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SCAR Report No. 13, November 1996 

SCAR Group of Specialists on Global Change and the Antarctic (GLOCHANT)

SCAR Group of Specialists on Global Change and the Antarctic (GLOCHANT)

Report of the fourth meeting of the Group of Specialists (GLOCHANT IV)
University of Wisconsin, Madison Wisconsin, U.S.A. April 10-14 1996

Members of the Group of Specialists in attendance: Ian Allison ( ASPECT), Paulo Artaxo, Charles R. Bentley (GoS Convenor, and ISMASS), Howard Cattle, Arne Foldvik, Ian Goodwin (Programme Coordinator), Gerd Hubold, Fumihiko Nishio, Dominique Raynaud, (PICE), Mark R. Thorley, Paul Treguer, and Christian Schlüchter.

Other participants: Steve Ackley ( ASPECT, ANZONE), John Anderson, Andrew Clarke (EASIZ), Eugene Domack, Paul Mayewski (ITASE), Ross Powell, Julian Priddle (SO-JGOFS).

(See Appendix 1 for a list of acronyms and abbreviations and Appendix 2 for a list of participants and their addresses).

1.0 Introduction

1.1 Opening Remarks

The fourth meeting of the Group of Specialists on Global Change and the Antarctic was opened on Wednesday 10th April 1996 by the Convenor, Prof. C.R. Bentley. The agenda was circulated. Bentley welcomed the participants and discussed the GLOCHANT Terms of Reference (ToR). Revised ToR were submitted to the SCAR executive in September 1995, for comment. As yet, they have not been formally approved. The revised ToR are as follows:

  1. To provide SCAR Working Groups, Groups of Specialists and national programmes with the best available multidisciplinary advice regarding ongoing Antarctic global change research.
  2. To provide liaison between SCAR and the other major international programmes on global change and to promote the applicable Antarctic component within those international programmes.
  3. To identify research needs in Antarctic process studies, monitoring and modelling related to global change.
  4. To plan, promote and monitor specific projects on problems of global change research in the Antarctic.

Goodwin circulated the minutes of the previous GLOCHANT 3 meeting and the Joint GoSSOE/EASIZ and GLOCHANT Planning Groups 1 and 5 meeting in Tokyo. The minutes have been published in SCAR Report 11.

2.0 Overview of the SCAR Global Change Programme

Goodwin, the Programme Coordinator presented the following summary of the major activities of the programme and the establishment of the SCAR Global Change Programme office at the Antarctic CRC in Hobart, Australia.

2.1 Programme Name Clarification

As discussions with other international agencies and programmes progressed throughout 1995-96, it was apparent that SCAR needed a single voice on Global Change matters. Originally this was intended to be encompassed by GLOCHANT. However the changes in the direction of GLOCHANT which were made at the XXIII SCAR prevented this. In addition to GLOCHANT there are several SCAR groups which have developed research initiatives concerned with global change matters.

After discussions with the SCAR executive a clarification of the name of the programme office and the coordinators job was received, such that there was one focus for interaction between SCAR, IGBP, WCRP, START, IASC and SCOR on matters relating to global change. Hence the SGCP encompasses the GLOCHANT group, Ecology of the Antarctic Sea Ice Zone (EASIZ) and Biological Investigations of Terrestrial Ecosystems (BIOTAS).

2.2 Major Activities and Meetings involving GLOCHANT representatives

2.3 Hobart Office

Goodwin commenced work as the SCAR Global Change Programme Coordinator on 1st August 1995. The programme office was subsequently established at the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Environment, in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. The office is funded, by an Australian consortium including: the Antarctic CRC, Australian Antarctic Division, Bureau of Meteorology, Australian Antarctic Foundation, Tasmanian State Government, and the Commonwealth Department of Environment, Sport and Territories. It is logistically and operationally supported by the Antarctic CRC. Patricia McKeown was appointed as the office secretary and desktop publisher in December 1995, on 3 days per week, and later resigned (30 April 1996), and was replaced by research assistant, Miranda Carver.

2.4 Antarctic Global Change Research Newsletter

The first issue of the Antarctic Global Change Newsletter is being printed at present. It is a two colour 20 A4 page newsletter, which focuses on sea-ice research connected with the proposed ASPECT programme. Each issue will focus on one thematic area of global change research. It is expected that it will be produced three times per year and have a 500-1000 circulation, by mailout. It will also be posted on the programmes WWW home page.

2.5 EASIZ Newsletter

The first issue of the EASIZ newsletter is also being printed at present and will be distributed with the Antarctic Global Change Research Newsletter. It is an 8 page two colour A4 newsletter which was edited by Clarke, and produced at the programme office.

2.6 Home Page

The programme home page is under construction and should be operational by the end of April. The World Wide Web address is http://www.antcrc.utas.edu.au/scar/

2.7 Directory of Antarctic Global Change Researchers

The programme office is developing a directory of Antarctic researchers interested in environmental and global change issues within the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region. A proforma is being circulated with the newsletters. The directory will be linked to the programme WWW home page.

Goodwin urged the GoS to discuss output products and deliverables from the programme during the course of the meeting.

3.0 Status Reporting on SCAR-GLOCHANT linkages

A brief report was made on each of the linkages with other SCAR groups and international organisations.

