s most extreme terrestrial environment Simplest? Ecosystem Soil environments Simplest? Ecosystem Soil environments Habitat for survival versus freeze drying (implications for astrobiology) Habitat for survival versus freeze drying (implications for astrobiology) Changes of physical and chemical properties and relationships on active- layer dynamics, soils, permafrost, biodiversity, and vice versa Changes of physical and chemical properties and relationships on active- layer dynamics, soils, permafrost, biodiversity, and vice versa

Analogs for Mars and other planets Ground ice models, detection Ground ice models, detection Use Antarctica as an analog for chemical/physical weathering and soil development, including laboratory simulations Use Antarctica as an analog for chemical/physical weathering and soil development, including laboratory simulations Geomorphology Geomorphology Survival and remnants of life Survival and remnants of life Remote sensing tests/calibration Remote sensing tests/calibration LIDAR, microwave, visible/IR spectra, SAR, neutron spectrometers, gamma ray spectroscopy, other geophysical methods LIDAR, microwave, visible/IR spectra, SAR, neutron spectrometers, gamma ray spectroscopy, other geophysical methods Concurrent ground truthing and validation Concurrent ground truthing and validation Test prototypes: coring, remote sensing in soils, aseptic sampling procedures Test prototypes: coring, remote sensing in soils, aseptic sampling procedures

Additional topics 1 Identify selected areas for subsea permafrost Identify selected areas for subsea permafrost Study subglacial permafrost in Ross Sea area and its impacts on ice sheet dynamics, hydrology, subglacial processes Study subglacial permafrost in Ross Sea area and its impacts on ice sheet dynamics, hydrology, subglacial processes Mass and energy modeling Mass and energy modeling Investigate “dirty ice” near Bratina Island (Ross Ice Shelf) Investigate “dirty ice” near Bratina Island (Ross Ice Shelf) Ground penetrating radar, gravity, and other geophysical techniques Ground penetrating radar, gravity, and other geophysical techniques Understanding salts origin and influence Understanding salts origin and influence

Additional topics 2 Use DEMs and adiabatic relationships to model surface temperatures and have an array of inexpensive probes to validate Use DEMs and adiabatic relationships to model surface temperatures and have an array of inexpensive probes to validate