1. WCRP-FPA2 Polar Challenge The concept in a nutshell
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, dear colleagues,
Thank you very much for the opportunity to provide you with a brief overview of a new initiative of the World Climate Research Programme: the WCRP Polar Challenge

2. The concept
A Prize money awarded to the first team completing a 2000 km continuous mission with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) under the sea-ice
Bonus demonstration 1 (optional):
regular observations of sea ice thickness or draft
Bonus demonstration 2 (optional):
successful under-ice transmission of position and environmental data
The overall idea is to award a money prize to the the first team completing a 2000 km continuous mission with an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) under the sea-ice with also 2 bonus demos respectively 1) for regular obs of sea-ice thickness or draft and 2) successful under-ice transmission of position and environmental data

3. The vision and mission
A new paradigm for long-term under-ice observations
A cost-effective, autonomous and scalable ocean monitoring network for the Polar regions
Analogy to ARGO but for
sea-ice covered regions
The vision and mission of this effort are to contribute to 1) A new paradigm for long-term under-ice observations and 2)
A cost-effective, autonomous and scalable ocean monitoring network for the Polar regions
There is a clear analogy with the network of ARGO floats but the concept is being transposed to sea-ice covered regions

4. AUV/Glider technology
Typical observations:
Temperature
Salinity
Currents pH
Chlorophyll
etc
AUVs of different kinds are already used in an operational context around the world in ice-free zones
They surface on a regular basis to get a GPS fix and to transmit environmental data in near real-time.
They are able to collect crucial and high quality oceanographic observations (such as temperature, salinity, chlorophyll, pH, etc) at lower cost compared to conventional observing systems.
… at a fraction of the cost of conventional
(ship-based) observing systems

5. The Challenge Ice-covered ocean regions: Innovations required:
AUV/glider range limitation
No GPS fix
No real-time data transmissions
Innovations required:
Endurance
Positioning and navigation
Communications
Under the sea-ice, the operating range, positioning and data transmission represent major challenges for current underwater vehicles.
The WCRP would like to stimulate technological innovation (endurance, positioning and navigation, data collection and communications) to expand significantly the range of applications of such vehicles

6. The long-term benefits for the public and private sector
Energy
Environment
Safety
Transport/shipping
Insurance
Climate research and services
Weather forecasts …
The long-term benefits of such endeavour for various public and private sectors could prove invaluable, as outlined here

7. Would you like to help developing the Polar observing network of the future? - would you like to compete for the Prize? - would you like to become a co-sponsor of the Prize?
We are hereby inviting all stakeholders to join this challenge and to become co-sponsors of this initiative (with commensurate sponsor benefit package)

8. For further details and any questions, feel free to contact us and to visit our web page