2008 Report for the Project Entitled: A Comprehensive Modeling Approach Towards Understanding and Prediction of the Alaskan Coastal System Response to Changes in an Ice-diminished Arctic

摘要

Our research combines state-of-the-art regional modeling of sea ice, ocean, atmosphere and ecosystem to provide a system approach to advance the knowledge and predictive capability of the diverse impacts of changing sea ice cover on the bio-physical marine environment of coastal Alaska and over the larger region of the western Arctic Ocean. The focus of this project on seasonally ice-free Alaskan coasts and shelves is in direct support of the 'Coastal Effects of a Diminished-ice Arctic Ocean' and littoral studies of interest to the U.S. Navy. Given the continued warming and summer sea ice cover decrease in the Arctic during the past decades, this research will have broader and long-term impacts by facilitating studies of the potential increased exploration of natural resources along the seasonally ice-free northern Alaskan coasts and shelves and of the use of northern sea routes from the Pacific Ocean to Europe. Such activities will change the strategic importance of the entire pan-Arctic region. The research will allow a better understanding and planning of current and future operational needs in support of the continued US commercial and tactical interests in the region.