Repairs and Upgrades for the Qikirtaarjuak Island Air-Ice-Ocean Observatory

海洋在决定我们大气的组成方面发挥着重要作用。我们的大部分氧气是在海洋中产生的，而工业活动产生的二氧化碳有很大一部分最终进入了海洋。气体交换是这些气体穿越海空边界的过程，我们对它在公海中的工作原理有很好的了解。然而，在极地海域，海冰的存在使海气交换变得极其复杂。由于海冰影响了全球约10%的海洋，气候科学家需要知道在海冰存在的情况下，二氧化碳等温室气体是如何交换的。不幸的是，由于在偏远地区工作的挑战和破冰船的工作费用，只有少数研究直接测量了这种环境中的气体交换。我们的研究实验室开发了一种创新的方法来解决这个问题。我们在一个冬天完全被海冰包围的小岛上建了一个气象站。这个岛靠近因纽特人社区(坎布里奇湾，努纳武特)，这使得空间站的维护变得更容易。在空间站，我们部署了使用涡流协方差技术测量二氧化碳交换的仪器。涡旋协方差基本上是通过计算二氧化碳分子在上升气流和下降气流中吹过气象站时的数量来实现的。这是唯一适用于这种环境的技术，因为它测量的是迎风表面(大约1公里)，而不实际接触表面。有了这个系统，我们首次通过冰融化、开阔水域和结冰的季节性循环来测量二氧化碳交换。不幸的是，在刚刚过去的这个春天，我们的气象站受到了不可预测的自然力量的破坏。在不到30分钟的时间里，一股北风将浮冰推到了岛上，堆积了一堵冰墙，将塔楼推倒。我们所有的涡旋协方差仪器都被坠落损坏了，塔本身也被摧毁了。这项拨款申请将允许我们购买一个新的塔，修复损坏的仪器，并购买更多的仪器，以避免未来的数据中断。*有了及时的资金，空间站可以在下一个融化季节之前重建，让学生和博士后研究员继续他们的动手培训，并完成他们的研究项目。重建空间站还将使我们能够继续开展与当地因纽特人社区有关的研究活动。与社区领导人合作，我们利用空间站测试支持因纽特人研究优先事项的创新，如观察天气条件、监测船只交通和倾听鲸鱼。我们还将该站作为培训计划的一部分，该计划旨在发展因纽特人的环境监测能力，并促进南部和北部HQP之间的跨文化合作。重建这个空间站对于继续我们包容的、创新的科学计划至关重要。

Oceans play an important role in determining the composition of our atmosphere. The majority of our oxygen was generated in the oceans, and a large percentage of the CO2 produced by industrial activities ends up in the oceans. Gas exchange is the process by which these gases cross the air-sea boundary, and we have a good understanding of how it works in the open ocean. However in polar seas, the presence of sea ice makes air-sea gas exchange extremely complicated. Since sea ice affects about 10% of global oceans, climate scientists need to know how greenhouse gases, like CO2, are exchanged in the presence of sea ice. Unfortunately, only a few studies have directly measured gas exchange in this environment due to the challenges of working in remote locations, and the expense of working on icebreakers.******Our research lab has developed an innovative approach to solve this problem. We built a weather station on a small island that is completely surrounded by sea ice in winter. This island is close to an Inuit community (Cambridge Bay, Nunavut), which makes it easier to maintain the station. At the station, we deployed instruments to measure CO2 exchange using the eddy covariance technique. Eddy covariance essentially works by counting CO2 molecules as they blow past the weather station on updrafts and downdrafts. It is the only suitable technique for this type of environment, because it measures an upwind surface (to about 1 km), without actually touching the surface. With this system, we have produced the first-ever measurements of CO2 exchange through a seasonal cycle of ice melt, open water, and freeze-up.******Unfortunately, this past spring our weather station was damaged by the unpredictable forces of nature. In less than 30 minutes, a northerly wind pushed ice floes onto the island, piling up a wall of ice that knocked the tower down. All of our eddy covariance instruments were damaged by the fall, and the tower itself was destroyed. This grant application will allow us to buy a new tower, repair the damaged instruments, and buy additional instruments to avoid future data interruptions.******With timely funding, the station can be rebuilt before next melt season, allowing students and postdoctoral fellows to continue their hands-on training, and complete their research projects. Rebuilding the station will also allow us to continue research initiatives linked to the local Inuit community. Working with community leaders, we use the station to test innovations that support Inuit research priorities like observing weather conditions, monitoring ship traffic, and listening for whales. We also use the station as part of a training program that develops Inuit environmental monitoring capacity, and facilitates cross-cultural collaboration between southern and northern HQPs. Rebuilding this station is critical for continuing our inclusive, innovative science program.