3.1 SCAR Working Groups

3.1.1 Biology

Hubold reported that there was nothing new to report since the Rome meeting. He reiterated the recommendations from Rome, which emphasised the need for more biological expertise to be represented on GLOCHANT, a greater level of liaison between EASIZ, GLOBEC, GOSEAC and BIOTAS, and the need for long-term monitoring programmes to be developed.

3.1.2 Geodesy and Geographic Information

Goodwin reported that Drew Clarke (Chairman of the WG on Geology and GIS) had asked for liaison between GLOCHANT and the WG on identifying the need for historical map and data analyses as baseline data for the determination of environmental change in the Antarctic.

3.1.3 Geology and Solid Earth Geophysics

Bentley reported that the Chief Officers of these two Working Groups were following with great interest the work of the GoS in the developing ANTIME project.

3.1.4 Glaciology

Allison reported that there was no new information.

3.1.5 PACA

Artaxo reported that a new project and a database on physical meteorology has commenced.

3.1.6 FROST

Allison reported that the observational programme on the troposphere has been completed. Drifting buoy and AWS data have been included in the analysis to assess the performance of present models.

3.2 SCAR Groups of Specialists

3.2.1 EASIZ

Clarke reported that EASIZ had held its first SSG meeting in August 1995 in Cambridge and the next meeting in Cambridge and the next meeting would be held in Cambridge in August 1996. The 1st field season has been completed. Clarke reported that a close relationship between EASIZ and GLOCHANT had developed through the SGCP office. Hubold commented that the link between GoSSOE and EASIZ is now weak and is more suitable to be administered by the SGCP. Clarke replied that from the EASIZ perspective he believed that the links to GoSSOE were still very strong and would remain so, even with the programme administered through the SGCP. He also stated that GoSSOE could advise on several aspects of biology to SCAR. Priddle suggested that the focus of EASIZ should not be entirely on global change. This was a view accepted by Hubold and Clarke.

3.2.2 BIOTAS

Clarke reported that the 1st BIOTAS international expedition (BIOTEX1) had been successfully conducted in the austral summer 1995/96, from Terra Nova Bay.

3.2.3 APIS

Hubold tabled the APIS report of the 1995 programme planning meeting. The principal aim of the project is to estimate crabeater seal abundance and distribution from ships, aircraft and helicopters. The programme co-operates with SO-GLOBEC, CCAMLR-CEMP, EASIZ and IWC. Since the crabeater seal is the most common Antarctic species and has a close relationship to pack-ice distribution, its numbers may be a suitable indicator of changing sea-ice conditions. Two APIS meetings are planned, one on programme development and the other, a workshop on methods.

3.2.4 Cenozoic Palaeoenvironments

Goodwin reported that the group will be terminated in August at XXIV SCAR.

3.2.5 Lithosphere

Bentley reported that there was no new information

4.0 Status Reports ON WCRP Programmes

4.1 WOCE

Foldvik reported that the observational phase will be completed by the end of 1997 and the data analysis phase will continue until 2002.

4.2 ACSYS

Allison reported that the ACSYS JSC recently investigated the gaps in studies on Antarctic climate and sea-ice. Allison, Bentley, Foldvik, Cattle and Goodwin responded to the JSC, advising them of the present activities within GLOCHANT, and the scope for collaboration with ACSYS and CLIVAR.

4.3 IPAB, ITRP, GEWEX, ISCCP, GBSRN

Allison described the IPAB drifting buoy programme and that it had achieved mixed success, in that 8 moorings were lost out of a total of 19 deployed, and that only 7 had been recovered with good data so far.

4.4 SPARC

Artaxo reported that SPARC has a comprehensive and active newsletter and will hold the 1st General Assembly in Melbourne, 2-6 December 1996. They have achieved a standardised UV measurement programme at Antarctic Stations.

5.0 Status Reports on IGBP Programmes

5.1 SO-JGOFS

Priddle tabled the 1994-95 report on the JGOFS Southern Ocean Regional Study and discussed the objectives of the Phase 2 study (1996-2000). The report lists a number of recommendations which involve SCAR. These are:

  1. the deployment of automated surface-water pCO2 on Antarctic logistics vessels should be encouraged through liaison with SCAR's GLOCHANT (global change) and COMNAP logistics groups;
  2. collaboration should be established with SCAR's CZ-EASIZ programme on analysis of long-term variation;
  3. SO-JGOFS should interact with other programmes, especially the ASPECT programme of SCAR-GLOCHANT, to develop a clearer picture of the role of ice biota in the carbon cycle;
  4. SO-JGOFS should continue to build links with the Antarctic research community through the SCAR GLOCHANT programme, specifically through scientific interaction in the CS-EASIZ and proposed ASPECT programmes.

5.2 PAGES

Raynaud reported that PAGES has a new Director, SSC and Executive Director. A PAGES co-sponsored palaeoclimate data network for bipolar marine and lacustrine sediments (SEPAN) has been set up at AWI.

5.3 IGAC

Artaxo reported that PASC had not initiated any new projects. However, within IGAC, a new aerosol focus, called the Global Atmospheric Watch Programme (GAWP) had been established.

5.4 GAIM

Nothing to report on Antarctic or Southern Ocean modelling.

5.5 IGBP-DIS

Goodwin reported that IGBP-DIS have expressed an interest in Antarctic data and Thorley is liaising with them to discuss the Antarctic metadata directory.

