Role of radiative forcing on the sea ice melt-growth cycle in a changing Arctic marine environment - Northern**Research Supplement

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The Arctic sea ice cover is in rapid decline due to global warming with yet another new record low reached in 2012. The diminishing ice cover is having a discernible impact on the polar marine environment. However, the extent of this impact on future changes to climate, carbon cycling and ecosystems remains uncertain. At the root is how surface radiative forcing affects changes in sea ice properties, and how these changes in turn modulate the forcing. Such interactions form the base of complex climate feedbacks operating in the Arctic. Considering the vastness of the area of sea ice (~10 million km2 or roughly the size of Canada) that forms and then melts each year, the importance of a comprehensive understanding of the processes driving this cycle cannot be overstated.** In this Northern Research Supplement proposal, I seek the additional funds required to support both field camp and ship-based sea ice research in the Canadian Arctic. The objective of the proposed research is to investigate how the melting of the sea ice is partitioned between surface, interior and bottom, and how much heat is retained in the upper ocean layers where it can delay fall freeze-up and slow ice growth. Our ability to predict future climate change and variability rests on understanding these processes. The focus is on radiative forcing and associated feedbacks as these interactions exert a dominant control on the surface energy balance in the Arctic. I will also utilize information from how radiation interacts with sea ice and seawater constituents to develop non-invasive optical methods to infer physical, biological and chemical properties in real-time at high spatial and temporal resolutions. ** The proposed research will advance our knowledge of sea ice processes and climate feedbacks, develop new optical techniques that addresses logistical challenges in data collection, train new students in Arctic environmental research and ultimately, benefit northerners by improving climate predictions that will help communities and various levels of government adapt to climate change.