News Archive

Announcing the July Sea Ice Outlook report! We received 28 pan-Arctic contributions and three regional contributions. The median Outlook value for September 2014 sea ice extent is 4.8 million square kilometers with quartiles of 4.4 and 5.0 million square kilometers. The report includes a brief executive summary, comments on modeling outlooks and on regional predictions, current conditions, and the individual Outlook contributions.

A new report is now available on Arctic Research Support and Logistics: "Increasing Arctic Accessibility Over the Next Twenty Years”. The report was based on recommendations discussed at a workshop and with input from the broader community. It includes recommendations for sustaining and expanding logistics resources, capacity building, and opportunities for improved coordination of resources. The report is available free as a PDF.

SIPN Team member Cecilia Bitz announces a call for abstracts for an AGU Session: Processes and Predictability (Session #2392). Presentations that examine the processes that govern seasonal to multidecadal polar climate variability, identify sources of polar climate predictability, and characterize uncertainty in polar climate prediction are welcome. The session seeks to connect the community of atmospheric, oceanic, and cryospheric scientists working on topics relevant to the new Polar Climate Predictability Initiative of the World Climate Research Program. It will convene during the AGU Fall Meetings in San Francisco 15-19 December 2014.

The Sea Ice Prediction Network (SIPN) announces a call for contributions to the July Sea Ice Outlook report. Please see the new guidelines for submitting pan-Arctic and regional outlooks. A variety of perspectives, from advanced numerical models to qualitative perspectives from citizen scientists, are welcome.

The first arctic Sea Ice Outlook report of the year has been published, and we had a record number of pan-arctic contributions! The median Outlook value for September 2014 sea ice extent is 4.7 million square kilometers. Only three outlooks this are above the 2013 observed September extent. This full report includes a brief summary, comments on modeling outlook, current conditions, key statements from all the Outlook contributions, and links to download the outlook contributions.

SIPN Team members Stroeve, Hamiliton, Bitz, and Blanchard-Wrigglesworth published an analysis of the ensemble skill of the SEARCH Sea Ice Outlook 2008-2013 in predicting September Arctic sea ice extent. Their article is published in Geophysical Research Letters - 16 April 2014.

A new article by Larry Hamilton and others on the SIPN Team looks at the overall success of informal sea ice predictions contributed to the Sea Ice Outlook (SIO). Their article was published in Witness the Arctic - Spring 2014.

The Spring 2014 issue of Witness the Arctic is now available. This issue includes an introduction of the new NSF Director, France A. Córdova; articles about other NSF news, the influence of Arctic climate changes on mid-latitude weather patterns, and the overall success of past Sea Ice Outlook predictions. Also included are updates on: the SEARCH program; NSF-funded projects in Arctic natural sciences, social sciences, and science education; international meetings; and NASA, NOAA, ACADIS, USARC, and the Polar Research Board. Special features in this issue are a perspective on the new ARCUS Vision and Mission statement, interviews with three members of the ARCUS Board of Directors, and Brendan P. Kelly's reflections on Arctic research coordination.

Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) announces a position opening for a full-time Project Coordinator/Web Manager. The position will be be open until filled; initial review of applications will begin on 27 June 2014.

A new sea ice thickness and snow depth product of the Arctic Ocean and the Beaufort and Chuckshi Seas is available from NSIDC. The 2014 quicklook data product is available here. The March 2014 CryoSat-2 data product is available here. Data collected on 28 April 2014 are forthcoming.

An Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) webinar will be held on Wednesday, June 25 at 3:00pm Eastern Time on "Building a Conceptual Framework on How to Assess Food Security From an Alaska Inuit Perspective.” This webinar is open to anyone interested in participating.

The Sea Ice Prediction Network announces the launch of the 2014 Sea Ice Outlook season with the first call for contributions! Join a growing network of sea ice experts and contribute your pan-arctic or regional Outlook for the first report to be published in June.

ARCUS education staff, with partners, facilitated three workshops for scientists and educations to increase science communication and create educational products. A paper was recently published in the Journal of Geoscience Education to identify the importance of those workshops focusing on culturally responsive curriculum based on alaskan marine ecosystems. View contributors and the abstract in the PolarTREC Learning Resources Collection.

The Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO), a product of the Study of Environmental Change (SEARCH) and part of SIPN, has launched the 2014 season with weekly reports that combine forecasts, remote sensing data, and local observations for the Northern Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea regions of Alaska.

Announcing an Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) Webinar on "Current Science Questions and Activities Related to Arctic Black Carbon" scheduled for Friday, 18 April 2014 from 3:00-4:30 p.m. EDT. The webinar is open to anyone interested in joining.

Image courtesy of NOAA

The 2014 Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook season is now in progress. Weekly reports describing the sea ice and weather conditions in the northern Bering Sea and southern Chukchi Sea will be available each Friday. Satellite imagery and local observations will be updated throughout the week as they are received.

The Sea Ice Prediction workshop next week will be webcast. Information on how to join, as well as an updated workshop agenda and participant list, can be found on the workshop webpage.

Announcing a new website for the research community to learn more about the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) and join IARPC collaboration team meetings.

Julienne Stroeve is lead author on a Geophysical Research Letters article, "Changes in Arctic melt season and implications for sea ice loss”. The study has received a lot of good press coverage.

The Sea Ice Prediction Network is holding a 2-day workshop in Boulder, Colorado, 1-2 April 2014, to provide a venue for in-depth discussion on the 2014 SEARCH Sea Ice Outlook and related sea ice prediction issues.

A 2-day Sea Ice Prediction Network workshop in Boulder, Colorado, will provide a venue for in-depth discussion on the 2014 SEARCH Sea Ice Outlook and related sea ice prediction science.

The archive of the 20 February SIPN Webinar is now available. This archive includes audio, video, and presentation slides in PDF format.

The Winter 2014 issue of Witness the Arctic is now available. This issue includes news about the SEARCH program, NSF meetings and workshops, the Sea Ice Prediction Network, and NOAA’s Arctic Report Card. Also included are articles about data management, climate change impacts on ocean acidification and archaeology, and the Icelandic Arctic Fox Centre. Special features in this issue are interviews with members of the ARCUS Board of Directors and a Member Institution Highlight of Texas A&M.

Join us for a PolarConnect (Webinar) event with the Joint Antarctic School Expedition from Chile!

PolarConnect Event is scheduled for:

Date: Tuesday 25 February 2014
Time: 9:30 am Alaska Standard Time

This expedition is a cultural and science exchange between students and teachers of the United States and Chile. Three US students, Claire Hacker, Anna Caldwell-Overdier, and Luke Maillefer, are going to present their experiences in Antarctica from Punta Arenas, Chile. Join them in the LIVE event!

Join a free webinar on the Arctic Observing Network (AON) on Tuesday, 18 February 2014, 1:30 PM EST. This webinar is one of a series from the National Science Foundation on long-term observing management and governance. The webinar will be archived for those who want to view it afterwards.