C21A-0958 0800h
IceCam: The collection of sea ice observations during the International Polar Year
The IceCam is an integrated visual monitoring and environmental data logging system designed for deployment on any platform. The autonomous, cost-effective system can provide consistent data on the extent and state of sea ice at regular intervals. This data can be employed to improve the interpretation of satellite data and validate climate models. During the International Polar Year (IPY) there will be a significant increase in shipping and aircraft activity in the polar regions. The deployment of an IceCam as part of a particular programme will allow human resources to be released from making ice observation records while ensuring more frequent and consistent observations are collected. It is estimated that the deployment of 50 IceCam units would result in over a million observations during the IPY. The data collected will be archived in an accessible central database from which users may extract data based on a variety of parameters including time, location and ice concentration. The presentation will outline how the data collected can be used to interpret satellite data and calculate ice concentration, with examples from the Greenland and Norwegian Seas. Together with how the data collected will be archived and distributed.
C21A-0959 0800h
Affects of Changes in Sea Ice Cover on Bowhead Whales and Subsistence Whaling in the Western Arctic
Global warming may disproportionately affect Arctic marine mammals and disrupt traditional subsistence hunting activities. Based upon analyses of a 24-year time series (1979-2002) of satellite-derived sea ice cover, we identified significant positive trends in the amount of open-water in three large and five small-scale regions in the western Arctic, including habitats where bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) feed or are suspected to feed. Bowheads are the only mysticete whale endemic to the Arctic and a cultural keystone species for Native peoples from northwestern Alaska and Chukotka, Russia. While copepods (Calanus spp.) are a mainstay of the bowhead diet, prey sampling conducted in the offshore region of northern Chukotka and stomach contents from whales harvested offshore of the northern Alaskan coast indicate that euphausiids (Thysanoessa spp.) advected from the Bering Sea are also common prey in autumn. Early departure of sea ice has been posited to control availability of zooplankton in the southeastern Bering Sea and in the Cape Bathurst polynya in the southeastern Canadian Beaufort Sea, with maximum secondary production associated with a late phytoplankton bloom in insolatoin-stratified open water. While it is unclear if declining sea-ice has directly affected production or advection of bowhead prey, an extension of the open-water season increases opportunities for Native subsistence whaling in autumn. Therefore, bowhead whales may provide a nexus for simultaneous exploration of the effects sea ice reduction on pagophillic marine mammals and on the social systems of the subsistence hunting community in the western Arctic. The NOAA/Alaska Fisheries Science Center and NSB/Department of Wildlife Management will investigate bowhead whale stock identity, seasonal distribution and subsistence use patterns during the International Polar Year, as an extension of research planned for 2005-06. This research is in response to recommendations from the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission. Research plans include biopsy sampling and subsequent genetic analyses, long-term acoustic detection and satellite tracking of whales in selected portions of their range coupled with community-based management of the subsistence harvest. This research, in concert with extension of oceanographic observing capabilities, promises to elucidate underlying forcing mechanisms key to the changing high-Arctic marine ecosystem.
C21A-0960 0800h
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA) Arctic Climate Change Studies: A Contribution to IPY
NOAA has initiated four activities that respond to the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment(ACIA) recommendations and represent contributions toward the IPY: 1) Arctic cloud, radiation and aerosol observatories, 2) documentation and attribution of changes in sea-ice thickness through direct measurement and modeling, 3) deriving added value from existing multivariate and historical data, and 4) following physical and biological changes in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas. Northeast Canada, the central Arctic coast of Russia and the continuing site at Barrow have been chosen as desirable radiation/cloud locations as they exhibit different responses to Arctic Oscillation variability. NOAA is closely collaborating with Canadian groups to establish an observatory at Eureka. NOAA has begun deployment of a network of ice-tethered ice mass balance buoys complemented by several ice profiling sonars. In combination with other sea ice investigators, the Arctic buoy program, and satellites, changes can be monitored more effectively in sea ice throughout the Arctic. Retrospective data analyses includes analysis of Arctic clouds and radiation from surface and satellite measurements, correction of systematic errors in TOVS radiance data sets for the Arctic which began in 1979, addressing the feasibility of an Arctic System Reanalysis, and an Arctic Change Detection project that incorporates historical and recent physical and biological observations and news items at a website, www.arctic.noaa.gov. NOAA has begun a long-term effort to detect change in ecosystem indicators in the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas that could provide a model for other northern marine ecosystems. The first efforts were undertaken in summer 2004 during a joint Russian-US cruise that mapped the regions physical, chemical and biological parameters to set the stage for future operations over the longer term. A line of biophysical moorings provide detection of the expected warming of this area. A retrospective analysis is also underway. NOAA is open to partnerships as the IPY develops.
