Posts Tagged «News»

Environmental Evaluation: ONR Part of Joint Effort to Deploy Data Buoys Across Arctic Ocean

In July 2023, the Office of Naval Research (ONR) partnered with the 144th Airlift Squadron of the Alaska Air National Guard to deploy five different types of weather buoys across more than 1,000 nautical miles of the Arctic Ocean. Such deployments are critical for maintaining the Arctic Observing Network (AON), which provides observations for weather and ice forecasting and related research.

The 144th Airlift Squadron (the “Arctic Wolves”) and part of the 176th Wing (the “Arctic Guardians”) conducted the flights on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. In addition to personnel from the 176th Wing, participants included PSC’s Ignatius Rigor along with professors and scientists from the University of Maryland as well as ONR reservists.

Every single part of the Arctic is becoming worse for polar bears

The Washington Post reports on the changes in Arctic sea ice and its effect on the polar bear. The main source of the article is a recent study by PSC’s Harry Stern and Kristin Laidre, published in The Cryosphere.

Fantastic Beasts: Our secret weapon in combating man-made climate change — animals

Salon.com covers the use of animals, such as narwhals and elephant seals, outfitted with non-invasive devices to collect data on the effects of climate change on the environment of the Arctic and Antarctic. The article includes the work of PSC researchers, Michael Steele and Kristin Laidre.

First results from NASA’s ICESat-2 map 16 years of melting ice sheets

April 30, 2020 – Using the most advanced Earth-observing laser instrument NASA has ever flown in space, a team of scientists led by the University of Washington has made precise measurements of how the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have changed over 16 years.

“If you watch a glacier or ice sheet for a month, or a year, you’re not going to learn much about what the climate is doing to it,” said lead author Benjamin Smith, a glaciologist at the UW Applied Physics Laboratory. “We now have a 16-year span between ICESat and ICESat-2 and can be much more confident that the changes we’re seeing in the ice have to do with the long-term changes in the climate.

First tally of U.S.-Russia polar bears finds a healthy population

UW News covers PSC’s Eric Regehr’s polar bear study of the Chukchi Sea subpopulation. This is the first formal study of this population and is published in the open-access journal Scientific Reports. Read on to learn more about the lead author’s decade-long project and the status of the Chukchi Sea polar bears.

Freezer lab work reveals sea ice properties of MOSAiC ice cores

Polar Science Center Chair Dr. Bonnie Light joined a group of international scientists in Bremerhaven, Germany in January 2023 to process and analyze sea ice core samples brought back from the 2019-2020 MOSAiC expedition. Photo Credit: Amy Lauren

Future of Ice Postdoctoral Research Opportunities in Polar Regions Research

The Quaternary Research Center (QRC) and the Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) at the University of Washington, Seattle, USA, are seeking Postdoctoral Research Associates with interests in the polar regions.

Geophysical constraints on the Antarctic sea ice cover

Ignatius Rigor collaborated on a study of Antarctic sea ice change using satellite observations. Read the paper presenting the findings in the journal Remote Sensing of Environment.

Get an Amazing Whale’s-Eye View Underneath Antarctica

Satellite tags and video cameras are successfully tracking movement and recording images of humpback whales along the Antarctic Peninsula. National Geographic asks PSC’s Kristin Laidre about the arduous methods used to collect data on marine mammals in polar environments.

Grace Hopper Award for Outstanding Achievement goes to Kristin Laidre, Ph.D.

Seattle Girls’ School has named PSC PI Kristin Laidre recipient of their 2016 Grace Hopper Award for Outstanding Achievement. Kristin is being recognized for her successful endeavors to make her research efforts accessible to many age groups.

She will be honored at the SGS 14th Annual Luncheon on May 5, 2016. Congratulations, Kristin!

Greater role for Atlantic inflows on sea-ice loss in the Eurasian Basin of the Arctic Ocean

Matt Alkire, John Guthrie and Jamie Morison were part of an international team of researchers that studied the effects of the Atlantic Ocean on sea ice cover in the eastern Eurasian Basin of the Arctic Ocean. Read the findings published in Science Magazine.

