IPY: Pan-Arctic Studies of the Coupled Tropospheric, Stratospheric and Mesospheric Circulation

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This proposal sets forth a three-year plan to study the circulation of the Arctic atmosphere during the upcoming IPY. Specifically, this is an observational study that combines satellite measurements, lidar measurements, and meteorological soundings and analyses to study the troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere. The study is an international collaboration between investigators at six institutions in Canada, Germany, Japan and the United States. The satellite observations yield global synoptic-scale temperature measurements of the mesosphere and upper stratosphere while the meteorological soundings and analyses provide global synoptic-scale measurements of the troposphere and lower stratosphere. An international network of four Rayleigh lidars located in observatories at Andoya, Norway (69N, 16E), Chatanika, Alaska (65N, 147W), Eureka, Nunavut (80N, 86W), and Kangarlussuaq, Greenland (67N, 51W), will provide a chain of high-resolution temperature measurements from the eastern Arctic to the western Arctic. The lidars will yield high-resolution measurements of the structure and circulation of the Arctic stratospheric vortex, the Aleutian anticyclone, the stratospheric surf-zone, planetary waves, tides, and gravity waves that are corroborated by the synoptic-scale satellite and meteorological observations. The proposed activity will provide a comprehensive analysis of the circulation of the Arctic atmosphere that will directly address the following specific studies; the structure, evolution, and variability of polar vortices and anticyclones, coupling and feedbacks between waves and large-scale circulation, links between the middle and lower atmosphere, atmospheric teleconnections, and modes of variability. This study will provide data and analyses in support of studies of ozone depletion, stratospheric climate, climate oscillations in the Arctic, and long-range horizontal and vertical transport in the Arctic. The proposed activity will support education and training of students in science and engineering. The activity will jointly draw on and contribute to research infrastructure in the Arctic, enhance international collaborations, and promote collaboration among observers, modelers and theorists. The research results will be integrated into the University of Alaska and University of Colorado IPY Education and Outreach programs and disseminated through a variety of professional, educational, and outreach programs.