China's Arctic Expedition and Research

1. China's Arctic Expedition and Research Yuansheng Li Polar Research Institute of China 2012.4.23 27 Sep 2012, Helsinki

2. Outline • Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition (CHINARE) and IPYChina Program • The fifth Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition (CHINARE-5) • A perspective on developments of Chinese Arctic research

3. Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition (CHINARE) and IPYChina Program

4. Organization for CHINARE • CHINARE (Chinese National Antarctic / Arctic Research Expedition) participated by research institutes and universities • PRIC / SOA (Polar Research Institute of China) provides logistic supports to CHINARE and hubs the polar research community • CAA @SOA (Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration) organizes the CHINARE and administrates polar affairs for the SOA • SOA (State Oceanic Administration) administrates over polar affairs with an advisory committee participated by 13 ministries/agencies of the central government

5. Polar research vessel Xuelong Length: 167 m Max. breadth: 22.6 m Power max. 13200 KW Displacement: 21000 t Max. Speed: 17.9 nm/h Ice-breaking: 1.5 nm/h Personal berth: 120 Lift capability: 100 t Made in Ukraine in 1993 and renovated in China in 2007

6. Artic Research Station Antarctic Research Stations Yellow River Station founded at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard in 2004, Max for 18 summer and wintering Research: Aurora & ionosphere, Marine biology, Glaciology, Meteorology, Geodesy, etc.

7. IPY China Program

8. IPY China Program • The Prydz Bay, Amery Ice Shelf and Dome A Observatories （PANDA） • Arctic Change and its Tele-impact on Mid-latitudes （ARCTIML） • International Cooperation • Outreach, Education and Data Sharing

9. Arctic Ocean Alaska Siberia ARCTIML: Arctic Change and its Tele-impact on Mid-latitudes

10. Observations of sea ice in the Arctic during CHINARE EM sea ice thickness measurements Helicopter platform Ice station and camp platform IMB deployed in CHINARE-2010 SAMS Ice thermistor Strings Xuelong platform

11. Helicopter-mounted video Observations of sea ice in the Arctic during CHINARE (cont.) Radiation measurements of the lead physical structures of snow and sea ice Spectral albedo of melt pond spectral radiation reflectance and transmittance measurements

12. Sea Ice Measurements Heat fluxes within and under sea-ice cover in the high Arctic IMB deployed in CHINARE-2008 The oceanic (equivalent latent) heat flux at the ice base could be related to those in surface-water temperature, those in ice drift speed and the bottom topography. IMB moved east and finally drifted to the perennial ice zone north of Greenland Island, 94 longitudes west of the start, the maximum velocity of 27.3cm/s was found in mid-October.

13. data collection of the ice-based buoys deployed during CHINARE-2010 During CHINARE-2010, we deployed 5 ice-based buoys, including 2 Thermistor Chains designed by Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) and 3 GPS buoys designed by MetOceanin the central Arctic, for monitoring the thermodynamic and kinematic processes of the Arctic sea ice. Trajectory of the ice-based buoys Evolutions of sea-ice internal temperature from 17 Aug. 2010 to Jul. 2011

14. Thermodynamics properties of the floe-lead system The field measurements include surface air temperature above the floe, albedo of the lead, seawater temperatures in the lead and under the floe, the lateral and bottom mass balance of the floe. The observation system for the thermodynamics properties of the floe-lead system From then onward, the albedo of the thin ice-covered lead in band of 320~950nm was 0.46(±0.03), the vertical seawater-temperature gradient in the lead, as well as the seawater temperatures both in the lead and under the floe decreased gradually, while the oceanic heat under the ice was being at a low level. Spectral (colorplot) and broadband (greenline) albedo of the thin ice-covered lead, and the wavelength with maximum albedo (blueline)

15. Characteristics of Sea Ice in the High Arctic based on Ice Core • Mainly first year ice; • Obvious internal melting of ice; • High T/low density/low salinity, stratification

16. Reflection and transmission of irradiance by snow and sea ice in the high Arctic in summer of 2010 • The snow melting has a greater effect on transmission of irradiance than the ice melting; • For 1.6m ice with 2.5~8cm snow, ~65% reflected, ~30%absorbed, <7% transmitted； • The maintenance of ice melting is from the oceanic heat flux (melt pond+lead, not sea ice)

17. Pacific Inflow and Mesoscale Eddy in the Western Arctic: Based on FESOM with regional focus Global configuration Regional focus on the shelfbreak of western Arctic (Resolution is about 3km ) Integrated from 1994-2004, the first 3 years as a spinup

18. Near-Surface Warm Core Eddy in the Summer Mesoscale eddy has the ability to transport warm water into Canada Basin Snapshot of ocean current and temprature at 50m（Snapshot，30-9-1997）

19. Sea Ice-Ocean Interaction Process Ice Concentration and velocity The mushroom shape of the temperature field (above figure) shows coherent eddy structure just out of the Barrow Canyon, the warm water comes from the Alaska Coastal Current (ACW). Sea ice melting curve under different temperature profile

20. Published in Science, 22 July 2010

21. The monitoring and studies of glaciers in Svalbard Annual measurement of all stakes on both Austre Lovénbreen and Pedersenbreen since 2005 for ice flow rate by GPS Automatic weather station Based on long-term monitoring of mass balance, ice flow, borehole temperature, meteorology on glaciers Austre Lovénbreen and Pedersenbreen, Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, following studies will be carried out: main characteristics in glaciology, energy and mass balance on glacial surface, glacier fluctuation and its relationship to climate changes, et al.

22. Biological Observations in Svalbard International projects Collect water sample by CTD

23. Yellow River Station 13-14 Re Zhongshan Station Conjugate observation of dayside aurora

25. The fifth Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition (CHINARE-5)

26. Deploying the large observing buoy in CHINARE-5t

27. Xuelong sailing throuth the Northeast passage

28. Xuelong visiting Iceland and taking scientific research in the Atlantic Arctic region

29. A perspective on developments of Chinese Arctic research

30. New icebreaker under design • Displacement of 8000 tons, 20,000 nm endurance, self-sustaining for 60 days • Ice breaking capability of 1.5m sea ice plus 0.2m snow, at speed of 2 to 3 knots • Hydrographic, chemical , biological, geological and geophysical investigation

31. Polar environments monitoring • Period:2012~2016 • Expeditons: Antarctic 5+Arctic 3

32. New Arctic Research Stations Joint Observatory of Aurora in Iceland

33. Polaris Climate Change Observatory Shanghai (PCCOS)) Brussels Shanghai Cape town

34. Summary • The IPY 2007-2008 has given China a great opportunity to explore frontiers of polar science in cooperation with international partners. • By launching a national program, China has achieved dimensional developments of polar linkage, especially, in understanding of the earth system and global climate change, in raising of public and governmental polar awareness and interests, in innovation of polar science, technology, and in promoting international cooperation. • China will make bigger efforts to understand polar environmental changes and ecological evolution, to develop innovate polar engineering technologies, to explore unknown frontiers on the earth and in the deep universe, and to cultivate a harmonious culture to safeguard a sustainable planet.

35. Thanks！