IPY/NSTA Web Seminar:

The Role of Polar Regions in Earth’s Changing Climate System

LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP

Thursday, December 13, 2007

Tools and Techniques to Examine Tools and Techniques to Examine Earth’s Changing Climate System – Earth’s Changing Climate System –

How do they do that?How do they do that?

Kathy GorskiEinstein Fellow

NSF/Office of Polar Programs

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Did you know that today people around the world are celebrating

the “International Polar Day”?

YES NO

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IPY 1 - 1881 to 1884IPY 1 - 1881 to 1884

• First coordinated international effort

• Focus on meteorology and geophysics

• Other events in history– Jesse James is killed– Twain publishes Huckleberry Finn– Picasso is born– American Red Cross is established by Clara

Barton

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IPY 2 - 1932 to 1933IPY 2 - 1932 to 1933

• Attention paid to good scientific process• Scientifically, still focused on meterology• Deliberate choice for one calendar year for IPY • Events in history

– Great Depression– Lindbergh’s son kidnapped– FBI Crime Lab and Radio City Music Hall open– FDR’s first “Fireside Chats”– Construction begins for Golden Gatge Bridge

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IPY 3 - 1957 to 1958IPY 3 - 1957 to 1958

• Melds with and morphis into IGY• Interest in ice depths develops• Events in history

– Sputnik launches– “Leave it to Beaver” premieres– Pink Flamingoes are manufactured– “The Music Man” opens on Broadway– TANG breakfast crystals first introduced– The Jim Henson company is founded

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IPY 4 - 2007 to 2008IPY 4 - 2007 to 2008

• From March 2007 through March 2009– Provides two research seasons at each pole

• Projects >200• People >50,000• Countries >60

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IPY GoalsIPY Goals• Assess environmental status and change in polar

regions• Understand past change and predict future

change• Link between polar and global processes• Look for new frontiers in science exploration in

polar regions• Use unique vantage point to observe Earth and

space from poles• Examine human dimensions and sustainability of

circumpolar societies

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Web Seminar Presentation AgendaWeb Seminar Presentation Agenda• IPY Overview – history and goals

• International Polar Day

• Ice– types– what we learn from it– how we learn from it

• Other climate analysis tools

• Opportunities and resources

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December 13, 2007December 13, 2007Ice Sheet DayIce Sheet Day

• Why do we care about ice?– integral to life and culture of Northern

communities– support ecosystems and biological diversity in

polar regions– regulate global climate patterns

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Types of IceTypes of Ice

• Ice is just frozen water, right?

• Which of the following is NOT a type of ice?

A. Frazil Ice

B. Anchor Ice

C. Pancake Ice

D. Yarn Ice

E. Grease Ice

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Types of IceTypes of Ice

• Ice is just frozen water, right?– how many types of ice can you name?

• Some examples:– anchor ice, congelation ice, frazil ice, glaciers,

grease ice, ice sheets, pancake ice, slush, snow, transition ice

• differ in crystalline microstructure and age

• http://www.gi.alaska.edu/~eicken/he_teach/GEOS615icenom/form/types.html

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http://www.polartrec.com/live-from-ipy/overview

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Ice SheetsIce Sheets

• large

• thick

• “permanent”

• built from both sea ice and glaciers

• ice sheet melting does NOT raise sea level!– think: melting ice in a beverage

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http://www.polartrec.com/live-from-ipy/overview

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Flying ButtressFlying Buttress

• www.aaas.org/programs/centers/pe/abelson/content_2007/presentations/alley.ppt

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NASA image by Cindy Starr, based on data from Ole Bennike and Anker Weidick

(Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland) and Landsat data.)

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Monitoring Ice SheetsMonitoring Ice Sheets

• GPS (global positioning system)– based on signals from 24 satellites– signal information includes:

• where receiver is located• which satellite is generating the signal• how far away the satellite is located

– data can be corrected for errors

• can be considered the data source for GIS• http://www8.garmin.com/aboutGPS/manual.html• http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/gps.htm

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Monitoring Ice SheetsMonitoring Ice Sheets

• GIS (geographical information system)– integrates a variety of mapping and data tools– main function is to analyze spatial data– simplistic view:

• start with an x-y grid (2-D map)• add vector data (add depth for topography)

– based on CAD software

• http://www.innovativegis.com/basis/primer/primer.html• http://gislounge.com/link-library/basics-foundations-to-gis/• http://imnh.isu.edu/digitalatlas/Archives/primer/gisfrm.htm

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Let’s Pause for Three QuestionsLet’s Pause for Three Questions

21http://www.polartrec.com/live-from-ipy/overview

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Common AnalysesCommon Analyses

• Spectroscopic methods– Phosphorous (absorption of colored complexes– Ammonia (fluorescence or absorption schemes)– Nitrates, dissolved nitrogren– Cations (atomic absorption/emission)

• Chromatographic methods– Anions– gases– particulate Carbon, Nitrogen (following

digestion/combustion)

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Atomic Absorption SpectrometryAtomic Absorption Spectrometry

• Measure changes in electron energy levels• Use thermal energy to promote electrons to

higher levels• Individual elements each time

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UV-VIS SpectroscopyUV-VIS Spectroscopy

• Easy, cheap

• Relies heavily on wet chemistry

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UV/VIS_spectroscopy

http://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/science/know_l1/emspectrum.html

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Atomic Emission SpectroscopyAtomic Emission Spectroscopy

• Excite electrons and promote to higher energy levels

• Measure emission as electrons fall to original levels

• Multiple elements analyzed at once

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Ozone Sonde BalloonsOzone Sonde Balloons

• Electrochemical reaction– Ozone reacts with KI– Current proportional to

concentration

• Balloons launched 2-5/week– latex or plastic,

depending on Twww.oar.noaa.gov/climate/t_ozonelayer.html

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• And we haven’t even talked about ice cores!– www.andrill.org

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Opportunities for TeachersOpportunities for Teachers

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Opportunities for TeachersOpportunities for Teachers

ww

w.dlese.org

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International Polar DayInternational Polar Day• Did you know…

– polar days occur around solstices and equinoxes at polar regions

• Changing Earth, Past & Present– ice, – climate, – oceans, – paleoclimate, – Earth history

• Watch www.ipy.gov for more information– get involved!

• Check PolarTrec for archives of broadcasts– Sign up for next week’s broadcast!

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Now that you know about today’s celebration of the International Polar Day, what will you do tomorrow to

celebrate it with your students?

1.

2.

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Let’s Pause for Two QuestionsLet’s Pause for Two Questions

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Thank you!Thank you!

• Check out the IPY Symposium Archives on the NSTA Learning Center for more IPY resources:

http://learningcenter.nsta.org/products/symposia_seminars/fall07/IPY_Birmingham/symposium_post.aspx

NASA logoNASA logo

Thanks to our presenter, Kathy Gorski and to NSF,

NOAA, and NASA

http://www.elluminate.com

Elluminate logoElluminate logo

http://learningcenter.nsta.org

NLC screenshotNLC screenshot

National Science Teachers AssociationGerry Wheeler, Executive Director

Frank Owens, Associate Executive Director Conferences and Programs

Al Byers, Assistant Executive Director e-Learning

LIVE INTERACTIVE LEARNING @ YOUR DESKTOP

NSTA Web SeminarsFlavio Mendez, Director

Danielle Troiano, Project CoordinatorJeff Layman, Technical Coordinator