Operations and Maintenance Support for the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL)

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The Arctic remains one of Earth's least understood environments and yet it is a bellwether for global climate change, a receptor for global pollution, and a driver for the global climate system. The Arctic is changing quickly; in some regions, the surface temperature is rising five times faster than the rest of the planet. As the effects of Arctic change propagate to more densely populated lower latitudes, they have important consequences for all Canadians. Long-term ground-based measurements are absolutely essential if we are to understand what is happening in the Arctic, the causes, and how to respond. The international scientific community unanimously recognizes the acute need for direct observation of conditions and processes in the Arctic, and many countries have assigned high priority to Arctic research. Canada has a particular stake in this arena because much of the Arctic land mass is within Canada. However, opportunities for doing research in the High Arctic are very limited because of the difficulties of maintaining a viable research site. This proposal is for the funds necessary to maintain the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) located near Environment and Climate Change Canada's Eureka Weather Station and only 1,100 km from the North Pole. The purpose-built laboratory is unique in its clear-sky nights and ability to monitor and obtain measurements from both inside and outside the winter polar vortex, which is the focus of much atmospheric research as it controls the exchange of air between the Arctic and mid-latitudes. More than 40 scientists, including undergraduate and graduate students, Canadian university and government researchers, and international investigators, are currently conducting research at PEARL. The PEARL facility enables Canadian researchers to perform internationally competitive, as well as scientifically and environmentally relevant, atmospheric research in Canada's far North. Atmospheric measurements at PEARL provide essential insights into an array of scientific, policy and societal issues ranging from the carbon cycle to ozone depletion, from air quality to radiative climate forcing, from dynamics to weather prediction and air traffic safety. The High Arctic also offers by far the best astronomical site in Canada and one that is comparable to high quality international sites in Chile and Hawaii, with clear skies most of the time, very low atmospheric turbulence which gives very sharp images, and extremely dry, cold air. Efforts are underway to establish a new astronomical observatory at PEARL to search for Earth-like planets and to detect and track potentially hazardous space debris and near-Earth asteroids. The requested support will enable enhanced operation of PEARL to generate new data and information that will be unique in Canada and will answer pressing scientific and societal questions in atmospheric science and astronomy.