5.6 LOICZ

Goodwin reported that LOICZ do not have any planned Antarctic projects.

5.7 GLOBEC

GLOBEC has recently been accepted as an IGBP core project. The US GLOBEC plan for 1995-2000 was tabled by Hubold. It focuses on the modelling of zooplankton (krill) only. An implementation plan has been produced for SO-GLOBEC, and consists of existing national programmes, primarily in UK and Germany, with partly dedicated cruise in 1995/96. Three projects were funded in 1995/96. No international programmes have been planned.

6.0 Status Reports on other major organizations interested in Global Change matters

6.1 IASC

Bentley reported that plans have been initiated to establish a bipolar working group on effects of increased UV radiation. Planning has also been initiated for comparative studies on Arctic/Antarctic global change. A SCAR-IASC-ICSI-PAGES workshop on ice masses and sea-level will be held in Fjaerland in Norway, June 21-22 1996.

6.2 CCAMLR

Hubold reported that a status paper by David Agnew defines the past, present and future of the CEMP monitoring activities which have a strong aspect of environmental change and its effects on key species in the Antarctic marine ecosystem.

6.3 WCRP CLIVAR

Allison tabled the CLIVAR science plan. He stated that ASPECT will contribute to CLIVAR DEC-CEN (decadal-centennial climate variability), and that CLIVAR may become a joint sponsor of the sea-ice zone project. Cattle confirmed that WCRP's interest in Antarctica is confined to: how Antarctica impacts upon global change in other regions, rather than what changes are occurring in the Antarctic region.

6.4 SCOPE

Artaxo had nothing new to report on SCOPE.

6.5 SCOR

Priddle and Goodwin stated that the relationship between SCAR and SCOR needs to be strengthened and that the need for a SCAR-SCOR working group on Southern Ocean oceanography needs to be discussed within GLOCHANT and at the XXIV SCAR delegates meeting. Ackley discussed the recently completed ANZONE project, which was primarily focused on the physical oceanography and sea-ice interactions in the Weddell Gyre. ANZONE will probably be sponsored by SCOR and the present focus of interest is not as concerned with the sea-ice zone. Ackley also outlined the primarily completed US ANZFLUX study on the Maud Rise.

Ackley reported that there will be a Gordon Conference on sea-ice ecology in Ventura on 2-7 March 1997, which is being organised by the SCOR WG-86, of which he is chairman.

6.6 IPCC

Cattle reported that Working Group 1 has agreed that part of the present climate change signal is due to anthropogenic sources. This is a major breakthrough in governmental recognition of the existence of climate change.

6.7 GOOS, GCOS and GTOS

Allison stated that all these projects were in early development. Hubold reported that the GOOS Project office was coordinating the IOC's 1st Southern Ocean Forum in Bremerhaven on the 9-11 September 1996.

7.0 Reports on SCAR and START

7.1 Background

Thorley outlined the history of the development of a linkage between SCAR and START. At the GLOCHANT 2 meeting the GoS recommended that a linkage be investigated with the view to establishing a START Regional Committee for the Antarctic, and to investigate a mechanism for SCAR-IGBP interactions through START. As a result discussions between SCAR and START occurred during 1994/95 and culminated in a SCAR, IASC and START meeting at the ICARP conference in Hanover, New Hampshire, in December 1995. At this meeting it was recommended that SCAR and IASC both develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with START for the establishment of Regional Research Committees for the Antarctic and Arctic respectively. Thorley circulated a copy of the MoU for discussion (See Appendix 3).

7.2 Status of the Memorandum of Understanding

The status of the MoU is that it has been reviewed and approved in principle by the SCAR Executive, and was presented to the Deputy Director of START, Dr Hassan Virji, by Goodwin and Olav Orheim at the Texel IGBP Core Project Officers' meeting in February 1996. It has been approved in principle by Dr Hartmut Grassl, the Director of WCRP and Dr Chris Rapley, Executive Director of IGBP. Priddle suggested that the MoU be amended to include a statement on the uniqueness of Antarctica and to replace the existing matrix of the programme linkages, with a complete list of Antarctic Global Change programmes. Goodwin suggested that the proposed GLOCHANT outputs and functions of the START Regional Research Committee be attached before the final version is presented to the SCAR Executive. It was recommended that Goodwin and Thorley prepare a submission to SCAR Executive and Delegates to approve the establishment of a START Regional Committee for the Antarctic, and to outline that the function of the committee is to expand the national activities.

8.0 Reports on SCAR AND IGBP Linkages

Goodwin circulated copies of his report on the SCAR-IGBP discussions at the IGBP Core Project Officers' meeting at Texel, The Netherlands, 14-15 February 1996 (see Appendix 4).

The Texel Meeting recognised:

  1. That it is recognised that SCAR is responsible for a unique science agenda relating to a unique global region. Consequently there are a number of global change issues which relate to Antarctica alone and are not within the key foci of the IGBP Core Projects. This does not reduce the scientific importance of this Antarctic research but rather identifies a clear role for the coordination, facilitation and communication of this research by SCAR;
  2. That some identified Antarctic research areas have clear and direct linkages with components of the following IGBP Core Projects; PAGES, IGAC, GCTE, IGBP-DIS and START. These should be explored between the IGBP Core Projects, START and the SCAR Global Change Programme office and directly between the SCAR programme committees, working scientists and their IGBP counterparts. It is expected that the protocols for this relationship with the IGBP CPOs will develop during 1996 after consultation with their steering committees, and within SCAR.
  3. That SCAR is well on the way to being appointed to the responsibility for establishing and maintaining the START Regional Research Committee for the Antarctic.