http://www.arctic.noaa.gov
C21A-0961 0800h
Recent Progress Towards Establishing an Arctic Ocean Observing System - A NOAA Contribution to the Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH)
SEARCH is a coordinated, interagency program focused on understanding the full scope of changes taking place in the Arctic and to determine if the changes indicate the start of a major climate shift in this region. NOAA has initiated its contribution to the SEARCH program with seed activities that address high priority issues relating to the atmosphere and the cryosphere. One element of the NOAA SEARCH program is an Arctic Ocean Observing System. This presentation describes the recent progress made in establishing components of this observing system, specifically the deployment of drifting ice mass balance mass (IMB) and ocean buoys and a seafloor mooring equipped with ice profiling sonar (IPS). We present examples of data collected from the drifting buoys, show the location of equipment deployed in 2003, the planned deployments for 2004, and describe other historic observations of changes in the thickness of the sea ice cover. Combined, these data are being used to monitor changes in the thickness of the Arctic sea ice cover and in near surface ocean characteristics.
C21A-0962 0800h
The International Polar Year: Making Data and Information Available for the Long Term
Planning is currently underway for an International Polar Year (IPY) in 2007-2008. Like its predecessors, the IPYs of 1882-83 and 1932-33 and the International Geophysical Year in 1957-58 IPY's (and IGY's), the upcoming IPY will undoubtedly produce a wide variety of data and information useful not only to the current generation; but also for future generations. However, unlike previous IPY/IGYs, the bulk of that data and information is likely to be digital not analog. While preservation of anything for the long term is problematic at best, at least the technologies needed for preserving analog materials (paper documents, photos, maps, etc.) are well understood and have passed the test of time. The same can not yet be said for digital data. As NSF and the Library of Congress have so eloquently stated, "digital objects require constant and perpetual maintenance, and they depend on elaborate systems of hardware, software, data and information models, and standards that are upgraded or replaced every few years." How future generations judge the success of the IPY of 2007-08 will be based, at least partly on whether the data and information collected is still readily accessible. This presentation will discuss what is needed in order to ensure the availability of IPY data for future generations.
C21A-0963 0800h
Glaciological Data Management from IGY57 to IPY07 - Lessons from the WDC Glaciology Boulder
In 2007 the International Polar Year will commence. It is certain that the numerous multidisciplinary field experiments and other research programs that will generate new data streams and hence a need for data management. New concepts for data management are being vetted in journals and at scientific meetings ranging from centralized to highly distributed topologies, and with varying metadata and data format standards. The WDC Glaciology Boulder was created to house, curate, and distribute data from the IPY's predecessor, the International Geophysical Year in 1957. Data management services have evolved from collections of printed reports, journals and photographs when WDC Glaciology was transferred to Boulder in 1976 to complex database driven digital data management systems. We will describe the 40 plus year WDC experience, with a view towards addressing the challenges of the up-coming IPY.
C21A-0964 0800h
The Antarctic Master Directory - a fundamental data management element for the International Polar Year 2007-2008
A successful International Polar Year (IPY) in 2007-2008 will extend the scientific spirit of international collaboration and exploration first undertaken in earlier IPYs and the 1957/58 International Geophysical Year (IGY) to the current era of advanced collection and analysis technology. The IGY not only led to a number of important scientific achievements; it also established an enduring data system - the World Data Centers - which continues today. Effective utilization of the vast arrays of data which will result from the coming IPY will challenge data managers and scientists alike. Coordinating the collection, assembly, archival and international exchange of disparate and voluminous data sets requires advance planning and the involvement of the relevant science agencies and data managers to utilize and extend existing capabilities. The IPY Planning Group has identified key objectives indicating that data management is an essential part of the IPY planning process including: - Ensure data collected under the IPY are made available in an open and timely manner - Intensify the recovery of relevant historical data and ensure that these also are made openly available - Develop and embrace new technological and logistical capabilities The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and Committee of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes (COMNAP) have established the Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM) to develop the Antarctic Master Directory (AMD) to enable scientists to find and access the data sets collected more than 22 countries in the Antarctic. Incorporating concepts developed as part of the AMD and extending them to cover the scope of the IPY is an important part of a successful IPY data management program. This paper identifies major aspects of the AMD and how it can serve the IPY.
