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Arctic and Subarctic environments are among the most vulnerable regions to climate change. Increases in liquid precipitation and changes in snowmelt onset are cited as the main drivers of change in streamflow and water temperature patterns in some of the largest rivers of the Canadian Arctic. However, in spite of this evidence, there is still a lack of research on water temperature, particularly in the eastern Canadian Arctic. In this paper, we use the CEQUEAU hydrological‐water temperature model to derive consistent long‐term daily flow and stream temperature time series in Aux Mélèzes River, a non‐regulated basin (41 297 km2) in the eastern Canadian subarctic. The model was forced using reanalysis data from the fifth‐generation ECMWF atmospheric reanalyses (ERA5) from 1979 to 2020. We used water temperature derived from thermal infrared (TIR) images as reference data to calibrate CEQUEAU's water temperature model, with calibration performed using single‐site, multi‐site, and upscaling factors approaches. Our results indicate that the CEQUEAU model can simulate streamflow patterns in the river and shows excellent spatiotemporal performance with Kling‐Gupta Efficiency (KGE) metric >0.8. Using the best‐performing flow simulation as one of the inputs allowed us to produce synthetic daily water temperature time series throughout the basin, with the multi‐site calibration approach being the most accurate with root mean square errors (RMSE) <2.0°C. The validation of the water temperature simulations with a three‐year in situ data logger dataset yielded an RMSE = 1.38°C for the summer temperatures, highlighting the robustness of the calibrated parameters and the chosen calibration strategy. This research demonstrates the reliability of TIR imagery and ERA5 as sources of model calibration data in data‐sparse environments and underlines the CEQUEAU model as an assessment tool, opening the door to its use to assess climate change impact on the arctic regions of Canada. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops a mathematical model and statistical methods to quantify trends in presence/absence observations of snow cover (not depths) and applies these in an analysis of Northern Hemispheric observations extracted from satellite flyovers during 1967–2021. A two-state Markov chain model with periodic dynamics is introduced to analyze changes in the data in a cell by cell fashion. Trends, converted to the number of weeks of snow cover lost/gained per century, are estimated for each study cell. Uncertainty margins for these trends are developed from the model and used to assess the significance of the trend estimates. Cells with questionable data quality are explicitly identified. Among trustworthy cells, snow presence is seen to be declining in almost twice as many cells as it is advancing. While Arctic and southern latitude snow presence is found to be rapidly receding, other locations, such as eastern Canada, are experiencing advancing snow cover. Significance Statement: This project quantifies how the Northern Hemisphere's snow cover has recently changed. Snow cover plays a critical role in the global energy balance due to its high albedo and insulating characteristics and is therefore a prominent indicator of climate change. On a regional scale, the spatial consistency of snow cover influences surface temperatures via variations in absorbed solar radiation, while continental-scale snow cover acts to maintain thermal stability in the Arctic and subarctic regions, leading to spatial and temporal impacts on global circulation patterns. Changing snow presence in Arctic regions could influence large-scale releases of carbon and methane gas. Given the importance of snow cover, understanding its trends enhances our understanding of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Canadian Arctic is a complex and fragile region which is currently experiencing unprecedented environmental degradation due to climate change. The effects of climate change on the Canadian Arctic is just one example where we're seeing the decline of ecosystems and socio-culture-environmental traditions. Mineral development in this already fragile ecosystem is indeed a contentious and high-risk endeavour. However, mining is currently one of the few industries and economic development opportunities in the Canadian Arctic, which is one of the poorest regions in Canada. Unfortunately, mining struggles to achieve environmental sustainability due to mineral development's inherent trade-off of short-term economic gains for long-term environmental impacts. Local communities are usually left with trying to find this balance. This paper analyzes how we can apply decision-making techniques and environmental management tools for the Canadian Arctic's mining industry to promote better environmental sustainability, understanding of environmental-economic trade-offs, and community involvement. Specific decision-making methodologies and management tools are analyzed to develop, discuss, and explore their application for the Canadian Arctic. This paper concludes with a framework that brings together the analyzed methods and Arctic specificities; to prioritize environmental issues and to ensure long-term thriving communities in the Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canadian contributions to International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 were designed to improve the understanding of climate change impacts and adaptation and to gain insight into issues surrounding community health and well-being in Canada's arctic. Fifty-two research projects, involving scientists, northern partners and communities, focused on the arctic atmosphere and climate, cryosphere, oceans, sea ice, marine ecosystems, terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife as well as human health and community well-being. Key research findings on these topics are presented in this special issue of Climatic Change. This introductory paper presents an overview of the international and Canadian IPY programs and a summary of Canadian IPY results, including progress made in data