Agenda

1. Svalbard Integrated Arctic Earth Observing System = SIOSRagnhild Rønneberg, senior adviserPresentation for EU Expert group on Marine InfrastructureBrussels March 4th, 2011

2. Agenda • Many thanks for the invitation! • Background for SIOS • Status and content of SIOS • Marine initiatives (SIOS-related) • Discussion - input from you to us !

3. SIOS in a nutshell • Build an interdisciplinary environmental research and monitoring infrastructure capable of observing the Earth system in the Arctic and providing the observationalbasis for verification of Earth System modelsin this region. • Integrate the studies of: • Meteorological, Geophysical, Cryospheric, Hydrological, Chemicaland Biological processes …….From a set of monitoring platforms (ocean, ice/glacier, terrestrial, atmosphere/space) matching the ESM • Establish aKnowledge Centre

4. SIOS goals for the future… • Understand the environmental and climate state/changes in the high arctic …. • Efficiency in research in/on/around Svalbard • International cooperation • Sharing of equipment, data and knowledge • Lessen the burden on a vulnerable environment • Improve observation systems and provide data to modelling systems….. And for policy making.

5. SIOS - international project • Project endorsed by the Norwegian Ministry of Research and Education in 2009 • The Research Council of Norway being the coordinating institution (supported by UNIS and NPI) • 14 nations and 26 active cooperating partners (11 Norwegian) + 24 associated partners (…… Norwegian) • Total cost: approx. 6,6 mill Euros (36 months) • Contribution from EU: 4 mill Euros (36 months) • October 1. 2010 – September 30. 2013 • 1 of 2 Norwegian initiatives in the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructure (ESFRI). A total of 44 initiatives.

6. Why Svalbard ?

7. High Arctic = early warning for climate changes • Many observations done and many ongoing in a broad range of disciplines • Many different modelling systems in many disciplines • Many un-answered questions ! • Sub-optimal use of research equipment !? • New investments needed – which and for what purpose?

8. Why Svalbard ? cont. • Excellent opportunities for studies of ecosystem changes. • Well positioned to observe and analyse the changing Arctic ice cover. • Well positioned to study the energy balance in the atmosphere. • The location provides for dense satellite monitoring.

9. Why Svalbard ? cont. • Research organizations from 20 countries are present on a regular basis, operating a wide variety of land and sea-based facilities. • Norway has established an international university in Longyearbyen with students and staff from 32 countries. • Svalbard is accessible all year round because of its advanced community infrastructure and its relatively mild climate. • Svalbard has the highest available data bandwidth in the High Arctic. • And…….

10. …existing research facilities Ny-Ålesund International Research Station UNIS HAUSGARTEN seafloor observatory Polish Polar Station Hornsund Russian station Barentsburg Meteorological station, Aldegondabreen

11. Work packages in SIOS Funded by EU Funded by RCN/MRU WP1 project management WP Alegal aspects WP 2legal and governance structure WP 3financial strategy WP 4infrastructureaccess WP Benvironmental framework WP 8internal integration strategy WP 5logistics plan WP 6data management and utilisation plan WP Cgap analysis WP 7remote sensing strategy WP 9international coop. and integration 01.10.10

12. Major steps towards the goal: • Assess the present infrastructure and activities in Svalbard to identify gaps and weaknesses related to the needs of Earth System Models (ESM). Invest in additional infrastructure and activities to close these gaps • Organize all relevant infrastructure and all research and monitoring activities into observation platforms which are most appropriate w.r.t. practical and organisational aspects • Establish a Knowledge Centrein Longyearbyen for datacollection/aggregation/access, education and outreach, cooperative efforts, and input to Earth System modeling • Take action to coordinate the SIOS initiative with complementary ESFRI environmental initiatives as well as other global and Arctic observation systems and related modelling efforts

13. From gaps to platforms…. Atmospheric/ Space Gap –analysis • Magnetosphere, ionosphere and connection to climate • The coupled arctic climate system; atmosphere – ocean – ice • Environmental changes and marine ecosystems • Environmental changes and terrestrial ecosystems • Solid Earth large-scale processes • Environmental pollution; sources, transport and effects Ice/Glaciers What exists, where, owned by whom - and what is on the wish list and for what purpose ?? Terrestrial Ocean/ Marine

14. SIOS research key topics • Vertical coupling in the arctic atmosphere downward from space • The Arctic lower atmosphere – boundary layer system: dynamical and radiation feedback processes • Oceanic and sea ice processes • Marine transport of energy, nutrients and pollution (horizontally, vertically and through the food chain) • Glacier and ice cap mass balance and dynamics • Greenhouse gas processes and feedbacks in the Arctic climate system • Arctic permafrost, periglacial geomorphological processes including geohazards related to periglacial landscape development • Isostasy and changes in Solid Earth’s local and regional stress field • Direct human impact of the Arctic System • Inter-compartmental transition processes related to pollutants and impact of climate change • Arctic ecosystem resilience to climate variability and change

15. KC - the node in the structure ACIA IPCC EU Selected end- users: Policy makers, modelling systems, NGOs European government policy boards Integrating platforms Atmospheric / Space Ocean / Marine Ice / glaciers Terrestrial Observational platforms Selected contributing organizations UNIS NPI AWI CNR IGFPAS NERC AARI PRIC

