Collaborative Research: Snow, Weather and Shrubs: Winter Pathways of Change in the Arctic

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ABSTRACT OPP-9732077, 9732733 STURM, OLSSON CRREL, UNIV. ALASKA This project addresses the role of snow cover in the Arctic system, particularly on how Arctic snow characteristics arise from key meteorological events, and how these snow characteristics are modified by the snow-holding capacity of shrubs. By understanding these two processes, one regional, one local, the PIs expect to link snow cover to the general atmospheric circulation and large scale climate, yet still understand its impact on the arctic landscape and ecosystem at the local scale. The research program will combine field observations and physically-based numerical modeling to do two specific tasks: 1) understand, measure, and predict the depth distribution of the snow cover at a range of scales, and 2) understand, measure, and predit the variation in physical properties of the snow pack at the same scales. The measurements will allow the PIs to establish relationships between snow properties and weather, to investigate the interaction of snow and shrubs, and to test models. The predictions will require development and integration of snow distribution and atmospheric models, which in turn will be tested against measurements. These models can be used subsequently to investigate how the Arctic might respond to changes in climate.