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In September 2003, the Amundsen set sail for the Arctic and spent its first full year over-wintering there. With the ship frozen into the ice during the winter months, scientists were given the opportunity to study this unique ecosystem that often heralds changes in global temperatures and climate and gathered mass quantities of data for analysis. Much was collected during the six months the ship spent frozen into Franklin Bay in the Northwest Territories, where the researchers gathered detailed information on the atmosphere, sea ice, and ocean and biological systems of the Mackenzie Shelf. Understanding how this complex physical system works is the first step toward identifying and understanding future climate change in the Arctic.
Environment Canada's Role
This initial expedition was part of the Canadian Arctic Shelf Exchanges Study (CASES)—a network headed by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada that includes Arctic researchers from Canadian universities and federal departments, and specialists from nine other countries. Weather and ice experts at Environment Canada provided both their operational and scientific support.
Canadian Ice Service forecasters and scientists from Environment Canada became involved in CASES at the planning stage, when they provided climatological data on sea ice in the study area. Knowing when the water would freeze and ice would break up was essential in determining a safe place for the ship to over-winter. Environment Canada also provided climatological weather data and daily satellite imagery and weather information over the study area to aid in determining intensive observation periods.
An Environment Canada specialist served on board the Amundsen for the first two months of its tour to ensure safe transit to the study area and to assist in the freezing-in of the ship. While the icebreaker was on its mission, the department provided real-time satellite imagery, image analyses, and daily and regional ice charts to assist with navigation and field operations, and even used RADARSAT data and special in-house software to create maps of ice motion for the researchers.
Environment Canada also assisted CASES by providing equipment and training to students from the University of Manitoba and the University of Alberta in surface and upper-air observations. These student researchers went on to spend time aboard the Amundsen where their studies focused on characterizing atmospheric conditions in the boundary layer, blowing snow, blizzards, and severe synoptic storms-all of which are very hard to forecast and pose a serious threat to the safety of the Inuit, who spend a lot of time out on the land.
It will take some time to process all the data gathered on the mission, but Environment Canada scientists expect that some results could be available by spring. With the Arctic Ocean acting as a sink for ever-increasing emissions of carbon dioxide, it is hoped that this study will provide insight into the possible repercussions of climate warming in the northern latitudes and around the world.
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