| NSF Org: |
OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP) |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 16, 2000 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | December 9, 2003 |
| Award Number: | 9910179 |
| Award Instrument: | Interagency Agreement |
| Program Manager: |
Kelly Falkner
OPP Office of Polar Programs (OPP) GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2000 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2004 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $46,056.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $181,814.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2001 = $66,351.00 FY 2002 = $69,407.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
3909 HALLS FERRY RD VICKSBURG MS US 39180-6133 (603)646-4201 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
3909 HALLS FERRY RD VICKSBURG MS US 39180-6133 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | ANT Ocean & Atmos Sciences |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.078 |
ABSTRACT
This project is a contribution to a coordinated attempt to understand the interactions of biological and physical dynamics by developing mechanistic links between the evolution of the antarctic winter ice and snow cover, and biological habitat variability, through modeling the optical properties of the environment. The work will be carried out in the context of the Southern Ocean Experiment of the Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics Study (Globec), a large, multi-investigator study of the winter survival strategy of krill under the antarctic sea ice.
The optical properties of snow and sea ice evolve through the winter and vary greatly both spectrally and spatially. These properties are an important element of the physical environment that strongly influences both the distribution of and the resources available to antarctic krill. The intensity of incident radiant energy and its distribution within the snow, ice, and water column environment, and the linked physical, optical, chemical, and biological processes that modulate its distribution are generally known but poorly quantified. The optical properties of snow and ice also influence snow algae, ice algae, and water column productivity, as well as visibility for both predator and prey. Furthermore, optical properties play an essential role in satellite observations as proxy indicators of geophysical sea ice parameters which permit local observations to be more accurately extrapolated in space and time, thus providing regional coverage that would otherwise not be possible. What is proposed is the deployment of an array of instrumented ice beacons, augmented by periodic ship-based and satellite observations, along with theoretical studies to create improved quantitative models with which to follow the temporal and spatial evolution of this snow and ice marine ecosystem.
The specific objective is to develop a thermodynamic sea ice/ecosystem model through coupling of existing components in order to test our understanding of the system, determine its sensitivities, and to provide an organizing mechanism for integrating the Southern Ocean Globec observations.
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