http://nsidc.org/usadcc
C21A-0965 0800h
Improved 30-day Great Lakes ice forecasts during IPY
The potential benefits for skillful 30-day forecasts of Great Lakes ice cover are clearly significant, given that over 1.4 billion metric tons (with an estimated value of 200 billion) have been transported along the Great Lakes since 1959. The U.S. Navy/NOAA National Ice Center (NIC) is responsible for issuing 30-day forecasts of ice conditions on the Great Lakes. The NIC product currently utilizes estimates of freezing degree days (FDDs; a temperature proxy), analyst knowledge, some teleconnection data (NAO and ENSO), and analogues of previous years to issue a 30-day forecast. This presentation outlines current efforts to create a fully automated 30-day forecast for the Great Lakes, including uncertainty information, and the plans for rolling out the product during the IPY.
C21A-0966 0800h
The International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP) - An International Polar Year Every Year
A network of automatic data buoys to monitor synoptic-scale fields of sea level pressure (SLP), surface air temperature (SAT), and ice motion throughout the Arctic Ocean was recommended by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences in 1974. Based on the Academy's recommendation, the Arctic Ocean Buoy Program was established by the Polar Science Center, Applied Physics Laboratory (APL), University of Washington, in 1978 to support the Global Weather Experiment. Operations began in early 1979, and the program continued through 1990 under funding from various agencies. In 1991, the International Arctic Buoy Programme (IABP) succeeded the Arctic Ocean Buoy Program, but the basic objective remains - to maintain a network of drifting buoys on the Arctic Ocean to provide meteorological and oceanographic data for real-time operational requirements and research purposes including support to the World Climate Research Programme and the World Weather Watch Programme. The IABP currently has 37 buoys deployed on the Arctic Ocean. Most of the buoys measure SLP and SAT, but many buoys are enhanced to measure other geophysical variables such as sea ice thickness, ocean temperature and salinity. This observational array is maintained by the 20 Participants from 10 different countries, who support the program through contributions of buoys, deployment logistics, and other services. The observations from the IABP are posted on the Global Telecommunications System for operational use, are archived at the World Data Center for Glaciology at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (http://nsidc.org), and can also be obtained from the IABP web server for research (http://iabp.apl.washington.edu). The observations from the IABP have been essential for: 1.) Monitoring Arctic and global climate change; 2.) Forecasting weather and sea ice conditions; 3.) Forcing, assimilation and validation of global weather and climate models; 4.) Validation of satellite data; etc. As of 2003, over 450 papers have been written using the observations collected by the IABP. The observations from IABP have been one of the cornerstones for environmental forecasting and studies of climate and climate change, i.e. many of the changes in Arctic climate were first observed or explained using data from the IABP. The IABP is also evolving to better support the operational and research requirements of the community. For example, some of the Participants of the IABP have been deploying buoys which not only measure SLP and SAT, but also ocean currents, temperatures and salinity. Other buoys have been enhanced to measure the ice mass balance (IMB) using thermistor strings and pingers aimed at the top and bottom of the sea ice. Some of these ocean and IMB buoys are deployed in close proximity to each other in order to provide a myriad of concurrent observations at a few points across the Arctic Ocean. From these data we can also estimate time variations in other geophysical variables such as oceanic heat storage and heat flux. These stations provide critical atmospheric, ice, and upper ocean hydrographic measurements that cannot be obtained by other means. The Arctic and global climate system is changing. These changes threaten our native cultures and ecosystems, but may also provide economic and social opportunities. In order to understand and respond to these changes, we need to sustain our current observational systems, and for the Arctic, the IABP provides the longest continuing record of observations.
http://iabp.apl.washington.edu
C21A-0967 0800h
Why Are The Poles So Cool? Thematic Outreach for IPY
Finding an overarching outreach strategy and theme is the challenge facing institutions aiming to make the International Polar Year a widely recognized and successful event. Defining themes that are appealing and flexible, and that can accommodate outreach in different venues and to different audiences is a crucial step in ensuring that the IPY effort yields high returns for the scientific community. A thematic approach makes sense in the context of the IPY, since information about the poles is wide-ranging and compelling, from the history of polar exploration to how microorganisms adapt to extreme conditions. Polar science can thus be incorporated into existing curricula in many subjects and disciplines, and it also lends itself well to informal education venues, interactive web-based tools, and mainstream media coverage.