management and capacity building. The legacy of IPY in Canada includes expanded international scientific cooperation, meaningful partnerships with northern communities, and more northern residents with research training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change impacts on Indigenous peoples in remote regions pose unique institutional challenges and opportunities for governments. Reducing vulnerability and enabling collaborative knowledge creation through the inclusive consideration of Indigenous peoples' perspectives in government and institutional efforts can help to advance adaptation to environmental change. In Northern Canada, Indigenous communities and multiple levels of the Canadian government and its institutions, including the Canadian Armed Forces, share the commensurate task and responsibility of responding to, tracking, monitoring and adapting to rapid climatic changes and impacts associated with climate change in the Arctic. In this review paper, we explore how Canadian governments may effectively work as partners and catalysts for advancing mutually beneficial climate change adaptation efforts with Indigenous peoples and communities affected by climate change in remote Arctic regions of Northern Canada. We review knowledge and concepts related to Indigenous traditional ecological knowledge in the context of institutional adaptation planning and policy approaches in remote regions. First, we provide a geographical and contextual background that informs the efforts of institutional partners and Indigenous communities seeking to mutually address long-term challenges associated with adapting to climate change, specifically in the remote Canadian Arctic. Second, we unpack knowledge for advancing collaborative adaptation efforts between Indigenous peoples and institutions in the Arctic. We identify relevant gaps and opportunities for enhancing institutional approaches to climate change adaptation involving Indigenous peoples in remote regions like the Arctic. We conclude with a summary of policy relevant insights for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout his tenure as Prime Minster of Canada (2006-2015), Stephen Harper had a particular fascination with the Canadian North, illustrated in part by his annual tours of the Canadian Arctic and Subarctic region. Using these tours as a case study, this paper argues that state discourses of sovereignty, resource development, and climate change are intertwined with the simultaneous production of a tourist landscape. This tourist landscape is established in part through the circulation of affect within state discourses, like those engaged by Harper on his northern tours. The affective economies of tourism in the Canadian Arctic are heavily intertwined with both market-focused policy objectives and the moral imperative established by climate change. The result is a discourse of northern Canada that puts it within the purview of southern Canada. In particular, the affective, economic, and ecological dynamics in northern Canada produce an image of the North as both a playground for southern desires and a place in danger that is in need of saving. This moral economy in the North proposes market-based solutions and ethics for both economic and environmental problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The rapidly changing Arctic is ideal for investigating uncertainties in climate projections. Despite the challenges of collecting data in this region, an unprecedented large‐scale survey of shorebirds has been conducted over the last 30 years. Our study aimed to (1) develop probabilistic estimates for the change in suitable habitat for 10 Arctic shorebird species in Canada by 2075 and (2) assess the contribution of modelling decisions to the uncertainty in these estimates. Location: Arctic Canada. Methods: To evaluate uncertainty, we considered six classes of modelling decisions, yielding 216 unique projections for each species. We tested three decisions that are less commonly explored − the pool of candidate variables, a method for selecting variables, and the maximum distance of tree line dispersal, as well as the modelling algorithm, carbon emissions scenario, and global circulation model. We used a bootstrapping approach, creating a probability distribution for the proportional change in suitable habitat for each species. Results: Our findings indicated a substantial risk for 8/10 species to lose over half of their suitable breeding habitat, but this projection is much less certain than has been described previously. While much uncertainty is unexplained, we were surprised that the largest source of uncertainty among our modelling decisions was from our choice of methods for variable selection, that the other modelling decisions were relatively small sources of uncertainty, overshadowing other modelling decisions. Main Conclusions: While most scenarios predict a northward shift and significant habitat loss for Arctic‐breeding shorebirds, the Arctic Archipelago of Canada will remain an important refuge because in many other Arctic regions, there is no land farther north for these species to shift into. A comprehensive understanding of uncertainty is important for deciding if future projections can or should be used when planning climate‐resilient protected area networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Popular press and industry stakeholders are reporting a travel trend whereby tourists increasingly seek to experience the world's most endangered sites before they vanish or are irrevocably transformed. Termed 'last-chance' or 'doom' tourism in the popular media, the desire for tourists to witness vanishing landscapes or seascapes and disappearing species may have important consequences for tourism management, yet the nature of these consequences is poorly understood by the academic community. This paper describes how last-chance tourism is promoted in various tourism marketing strategies, especially in the Arctic. The analysis is supported through a literature review of web-based information and an analysis of three different studies conducted in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada - the self-declared polar bear capital of the world. The authors also examine more closely the concepts of dark and last-chance tourism, and elaborate on the possible connections between the two. