Oceans play an important role in cycling gases that interact with the Earth’s atmosphere and the climate system.  Many of these gases (CO2, CH4, N2O) contribute to climate warming, while others (DMS) have a cooling effect by promoting cloud formation.  The Arctic Ocean is thought to be particularly active in exchanging these gases, but putting precise numbers on that exchange is challenging, due largely to the complicating presence of sea ice.  Through collaboration with ArcticNet (NCE) and Canadian Arctic GEOTRACES (NSERC CCAR), the overarching goal of this project is to understand the pre

Mercury is one of the primary contaminants of concern in the Arctic marine ecosystem. Co-funded by the Canadian Arctic GEOTRACES (NSERC CCAR) and ArcticNet (NCE) programs, the objective of this research is to address three major knowledge gaps in our understanding of mercury biogeochemical cycling in the Arctic: 1) how significant is the air-sea exchange of mercury during the summer-time? 2) how is the seawater distribution of mercury affected by changing sea ice and hydrography? and 3) what is the process leading to mercury methylation in the sub-surface of the water column?

This project will look at the interactions between the ocean, sea ice and lower atmosphere.  In order to accurately predict the movement of sea ice and ice break-up accurate estimates of surface winds are needed. During late August and early September, on ice met towers will be deployed in the Beaufort Sea collecting near surface winds, temperature, humidity and pressure. The met towers will collect data on ice for ideally 6 – 12 months.

There is a lack of knowledge on sources, properties and effects of organic aerosols in the Arctic, especially during spring when high concentrations or aerosols, Arctic haze, is observed. 

In this pilot project we will

In the Arctic, following an initial bloom of bottom ice algae in early spring, primary producers can start their spring bloom in the water column below a melting sea ice cover. Snow melt and the formation of melt ponds on the ice surface lower the ice surface greatly increase light transmission through the ice. The levels and spatiotemporal variability in the transmitted light levels are not well understood at present, particularly for ultraviolet (UV) wavelengths.

Light is an important factor to determine the beginning of the algal development. Important variations of light conditions are observed in the sea-ice environment during spring period, from important snow pack conditions (low light) to the formation of meltponds (high light). Sea ice microalgae possess high photosynthetic plasticity to acclimate, which may depend of their niche habitats.

There have been dramatic changes to the sea ice regime in all sectors of the Arctic. These changes are both affected by and have effects on the physical and meteorological processes operating across the ocean-sea ice-atmosphere (OSA) interface. They also affect how industry must plan and prepare for exploration and development projects involving oil and gas and associated transportation of resources.

The objective is to describe the distribution and characteristics of the sediments found in the glacier ice, water column and sea ice, and to determine the physical mechanisms involved. Sediment dynamics has not been studied in the region, however in general, sediment sources will include the melting glacier ice and coastal erosion, and ocean currents and turbulence provide the forcing to keep sediments in suspension. As sea ice forms in fall, frazil ice scavenges sediment and entrains it into the ice cover, a process called suspension freezing.

The observation that microbes are present in the atmosphere dates back to the time of Pasteur. However, for most of the time the atmosphere was only considered a passive path of transmission through which microbial cells were spread from one location to the other. Over the last 25 years it has become more and more evident that microbes participate in central atmospheric process such as the formation of cloud droplets, which ultimately leads to precipitation. Consequently, they may play an important role in Earth water cycle.