C21A-0968 0800h
IPY to Mark Expansion of Research Facilities on the North Slope of Alaska
The Barrow Global Climate Change Research Facility will open to researchers on the North Slope of Alaska during the 2007-08 anniversary of the first IPY. Between 1949 and 1980, arctic researchers were very active on the North Slope and in nearby waters largely because of the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory (NARL) at Barrow. NARL provided easy access, laboratories and logistical support. NARL was closed in 1981, but particularly during this past decade, Barrow-based arctic research projects have been back on the upswing. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory (CMDL) Barrow station was founded during the 1970s, and continues as part of NOAA's five station global network for monitoring atmospheric composition. The North Slope Borough's Department of Wildlife Management (DWM) has for the past 20 years conducted its own research. The DWM also served as logistical provider for growing numbers of arctic researchers without other logistical support. In the late 1990s, the Department of Energy Atmospheric Radiation Measurement program (ARM: DOE's principal climate change research effort) created a Cloud and Radiation Testbed on the North Slope with atmospheric instrumentation at Barrow and Atqasuk. It is now part of the ARM Climate Research Facility, a National User Facility. In response to growing researcher needs, the Barrow Arctic Science Consortium (BASC) was formed in the late 1990s as a non-profit logistical support and community coordinating organization, and received the endorsement of Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation (UIC), NSB and the local community college. BASC provides logistical support to National Science Foundation (NSF) researchers through a cooperative agreement, and to others on a fee for service basis. UIC also dedicated 11 square miles of its land as the Barrow Environmental Observatory (BEO), and charged BASC with management of the BEO. This land that has been used for research for more than 50 years, and now is available to the larger research community through BASC. It has been protected from development by the NSB Assembly as a Scientific Research District. Since 1981, the remains of the old NARL infrastructure sustained the scientific enterprise on the North Slope. But now, as a result of the rapid ongoing changes in the Arctic, these old inadequate facilities are about to be replaced. The new Barrow facility, although smaller than the old NARL, will serve the needs of modern researchers with first class laboratories, information technology and lodging. It is being designed by the arctic research community itself through a series of workshops held over this past year, and through ongoing feedback (http://scifac.arcticscience.org). Research on the North Slope capitalizes on the history of collaboration between the Native Inupiat Eskimo people and scientists going back to the first IPY. Local native people have served in many support capacities for scientists in the past, and currently serve as managers and technicians for projects like ARM. It is this history of collaboration with scientists that inspired the creation of BASC, of the BEO, and that made the new facility possible. This paper reviews the status of planning for the new Barrow facility. Feedback can be provided through the web site and through the authors, who serve BASC respectively as chairs of advisory committees, Executive Director and President.
http://scifac.arcticscience.org
C21A-0969 0800h
Tectonic structure and evolution of the Earth's Polar Regions: a comparative study
Exploring new scientific frontiers, including those of planetary scale, is a recognized IPY 2007-2008 priority. Among such frontiers awaiting scientific exploration is a comparative study of tectonic structure and evolution of the Earth's Polar regions - the Arctic and the Antarctic. An overall objective of such study would be to understand whether the sharply contrasting morphostructural settings of these antipodal planetary segments (that is, the Arctic geodepression with broad peripheral shelf and central deep oceanic core versus Antarctica's thick continental crust surrounded by oceanic deeps) and their characteristic concave versus convex crustal profiles are merely incidental or have a fundamental geodynamic cause. A striking example of antipodal symmetry is represented by Gakkel and Lomonosov Ridges and adjoining Nansen, Amundsen and Makarov Basins in the Arctic Ocean that in Antarctica are mirrored by high-standing chain of the Transantarctic Mountains and subsided subglacial continental rifts along its both sides. On the other hand, some major rift-related deep sedimentary basins in one polar region appear antipodal to principal shield areas in the other (e.g. Canada Basin in the Arctic versus the oldest Antarctic cratonic nuclei, or the Wilkes Subglacial Basin in East Antarctica versus the Greenland Shield). Formation of present-day structural framework of both Polar Regions occurred during the Alpine stage mainly in extensional environment with only very negligible convergent component. This may indicate an essentially similar geodynamic background influenced by planetary-wide tension fields and tectonic forcing generated by mantle plumes and related advection flows. It is proposed that all earth science datasets already existing in the Arctic and the Antarctic and additional data acquired prior to and during IPY 2007-2008 will be synthesized in a Tectonic Map of the Polar Regions of the Earth to be compiled under the auspices of the Commission for the Geological Map of the World. A unified legend for that map should be specifically elaborated in such manner that would enable to highlight the Arctic and Antarctic antipodal structural features and identify their evolutionary links.
