International Arctic Research Center (IARC)

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This is a proposal for continued support of the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) at the university of Alaska Fairbanks. Under the theme of Climate of the Arctic: Modeling and Processes (CAMP), IARC will fill needed roles in arctic climatic research by using its unique international character to integrate and synthesize across discipline boundaries, thereby forming a connection between the arctic modeling and global modeling communities. IARC's projects are intended to enhance strategic collaboration for IARC's synthesis and integration efforts by international researchers who have agreed to participate in IARC's efforts. The present renewal proposal outlines research plans, and provides specific descriptions of the activities planned for the first year. Research areas central to the IARC effort include (1) permafrost/frozen-soil modeling, in which state-of-the-art soil hydrology and thermodynamic formulations will draw upon comprehensive field measurements and integrated datasets of permafrost, including data from the Barrow Permafrost Observatory; (2) changes of arctic biota/vegetation, for which pan-Arctic data will be used to drive simulations of changes in vegetative cover, the role of disturbance (e.g., fire), and feedbacks to externally forced climate change; (3) Arctic Ocean/sea ice studies in which the intersection of core activities (the Arctic Ocean Model Intercomparison Project and the Nansen-Amundsen Basin Observational System) will provide new insights into the disposition and variability of Atlantic water inflow to the Arctic; and (4) studies of arctic atmospheric processes that are central to simulating and projecting climate change, including studies of cloud-radiative and moisture feedbacks, changes in extreme events (e.g., floods, droughts, storms), and strategies for downscaling coarse-resolution model output to the Arctic. The international dimension will be enhanced by collaborative projects with Japanese scientists. Outreach activities will include the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA), for which the Secretariat is at IARC.