9.0 Review discussion on the SCAR Global Change Task Groups on their status and future directions

9.1 ISMASS

Bentley reported that the group had held their 3rd meeting in Chamonix, on the 17th September 1995. The completed minutes of the meeting will be published in SCAR Report No 12. He outlined the objectives of the ISMASS project, and that a draft science plan had been circulated to members of the task group for comment. Bentley stated that the 1st priority was to evaluate the present-day mass balance and the evaluate the accuracy of mass balance estimates. This 1st task will be achieved with the use of remote sensing and aerial radio-echo sounding along the ice sheet/glacier grounding zones. Goodwin commented that it may be more appropriate to focus the project on representative drainage basins rather than the whole continent, and that this would be more appealing to the national programmes. Bentley opined that such a focus would not represent a significant advance over what is already being done. Goodwin also asked whether it would be appropriate to tie the present mass balance to past changes in the ice sheet and dynamics. Bentley agreed that this may a second stage of the project. Allison questioned whether we can accurately determine the present mass balance.

9.2 PICE

Raynaud tabled the document which the PICE/PAGES group are preparing on a 'Bipolar strategy for ice core drilling', which outlines the science objectives for drilling at sites in Greenland and the Antarctic. Raynaud reported that the PICE group held its 3rd meeting in Boston, on the 14–15 September 1995. The completed minutes of the meeting will be published in SCAR Report No 12. Raynaud stated that the main function of PICE was to coordinate the drilling projects. To do this PICE will need an annual meeting for exchange of data, and to evaluate the drilling progress and analysis of ice cores.

9.3 ASPECT

The ASPECT planning group met throughout the main GLOCHANT meeting and produced a final draft science plan. See section 15.2 for a more comprehensive discussion.

9.4 EASIZ

Clarke presented a brief report of EASIZ activities. See section 3.2.1 for more detailed report.

9.5 BIOTAS

Clarke gave a brief report on BIOTAS activities, now in their 10th year. See section 3.2.2. Clarke reported on behalf of Dr Ron Lewis Smith the new chairman of BIOTAS. The group plans to sample ice core material collected on ITASE for biological propagules, to investigate how biological propagules are dispersed. BIOTAS also have a major focus on the effects of enhanced UV radiation on simple ecosystems, and also on the recolonisation of ecosystems subsequent to ice retreat.

10.0 Discussion on SCAR-IGBP (PAGES) sponsored ITASE project

Mayewski gave an outline and history of the ITASE project, and tabled the ITASE planning document, previously prepared in February 1992. ITASE is concerned with the high resolution interpretation and documentation of the last 100-200 years of the climate, atmosphere and surface conditions over the Antarctic ice sheet, by the 3-D mapping of major snow chemistry, stable isotopes, accumulation rate, high resolution radar and temperature. He explained that some ITASE traverses have been completed by national programmes since 1992. These include the Chinese and the Swedish/Norwegian programmes. A US workshop on ITASE is being held on May 22-23, in Baltimore, and an international workshop will be held in Cambridge, on August 2-3, prior to XXIV SCAR and will focus on the determination of an updated science and implementation plan, and the coordination of logistic support. The workshop has PAGES sponsorship and Mayewski requested joint sponsorship by SCAR-GLOCHANT. This was discussed and recommended by the GoS.

ITASE has international linkages with: SCAR-GLOCHANT, PICE and ISMASS groups, SCAR-PACA, BIOTAS; IGBP/IGAC-PASC, SO-JGOFS, and WCRP CLIVAR.

The subject of how ITASE will fit into GLOCHANT was discussed. Similar to PICE it is jointly sponsored by GLOCHANT and PAGES. It forms a component of the PICE and ISMASS groups and directly contributes to their science objectives. Therefore it is an existing SCAR and PAGES sponsored activity which falls within GLOCHANT. Goodwin and Mayewski proposed to the group that a project on the 'Compilation of the existing ITASE data covering the last 200 years, and collected by expeditions over the last 30 years' could be sponsored by GLOCHANT and undertaken by the SCCP office in Hobart. This was discussed and it was recommended that GLOCHANT would ask XXIV SCAR to financially support the compilation project instead of support for an ITASE workshop in 1997/98. The proposed compilation data set would include: accumulation rate; stable isotopes; chemistry (major anions and cations, MSA), hydrogen Peroxide (H2O2), organic acids; trace metals; microparticles; cosmogenic isotopes; and borehole temperatures.

11.0 Discussion on status of Ozone and trace gas research

Artaxo reported that ozone research and monitoring is being covered globally but not specifically by one programme in the Antarctic. The ozone monitoring and modelling is being covered mainly by three international programmes: GLONET, SPARC and GAIM. These have a global coverage including Antarctica.