Greenland may be losing ice even faster than we thought

The Washington Post asks Ian Joughin about a recent study, in the journal Science Advances, using a GPS network which measures ice sheet mass loss in Greenland and re-evaluates previous studies.

Greenland’s Polar Bear Hunters Face a Climate of Change

Hakai Magazine covered a recent paper led by PSC’s Kristin Laidre and asked about the collaborative project in which Kristin, the research team, and interpreters interviewed Inuit hunters and gathered traditional knowledge on polar bear ecology in East Greenland. Read the article to find out how the subsistence and cultural relationships have changed for the arctic animals & Indigenous communities.

Guardian: Arctic sea ice levels to reach record low within days

The dramatic melt expected over the next week signals that global warming is having a major impact on the polar region

Hacking ICESat-2: How an Open Science Workshop Helped Scientists Wrangle Big Data

August 2019 – NASA’s Center for Climate Simulation reported on the recent Cryospheric Science Hackweek held at UW. The article includes an interview with PSC’s Anthony Arendt and workshop coverage from other planners, facilitators, and participants.

He created a beloved blog about the melting Arctic. But it got harder and harder to write

The Washington Post reports that although “Arctic Sea Ice Blog: Interesting News and Data” will be going on hiatus, the Arctic Sea Ice Forum will remain open and monthly PIOMAS updates will continue. Axel Schweiger comments on how the blog and the PSC dataset has helped create a thoughtful and detailed real-time public discourse.

Here’s what vanishing sea ice in the Arctic means for you

The Verge, a news website for the mainstream, interviewed PSC’s Ignatius Rigor and other researchers to find out how vanishing sea ice in the Arctic impacts the general public.

Hidden lakes drain below West Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier

UW Today reports on the results of a study recently published in The Cryosphere, involving PSC’s Ben Smith, Alex Huth, and Ian Joughin who teamed up with the University of Edinburgh and, using satellite data, identified a considerable drainage of interconnected lakes below West Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier.

High genetic variability of vagrant polar bears illustrates importance of population connectivity in fragmented sea ice habitats

An international team of researchers, including Kristin Laidre, conducted a study involving genetic variability in polar bears. Read about the study in Animal Conservation.

How Capt. James Cook’s intricate 1778 records reveal global warming today in Arctic

The Seattle Times covered Harry Stern’s research study which tracked changes along the Arctic ice edge combining modern technology and historical records such as maps and logs from Captain James Cook’s 18th-century voyage.

How to conserve polar bears — and maintain subsistence harvest — under climate change

The UW Today reports on the open-access study recently published in the Journal of Applied Ecology by PSC’s Eric Regehr and a collaborative team, including Harry Stern. The team combined data collected on polar bear subpopulations with that of sea ice extent and identified ways to carry on subsistence harvesting with the least amount of negative impact already caused by habitat loss.

Human Disturbance hits Narwhals Where it Hurts — the Heart

The Washington Post covered new research findings on narwhal physiology and asked PSC’s Kristin Laidre what it will mean for the species in a changing Arctic.

Human-Driven Global Warming Is Biggest Threat to Polar Bears, Report Says

The US Fish and Wildlife Service recently released their Conservation Management Plan (CMP) for the polar bear. Required under the Endangered Species Act, the CMP outlines what must be done for a species to recover and avoid extinction. Kristin Laidre comments for the New York Times.

Iced In: Conservation Magazine, 2011-12-04

Recent research by Kristin Laidre and Harry Stern on the impacts of climate change on Arctic narwhals is published in Polar Biology. See the article in Conservation Magazine.

ICESat-2 Hackweek 2019

June 18, 2019 – This week is ICESat-2 Hackweek 2019, held at the University of Washington. Participants are learning about technologies used to access and process ICESat-2 data with a focus on the cryosphere.

