Arctic change and reductions in sea ice are impacting Arctic communities and are leading to increased commercial activity in the Arctic. Improved forecasts will be needed at a variety of timescales to support Arctic operations and infrastructure decisions. Increased resolution and ensemble forecasts will require significant computational capability. At the same time, high performance computing ...

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neurotoxic compound that threatens wildlife and human health across the Arctic region. Though much is known about the source and dynamics of its inorganic mercury (Hg) precursor, the exact origin of the high MeHg concentrations in Arctic biota remains uncertain. Arctic coastal sediments, coastal marine waters and surface snow are known sites for MeHg production. Observ...

The decline of Arctic sea ice has been documented in over 30 y of satellite passive microwave observations. The resulting darkening of the Arctic and its amplification of global warming was hypothesized almost 50 y ago but has yet to be verified with direct observations. This study uses satellite radiation budget measurements along with satellite microwave sea ice data to document the Arctic-wi...

At present, although seasonal sea-ice cover mitigates atmosphere-ocean gas exchange, the Arctic Ocean takes up carbon dioxide (CO2) on the order of −66 to −199 Tg C year−1 (1012 g C), contributing 5–14% to the global balance of CO2 sinks and sources. Because of this, the Arctic Ocean has an important influence on the global carbon cycle, with the marine carbon cycle and atmosphere-ocean CO2 exc...

[1] The Arctic Ocean constitutes a large body of water that is still relatively poorly surveyed because of logistical difficulties, although the importance of the Arctic Ocean for global circulation and climate is widely recognized. For instance, the concentration and inventory of anthropogenic CO2 (Cant) in the Arctic Ocean are not properly known despite its relatively large volume of well-ven...

Black carbon (BC) in haze and deposited on snow and ice can have strong effects on the radiative balance of the Arctic. There is a geographic bias in Arctic BC studies toward the Atlantic sector, with lack of observational constraints for the extensive Russian Siberian Arctic, spanning nearly half of the circum-Arctic. Here, 2 y of observations at Tiksi (East Siberian Arctic) establish a strong...

As researchers for the Defence Research and Development Canada, attending field trials, military exercises and operations for data collection purposes is a common and exciting part of the job. Over the past few years while conducting research during Arctic operations (Figure 1) we have experienced the challenges of trying to conduct basics tasks outside in the extreme cold. As civilian scientis...

A review of the data on heavy metals in aerosols over the seas of the Russian Arctic is presented. Results of heavy metal studies in aerosols obtained during 11 research expeditions in summer/autumn period from 1991 to 2000, and at Severnaya Zemlya and Wrangel Island in spring, in 1985-1989 are discussed. Concentrations of most heavy metals in the atmosphere in the marine boundary layer in the ...

The Arctic is a region in the northernmost hemisphere of the Earth. It is known for its extreme environmental conditions, in particular its cold temperatures, high winds, snow, and ice. Yet, life in this polar region is plentiful and includes both terrestrial and marine organisms. The Arctic Ocean provides for a unique, cold-temperatureadapted ecosystem containing plankton, marine mammals, and ...

[1] Understanding the phase relationship between climate changes in the Arctic and Antarctic regions is essential for our understanding of the dynamics of the Earth’s climate system. In this paper we show that the 20th century de‐ trended Arctic and Antarctic temperatures vary in anti‐phase seesaw pattern – when the Arctic warms the Antarctica cools and visa versa. This is the first time that a...