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Alaska’s Arctic : Features of the Region. Observed Climate Change in Northern Alaska. Martha Shulski Alaska Climate Research Center Geophysical Institute, UAF http://climate.gi.alaska.edu. MODIS image, courtesy of GINA. Beaufort High Beaufort Gyre. Siberian Shelf. Canada Basin. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
MODIS image, courtesy of GINA
Observed Climate Changein Northern Alaska
Martha ShulskiAlaska Climate Research Center
Geophysical Institute, UAFhttp://climate.gi.alaska.edu
Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
Beaufort SeaChukchi Sea
Canada BasinSiberian Shelf
Beaufort Shelf
Beaufort HighBeaufort Gyre
Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
Beaufort SeaChukchi Sea
Canada BasinSiberian Shelf
Beaufort Shelf
Calm: <2%Speed: 5 m/s
Jan Jul
Prevailing winds
Beaufort HighBeaufort Gyre
Barrow, KuparukPrudhoe Bay, Umiat
Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
T = -12°CP = 10 cmS = 86 cmSnowcover Sept - June
Geographical and Meteorological Background
Comparison to rest of Alaska
Driest
Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
Dry
www.prism.oregonstate.edu
Geographical and Meteorological Background
Comparison to rest of Alaska
Driest
Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
Summerthermalgradient
www.prism.oregonstate.edu
Meteorological observing stations
Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
Meteorological stations
Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
Lack of spatial detail!!- inland- high elevation
Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
Data Problems anemometer icing
Alaska’s Arctic: Features of the Region
Data Problems measuring precipitation accurately
US NWS 8" non-recording gaugePhoto by S. Berezovskaya (UAF)
Double Fence IntercomparisonReference (DFIR) Photo by D.Yang (UAF)
Temperature increase
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundAlaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundAlaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region
Walsh and Chapmanhttp://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundAlaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Regionw
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Walsh and Chapmanhttp://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/
Growing season increase
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundAlaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region
Sea ice decrease
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundAlaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region
Beaufort Sea
Sea ice decrease
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundAlaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region
Beaufort Sea
Wildfire increase
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundAlaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region
Alaska Fire Servicehttp://fire.ak.blm.gov/content/aicc/stats/2007stats.pdf
Wildfire increase
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundAlaska’s Arctic: Changes in the Region
Alaska Fire Servicehttp://fire.ak.blm.gov/content/aicc/stats/2007stats.pdf
Anaktuvuk FireStatistics
• tundra• limited protection• 40% of total area• > 200,000 acres• > all historical fires north of 68°
>> New PRISM data (1971 - 2000)
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundAlaska’s Arctic: Upcoming products
>> Environmental data for the Arctic Network parks
http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/nps/reports/2007_04_23_arcninventory_final.pdf
>> New plant hardiness
maps (USDA)
Geographical and Meteorological BackgroundClimate Change in Northern Alaska
• Temperature Increase: Warming most pronounced in winter and spring
• GGD increase, lengthening of growing season
• Precipitation decrease seen in observations
• Sea ice extent decrease
• Wildfire increase
