Date

Multiple Resources Available

  1. Special Issue of Progress in Oceanography
    Synthesis of Arctic Research (SOAR)
    Sue E. Moore and Phyllis J. Stabeno, Editors

  2. Two AMAP Documents
    Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems or Remotely Piloted Aircraft
    Systems for Scientific Data Collection in the Arctic

  3. Climate Science and Communication Course
    14-16 October 2015
    Anchorage, Alaska

  1. Special Issue of Progress in Oceanography
    Synthesis of Arctic Research (SOAR)
    Sue E. Moore and Phyllis J. Stabeno, Editors

A special issue of Progress in Oceanography is now available. This issue
results from the Synthesis of Arctic Research (SOAR) project, led by
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) scientists
Sue Moore (NOAA/Fisheries) and Phyllis Stabeno (NOAA/OAR), and supported
by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management. It is edited by Moore and
Stabeno.

More than 100 Arctic scientists and local experts completed a
multidisciplinary synthesis of marine ecosystem science in the Pacific
Arctic to better understand recent, extreme changes in the region's
biophysics. The SOAR project uses completed and ongoing research to
capture the conditions of the 'new state' of the Pacific Arctic.

The synthesis covers three themes, with five papers focusing on
observations and models of sea ice loss and effects on primary
production; five papers focused on the response of mid-level trophic
species (forage fish and zooplankton) to the 'new state' of the Arctic;
and six papers focused on the responses of upper trophic level species
(marine birds and mammals). A second SOAR special issue, building upon
this new understanding of the current state of the Pacific Arctic marine
ecosystem, is now underway.

Synthesis Highlights:
- Over the decade 2004-2013 dramatic environmental changes in the
Pacific Arctic suggest a 'new normal' climate is emerging;
- Variable advection and hydrographic processes are key influences on
benthic hotspots for seabird and marine mammal predators;
- Six bowhead whale core-use areas are identified, and body condition
suggests bowheads are faring well despite sea ice loss; and
- The Arctic Marine Pulses (AMP) conceptual model aims to animate
advection models and link to pelagic-benthic coupling models.

Synthesis findings published in this special issue, including 17 papers
on topics ranging from ocean physics to whales, are available at:
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/00796611/136.

Four of the special issue papers, including the preface to the special
issue by Moore and Stabeno, are open access. To read these papers, go
to: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0079661115001147.

For more information, go to: http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/soar.

Or, contact:
Sue Moore
Email: Sue.Moore [at] noaa.gov

  1. Two AMAP Documents
    Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems or Remotely Piloted Aircraft
    Systems for Scientific Data Collection in the Arctic

The Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) has published two
documents on the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) or Remotely
Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) for scientific data collection in the
Arctic.

The document 'Implementing Scientific Data Collection across the Arctic
Oceanic Region Utilizing Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS)' is intended to
provide a succinct but authoritative and informative overview of
barriers to UAS based research in the Arctic. It also provide
recommendations for facilitating the utilization of UAS for scientific
data collection in the region. All eight Arctic countries have
participated in the work.

To download the UAS document, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/AMAP-UAS-Document.

The document 'Arctic Science Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS)
Operator's Handbook' should be used to develop a process for interfacing
with the civil aviation authority having jurisdiction in the operation
area and obtaining the required permissions to conduct RPAS operations:

To download the RPAS document, go to:
http://tinyurl.com/AMAP-RPAS-Document.

  1. Climate Science and Communication Course
    14-16 October 2015
    Anchorage, Alaska

Organizers announce a new Earth to Sky regional course, focused on
climate science and communication as it applies to Alaska, and featuring
speakers from NASA's Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE). The
course, entitled "Earth to Sky Climate Change Science and Communication
- A Regional Approach," will be held 14-16 October 2015in Anchorage,
Alaska.

The heart of the course, comprised of three days of face-to-face
sessions held at the Bureau of Land Management's Campbell Creek Science
Center in Anchorage, Alaska will feature one evening session, and a
field trip to a local site as a case study for climate change effects
and communication practices. The course includes three and one half
hours of preparatory assignments and a one-hour follow-up class webinar
session.

The target audience includes federal, state, municipal agency,
non-profit and private organization science communicators, interpreters,
environmental educators, and education specialists. Participants should
have some experience with communication principles and techniques.
Knowledge of climate science is not required. Partners and collaborators
are especially encouraged.

Participants in this course will:

  • Meet with world-class scientists and communicators to discuss their
    best practices and the latest insights about understanding and
    responding to changing climate;
  • Hear about the latest research in vulnerability and resilience of
    ecosystems and society to the changing environment of Alaska;
  • Learn the latest about NASA's nine-year ABoVE campaign from the
    scientists themselves;
  • Join interactive sessions with specialists on many climate topics,
    including thawing permafrost, changes in hydrology, and new wildlife
    dynamics;
  • Experience climate research first-hand on a field-trip to a local site
    where researchers will engage directly with workshop participants;
  • Become part of a community of interpreters and educators, statewide,
    who are working on communicating about climate to audiences on-site and
    virtually;
  • Walk away with a customized plan for developing a climate program or
    product which you and your partners can use at your site with your
    audiences; and
  • Learn how to stay connected to these scientists and communicators over
    the long term.

Applications deadline: 15 August 2015.

To download the full course announcement and application, please go to:
http://tinyurl.com/EarthSkyClimateCommunication or
http://tinyurl.com/ETS-AK-DOI-Learn.

For questions, or further details, contact:
John Morris
Phone: 907-947-0359

ArcticInfo is administered by the Arctic Research Consortium of the
United States (ARCUS). Please visit us on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.arcus.org/

At any time you may:

Subscribe or unsubscribe by using the web form located at:
http://www.arcus.org/arcticinfo/subscription.html

To be removed from the list at any time send an email to:
arcticinfo-unsub [at] arcus.org

To resubscribe send an email to:
arcticinfo-sub [at] arcus.org

Subscribers to ArcticInfo will automatically receive the newsletter,
Witness the Arctic.If you would prefer not to receive Witness the Arctic,
specify on the web form.

Subscribe and unsubscribe actions are automatic. Barring mail system
failure you should receive responses from our system as confirmation to
your requests.

If you have information you would like to post to the mailing list visit :
http://www.arcus.org/arctic-info/submission

You can search back issues of ArcticInfo by content or date at:
http://www.arcus.org/arctic-info/search

If you have any questions please contact the list administrator at:
list [at] arcus.org

ARCUS
3535 College Road, Suite 101
Fairbanks, AK 99709-3710
907-474-1600
907-474-1604 (fax)

ArcticInfo is funded by the National Science Foundation as a service to
the research community through Cooperative Agreement PLR-1304316 with
ARCUS. Any information, opinions, findings, and conclusions or
recommendations expressed in this material are those of the information
sources and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation or ARCUS.