The Scientific Possibilities of MOSAiC

Description

Over the course of the full year from fall 2019 through fall 2020, the DOE Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Program will operate one of its mobile facilities onboard the research vessel Polarstern as it is frozen into the Arctic sea ice during the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition. This once-in-a-generation project will bring together extensive observations in the Arctic atmosphere, sea ice, ocean, and ecosystem to observe and understand physical, chemical, and biological processes in the changing Arctic sea ice environment. The project directly aims to provide the process-level foundation needed to improve models for forecasting Arctic sea ice and weather, predicting Arctic climate, and assessing the changing Arctic ecosystem state. ARM’s role in MOSAiC is an important one, providing many essential measurements of the atmospheric state, clouds, precipitation, radiation, aerosols, and more. As part of this participation, the DOE Atmospheric System Research (ASR) Program is supporting initial oversight of the data collection and the development of initial data products that will facilitate scientific engagement in MOSAiC. The initial products will be similar to Merge Observatory Data Files (MODFs) that are being developed for other Arctic observatories, to enable direct comparison with models as part of the World Meteorological Organization’s Year of Polar Prediction (YOPP) activity. Additionally, a set of higher-order quicklook images will be developed to help interested investigators navigate the complex MOSAiC data set in support of broad scientific activities. This poster will introduce the anticipated initial products and will outline a number of potential scientific applications for the MOSAiC data set towards addressing strategic research objectives for the Arctic, the US, and DOE. Overall, the poster will serve to invite further scientific participation in MOSAiC and its scientific legacy.