C21A-0970 0800h
Field Instrumentation With Bricks: Wireless Networks Built From Tough, Cheap, Reliable Field Computers
We describe tough, cheap, reliable field computers configured as wireless networks for distributed high-volume data acquisition and low-cost data recovery. Running under the GNU/Linux open source model these network nodes ('Bricks') are intended for either autonomous or managed deployment for many months in harsh Arctic conditions. We present here results from Generation-1 Bricks used in 2004 for glacier seismology research in Alaska and Antarctica and describe future generation Bricks in terms of core capabilities and a growing list of field applications. Subsequent generations of Bricks will feature low-power embedded architecture, large data storage capacity (GB), long range telemetry (15 km+ up from 3 km currently), and robust operational software. The list of Brick applications is growing to include Geodetic GPS, Bioacoustics (bats to whales), volcano seismicity, tracking marine fauna, ice sounding via distributed microwave receivers and more. This NASA-supported STTR project capitalizes on advancing computer/wireless technology to get scientists more data per research budget dollar, solving system integration problems and thereby getting researchers out of the hardware lab and into the field. One exemplary scenario: An investigator can install a Brick network in a remote polar environment to collect data for several months and then fly over the site to recover the data via wireless telemetry. In the past year Brick networks have moved beyond proof-of-concept to the full-bore development and testing stage; they will be a mature and powerful tool available for IPY 2007-8.
http://www.vexcel.com
C21A-0971 0800h
Towards an Arctic Profiling Floats Program for IPY and Beyond
Present knowledge of the circulation of the mid-depth and deep layers of the Arctic Ocean is limited, especially so from direct current observations. This is in contrast to the circulation of sea ice and the surface layer of the Arctic, where satellite observations together with ice buoys have been able to monitor the circulation since the late 1970s. This lack of knowledge is surprising as the mid-depth circulation of waters of Atlantic origin is thought of as an important part of the Arctic hydrography, with far-reaching effects on the overall heat, salt and freshwater budget. Here we present new techniques and planned field test of profiling floats capable of passively following currents at a discrete depth and to profile the upper part of the water column at regular intervals. We have proposed to test these float and telemetry techniques during the pan-arctic Beringia 2005 cruise in summer of 2005. The development and field test will be a proof of concept, and upon success, will lead the way to possible future deployments of multiple floats around the Arctic Ocean for the International Polar Year and beyond.
C21A-0972 0800h
GAMBIT--Gamburtsev Aerogeophysical Mapping of Bedrock and Ice Targets During IPY
Antarctica is a key element in Earth's climatic and geodynamic systems, yet on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year, we lack fundamental geologic and geophysical data from the deep interior of this vast continent. Despite the central role that Antarctica has played in shaping the present global environment, fundamental, first-order parameters such as ice volume and stratigraphy, bedrock elevation, lithology, structure, age, and tectonic history remain poorly known over large portions of the continent, including the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains. Given the extensive ice cover, airborne geophysical data is the best and most cost-effective method to characterize broad areas of sub-ice basement and expand our knowledge of Antarctica. Under a program entitled, GAMBIT--Gamburtsev Aerogeophysical Mapping of Bedrock and Ice Targets, we propose to conduct airborne gravity, magnetic and radar surveys over the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains, a priority for geophysical and drilling studies by the solid Earth and glaciology communities for many years. This proposal will help develop long-range aerogeophysical capabilities and provide data to the Antarctic community within a year after collection to help answer fundamental science questions of global significance. By integrating these with international efforts during the IPY, we can maximize and broaden the use of all data sets. Specifically, we propose to image the East Antarctic ice sheet and bedrock with airborne geophysical surveys through the GAMBIT project in order to: 1) determine ice volume for mass balance calculations and identify internal layers reflecting the accumulation history of the East Antarctic ice sheet in the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains region; 2) characterize the gravity, magnetic, and elevation signatures of the East Antarctic crustal basement of the Gamburtsev Subglacial Mountains; 3) integrate these data with existing and new data collected during IPY over adjacent areas; 4) help coordinate IPY activities, including survey design, development of policies related to open access to data, and input to existing data bases; and 5) develop online resources for K-12 students and teachers; internships for journalism students; and involve undergraduate students and faculty in important project aspects such as mapping and display of geophysical data sets in order to cultivate under-represented student interest in science and engineering.
