Theme Ib: NORTH PACIFIC CLIMATE VARIABILITY
Theme Leader: D. Smith Investigators: H. Conway, D. Clark, K. Matsuoka, J. McConnell, A. Rasmussen, E. Steig
Year 1 Milestones:
Commence data tree-ring data collection at sites in coastal BC
Begin radar ice thickness sounding to guide the selection of sites for recovery
of ice cores from Waddington area and from the Northern Rockies
Recover shallow ice cores from selected sites
Build prototype thermal drill and test on local glaciers near Vancouver using DRI
winch system (US collaborators will submit companion proposal to US National
Science Foundation for further updating ice core drill system)
Year 2 Milestones:
Commence tree-ring data collection at sites in northern BC
Analyze geochemistry of shallow ice cores to verify detection of annual layers
Optimize and upgrade thermal drill and winch system for deep drilling
Obtain deep ice core from Waddington Range
Begin analysis of tree ring records collected in Year 1
Year 3 Milestones:
Commence tree-ring data collection at sites in central BC/Alberta
Produce annually-resolved records of climate from data collected in Years 1 and 2.
Obtain deep ice core from a second location (likely Homathko Icefield)
Begin analysis of ice core and tree ring data, through comparison with local
weather station and NCEP meteorological data, and contribute to glacier mass
balance modeling efforts.
Year 4 Milestones:
Commence tree-ring data collection at sites in southern BC/Alberta
Produce annually-resolved records of climate from data collected in Years 2 and 3.
Obtain deep ice core from a third/fourth locations (to be determined)
Continue analysis of ice core and tree ring data
Year 5 Milestones:
Assemble and finalize analysis of tree ring and ice core datasets, distribute findings to
national and international data archives and distribution centers
