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The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions This PDF is available from The National Academies Press at http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=18726 The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions ISBN Committee on Emerging Research Questions in the Arctic: Polar Research 978-0-309-30183-1 Board; Division on Earth and Life Studies; National Research Council 220 pages 7 x 10 PAPERBACK (2014) Visit the National Academies Press online and register for... Instant access to free PDF downloads of titles from the NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING INSTITUTE OF MEDICINE NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL 10% off print titles Custom notification of new releases in your field of interest Special offers and discounts Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the National Academies Press. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Request reprint permission for this book Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions PREPUBLICATION COPY The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions This prepublication version of The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerrging Research Questions has been provided to the public to facilitate timely access to the report. Although the substance of the report is final, editorial changes may be made throughout the text aannd citations will be checked prior to publication. The final report will be available through the National Academies Press in Spring of 2014. Committee on Emerging Research Questions in the Arctic Polar Research Board Division on Earth and Life Studies THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS Washington, D.C. www.nap.edu Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES PRESS • 500 Fifth Street, NW •Washington, DC 20001 NOTICE: The project that is the subject of this report was approved by the Governing Board of the National Research Council, whose members are drawn from the councils of the National Academy of Sciences, the National Academy of Engineering, and the Institute of Medicine. The members of the committee responsible for the report were chosen for their special competences and with regard for appropriate balance. This study was supported by the Arctic Research Commission, the Department of Energy under award number DE-SC0008724; the National Aeronautics and Space Administration under award number NNX13A014G; the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration under award number WC133R-11- CQ-0048, TO#4; the National Science Foundation under award number ARC-1243485; and the Smithsonian Institution under award number 12-PO-590-0000254005. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the sponsoring agencies or any of their sub agencies. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data or International Standard Book Number 0-309-0XXXX-X Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 97-XXXXX Additional copies of this report are available for sale from the National Academies Press, 500 Fifth Street, NW, Keck 360, Washington, DC 20001; (800) 624-6242 or (202) 334-3313; Internet, http://www.nap.edu/ . Copyright 2014 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. PREPUBLICATION COPY Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions The National Academy of Sciences is a private, nonprofit, self-perpetuating society of distinguished scholars engaged in scientific and engineering research, dedicated to the furtherance of science and technology and to their use for the general welfare. Upon the authority of the charter granted to it by the Congress in 1863, the Academy has a mandate that requires it to advise the federal government on scientific and technical matters. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone is president of the National Academy of Sciences. The National Academy of Engineering was established in 1964, under the charter of the National Academy of Sciences, as a parallel organization of outstanding engineers. It is autonomous in its administration and in the selection of its members, sharing with the National Academy of Sciences the responsibility for advising the federal government. The National Academy of Engineering also sponsors engineering programs aimed at meeting national needs, encourages education and research, and recognizes the superior achievements of engineers. Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., is president of the National Academy of Enginneering. The Institute of Medicine was established in 1970 by the Nationnal Academy of Sciences to secure the services of eminent members of appropriate professions in the examination of policy matters pertaining to the health of the public. The Institute acts under the responsibility given to the National Academy of Sciences by its congressional charter to be an adviser to the federal government and, upon its own initiative, to identify issues of medical care, research, and education. Dr. Harvey V. Fineberg is president of the Institute of Medicine. The National Research Council was organized by the National Academy of Sciences in 1916 to associate the broad community of science and technology with the Academy’s purposes of furthering knowledge and advising the federal government. Functioning in accordance with general policies determined by the Academy, the Council has become the principal operating agency of both the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering in providing services to the government, the public, and the scientific and engineering communities. The Council is administered jointly by both Academies and the Institute of Medicine. Dr. Ralph J. Cicerone and Dr. C. D. Mote, Jr., are chair and vice chair, respectively, of the National Research Council. www.national-academies.org Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions COMMITTEE ON EMERGING RESEARCH QUESTIONS IN THE ARCTIC HENRY P. HUNTINGTON (Co-Chair), The Pew Charitable Trusts, Eagle River, Alaska STEPHANIE PFIRMAN (Co-Chair), Barnard College, Columbia University, New York, New York CARIN ASHJIAN, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Massachusetts LAURA BOURGEAU-CHAVEZ, Michigan Technological University, Ann Arbor, Michigan JENNIFER A. FRANCIS, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey SVEN HAAKANSON, University of Washington, Seattle ROBERT HAWLEY, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire TAQULIK HEPA, North Slope Borough, Barrow, Alaska DAVID HIK, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta LARRY HINZMAN, University of Alaska, Fairbanks AMANDA LYNCH, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island A. MICHAEL MACRANDER, Shell Alaska, Anchorage GIFFORD H. MILLER, University of Colorado, Boulder KATE MORAN, Ocean Networks Canada, Victoria, British Columbia ELLEN S. MOSLEY-THOMPSON (NAS), The Ohio State University, Columbus SAMUEL B. MUKASA, University of New Hampshire, Durham TOM WEINGARTNER, University of Alaska, Fairbanks NRC Staff: MAGGIE WALSER, Co-Study Director LAUREN BROWN, Co-Study Director LARA HENRY, Christine Mirzayan Fellow ELIZABETH FINKELMAN, Senior Program Assistant RITA GASKINS, Administrative Coordinator SHELLY FREELAND, Senior Program Assistant ROB GREENWAY, Program Associate PREPUBLICATION COPY v Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions POLAR RESEARCH BOARD JAMES C. WHITE (Chair), University of Colorado, Boulder WALEED ABDALATI, University of Colorado, Boulder SRIDHAR ANANDAKRISHNAN, Pennsylvania State University, University Park JULIE BRIGHAM-GRETTE, University of Massachusetts, Amherst JOHN CASSANO, University of Colorado, Boulder JENNIFER A. FRANCIS, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey EILEEN E. HOFMANN, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia BERNICE M. JOSEPH, University of Alaska, Fairbanks ELLEN S. MOSLEY-THOMPSON, The Ohio State University, Columbus GEORGE B. NEWTON, QinetiQ North America, Marstons Mills, Massachusetts RAFE POMERANCE, Independent Consultant CARYN REA, ConocoPhillips, Anchorage, Alaska GAIUS R. SHAVER, Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, Massachusetts KATEY WALTER ANTHONY, University of Alaska, Fairbanks ALLAN T. WEATHERWAX, Siena College, Loudonville, New York NRC Staff AMANDA STAUDT, Board Director LAURIE GELLER, Program Director MAGGIE WALSER, Senior Program Officer LAUREN BROWN, Associate Program Officer LARA HENRY, Christine Mirzayan Fellow AMANDA PURCELL, Research and Financial Associate RITA GASKINS, Administrative Coordinator ROB GREENWAY, Program Associate SHELLY FREELAND, Senior Program Assistant PREPUBLICATION COPY vi Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. The Arctic in the Anthropocene: Emerging Research Questions Preface This report comes at a unique time in human history—never before has an ocean opened up before our eyes, awakening many to the importance and relevance of the far north. Because of the Arctic’s new strategic and economic potential, most of the Arctic countries—the United States, Canada, Norway, Sweden, Denmark/Greenland, Finland, Iceland, and Russia—have produced new or updated
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