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implications of this type of tourism and identifies potential risks and opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What explains variation in hunting success? This paper examines foraging success among Inuit hunters, paying particular attention to factors that account for differential returns in hunting. Although there are several possibilities for explaining hunting success, this study finds that birth order and age are important predictors of foraging returns. Furthermore, data on food sharing suggests that birth order has important effects on the distribution of food. That is, early-born hunters not only produce more food, they give much of that food to their parents, who then distribute it to the hunter’s younger siblings. These findings are discussed within the context of local resource enhancement and the value of early-born sons to Inuit parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scientific evidence gathered over the past five years suggests that northern Canada and the Arctic have undergone, and are undergoing, formidable environmental changes linked to global climate change. Environmental change in the north is expected to persist and intensify over the course of the next century. When large-scale environmental changes take place, they inevitably affect people, especially when the cultures and livelihoods of those people depend on their relationship with the environment. Managing the local impacts of these changes is a matter of adaptation. This paper discusses some of the policy implications of adaptation--government interventions aiming to build communities' and regions' capacities to adapt to environmental changes. Three arguments for adaptive capacity building interventions in the north are discussed, and these arguments are augmented by a comparative review of government reactions to the collapse of the cod fishery in Atlantic Canada. Reactive and proactive policy approaches are discussed, and it is suggested from the comparison that proactive approaches to intervention are desirable for building adaptive capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of traditional security is undergoing a more multi-faceted transformation. Security itself is no more regarded as being limited to a physical presence, it requires a stable self as well. Claiming this, ontological security theory enables scholars to examine state behavior which strengthens identity values via self-narratives. This study aims to reveal that the traditional security perception of Canadian governments is limited in evaluating their relations with the Arctic states and indigenous people, therefore, in recent years, the relevant governments have provided Canadian ontological security in the Arctic region by constructing indigenous people as self-narratives. Therefore, in this paper, instead of traditional national security, it is mentioned that ontological security theory better articulates the state behavior of Canada both domestically and internationally. In the study, the qualified document analysis method is used by examining the reports that include the indigenous peoples as a significant part of Canada's national identity and the declarations announced at the ministerial meetings of the Arctic Council after the chairmanship of Canada. In this way, the study concludes by mentioning that Canada has built its ontological security by constructing self-narratives from indigenous peoples to have a robust position in the Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shipping in the Canadian Arctic has a long history, encompassing diverse maritime pursuits, ranging from traditional Inuit subsistence practices to European exploratory expeditions, whaling, and fur trading. The escalating impacts of climate change in the Canadian Arctic have created ample opportunities for Arctic shipping activities related to fishing, cruise tourism, resource (mineral) transportation, research, and government services. Nowadays, the necessity of developing a sustainable economy, the need for environmental protection, and the imperative of reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples present considerable challenges for the Canadian government in regulating Arctic shipping. To comprehend the contemporary issues of Arctic shipping governance, this paper conducts an overview of the history of Arctic shipping activities in Canada and reviews Canada's diverse policies and laws that have been instituted to govern Arctic shipping. Drawing upon the analysis of these policies, the article advocates for a collaborative governance framework to cope with the multifaceted challenges confronting the governance of Arctic shipping in Canada. Such a framework ought to prioritize enhancing cooperation, integrating unilateral and multilateral policies and laws, respecting the rights of Indigenous Peoples, and involving Inuit in Arctic shipping governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Algal bioindicators, such as diatoms, often show subdued responses to eutrophication in Arctic lakes because climate‐related changes (e.g., ice cover) tend to be the overriding factors influencing assemblage composition. Here, we examined how sub‐Arctic ponds historically receiving high nutrient inputs from nesting seabirds have responded to recent climate change. We present diatom data obtained from 12 sediment cores in seaduck‐affected ponds located on islands through Hudson Strait, Canada. All study cores show consistently elevated values of sedimentary ẟ15N, an established proxy for tracking marine‐derived nutrients, indicating seabirds have been present on these islands for at least the duration of the sediment records (~100 to 400 years). We document diverse epiphytic diatom assemblages to the base of all sediment cores, which is in marked contrast to seabird‐free Arctic ponds—these oligotrophic sites typically record epilithic diatom flora prior to recent