ICESat-2 Launches, Promising New Era of Glaciology and Polar Oceanography

The Applied Physics Laboratory-UW interviews PSC’s Jamie Morison and Ben Smith about ICESat-2, their roles in the NASA project and how it will improve research efforts and data. Watch the video here or on APL’s YouTube channel.

Identifying shifts in maternity den phenology and habitat characteristics of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in Baffin Bay and Kane Basin

Erica Escajeda and Kristin Laidre were part of an international team of researchers that studied polar bear maternity dens and compared current data with previously published data through the 1990s. Read the findings published in Polar Biology.

Imaging the Arctic

Expeditionary artist Maria Coryell-Martin has traveled to Niaqornat, Greenland with Kristin Laidre to document the work being done to monitor narwhals. Maria will be posting field updates with photos and artwork through mid-April.

In memory of Norbert Untersteiner (1926-2012)

Norbert Untersteiner, founder and former director of the Polar Science Center, passed away on March 14, 2012 at the age of 86. Norbert was the director of the Polar Science Center from 1981-1988 when he became chairman of Atmospheric Sciences at UW. A Memorial Celebration of Norbert’s life will be held on the UW campus at the University Club (the former Faculty Club) on Friday, April 13 from 6-8pm. All are welcome. For further information, contact Mike Wallace at (206) 543-7390 or the Polar Science Center at (206) 543-6613. In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations may be made to the Kaplan Research Fund, c/o Swedish Medical Center Foundation, 747 Broadway, Seattle, WA 98122.

Ionospheric correction of InSAR data for accurate ice velocity measurement at polar regions

Interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) is a widely used tool for measuring ice sheet velocity in the Polar Regions. However, the ionosphere is a prevalent source of noise in these data. Ian Joughin is a co-author of a study, published in the May 2018 issue of Remote Sensing Environment, where a split-spectrum technique was utilized, and its performance analyzed, for correcting ionospheric effects in InSAR-based ice velocity measurements in Greenland and Antarctica. Read on to learn if the technique effectively reduced noise level…

Irreversible Collapse: APL-UW Research Suggests Melt of West Antarctic Glaciers

Airborne and satellite observations of West Antarctic topography and glacier flow speeds are combined with a computer model simulating ocean-driven glacier melting to show that the ice sheet’s collapse is already underway.

Join Pacific Science Center for the Premiere Showing of ‘Arctic: Our Frozen Planet’ at the Science and a Movie Event featuring PSC’s Eric Regehr

The Pacific Science Center will be showing Arctic: Our Frozen Planet, an IMAX nature documentary by the BBC which PSC’s very own Eric Regehr helped film, and also appears in! Dr. Regehr will be doing a Q&A about polar bears after the showing on May 27. Regehr will answer questions from the audience after the morning and afternoon showings on Saturday, May 27. The Thursday, May 25, evening showing will feature a Q&A with UW glaciologist Ian Joughin. Admission is $5, or free for PacSci members.Narrated by Benedict Cumberbatch, Arctic: Our Frozen Planet is an epic adventure across the magical realm of snow and ice at the top…

Last Arctic ice refuge is disappearing

November 12, 2019 – Former UW Arctic Fulbright Chair, Kent Moore with PSC researchers Axel Schweiger, Jinlun Zhang and Mike Steele on how the oldest and thickest Arctic sea ice is disappearing twice as fast as ice in the rest of the Arctic Ocean.

Low‐Level and Surface Wind Jets Near Sea Ice Edge in the Beaufort Sea in Late Autumn

June 6, 2019 – The latest paper authored by Zheng Liu and Axel Schweiger has been published in JGR Atmospheres. Read how dropsonde observations made from Seasonal Ice Zone Reconnaissance Survey flights were used to examine low‐level and surface “ice edge jets” in the Beaufort Sea.

Monitoring Arctic Ice Across its Entire Seasonal Life Cycle

A rotating crew of international scientists embarked on a research cruise in the Arctic and investigated the causes and effects of ice loss by monitoring the ice across its entire seasonal life cycle. UW polar scientist Kristin Laidre remarks, to Andy Isaacson of National Geographic, how further loss of sea ice could affect the Arctic marine ecosystem, from algae to polar bears.