C21A-0973 0800h
Investigating the crustal elements of the central Antarctic Plate (ICECAP): How long-range aerogeophysics is critical to understanding the evolution of the East Antarctic ice sheet
The highlands of the central Antarctic Plate have been the nursery for East Antarctic ice sheets since at least the early Oligocene separation of Antarctica and Australia. Significant strides have been made in deciphering the marine geological, geophysical, and geochemical record of the deposits left by these sheets and the Pleistocene paleoclimate record from ice cores taken from the central reaches of the contemporary ice sheet. Most recently, the scientific community has realized the importance of the isolated biome represented by the subglacial lakes that characterize the domes of the central East Antarctic ice sheet and evolve in concert with them. Understanding the evolution of the East Antarctic ice sheet and its sub-glacial environment would be a major contribution to the IPY 2007-2008 international effort. Critical to understanding offshore and ice core records of paleoclimate, as well as the distribution/isolation of any subglacial lake systems, is developing a comprehensive understanding of the crustal elements of the central Antarctic Plate. A complete understanding of the evolution of East Antarctic ice sheets throughout the Cenozoic requires knowledge of the boundaries, elevation and paleolatitude of these crustal elements through time as well as evidence of their morphological, sedimentological and tectono-thermal history. The basic impediments to gaining this understanding are the subcontinental scale of the central Antarctic Plate and the one to four kilometers of ice cover that inhibits direct access. It is possible however to provide a substantial framework for understanding these crustal elements through a comprehensive program of long-range airborne geophysical observations. We have proposed a plan to measure gravity, magnetics, ice-penetrating radar, and laser/radar altimetry over the Gamburtsev, Vostok and Belgica subglacial highlands beneath Domes A - C of the contemporary East Antarctic ice sheet using a Navy P-3 aircraft based in McMurdo. Such measurements would help characterize crustal boundaries, establish absolute bedrock elevation and contemporary basal melt distribution (for boundary conditions of ice sheet and lake evolution), and reveal detailed subglacial geomorphology. A P-3 aircraft based in McMurdo would provide access to more than half of the continent without the difficult logistic support of remote field camps and fuel caches.
C21A-0974 0800h
The International Bathymetric Charts of the Arctic and Southern Oceans: Setting the Physiographic Context for Marine Research During IPY.
As international bodies whose functions include the overview and coordination of polar research, IASC and SCAR are actively promoting, planning, and in some cases sponsoring cooperative scientific activities within the IPY context. Among these activities is the development of accurate bathymetric data bases and maps that describe the depth and morphology of the polar seabeds. Constructed from all the available sounding information that can be assembled and rationalized, these maps not only respond explicitly to the needs expressed in IPY Theme 1 (to determine the present environmental status of the polar regions by quantifying their spatial and temporal variability), but they provide essential background information for multiple investigations that are central to the attainment of objectives in IPY Themes 2, 3, and 4. For instance, detailed physiographic descriptions of the seafloor can provide contemporary and historical indicators of sea level change, of constraints to ocean circulation, and of processes associated with glaciation, sedimentation, and tectonic activity. In recent years, an international team has operated under the auspices of IASC, IOC, and IHO, to develop the International Bathymetric Chart of the Arctic Ocean (IBCAO). The First Edition of IBCAO is now available in printed and digital form, with future improvements planned as new sounding information becomes available. Similarly, a new team sponsored by SCAR, IOC, and IHO has just launched an Antarctic analog to IBCAO: the International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO). The initial objective of IBCSO is to develop a preliminary description of the seabed adjacent to Antarctica prior to the launch of the IPY, for use in planning scientific field work and for guidance in collecting depth observations in areas where soundings are scarce. A longer-term objective is to promote the systematic mapping of the Southern Ocean in order to complement existing data holdings, and to supplant existing seabed portrayals that have been derived from observations of satellite altimetry, but which are limited in accuracy and resolution. Similarly, it is hoped that IPY undertakings in the Arctic region will stimulate the collection of new depth observations that can be used to enhance IBCAO. This presentation will highlight selected features of IBCAO and IBCSO, suggesting how their contents can assist IPY investigators and indicating where improvements can be expected as a result of IPY activities.