Artaxo reported that trace gas research and monitoring is not being adequately covered by any international programmes. Individual projects are supported within some national Antarctic programmes, or by national agencies. These take care of the important issue of trace gas monitoring in Antarctica. Artaxo suggested that GLOCHANT should recommend to IGAC to integrate Antarctic and global trace gas monitoring programmes. He also believes that there is poor communications between IGAC and PAGES, on correlating the research on modern and past compositions.

12.0 Discussion Paper 'After GLOCHANT Phase 1: the way ahead for SCAR Global Change Programme'

Goodwin circulated copies of his discussion paper and discussed the issues relating to the interactions between SCAR and the global change community, and the need to redefine the direction of GLOCHANT and its structure (See Appendix 5). Goodwin suggested that GLOCHANT had fulfilled its initial role in establishing a programme and working towards linkages with other international programmes. He also suggested that GLOCHANT had so far failed to deliver products or defined outputs, and that this should be the new focus for a Phase 2.

13.0 Open discussions on the way ahead

13.1 Interactions with the global change community; the reorganisation of the GoS; and the interactions between GLOCHANT and other SCAR activities.

Cattle agreed and stated that GLOCHANT had not involved itself with the mainstream or high profile issues, and had only focused on its ToR 1 and 2 (section 1.1). He believed that GLOCHANT should have contributed to the recent IPCC assessment. This was supported by many members of the GoS, who agreed that the ToR 1 and 2 were being covered by the programme office, and that GLOCHANT should focus on 3 and 4 (see section 1.1). Mayewski and Cattle suggested that one useful role would be to produce a document on the 'Status of Global Change in the Antarctic' which would build on the original white book. This was discussed and agreed to in principle. For further comment see section 18.0.

With respect to the structure of the SCAR Global Change Programme and its representation within GLOCHANT or another replacement body, Priddle asked that the group define the programme. He stated that the programme is the sum of the relevant SCAR projects, and that he believed that more aspects should be included in the GoS, in order to promote and develop projects as they are required. This was discussed by the group and a proposed new structure for GLOCHANT, as the START Regional Research Committee for the Antarctic, emerged as follows:

There was extensive discussions on whether this structure would be best suited to the GoS structure or would require an executive type structure within SCAR. It was recommended that the best structure would be the GoS, and recommended that Phase 2 of GLOCHANT should have a change of personnel which reflects the make-up of the above organisations, groups and specialists.

Clarke urged GLOCHANT to actively provide a specialist role on global change matters to the Antarctic Treaty.

13.2 Future global change conferences

Goodwin tabled the 1st circular for the Antarctica and Global Change Conference, to be held in Hobart, Australia, 13-18 July 1997. GLOCHANT had previously agreed to co-sponsor the conference. Most of the participants expressed some disappointment that it would not be a truly multi-disciplinary meeting since it concentrated on physical sciences, with the Annals of Glaciology chosen as a publication venue. Bentley stated that when GLOCHANT had agreed to co-sponsor the conference, the intention was to hold a truly multidisciplinary conference. Bentley suggested that in future GLOCHANT sponsorship should only be decided when the subtopics/themes for a conference have been finalised. It was recommended for GLOCHANT to prepare a review paper on global change in the Antarctic and a paper on the SCAR Global Change Programme for presentation at the Hobart conference.

Most of the GoS and participants expressed the opinion that arrangements should be initiated to hold a multidisciplinary conference on Antarctic global change as soon as possible. Bentley proposed holding a SCAR Global Change Symposium in Christchurch in 2000, which will coincide with the XXVI SCAR meeting. This was agreed to by all present. Other opportunities for GLOCHANT participation include, the 'Global change and Polar Regions Conference' to be held in Tromsø, Norway, in July 1998, and C. Schlüchter suggested that the INQUA Congress in Durban, South Africa in July 1999, would be a suitable venue.

13.3 Task group requirements

Bentley asked all Task Group chairmen to submit the 1996-98 budget requests to Goodwin, as soon as possible. Task Groups need to prioritise their projects within the science and implementation plan framework, taking into account the known/probable national logistics contribution.

13.4 COMNAP interactions

It was recommended to make a presentation of GLOCHANT programmes to COMNAP in August 1996, in Cambridge, U.K.. The presentation will outline the logistics requirements of international SCAR global change research. The chairmen of Task Groups were asked to submit a list of logistic requirements to the programme office, to be discussed with COMNAP in August 1996, in Cambridge, U.K..

13.5 Handling and dissemination of Antarctic global change data

Thorley reported that the ad hoc SCAR-COMNAP data management group will evolve to a 2nd phase at XXIV SCAR. He stated that there is an urgent need for the management and rescue of historical data for the global change community to use as baseline data in the assessment of change.

13.6 Mapping support for global change task groups

Allison proposed that the chairmen of ITASE and ISMASS send a letter requesting the WG on Geodesy and Geographic Information System to assist GLOCHANT with mapping support of historical data sets. This was recommended by the GoS. Goodwin presented an outline of the BEDMAP project to produce an updated bedrock map of Antarctica, which has been proposed as an ISMASS product. David Vaughan, Chris Doake of BAS and Hans Oerter of AWI have prepared a prospectus which was tabled. The GoS agreed to endorse the proposal and encourage its establishment.

