Research Themes

Climate variability-Northern and Southern Hemisphere Oscillations, the scales and indicators of change and the forecasting of future threats and possibilities. The Joint projects in this priority area should address major regional scale indicators with data obtained from a variety of European/International data collection platforms (oceanographic vessels/Research stations/satellites etc).

Subthemes are:

• Temperature trends
• Key area hot spots
• Aerosol contents /composition/energy balance atmosphere interactions/clouds
• Field observations/ trend monitoring
• Proxies marine/lacustrine
• Thermo-haline circulation, Southern Ocean
• Combination modelling/construction Pan-arctic/Antarctic variability
• Interactions high-mid latitude
• Ice balance  
• Ocean Front/atmospheric front positioning/circulation, Modification/across cutting impact
• Coupled models (biophysical)
• Inter-hemispheric comparisons
• Shallow ice-coring arrays, local-regional glacier retreat
• Sea-ice thickness variations and temporal
• Understanding the variability and change of snow and ice conditions in the Arctic and the impact of the change on the Arctic transport infrastructure

The current status of snow and ice in the Polar Regions, the spatial distribution and magnitude of cryospheric stability. Projects which have an integrated approach using ground based and space based assets are particularly encouraged.

Subthemes are:  

• Broader issue temporal and space scales/anthropogenic forcing driving mechanism
• Radiation balance issues & Albedo
• Influence on CO2
• Modelling interaction Sea-Ice/ atmosphere/ocean-process studies
• Snow chemistry-sensor distribution pollutants
• Technologies to separate stratospheric signals from tropospheric signals in snow pack
• Behaviour/long term transportation/interaction with climate
• Shallow ice coring-arrays
• Mass balance/glaciological approach/modelling /technological
• Surface melt water--Sub glacial water flow
• Instability/reaction climatic signal sub glacial processes-determination climatic signal drivers
• Sea ice dynamics and their assessment  

Impacts of climate modification on ecosystems, bio-systems and human communities in extreme environments (Arctic and Antarctic). Joint research projects should address the rates and magnitude of the impact and the adaptation and modification of the systems. Joint projects which encompass a regional or Bi-polar perspective are particularly encouraged.

Subthemes are:

• Winter time processes
• Carbon stocks in soil and sediments
• Biochemical dynamics of trace gases
• Biodiversity terrestrial ecosystems Antarctic Peninsula Biotas in Oasis
• Regional scale variations in vegetation cover Arctic
• Biota in Extreme environments Coastal-marine and interior
• Impacts and modification on bio-systems   
• Indirect non linear effects in biologic processes
• Biological indicators of climatic change
• Competitions species/impacts
• Sensitivity to climate change Mismatch predators and prey
• Biophysical modelling
• Biological adaptation in extreme environments
• Ecosystem changes and marine resources
• Ice break up related to climate events
• Permafrost and the effects of Climate Change in Arctic and Antarctic regions  
• Understanding and responses to the impact of climate change on Arctic communities and societies