A special issue of Climatic Change (Volume 115, Number 1, November 2012) devoted to Science Results from the Canadian International Polar Year (IPY) 2007 – 2008 program is now available. Included in the issue are papers documenting the results of IPY projects in which Atmospheric Science and Technology Directorate (ASTD) scientists played leading roles.

The paper “Variability and change in the Canadian cryosphere” summarizes new knowledge from enhanced observations carried out under several IPY cryosphere projects involving researchers from the Climate Research Division – including the EC-led network project of the same name. The paper provides strong evidence of temperature-induced changes throughout the Canadian cryosphere over the past 40 to 50 years, including: warming ground temperatures in permafrost regions; a shorter snow cover season (particularly in spring); reduced sea ice cover (and the replacement of thick multi-year ice with comparatively thin first-year ice); extensive mass loss from alpine and Arctic glaciers; and the loss of remnant ice shelves in the Canadian Arctic.

The paper “Selected topics in arctic atmosphere and climate” summarizes the main findings from four Canadian IPY scientific teams who examined the Arctic atmosphere and anticipated changes associated with climate change. The article highlights work involving multiple researchers from the Air Quality Research Division, presenting results from the Environment Canada-led IPY projects of Intercontinental Atmospheric Transport of Anthropogenic Pollutants to the Arctic (INCATPA) and Ocean - Atmosphere - Sea Ice - Snowpack Program (OASIS-CANADA). These projects investigated the transport of toxic pollutants to the Arctic and pollutant processes at the ice-ocean-atmosphere interface, respectively.

A view of the camp during an IPY project field work. Photo: Environment Canada

Contacts: Chris Derksen, (416) 739-5804, Climate Research Division; and Hayley Hung, (416) 739-5944, Air Quality Research Division; Atmospheric Science and Technology Directorate