13.7 Future directions for SCAR involvement in global change modelling

Cattle stated that the WCRP and IGBP GAIM modelling was broad-scale, coarse resolution and that the needs of the Antarctic community may not be met by the global based modelling. Consequently there is a need to develop specific regional models. Foldvik commented that the Antarctic has many specific and unique ice-atmosphere-ocean boundary conditions which need to be communicated to the modellers. Similarly the models require detailed validation with field or remotely sensed data.

14.0 Discussion on the need for a new SCAR initiative: Antarctic Ice Margin Evolution (ANTIME) on the correlation of research on the Marine and Terrestrial sedimentary records

14.1 Short papers on the overall concept, aims, scientific emphasis and framework

Goodwin circulated a discussion paper entitled: 'The need for a SCAR-GLOCHANT / IGBP-PAGES regional project on the Late Quaternary evolution of the Antarctic ice margin' (See Appendix 6). Goodwin then gave a short presentation and spoke about the paper. The central issue is that it was intended from the outset that SCAR-GLOCHANT would establish a task group to look at the Quaternary palaeoenvironmental record from both ice cores and the sedimentary record. However, only a task group on the ice cores had been established, jointly with PAGES. It is crucial in our understanding of ice sheet fluctuations and response to changing forcings that we correlate the palaeoenvironmental history from the ice cores and the marine and terrestrial sedimentary records.

Domack then presented a paper on Holocene environmental/climate changes in the Antarctic Peninsula region from high resolution fjord bottom sedimentary records. These palaeoenvironmental records demonstrate a high correlation with those from Antarctic ice cores and to some extent bipolar ice core evidence. Anderson followed with a presentation on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet Initiative (WAIS) and raised a number of important questions/issues which the proposed ANTIME initiative could make a significant contribution to solving. These questions/issues are:

Anderson reported that the evidence suggests a complex system of ice sheet/ice stream grounding and retreat episodes. He suggested that the trough mouth fans which occur at the edge of the shelf breaks for many of the major drainage basins, are perhaps the best targets for drilling, since they have escaped grounding and could provide a continuous Quaternary record. There was a consensus that the ANTOSTRAT project had successfully obtained a comprehensive seismic survey coverage of many parts of the continental shelf. However, the Quaternary record is just in the bubble pulse of the ANTOSTRAT seismic records. Anderson suggested that the proposed ANTIME initiative on the Quaternary could be used to 'ground truth' the earlier geological record.

Anderson summarised some of the research contributions which are needed to be made:

Powell gave a presentation on the modes and rates of change at the grounding zones of glaciers and marine ending ice sheets. He demonstrated the results on the morphology and sedimentology of these zones from his work with remote observation vehicles (ROV). This work is enabling the documentation of modern grounding lines; and assists in the prediction of the response of modern ice bodies to sea-level, climate and bed forcings; and assists in the interpretation of the past grounding and retreat episodes on the shelf. He also commented on the future applicability of emplacing ROV through ice shelf boreholes to explore the morphology and processes beneath ice shelves. Clarke commented that these ROV observations would be useful to EASIZ and suggested a collaboration between EASIZ and ANTIME, particularly on benthic evolution following deglaciation of the shelf.

14.2 Potential interactions between ANTIME and PICE

Schlüchter commented that a large gap in knowledge exists with respect to the correlation of ice core stratigraphy with the sedimentary record close to the ice sheets and outlet glaciers. Raynaud commented that we need to have a main focus on whether a type of Heinrich event, or some rapid events occurred in the Southern Ocean between 20-40 k yr B.P. Anderson agreed and stated that he and J. Andrews were in fact researching that, but that it is difficult to interpret ice rafting north of the shelf break. Raynaud also stated that we should bear in mind that the atmosphere and oceans were probably operating out of phase during the glacial cycles. He also strongly supported the establishment of an ANTIME project as he believed that the correlation of the ice core and sedimentary records was long overdue.

14.3 Recommendations for proceeding with the ANTIME proposal

The GLOCHANT group and the other participants recommended that a proposal to hold an International ANTIME workshop be presented to the delegates at XXIV SCAR. It was agreed following a subsequent session that the aim of the workshop would be to bring together representatives of all the marine and terrestrial glacial geological programmes together with those representatives of the ice core programmes. The workshop would focus on the Late Quaternary, particularly the last few glacial cycles and the Holocene. The five key themes for the workshop are as follows:

It was recommended that Goodwin would coordinate the preparation of a proposal for the ANTIME workshop, (with Anderson, Domack, Powell, Schlüchter and Foldvik) to be completed by June 1996. The proposal would the be sent to all SCAR glacial and marine geologists for comment, before being presented to the joint meeting of the Working Groups on Geology and Solid Earth Geophysics at Cambridge. Following this, the proposal will be presented by GLOCHANT to SCAR and PAGES for approval.

There was a discussion on whether joint sponsorship of the workshop with INQUA and or IGCP would be of benefit. It was agreed that Goodwin should contact the presidents of INQUA and IGCP and inform them of the proposal and seek a letter of support for the initiative. In the longer term Schlüchter suggested that part of the ANTIME initiative could form a joint SCAR-IGCP correlation project.

