Operations and Maintenance Support for the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL)

极地环境大气研究实验室（PEARL）的运营和维护支持

• 批准号: RTI-2017-00651
• 负责人: Strong, Kimberly
• 金额: $ 10.93万
• 依托单位: University of Toronto
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Research Tools and Instruments
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=616739
• 关键词: Operations; Maintenance; Support; Polar; Environment

The Arctic remains one of Earth's least understood environments and yet it is a bellwether for global climate change, a receptor for global pollution, and a driver for the global climate system. The Arctic is changing quickly; in some regions, the surface temperature is rising five times faster than the rest of the planet. As the effects of Arctic change propagate to more densely populated lower latitudes, they have important consequences for all Canadians. Long-term ground-based measurements are absolutely essential if we are to understand what is happening in the Arctic, the causes, and how to respond. The international scientific community unanimously recognizes the acute need for direct observation of conditions and processes in the Arctic, and many countries have assigned high priority to Arctic research. Canada has a particular stake in this arena because much of the Arctic land mass is within Canada. However, opportunities for doing research in the High Arctic are very limited because of the difficulties of maintaining a viable research site. This proposal is for the funds necessary to maintain the Polar Environment Atmospheric Research Laboratory (PEARL) located near Environment and Climate Change Canada's Eureka Weather Station and only 1,100 km from the North Pole. The purpose-built laboratory is unique in its clear-sky nights and ability to monitor and obtain measurements from both inside and outside the winter polar vortex, which is the focus of much atmospheric research as it controls the exchange of air between the Arctic and mid-latitudes. More than 40 scientists, including undergraduate and graduate students, Canadian university and government researchers, and international investigators, are currently conducting research at PEARL. The PEARL facility enables Canadian researchers to perform internationally competitive, as well as scientifically and environmentally relevant, atmospheric research in Canada's far North. Atmospheric measurements at PEARL provide essential insights into an array of scientific, policy and societal issues ranging from the carbon cycle to ozone depletion, from air quality to radiative climate forcing, from dynamics to weather prediction and air traffic safety. The High Arctic also offers by far the best astronomical site in Canada and one that is comparable to high quality international sites in Chile and Hawaii, with clear skies most of the time, very low atmospheric turbulence which gives very sharp images, and extremely dry, cold air. Efforts are underway to establish a new astronomical observatory at PEARL to search for Earth-like planets and to detect and track potentially hazardous space debris and near-Earth asteroids. The requested support will enable enhanced operation of PEARL to generate new data and information that will be unique in Canada and will answer pressing scientific and societal questions in atmospheric science and astronomy.

北极仍然是地球上最不为人所知的环境之一，但它是全球气候变化的风向标、全球污染的受体和全球气候系统的驱动因素。北极正在迅速变化；在某些地区，地表温度的上升速度是地球其他地区的五倍。随着北极变化的影响蔓延到人口更稠密的低纬度地区，它们对所有加拿大人都会产生重要影响。如果我们要了解北极正在发生的情况、原因以及如何应对，长期地面测量绝对是必要的。国际科学界一致认识到直接观测北极条件和过程的迫切需要，许多国家都高度重视北极研究。加拿大在这个领域有着特殊的利益，因为北极的大部分陆地都在加拿大境内。然而，由于维持可行的研究地点存在困难，在高纬度北极进行研究的机会非常有限。该提案旨在为维持极地环境大气研究实验室 (PEARL) 提供必要的资金，该实验室位于加拿大环境与气候变化部尤里卡气象站附近，距北极仅 1,100 公里。该专门建造的实验室的独特之处在于其晴朗的夜晚以及监测和获取冬季极地涡旋内部和外部测量的能力，这是许多大气研究的焦点，因为它控制着北极和中部之间的空气交换。 - 纬度。目前有 40 多名科学家，包括本科生和研究生、加拿大大学和政府研究人员以及国际研究人员，正在 PEARL 进行研究。 PEARL 设施使加拿大研究人员能够在加拿大远北地区进行具有国际竞争力以及与科学和环境相关的大气研究。 PEARL 的大气测量为一系列科学、政策和社会问题提供了重要的见解，从碳循环到臭氧消耗，从空气质量到辐射气候强迫，从动力学到天气预报和空中交通安全。高北极还提供了迄今为止加拿大最好的天文地点，可与智利和夏威夷的高质量国际地点相媲美，大部分时间天空晴朗，大气湍流非常低，可以提供非常清晰的图像，并且极其干燥，冷空气。目前正在努力在珍珠号建立一个新的天文观测站，以寻找类地行星，并探测和跟踪潜在危险的太空碎片和近地小行星。所请求的支持将使 PEARL 的运行得到加强，以产生加拿大独一无二的新数据和信息，并将回答大气科学和天文学中紧迫的科学和社会问题。