An AON-USArray observing network in Arctic Alaska

公共摘要本项目建立了一个分布式网络的多传感器平台（即，AON-USAray）。北极正在迅速变化。北极的气温上升速度是全球平均水平的两倍多。海冰正在消退。永久冻土正在融化。总的来说，这些因素正在改变北极景观以及野生动物的行为和范围。野火正在蔓延到以前没有燃烧的地区。冰川退缩和地面融化正在增加山体滑坡。实时数据对于理解这些影响和潜在驱动因素至关重要。这个新项目正在重新利用阿拉斯加的可移动阵列站，通过转移阿拉斯加北方和西部45个站的所有权和运营责任来跟踪环境变化。这45个监测站覆盖了美国陆地面积的8%，在这个地区，监测充其量是稀疏的，在许多地方根本不存在。这些站点填补了关键的数据空白，并通过从位于同一地点的传感器传输数据类型来支持一系列科学。气象传感器填补了天气和气候观测的主要空白。土壤温度探测器跟踪土壤的逐渐变暖和永久冻土的衰减。天气和土壤观测反过来支持野火建模。除了地震和山体滑坡，来自地震传感器的信号还可以跟踪与冰川运动和海冰厚度相关的环境变化。次声，低于人类听力阈值的声波，跟踪这些从固体地球到大气层的观测。根据该奖项运营的设施提供了广泛的利益，因为它的大地理范围，网格状的间距，以及结合大气与固体地球能力的传感器类型的广泛组合。该设施的所有数据都是开放的，并通过完善的社区数据门户网站传播。多传感器AON-USAray站定义了轻量级远程北极传感器平台的最新技术水平。AON-USAray站可捕捉风速和风向、降水、气压、温度、相对湿度、宽带地震、次声和3米深处的土壤温度。该网络的价值因每个台站的各种仪器而得到提高，鼓励跨学科研究。该网络包括在可比数据集的背景下对AON-USAray数据的评估。对数据的研究评价对于决定（i）网络是否应在项目结束后继续维持;（ii）哪些变化或增强将改善数据;以及（iii）如何让新的利益攸关方参与项目至关重要。这些评估将在PI和合作者已经进行的大型研究的背景下进行。除了土壤温度（在现场检索）外，数据通过卫星和蜂窝遥测实时传输，为这些不断发展的技术及其用于远程科学应用的可行性提供了重要的测试。除了研究之外，该项目的实时数据还被其他联邦机构使用，包括土地管理局、国防部、国家海洋和大气管理局以及美国地质调查局。该项目有可能通过提供长期时间序列数据和扩大现有传感器的能力，大大扩大这一利益攸关方和伙伴关系。这些合作伙伴关系将增加传感器的能力套件，并维持该设施作为一个长期的平台，超过了这个AON项目的生命周期。这个奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的支持，通过评估使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

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.