15.0 Marine research in the Southern Ocean and on the Antarctic continental margin

15.1 Discussion on carbon cycle issues

P. Treguer presented the following report on recent developments in carbon cycle research.

Under the of the European Institute for Marine Studies (University of Western Brittany), of the National Institute for Sciences of Universe (INSU-CNRS) and of the French Polar Institute, together with sponsorships of SCOR and SCAR, a symposium on "carbon fluxes and dynamic processes: present and past " was held in Brest on 28-31 August 1995. The Organising Committee was chaired by J. Le Fèvre, CNRS. 210 scientists, originating from 19 countries, took part in 16 sessions and in 2 round-tables, discussing the advancement of Antarctic science during Phase I (1990-1995) of SO-JGOFS.

During this symposium the SO-JGOFS community demonstrated that Phase I provided enough data to describe and to model the variations of the carbon cycle, at different time scales, and for the different subsystems that composed the Southern Ocean. This is important because the Southern Ocean responded very fast to climate changes in the past. It is now clear that the Southern Ocean as a whole is at present a small net sink for atmospheric CO2: about 0.2-0.4 GCT yr-1 (i.e. about 10-20 % of the world ocean total). Iron fertilisation experiments, comparable to those that have been conducted in the Equatorial Pacific, are now planned at an international level for Antarctic environments, possibly involving experiments from the US and from an Australian-French-New Zealand collaboration. There has also been major progress made in process studies, especially in the carbon transport through the trophic network. The results also place attention on mechanisms which explain the relatively good preservation of biogenic material in abyssal antarctic sediments, compared to coastal sediments. One crucial outcome of the symposium relates to the use of proxies for palaeoproduction in Antarctic environments: long-term opal accumulation appears to be decoupled to primary production, but sedimentary uranium concentrations in anoxic sediments appear to give good responses to carbon fluxes delivered to the sea-bed.

15.2 Presentation of the ASPECT science plan

At the GLOCHANT-III meeting it was determined that EASIZ, WCRP, and other programmes, do not together cover the full scope of required Antarctic sea ice zone research. There is a special role for the SCAR Global Change Programme in the shelf to ice-edge area (pack ice) that is not being adequately covered by other programmes, and for providing information on the sea ice system for development of coupled models: current models do not include all of the sea ice processes that are important and many important parameters are not available. The role of sea ice (including albedo feedback, ice thickness, flux correction and ice dynamics) has not been well addressed and sea ice should be incorporated into both climate and ecological models. SO-JGOFS would welcome development of models that include sea ice.

Important problems, that are not being adequately covered by existing Antarctic research programmes include:

  1. Broad climatology of sea ice physical characteristics. Satellite derived data provide large scale estimates of ice extent and concentration, but not of the thickness of ice and snow, which are the primary variables affecting many physical and biological processes, as well as climate processes.
  2. Pack ice ecology, a key component of the polar marine environment.
  3. Processes such as ice formation, water mass modification, the maintenance of polynyas, ice edge and coastal fronts, gas exchange, and air-sea interaction.
  4. Modelling sea-ice processes (physics and ecology) in coupled atmosphere-ice-upper ocean models. Linking scales (local scale to regional scale to global scale models).

ASPECT (Antarctic Sea Ice Processes, Ecosystems and Climate) is proposed as a programme of multidisciplinary Antarctic sea ice zone research within the SCAR Global Change Programme, specifically addressing these key identified deficiencies in our understanding and data from the zone. ASPECT is designed to complement the other international programmes in this region, whilst carefully avoiding duplication.

A task group of Allison, Ackley, Clarke, Foldvik, Priddle, Treguer and Goodwin met in conjunction with GLOCHANT-IV on Tuesday 9 April, and at several evening sessions to draft a Science Plan for the ASPECT programme. Allison presented the draft plan to GLOCHANT-IV The draft science plan has been written to complement other programmes such as: EASIZ, SCOR WG-86, SO-JGOFS, SO-GLOBEC, CLIVAR and ACSYS. The ASPECT programme will achieve its aims by:

It is intended that the plan will include a "data rescue component" and will also enable new sea-ice projects to be established within SCAR national programmes.

The final draft science plan will be edited by the programme office in Hobart. It was recommended that the plan should be circulated to the SCAR Executive, the WG's on Glaciology and Biology and GoSSOE by late June 1996, to allow their review of the plan prior to the XXIV SCAR meeting.

15.3 Research needs on ice shelf-ocean interactions and response to climate change

Foldvik lead the discussion by making a short presentation to highlight some of the issues with our present understanding of ice shelf-ocean interactions. His presentation was entitled: 'Why is the Weddell Sea dominating the Antarctic bottom water formation?' He discussed shelf-break mixing, the role of offshore polynyas, coastal polynyas, wind and tidally driven circulation and their role in ice shelf stability and oceanic circulation. Foldvik concluded that a warming of only 0.2°C in the ice shelf bottom water may have significant effects on the production of bottom water and grounding line stability.

There was considerable discussion on this suggested mechanism for ice shelf melting and all participants recommended that research on ice shelf-ocean interaction should be receiving more attention within GLOCHANT and SCAR. Anderson commented that geologists provide boundary conditions for ice shelf bottom water production and ask modellers to then determine the oceanographic conditions. In view of this remark Bentley recommended that ice shelf and bottom water history should be included in the ANTIME initiative, and that GLOCHANT should recommend to the WG on Glaciology and the ISMASS task group to develop a research focus on ice shelf-ocean interactions.

15.4 Discussion on Antarctic oceanography within the SCAR Global Change Programme. Is a joint SCAR-SCOR initiative required?