More bad news for polar bears: UW scientists find dire ice conditions

The Seattle Times reports on the Arctic-wide analysis of changes in sea ice that have the greatest impact on polar bears, conducted by the PSC’s Harry Stern and Kristin Laidre.

Mysterious Narwhals

Polar Science Center investigator Kristin Laidre was recently featured in an online article on the Pacific Science Center’s website. This article about her work with narwhals was based on her recent “Science Cafe” presentation in Kirkland. The whole presentation entitled “Uncovering the Mysteries of the Narwhal” is on-line here.

Narwhal recruits track melting Arctic ice

NASA’s Sea Level News provides more details on the agency teaming up with PSC’s Kristin Laidre to further the Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG) project in progress. Data gathered by tagged narwhals will expand our understanding of both narwhal behavior and melting glaciers. Click below to learn more about the research endeavor and how the partnership came about…

Narwhals Are Real, And They Could Be in Real Trouble

Atlas Obscura covers a recent study led by former PSC postdoc Donna Hauser, along with Kristin Laidre and Harry Stern. The travel source shares how increased ship traffic in the Arctic increases the vulnerability of many marine mammals, especially the narwhal.

Narwhals helping NASA understand melting ice

Narwhals are intentionally a part of NASA’S project, Oceans Melting Greenland (OMG). PSC’s Kristin Laidre explains why the whales play a vital role in studying the ice in a recent story from The Washington Post/Bloomberg News and presented by their various news outlets.

Narwhals Wearing Heart Monitors Reveal Danger of Human Encounters

National Geographic asks PSC’s Kristin Laidre about a new unaffiliated study of the escape response of East Greenland narwhals.

Narwhals, Tusked Whales of the Arctic, See With Sound. Really Well.

The New York Times reports on a study of narwhals led by Kristin Laidre. She and her team conducted field work collecting recordings to uncover how adept the species navigate their Arctic water habitat with sound.

Navy Leads International Effort to Deploy Buoys Into the Arctic Ocean

PSC’s Ignatius Rigor took part in buoy deployments near the North Pole, in early September, as part of the International Arctic Buoy Program (IABP) – a partnership of global participants maintaining a network of drifting buoys in the Arctic Ocean. Read the Navy News Service post to learn more about IABP and the joint mission…

New Publication: Stability of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet in a Warming World

Polar Science Center investigator Ian Joughin and Richard B. Alley of the Department of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University were recently published in the journal Nature Geoscience. Their article discusses the possibility of a large contribution to rising sea levels due to the melting of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet by global warming. The full article is available here.

Newly documented population of polar bears in Southeast Greenland sheds light on the species’ future in a warming Arctic

A new population of polar bears documented on the southeast coast of Greenland use glacier ice to survive despite limited access to sea ice. This small, genetically distinct group of polar bears could be important to the future of the species in a warming world.

Nexus Media: Century-Old Ship Logs Show How Much Ice the Arctic Has Lost Old, handwritten logbooks prove computer models are right — the Arctic has lost a frightening amount of sea ice

North Pole Environmental Observatory on the Colbert Report

Learn more about the science behind the web cams and the North Pole Environmental Observatory and watch the clip from the Colbert Report.

On Thin Ice

Scientific American reports on a new study deriving ice thickness trends from measurements by the Polar Science Center’s Ron Lindsay and Axel Schweiger’s article published in The Cryosphere.

On thin ice: As Arctic Ocean warms, a scramble to understand its weather

Increasing summer ice melt in the Arctic Ocean could shift global weather patterns and make polar waters more navigable. But scientists say forecasting Arctic ice and weather remains a massive challenge. The prospect of more ice-free water during Arctic Ocean summers has triggered efforts to improve ice and weather forecasts at the top of the world

Download GRL manuscript:

ONR Develops Program to Assist Ships While Navigating Through the Ice in the Arctic

ONR Develops Program to Assist Ships While Navigating Through the Ice in the Arctic

Posts Tagged «News»

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