An International Research and Mobility Exchange Project: Advance Modeling and Observing Solar Radiation of Sea Ice (AMORA)

In recent decades, the Arctic sea ice has been observed undergoing a significant change, including a rapid retreat on sea ice extent, a continuously rapid declining on sea ice thickness, and a trend towards younger sea ice. These changes can significantly influence the surface energy balance of the ice-covered Arctic Ocean. To quantify this energy balance and to increase our understanding of mechanisms leading to observed changes in the Arctic Ocean, a project "Advancing Modeling and Observing solar Radiation of sea ice understanding changes and processes (AMORA)" was initiated and begun in October 2009. AMORA is funded by the Research Council of Norway and will last until 2013. It is organized under a frame of Norwegian-Chinese bilateral collaboration program for advance in climate research. Other international partners from Finland, Germany and USA are actively involved in this project. So far, various project tasks have been carried out: (1) in-situ data collections during several National/International research cruises and field campaigns in different Arctic regions (CHINARE-2010; Norwegian R/V Fram Strait Cruise 2011; Norwegian KV Svalbard Cruise 2011; German Polarstern Arctic Cruise 2011); (2) Research mobility and exchange among project partners (Norway and China, Norway and Germany, and Norway and Finland, and China-Finland); (3) Instrumentation exchange and development among partners, and (4) high resolution thermodynamic snow/ice model development. An autonomous observation system for spectral radiation reflection and transmission through sea ice, the so-called spectral radiation buoy (SRB), is in development and due for first deployment in 2012. The data collected from the SRB and ice mass balance buoys (IMBs) along with numerical model studies will help us to better understand the key thermodynamic processes of Arctic sea ice and changes in polar climate, especially on sea ice.