Description
Improved understanding of the fjord-ocean exchanges and processes within Arctic fjords is of a highest importance. Their response to atmospheric, oceanic and glacial variability provides a key to understand the past and to forecast the future Arctic climate. AWAKE-2 is focused on studying the interactions between main climate components: atmosphere, hydrosphere and cryosphere in the Svalbard area. We expect to achieve new knowledge on interactions between the components of the climate system in aim to identify mechanisms of interannual climate variability and long-term trends. The dedicated, multidisciplinary approach will be adopted by carrying out the coordinated meteo., oceanographic, glaciological and geophysical observations. The synthesis will combine the AWAKE-2 results with other existing data sets. The project will benefit all groups interested in the changing Arctic climate and environment. Relations between partners will be strengthened by participation in the joint fieldwork, data analysis and meetings. Joint work of partners with experience in polar research will strengthen the project outcome and faster further collaboration.
Summary of project results
The project was a continuation of former (shorter) project AWAKE. The collaboration between partners was so good, results so interesting, that we decided to apply for prolongation of the project. The main aim of the AWAKE-2 was to understand the interactions between the key components of the climate system: atmosphere, hydrosphere and cryosphere in the Arctic. The main hypothesis was that the Atlantic Water inflows over the Svalbard shelf and into the fjords have become more frequent during the last decades due to changes in the ocean and atmosphere. It should influence the fjords physical properties. The tidewater glaciers in the Svalbard fjords was the object of special attention – glaciers belong to cryosphere, but cumulate forcing from atmosphere and hydrosphere (ocean). Therefore changes in the atmosphere and ocean should be visible in glaciers (higher melting, faster calving). Some glaciers (e.g. Hans in Hornsund) were observed whole time of the project activity. Other physical properties (hydrography of fjord Hornsund) was observed during spring-autumn season. Some observations (e.g. time series of eddy correlation observations of ocean-atmosphere heat fluxes in Hornsund, microstructure of the water column in vicinity of tidewater glaciers) were pioneering. Thanks of the project the continuous observations of fjord Hornsund hydrography were established. The AWAKE and AWAKE-2 were multidisciplinary, multitasks projects. During years of observations we gained complex set of data describing processes of mass and energy exchanges between ocean-atmosphere and cryosphere in investigated area. The observed processes are much more complicated than we expected, due to feedbacks between various components of the climate system and various time of reaction for forcing. Therefore collected data and experiences will be a basis for future works. The project advanced our knowledge about key climate processes in the Arctic, including ocean circulation, hydrography, sea ice and glaciers. It provided data to improve parameterizations of the ocean-atmosphere exchanges, sea ice, glaciers melting and calving, freshwater runoff in fjords in state-of-the-art forecast models.
Summary of bilateral results
The AWAKE-2 was a project involved large numbers of partners. Good collaboration and cooperation between them was a basis of the project success. The common measurements were conducted. We shared vessels and vessels time. Polish research vessel ‘Oceania’ deployed and recovered Norwegian moorings in Hornsund. All results of measurements are used by project participants. Norwegian scientists participated in training of students during cruises at Polish vessel. Polish PhD student visited UNIS, collaborated with AWAKE participant in writing common paper. The Norwegian scientists led lectures for students of Centre of Polar Studies in Poland. Due to the partnership the complex, coordinated observations of the Arctic environment were possible. Project gathered scientists from various centers, with different specializations. Thanks of it the multidisciplinary measurements and analyses were possible. It gives an added values of the project. The other results of collaboration is participation of Polish scientists in the Svalbard Science Centre activity: workshops and flagship meetings. The most valuable result of collaboration is participation of most of the AWAKE2 project partners in the EU project Integrated Arctic Observing System (INTAROS) which is led by the AWAKE WP7 leader. The AWAKE-2 project resulted in large number of high quality scientific papers. 24 papers were submitter, most of them issued, rest are under the process. The big success was co-organization (together with Polish-Norwegian PAVE project) of the OS1.10, session: ‘Atlantic water in the main gateways to the Arctic Ocean - impact on climate, sea ice, tidewater glaciers and ecosystem’ during the European Union General Assembly, Vienna 2016. 6 oral presentations and 15 posters were presented. The session were organized and convened by Norwegian and Polish scientists, partners AWAKE-2 and PAVE projects.