An AON-USArray observing network in Arctic Alaska

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PUBLIC ABSTRACTThis project establishes a distributed network of multi-sensor platforms (i.e., an AON-USArray) across the U.S. Arctic. The Arctic is changing rapidly. Arctic temperatures are increasing at more than twice the global average. Sea ice is retreating. Permafrost is thawing. Collectively, these factors are altering Arctic landscapes as well as the behavior and ranges of wildlife. Wildfire is extending into areas that previously did not burn. Retreating glaciers and thawing ground are increasing landslides. Real-time data are crucial to understanding these impacts and the underlying drivers. This new project is repurposing transportable array stations in Alaska to track environmental change by transitioning ownership and operational responsibilities for 45 stations in northern and western Alaska. These 45 stations cover 8% of the U.S. land area in a region where monitoring is sparse at best, and nonexistent in many places. These stations fill critical data gaps and support a range of science by streaming data types from co-located sensors. Meteorological sensors fill major holes in weather and climate observations. Soil temperature probes track the progressive warming of the soil and decay of permafrost. Weather and soil observations, in turn, support wildfire modeling. In addition to earthquakes and landslides, signals from the seismic sensors can track environmental changes tied to glacier movement and sea ice thickness. Infrasound, sound waves below the threshold of human hearing, track these observations from the solid earth into the atmosphere. The facility operating under this award provides wide benefit because of its large geographic extent, grid-like spacing, and the broad assemblage of sensor types that combines atmospheric with solid earth capabilities. All data from the facility are open-access and disseminated through well-established community data portals. The multi-sensor AON-USArray stations define the state-of-the-art in lightweight, remote Arctic sensor platforms. The AON-USArray stations capture wind speed and direction, precipitation, barometric pressure, temperature, relative humidity, broadband seismic, infrasound, and soil temperature at depths up to 3 meters. The value of the network is enhanced by the variety of instruments located at each station, encouraging cross-disciplinary research. This network includes an evaluation of the AON-USArray data in the context of comparable datasets. The research evaluation of the data is important for deciding (i) whether the network should be sustained beyond the end of the project; (ii) what changes or enhancements will improve the data; and (iii) how to engage new stakeholders in the projects. These evaluations will be conducted within the context of larger studies already underway by the PIs and collaborators. Except for soil temperature (which is retrieved on-site), data are streamed in real-time through satellite and cellular telemetry, providing important tests of these evolving technologies and their feasibility for use in remote science applications. Beyond research, real-time data from the project are in use by other federal agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, the Department of Defense, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and the US Geological Survey. The project has the potential to expand this set of stakeholders and partnerships significantly by providing long-term time-series data and by expanding the current sensor capabilities. These partnerships will grow the suite of sensor capabilities and sustain the facility as a long-term platform beyond the lifespan of this AON project.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.