AOSB Shelf-basin exchange initiative (SBE)
The AOSB initiated the Shelf Basin Exchange Working Group at its meeting in Iqaluit, Canada in 2001. The goal of the working group is to provide a forum for idea exchange and coordination of on-going and planned shelf-basin exchange science projects and goals in a pan-Arctic sense.
Objectives:
- Develop common Arctic SBE science questions
- Provide forum for developing thematic pan-Arctic studies
- Allow opportunities for cross-platform cooperative studies in different Arctic regions
- Determine set of standard, long-term measurements across the Arctic.
INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS (ON-GOING, PLANNED, PROJECTED-2002)
SBI-Western Arctic Shelf-Basin Interactions (US-led, international partners)-SBI is investigating the input of northward fluxes of water and bioactive elements through the Bering Strait, the seasonal and spatial variability in the production and recycling of biogenic matter on the shelf-slope area, and temporal and spatial variability of exchanges across the shelf/slope region into the Canada Basin (SBI); Grebmeier, Maslowski-USA)
SWITCHYARD-Circulation in the Freshwater Switchyard of the Arctic Ocean: A Collaborative Research Project. The research will document the circulation, variability, and driving mechanisms of the upper ocean in the "freshwater switchyard of the Arctic Ocean." This unexplored region lies to the north of the eastern Canadian Archipelago and Greenland, extending about 500-800 km into the central Arctic Ocean. It lies just upstream of the freshwater exit points in Fram and Nares Straits; (link to further description and map). PI: Michael Steele, Bill Smethie, Peter Schlosser and Ron Kwok, USA)
JWACS-Joint Western Arctic Climate Study (JAMSTEC and Canadian government labs)-similar to SBI and SEARCH objectives; the study area focuses on the shelf-slope area from the Northwind Ridge to Banks Island; physical, biochemical and paleoceanography work; interface US SBI and Canadian CASES (Carmack-Canada, Shimada-Japan)
CASES-Canadian Arctic Shelf Exchange Study: The central objective of (CASES) is to understand and model the response of the Mackenzie Shelf ecosystem to atmospheric, oceanic and continental forcing of sea-ice cover variability; starting 2002, with ship frozen in ice in 2003 (Fortier-Canada)
Russian SBI: Cooperative agreement between University of Alaska Fairbanks and Shirshov Institute of Oceanology in Moscow, discussion with AARI in St. Petersburg; work toward US SBI-type study focusing on physical and biogeochemical shelf-basin exchange topics (Flint and Timokov-Russia, US SBI)
China (2003, 5 yr plan)-physical shelf-basin interactions in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, and Canadian Abyssal Plain; impact freshwater input, sea ice variability on global climate change, warming of Arctic; use deep moorings and free-floating buoys; cooperate with US SBI (Zhao-China)
Sweden-Barents Sea is a region where changes in the driving forces could have a significant impact on the thermohaline circulation, and thus on climate. The study would focus on the biochemcial transformation of Atlantic Water, which sets the initial properties (primarily through the large air-sea fluxes of heat and CO2) of close to 50% of the overflow water that enters the North Atlantic much further downstream; contact for 2005 trans-Arctic Oden cruise (Anderson-Sweden)
Norway (Nordic Network)-to create synergy between the Nordic countries, and to increase the activity between the Nordic and non-Nordic countries under the title "CABANERA: Carbon Flux and Ecosystem Feedback in the Northern Barents Sea in an Era of Climate Change". Our main goal is to add to a panarctic perspective, which is a necessary perspective for Arctic research in the future (Wassman-Norway)
Germany/Russia (Kara Sea)-expansion of SIRRO project to outer shelf-slope
of Kara Sea; possibly include biological, (bio-)geochemical and geological
processes associated with input by the Siberian rivers Ob and Yenisei and its
impacts and influence in the environment of the outer shelf and slope.
(Stein-Germany, Russia-Timokov)
(top)
International Arctic SBE Working Group
Current SBE Working Group Members
| Name | Country | Specialty |
| Jackie Grebmeier | USA, | SBI, Chukchi and Beaufort seas, bio. ocean |
| Leif Anderson | SWE, | high Arctic, 2005 Oden cruise, chem. ocean |
| Eddy Carmack | CAN, | Beaufort sea, JWACS, phys. ocean |
| Mickle Flint | RUS, | Russian SBI: E. Siberian/Chukchi seas; bio. ocean |
| Louis Fortier, | CAN, | CASES; eastern Beaufort Sea, bio. ocean |
| Heidemarie Kassens | GER, | Laptev Sea; geology |
| Wieslaw Maslowski | USA, | Arctic modeling |
| Ruediger Stein | GER, | Kara Sea; geology |
| Koji Shimada | JPN, | JWACS, Chukchi/Beaufort seas; phys. ocean |
| Leonid Timokov | RUS, | Laptev Sea/phys. ocean; possible ESS |
| Paul Wassman | NOR, | Barents Sea/bio. ocean, CABANERA |
| Jinping Zhao | CHI, | Arctic; phys. ocean |
CASES: Canadian Arctic
Shelf-Exchange Study
JWACS: Joint Western Arctic Climate Study
SBI: Western Arctic
Shelf-Basin Interactions Project