Ackley stated that presently much polar marine science takes place outside SCAR. In Rome at XXIII SCAR continental science was supported at the expense of marine science within GLOCHANT. Ackley suggested that SCAR should extend its scientific coverage north to the Antarctic Treaty boundary at 60°S, and that this could be coordinated with SCOR. Foldvik suggested that a workshop on air-ice-ocean interaction and boundary processes was a high priority for GLOCHANT. Allison and Clarke stated that the approval of ASPECT together with EASIZ would be a good foundation for SCAR's polar marine science effort. Ackley suggested that we should recommend a joint SCAR-SCOR sponsorship of ANZONE. Ackley will follow this up with SCOR and ANZONE. Cattle commented that there was also no present advocacy for WCRP CLIVAR in the Antarctic and that GLOCHANT should develop that linkage with CLIVAR.

It was recommended by the participants that Priddle and Goodwin should work towards formalising and re-initiating the relationship between SCOR and SCAR, particularly between SCOR and the SCAR Global Change programme. It was also recommended that Goodwin, Foldvik and Priddle draft a letter to COMNAP and the SCAR Executive, informing them that oceanography is a large gap in our research and that a coordinated initiative in polar marine science should be pursued between SCAR and SCOR.

16.0 Resolution of the way ahead anad determination of recommendations to XXIV SCAR for Antarctic Global Change Research

In summary, the GoS resolved that GLOCHANT should continue as a GoS rather than be replaced with an executive structure. It was recommended that the membership composition of GLOCHANT be reviewed by SCAR and be replaced with the following structure:

A chairman of each of the SCAR groups; ASPECT, ISMASS, PICE, ITASE, EASIZ, BIOTAS, and other task groups such as ANTIME when they become approved;

Bentley commented that a balance must be achieved in the political and national representation. Artaxo replied that the chairmen of the above science programmes were essentially from English speaking countries and that their appointment to GLOCHANT would be politically too narrow. Raynaud raised the same concerns and suggested the possibility of some non-English speaking chairmen coupled with the appointment of corresponding English speaking secretaries. Cattle reminded the group that the most important criteria for membership selection should be the level of an individuals motivation to contribute. Goodwin agreed and commented that the success of the whole SCAR Global Change Programme relies heavily on the participation of member scientists outside of annual meetings. Thorley added that the main reason for a new membership structure is to establish a suitable committee to fulfil the role required by START to form the START Regional Research Committee for the Antarctic. Foldvik reminded the group that SCAR originally selected the GoS/GLOCHANT group according to nationality and scientific expertise.

It was recommended that GLOCHANT propose to SCAR that the membership and scientific representation of GLOCHANT should be re-evaluated and replaced with a substantial representation from the global change activities within SCAR, and that those individuals are required to be motivated and willing to participate widely. It was also decided that a name change may be suitable, but that this was a matter for SCAR.

Raynaud recommended that the GLOCHANT task groups and other related SCAR groups be consulted about the proposed changes and request their suggestions for membership of the new GoS. He also reminded the group that some of the task groups and related SCAR groups were jointly sponsored by other international organisations, such as IGBP PAGES and JGOFS and that there is a need for continued co-chairmanship from both organisations. It was recommended to send a copy of the Report to SCAR to the IGBP Secretariat and the PAGES and JGOFS CPOs.

17.0 GLOCHANT Report to XX Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting

Thorley presented a draft report. Bentley asked all participants to review the report and to make contributions where necessary. He asked that these changes be made quickly and sent to Goodwin at the Hobart Office.

18.0 Carry over items from earlier discussions

There was a summary discussion on the proposal for GLOCHANT to produce a document on the Assessment of Global Change in Antarctica.

It was recommended that the GoS/GLOCHANT will prepare a short (5 page) prospectus on the assessment of global change in Antarctica (i.e, updating the "white book"). This will accompany a report to XXIV SCAR requesting their support for a full 2 year Assessment of Global Change in the Antarctic region. The document will be coordinated and edited by Goodwin in the Hobart office. Topics to be covered by the initial prospectus are:

Bentley recommended that GLOCHANT could endorse the Polar Regions and Global Change meeting in Tromsø, in 1998, if it can demonstrate a truly multi-disciplinary agenda. He recommended that GLOCHANT urge the SCAR Executive to request the Tromsø conference organisers to make the conference multi-disciplinary. GLOCHANT Task Group and EASIZ chairman (Bentley, Allison, Raynaud and Clarke) were asked to submit suitable session topics to the Tromsø organisers.

19.0 Statement of GLOCHANT Finances

Bentley presented a statement of finances and the funds held for a meeting of the now defunct Planning Group 4 were discussed. It was recommended to transfer the funds to the next financial year to support ASPECT.

20.0 Summary and overview of meeting developments

Bentley summarised the meeting developments, especially with regard to the second phase of GLOCHANT. He thanked all present for their contributions to a very successful meeting.

21.0 Next meeting

The next formal meeting will be held in Hobart, Australia, 9-12 July 1997.
There will be scope for informal meetings at XXIV SCAR between some GLOCHANT representatives and the SCAR WGs and other GoS.
The meeting closed at 1330 hours on Saturday 13 April 1996.

Rapporteur
Dr Ian D. Goodwin
SCAR Global Change Programme Coordinator