Abstract
Abstract. The Arctic marine climate system is changing rapidly, which is seen in the warming of the ocean and atmosphere, decline of sea ice cover, increase in river discharge, acidification of the ocean, and changes in marine ecosystems. Socio-economic activities in the coastal and marine Arctic are simultaneously changing. This calls for the establishment of a marine Arctic component of the Pan-Eurasian Experiment (MA-PEEX). There is a need for more in situ observations on the marine atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean, but increasing the amount of such observations is a pronounced technological and logistical challenge. The SMEAR (Station for Measuring Ecosystem–Atmosphere Relations) concept can be applied in coastal and archipelago stations, but in the Arctic Ocean it will probably be more cost-effective to further develop a strongly distributed marine observation network based on autonomous buoys, moorings, autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). These have to be supported by research vessel and aircraft campaigns, as well as various coastal observations, including community-based ones. Major manned drifting stations may occasionally be comparable to terrestrial SMEAR flagship stations. To best utilize the observations, atmosphere–ocean reanalyses need to be further developed. To well integrate MA-PEEX with the existing terrestrial–atmospheric PEEX, focus is needed on the river discharge and associated fluxes, coastal processes, and atmospheric transports in and out of the marine Arctic. More observations and research are also needed on the specific socio-economic challenges and opportunities in the marine and coastal Arctic, and on their interaction with changes in the climate and environmental system. MA-PEEX will promote international collaboration; sustainable marine meteorological, sea ice, and oceanographic observations; advanced data management; and multidisciplinary research on the marine Arctic and its interaction with the Eurasian continent.
Highlights
During the recent decades the Arctic air temperatures have increased 2 or 3 times as fast as the global mean (AMAP, 2017a; Overland et al, 2017)
In situ observations in the marine Arctic include several technical and environmental challenges, such as riming of instruments, darkness of the polar night, instability of sea ice as a measurement field, tilting of weather masts due to sea ice motions, low clouds and fog hampering airborne operations, polar bears’ interest towards the measurement devices, and disturbance of the airflow caused by ships and other constructions on ice stations
In further development of sea ice observations, marine Arctic component of the Pan-Eurasian Experiment (MA-Pan-Eurasian Experiment (PEEX)) should give a high priority to sea ice thickness and snow cover on top of sea ice, which are of a high climatological importance, as well as to sea ice drift and ridges, whose occurrence and properties are important for navigation
Summary
During the recent decades the Arctic air temperatures have increased 2 or 3 times as fast as the global mean (AMAP, 2017a; Overland et al, 2017). Other offshore activities, aviation, and tourism call for more accurate and extensive operational forecasts for weather, sea ice, and ocean conditions in the Arctic. These needs are recognized by the international community, and one of the concrete responses is the enhancement of observational and modelling activities in the Arctic during the Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP, in 2017–2019) of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO, 2013). Importance of the marine Arctic in the climate system and the increased economic interest in the Arctic regions, it is vital that PEEX includes an active marine component, addressing physical and ecosystem processes in the ocean, sea ice, and marine atmosphere and their alterations due to climate and environmental drivers. This requires particular attention to linkage and feedback processes, such as atmospheric transports in and out of the Arctic, river discharge, and various other coastal processes
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