Arctic Field Projects
Project Title: The Greenland GPS Network (GNET): Geodetic constraints on climate cycles, climate change and ice mass balance in Greenland (Award# 1023566)
PI: Bevis, Michael G (mbevis@osu.edu)
Phone: (614) 499.5966
Institute/Department: Ohio State University, Byrd Polar Research Center, Department of Geological Sciences
IPY Project?
Funding Agency: US\Federal\NSF\OD\OPP\ARC\ANS
Program Manager: Dr. William Wiseman (wwiseman@nsf.gov)
Discipline(s): | Cryosphere\Solid Earth |
| Project Web Site(s): |
| Data: http://facility.unavco.org/data/data.html |
| NSF_Award_Info: http://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward.do?AwardNumber=1023... |
| Logistics: http://www.polar.ch2m.com/Files/PDFs/Bevis1023566PlanFinal20... |
| Blog: http://www.polarfield.com/blog/polar-bears-visit-gnet-kanger... |
| Initiative: http://www.polenet.org/ |
| Data: http://www.polenet.org/gnet_time/gnet_map.htm |
Science Summary:
The primary purpose of GNET is to study changes in ice sheet mass balance produced by climate cycles and climate change, and to provide observational constraints on models of glacial isostatic adjustment, often referred to as postglacial rebound (PGR), which provide the crucial 'PGR correction' for the GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite mission and any follow-on missions. The goal is to achieve a consistent set of gravity, displacement and ice mass histories with the highest possible spatial resolution. GNET will also contribute meteorological estimates of surface mass balance (SMB) by generating precipitable water (PW, i.e., integrated water vapor) solutions at all GPS (Global Positioning System) stations that can be assimilated and exploited using numerical weather models (NWM). Surface atmospheric pressure fields from high resolution NWMs will be used to correct the GPS time series for atmospheric loading effects, thereby isolating the displacement cycles associated with seasonal changes in ice mass. GNET is an international collaboration between a US team, led by Ohio State University, and international partners in Denmark and Luxembourg. It is expected that GNET will contribute to understanding of the globally significant issues of climate and sea level change, and will be able to detect the onset of runaway or catastrophic ice loss within weeks of a sudden onset. A collaboration between GNET and the NWM community could have a significant impact on general meteorological products. It is also expected that GNET will contribute to studies of the polar ionosphere, and can synergize with existing space physics networks and facilities in Greenland and northern Canada. GNET will be used as a general positioning infrastructure, for kinematic positioning of survey aircraft, GPS rovers embedded in ice flows, etc. GNET is becoming a multiple use instrument or facility, as well as a specific research project.
Logistics Summary:
This award supports one year of field work in 2011 for repair, maintenance and upgrade of the northwest and northern most Greenland GPS Network (GNET), which was installed with funds from NSF grant 0632320 during the 4th International Polar Year of 2007-2009. During June/July of 2011, a team of two will service 15 GPS stations on Greenland’s north-northwest coast, accessing all sites via helicopter. In May, prior to the field team’s arrival, CPS will stage caches of fuel to support the helicopter operations. At the end of May, a C-130 will deliver one GNET person, some spare equipment, and 26 full fuel drums from Thule to Alert, Ellesmere Island, Canada. From there, a Twin Otter will then be used to establish fuel caches at miscellaneous GNET sites. The Twin Otter/passengers will base at Alert for three days and then move to Nord, basing there for one day to complete the work. The Twin Otter will then fly back to Thule, where the field team member will be dropped off. After a one night stay, the Twin Otter will head back to Canada. One month later, at the end of June, the GNET field team will arrive in Kangerlussuaq for a ~three week effort. A chartered Air GL AS-350-B3 helicopter will fly to Kangerlussuaq from Nuuk, pick up two GNET passengers and some cargo, and continue on to Ilulissat. After visiting two sites in the area, they will proceed north, stopping at all GNET sites along the way, and basing out of the main hubs (Thule, Alert, Nord) for a few days each. On their return flight along the coast the team will revisit any sites that they may have missed due to bad weather or other factors on the northbound portion. The GNET team will return to Kangerlussuaq aboard the helicopter, stopping there to close out their field effort and fly homeward. The helicopter will fly back to Nuuk no later than 19 July.
CPS will provide cargo coordination between New York, Thule, Kangerlussuaq, Alert, and Station Nord; air charters, drum and fuel procurements, delivery of fuel to different locations, lodging in towns, military bases, and village sites; and air shipment within Greenland. Some of this support will be arranged through the National Space Institute/ Technical University of Denmark. The PI will arrange and pay for all other support through the grant.
| Season | Field Site | Date In | Date Out | #People |
| 2011 | Greenland - Ilulissat | 06 / 27 / 2011 | 06 / 28 / 2011 | 2 |
| 2011 | Greenland - Kangerlussuaq | 06 / 24 / 2011 | 07 / 21 / 2011 | 2 |
| 2011 | Greenland - Station Nord | 05 / 23 / 2011 | 07 / 13 / 2011 | 2 |
| 2011 | Greenland - Thule | 05 / 18 / 2011 | 07 / 04 / 2011 | 2 |
| 2011 | Greenland - Upernavik | 06 / 28 / 2011 | 06 / 29 / 2011 | 2 |
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