Public Abstract

DE-SC0019251: Enhanced atmospheric research at the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC)

Award Status: Inactive

Institution: The Regents of the University of Colorado d/b/a University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
UEI: SPVKK1RC2MZ3
DUNS: 007431505

Most Recent Award Date: 05/27/2021
Number of Support Periods: 3
PM: Nasiri, Shaima

Current Budget Period: 09/01/2020 - 02/28/2022
Current Project Period: 09/01/2018 - 02/28/2022
PI: Shupe, Matthew

Supplement Budget Period: N/A

Public Abstract

The Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) is motivated by the changing Arctic climate and rapidly declining sea ice. This international project is designed to provide comprehensive measurements extending from the atmosphere, through the sea ice, and into the ocean in the central Arctic Basin. MOSAiC’s overall goal is to provide a process-based foundation for improved model representations of central Arctic weather, sea-ice forecasting, and climate prediction. The project will involve an icebreaker frozen into the sea ice as a central observatory for coupled-system observations, surrounded by a distributed array of measurements to provide heterogeneity on model grid-box scales. This will all be linked to multi-scale, pan-Arctic observational and modeling activities. For MOSAiC, the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program has agreed to support a project titled “The MOSAiC Atmosphere” wherein it will operate its ARM Mobile Facility #2 and Mobile Aerosol Observing System. Through these measurements, ARM will enable a great deal of research to examine processes related to the Arctic surface energy budget, clouds and precipitation, aerosols, and atmospheric boundary layer structure. These atmosphere measurements will support coupled system research when combined with coordinated ice, ocean, biogeochemical, and ecosystem observations made during MOSAiC. As argued in the ARM proposal, participation and engagement by the proposing science team is essential for the mission’s success. This Atmospheric System Research (ASR) project will provide the needed scientific participation. The overarching goal of this project is to maximize the impact of DOE-supported activities, within the context of the broader MOSAiC, on the scientific interests of DOE, ASR, the US Arctic research community, and international Arctic stakeholders. It will: (1) Support the initial design, planning, and implementation of ARM observations so they are well coordinated with other observational and modeling activities to successfully fulfill the MOSAiC Science Plan; (2) Facilitate the operational success of ARM observations through field coordination and data oversight; and (3) Enable broader use of ARM’s MOSAiC observations through creation of initial high-value, cross-cutting data sets. The project’s work plan includes three phases: Preparation, Field operations, and Consolidation. For preparation, the project will help to design the detailed field implementation of ARM measurements, develop plans for coordinating ARM measurements with those from other MOSAiC participants, and support outreach to the DOE and international modeling communities with interest in MOSAiC results. The field operations phase will involve participation of the project principal investigator on the first leg of the MOSAiC project to support initial installation, establish methods and tools for routine oversight of ARM measurements, and document on-site activities. During the consolidation phase, the project will assess ARM surface energy budget measurements, develop cloud microphysics and core atmospheric synthesis data products, and communicate the details and early results of MOSAiC to a broad audience. The project will help ensure that MOSAiC, and ARM’s involvement in it, will promote the overall mission of the DOE Biological and Environmental Research division by supporting fundamental research to achieve predictive understanding of Earth’s complex climatic and environmental systems for a secure and sustainable energy future. In particular, the project will help to enable broad participation in MOSAiC-related research and amplify the overall scientific outcomes of MOSAiC.

The Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) is motivated by the changing Arctic climate and rapidly declining sea ice. This international project is designed to provide comprehensive measurements extending from the atmosphere, through the sea ice, and into the ocean in the central Arctic Basin. MOSAiC’s overall goal is to provide a process-based foundation for improved model representations of central Arctic weather, sea-ice forecasting, and climate prediction. The project will involve an icebreaker frozen into the sea ice as a central observatory for coupled-system observations, surrounded by a distributed array of measurements to provide heterogeneity on model grid-box scales. This will all be linked to multi-scale, pan-Arctic observational and modeling activities. For MOSAiC, the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program has agreed to support a project titled “The MOSAiC Atmosphere” wherein it will operate its ARM Mobile Facility #2 and Mobile Aerosol Observing System. Through these measurements, ARM will enable a great deal of research to examine processes related to the Arctic surface energy budget, clouds and precipitation, aerosols, and atmospheric boundary layer structure. These atmosphere measurements will support coupled system research when combined with coordinated ice, ocean, biogeochemical, and ecosystem observations made during MOSAiC.

As argued in the ARM proposal, participation and engagement by the proposing science team is essential for the mission’s success. This Atmospheric System Research (ASR) project will provide the needed scientific participation. The overarching goal of this project is to maximize the impact of DOE-supported activities, within the context of the broader MOSAiC, on the scientific interests of DOE, ASR, the US Arctic research community, and international Arctic stakeholders. It will: (1) Support the initial design, planning, and implementation of ARM observations so they are well coordinated with other observational and modeling activities to successfully fulfill the MOSAiC Science Plan; (2) Facilitate the operational success of ARM observations through field coordination and data oversight; and (3) Enable broader use of ARM’s MOSAiC observations through creation of initial high-value, cross-cutting data sets.

The project’s work plan includes three phases: Preparation, Field operations, and Consolidation. For preparation, the project will help to design the detailed field implementation of ARM measurements, develop plans for coordinating ARM measurements with those from other MOSAiC participants, and support outreach to the DOE and international modeling communities with interest in MOSAiC results. The field operations phase will involve participation of the project principal investigator on the first leg of the MOSAiC project to support initial installation, establish methods and tools for routine oversight of ARM measurements, and document on-site activities. During the consolidation phase, the project will assess ARM surface energy budget measurements, develop cloud microphysics and core atmospheric synthesis data products, and communicate the details and early results of MOSAiC to a broad audience.

The project will help ensure that MOSAiC, and ARM’s involvement in it, will promote the overall mission of the DOE Biological and Environmental Research division by supporting fundamental research to achieve predictive understanding of Earth’s complex climatic and environmental systems for a secure and sustainable energy future. In particular, the project will help to enable broad participation in MOSAiC-related research and amplify the overall scientific outcomes of MOSAiC.