16. The Knowledge Centre “The heart and mind of SIOS”: • Where the needs of Earth System Modeling are addressed. • Where all activities are coordinated. • Where all research and monitoring dataare shared. • Where all participating nations/ institutions have equal influence on priorities. • Where all participating nations/ institutions have equal access to results. • … including Education, Outreach and field support…… • … building on Svalbard Science Forum

17. What are the challenges? • History of establishment of the various polar stations: topics, character, size determined in advance at national level cooperation opportunities investigated after establishment Svalbard Treaty freedomCan one build an integrated autonomous facility out of this? • Choice of research sites: determined by historical factors (coal mining, not scientific suitability): all along the west coast; to a large degree cemented by today’s environmental jurisdictionWill it be possible to build the required network with these practical limitations? • Interdisciplinary character (”intellectual barriers”): between disciplines based on history (e.g., lower – upper atmosphere), ways of working and thinking, logistical approachesCan SIOS achieve what numerous previous initiatives didn’t? SvalSat, Platåberget, Longyearbyen

18. Challenges, cont. • Valid systems on both sides (observers – modellers) - Who requires what and for which purpose ? • Relevant data / quality of data /scaling /grids ? • Arctic perspective (not necessarily from Svalbard) ? • All IPY-data from the Arctic ? • Financial structure, - which nations will put money into the pool ? • Organisation? • Agree on the building blocks for the common future…….

19. … but the opportunities… • Genuine interest of all nations present in Svalbard to integrate activities • SIOS already influences other cooperation initiatives in Svalbard, e.g., Ny-Ålesund flagship projects • Much more effective use of financial resources • Fronting as an EU large research infrastructure • Already today great interest from countries not present in Svalbard: Denmark, USA, Canada excellent conditions for contributing to a pan-Arctic cooperation • SIOS can be a true node/glue between most of the environment-related ESFRI projects: EMSO – ERICON AB – ICOS – LIFEWATCH – EISCAT-3D – EPOS – EURO-ARGO

20. Sites on Svalbard… Existing infrastructure: 322 Proposed infrastructure: 174

21. Infrastructure Inventory – Gap Identification

22. Infrastructure proposals, 2 examples: • Real-time biophysical Arctic observatories and fjord laboratories (37 mill NOK, 2011-2013), 5 new ones ! • High-resolution acoustic sounding system for marine research in Svalbard and Norwegian high arctic (5,3 mill NOK, 15 år)

23. KongHau • Real-time bio-physical Arctic observatories on Svalbard • FramCentre partners: • Norwegian Polar Institute • University Centre in Svalbard • AkvaplanNiva AS • University in Tromsø • International partners • AWI (Germany) • SAMS (UK) • IOPAS (Poland) Project leader and photo: Professor Jørgen Berge, UNIS og AkvaplanNiva

24. Our plans - in short… • From October 1th 2010 - October 1th 2013 • Masterplan (Governance structure, financial strategy, investments, strategic processes etc.) • During spring/summer 2011 • Finalize the gab-synthesis report • Organize a workshop for WP8 (in Svalbard) • Coordination of future investments with related ESFRI projects: EMSO, EISCAT_3D, ICOS, Aurora Borealis, EuroARGO, EPOS etc. • 2 next years: • Establishment of cooperation with international Arctic networks (SAON, SCANNET,…) and EO organisations (ESA, NASA,…) in the next 2 years • From the end of 2013 - SIOS formal estblishment - operational phase • the KC is up and running, ready to provide good service and excellent science (since much infrastructure already in place)

25. Thanks for your kind attention Photos: Ragnhild Rønneberg,08.02.2011 Foto: Janne Søreide

26. The SIOS consortium • Research Council of Norway (coordinator) • Norwegian Polar Institute • University Centre in Svalbard, UNIS • Norwegian Space Centre • University of Bergen • University of Tromsø • Norwegian Meteorological Institute • Nansen Environmental & Remote Sensing Center • Institute of Marine Research • Norwegian Institute for Air Research • Andøya Rocket RangeAR • Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research, Germany • Institute of Geophysics - PAS, Poland • National Research Council, Italy • National Environmental Research Council, UK • Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, Russia • Finnish Meteorological Institute, Finland • Aarhus University - National Environmental Research Institute, Denmark • University of Groningen, Netherlands • Korea Polar Research Institute, Korea • Polar Research Institute of China, China • Institut Polaire Paul Emile Victor, France • Institute of Oceanology – PAS, Poland • Polar Geophysical Institute – RAS, Russia • ITM, Stockholm University, Sweden • National Institute of Polar Research, Japan • Norwegian Instituteof Water Research • Kings Bay AS • Akvaplan-niva AS • Universityof Oslo • Norwegian Instituteof Nature Research • Norwegian UniversityofScience & Technology • Norwegian Energy and Water Resources Directorate • Kongsberg Satellite Services AS • Northern Research Institute Tromsø • Norwegian MappingAuthority • Norwegian MinistryofEducation and Research • Centre of Ocean & Antarctic Research, India • InstituteofBotany – CzechAcademyof Sciences, Czech Republic • MinistryofScience and Innovation, Spain • National Science Foundation, USA • Scottish Association for Marine Science, UK • EISCAT Scientific Association • Arctic Centre, UniversityofLapland, Finland • Universityof Leicester, UK • Kola Science Center – RAS,Russia • Geophysical Survey – RAS,Russia • Universityof Helsinki, Finland • SIOS-PP associated partners SIOS-PP full partners