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

极地环境大气研究实验室（PEARL）的运营和维护支持

• 批准号: RTI-2017-00651
• 负责人: Strong, Kimberly
• 金额: $ 10.93万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=616739
• 关键词: Operations; Maintenance; Support; Polar; Environment

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.

北极仍然是地球上最不为人所知的环境之一，但它是全球气候变化的风向标，全球污染的接受者，全球气候系统的驱动力。北极正在迅速变化；在一些地区，表面温度上升的速度是地球其他地区的五倍。随着北极变化的影响传播到人口更稠密的低纬度地区，它们对所有加拿大人都有重要的影响。如果我们想要了解北极正在发生的事情、原因以及如何应对，长期的地面测量是绝对必要的。国际科学界一致认识到，迫切需要对北极的状况和过程进行直接观测，许多国家都高度重视北极研究。加拿大在这一领域有着特别的利害关系，因为北极的大部分陆地都在加拿大境内。然而，由于维持一个可行的研究地点的困难，在北极高海拔地区进行研究的机会非常有限。这项提议是为维护极地环境大气研究实验室(PEAR)所需的资金，该实验室位于加拿大环境和气候变化尤里卡气象站附近，距离北极只有1100公里。专门建造的实验室在晴朗的夜晚和能够监测和获得冬季极地涡旋内外的测量数据方面是独一无二的，冬季极地涡旋是许多大气研究的重点，因为它控制着北极和中纬度之间的空气交换。包括本科生和研究生、加拿大大学和政府研究人员以及国际调查人员在内的40多名科学家目前正在珍珠进行研究。珀尔设施使加拿大研究人员能够在加拿大远北地区进行具有国际竞争力的大气研究，以及与科学和环境相关的研究。珍珠的大气测量为一系列科学、政策和社会问题提供了重要的见解，从碳循环到臭氧消耗，从空气质量到辐射气候强迫，从动力学到天气预报和空中交通安全。北极高地还提供了加拿大迄今为止最好的天文地点，可以与智利和夏威夷的高质量国际地点相媲美，那里大部分时间天空晴朗，大气湍流非常低，图像非常清晰，空气极其干燥、寒冷。目前正在努力在珍珠建立一个新的天文观测站，以搜索类似地球的行星，并探测和跟踪潜在的危险空间碎片和近地小行星。所要求的支助将使PEARE能够加强运作，产生在加拿大独一无二的新数据和信息，并将回答大气科学和天文学方面紧迫的科学和社会问题。