Objective AMOC is a multidisciplinary European research project with the overall objective. To develop and design an acoustic system for long-term monitoring of the ocean temperature and ice thickness in the Arctic Ocean, including the Fram Strait, for climate variability studies and global warming detection. The Arctic Ocean is a system of high climatic sensitivity. Predictions of global warming during the next century indicate an Arctic magnification relative to lower latitudes by a factor of 2 - 4, with a warming of 6 - 10° C achieved in the CO2 doubling time of 70 years. Resent observations suggest that significant changes are taking place: 1) The core of the Atlantic layer in the Arctic Basin is now 0.5-1.0° C warmer than it was during the 1950s-1980s with the warming concentrated at a shallow depth of only 200 m. 2) The latest analyses of satellite passive microwave images show that the sea ice extent in the Arctic has declined at a decadal rate of some 3% since 1978, with a more rapid recent decline of 4.3% between 1987 and 1994. 3) A significant decrease of the annual mean atmospheric sea level pressure over much of the Arctic Ocean has decreased significally during the last I - 2 decades. These phenomena, and the links between them, can only be understood if key parameters such as ocean temperature and sea ice are observed more systematically and accurately. The new approach of AMOC is to monitor climate variability and detect changes in the Arctic Ocean and Fram Strait, using acoustic long range propagation. The focus of AMOC is to study the sensitivity of the acoustic propagation methods to changes in ocean temperature, ocean currents and sea ice roughness/thickness. Due to the perennial ice cover conventional ocean monitoring techniques are logistically difficult in the Arctic Ocean. Acoustical techniques using underwater sources and receivers have been tested in other oceans and can potentially be used in the ice-covered sea. The four specific objectives of AMOC are: - Data analysis: Compilation and analysis of existing ocean and ice data (temperature, salinity and speed of sound fields, ice thickness, concentration and extent) from the Arctic Ocean for use in climate and acoustic models. - Climate and ice modelling: Simulation of present and future ocean temperature, salinity and speed of sound fields, ice thickness, concentration and extent in the Arctic Ocean caused by natural variability and global warming scenarios, as input to acoustic modelling. - Acoustic modelling: Simulation of present and future basin-wide and Fram Strait acoustic propagation using natural variability and global warming scenarios (input from climate and ice modelling) to investigate the sensitivity of acoustic methods for global warming detection. - Acoustic monitoring: Design of an optimum acoustic monitoring system for climate change detection in the Arctic Ocean including volume and heat fluxes in the Fram Strait. Relevance: AMOC fits clearly into the Environment and Climate Workprogramme Area 1.1.1 and 1.1.3 addressing Arctic Ocean temperature and sea ice conditions which are fundamental parameters for understanding of basic processes in the climate system. The main focus of AMOC is to study acoustic propagation as a method for detection of climate variability, to simulate present and future climate, and to design a monitoring system which can contribute to better prediction of climate change. KEYWORDS: Arctic Ocean, acoustics, climate, monitoring, climate modelling. Fields of science natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata scienceengineering and technologymechanical engineeringvehicle engineeringaerospace engineeringsatellite technologynatural sciencesphysical sciencesacousticsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes Programme(s) FP4-INCO - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of cooperation with third countries and international organizations, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 010101 - COST Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator NANSEN ENVIRONMENTAL AND REMOTE SENSING CENTER EU contribution No data Address 3A,EDVARD GRIEGSVEJ 3A 5059 BERGEN Norway See on map Total cost No data Participants (1) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all NANSEN INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL AND REMOTE SENSING CENTER Russia EU contribution No data Address 18,Korpusnaya Street 18 197110 SINT PETERSBURG See on map Total cost No data