warming. Diatoms are likely responding indirectly to seabird nutrients via habitat as nutrients promote the growth of mosses supporting epiphytic diatom communities. This masks the typical diatom response to increased warming in the Arctic, which also results in habitat changes and the growth of mosses around the pond edges. Changes in sedimentary chlorophyll a were not consistently synchronous with large changes in ẟ15N values, suggesting that primary production in ponds is not responding linearly to changes in seabird‐derived nitrogen. Across all ponds, we recorded shifts in diatom epiphytic assemblages (e.g., increases in % relative abundance of many Nitzschia species) that often align with increases in chlorophyll a. The changes in diatoms and chlorophyll a, although variable, are most likely driven by climate change as they are generally consistent with longer ice‐free conditions and growing seasons. Together, our results show that to effectively use diatoms in animal population reconstructions across the sub‐Arctic and Arctic, a strong understanding of eutrophication and climate change, based on supplementary proxies, is also required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near‐surface wedges of massive ice commonly outline polygons in tundra lowlands, but such polygons have been difficult to identify on hillslopes because soil movement flattens the ridges and infills the troughs that form beside and above the ice wedges. Over the past three decades, the active layer has thickened near the western Arctic coast of Canada and consequent thawing of ice wedges has been detected by remote sensing for flat terrain but not, generally, on hillslopes. Annual field surveys (1996–2018) at the Illisarvik field site of thaw depth and ground surface elevation show the mean subsidence rate above hillslope ice wedges has been up to 32 mm a−1 since thaw depth reached the ice‐wedge tops in 2007. Annual mean ground temperatures at the site are about −3.0°C beneath late‐winter snow depths characteristic of the ice‐wedge troughs but about −5.3°C under conditions of the intervening polygons. The rate of thaw subsidence is high for natural, subaerial disturbances because meltwater from the ice wedges runs off downslope. The rate is constant, because the thickness of seasonally thawed ground above the ice wedges and the ice content of the ground remain the same while the troughs develop. Observations of changes in surface elevation in northern Banks Island between the late 1970s and 2019 show troughs on hillslopes where none was previously visible. Development of these troughs creates regional thermokarst landscapes, distinct from the widely recognized results of thawing relict glacier ice, that are now widespread over Canada's western Arctic coastlands. Recognition of ice‐wedge occurrence and accelerated thaw subsidence on hillslopes is important in the design of infrastructure proposed for construction in rolling permafrost terrain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Arctic is perceived as an area that requires increased North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) attention. On the one hand, the region has always been of particular concern to NORAD, especially during the Cold War. From this perspective, attention to the Arctic is business as usual. On the other hand, increased potential traffic in the region due to warmer temperatures, natural resource exploitation, and tourism could increase threats to North America and create the need for a new NORAD posture. This paper reviews the challenges facing the Arctic, the perceived new urgency for attention, the command and control structures of NORAD, and NORAD's specific preoccupations in order to answer the question: does the Arctic represent status quo for NORAD or does NORAD need to change, fundamentally, its approach to the North? This paper ultimately argues for the former. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This essay considers the state of the contemporary Circumpolar World and provides a general overview of the way the various circumpolar jurisdictions are addressing the challenges and opportunities of the twenty-fi rst century. It considers how northern areas are attracting the resources necessary to lessen the socio-economic divide between northern and southern/urban areas. An overview of infrastructure, basic services, economic development, regional leadership, security, Indigenous governance, and plans for the future of the countries and regions that make up the Circumpolar North reveals signifi cant strengths and challenges. This examination focuses, in particular, on where Canada sits in comparison to its northern neighbours, a perspective that does not always put Canada in the best light. In many respects, Canada’s efforts in the North lag—sometimes considerably—behind circumpolar norms (aside from Russia). National and sub-national governments in Canada have not always attracted the funding, commitment, and vision needed to capitalize on the political, technological, and economic resources needed to better serve the peoples of the North; in recent years, some Arctic regions have done much better than others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the start of the 1970s, many young anthropologists conducting fieldwork in Inuit communities adopted a new paradigm. Instead of describing communities from the outside, they wanted to mix with local people, as far as the Inuit agreed, living with them, learning their language, and, most importantly, trying to understand their world view in order to convey and explain it to non-Inuit. As a result, the old academic field of “Eskimology” was transformed into Inuit studies. Students from Université de Montréal and Université Laval, in Québec City, who fully shared the objectives of emerging Inuit studies, had been conducting research in the North under the tutorship of a young French anthropologist, Bernard Saladin d’Anglure. From 1970 they became a research team, based at Université Laval, called Inuksiutiit (“Things or people having to do with the Inuit”). In 1974, they founded a non-profit organization, Association Inuksiutiit Katimajiit (AIK), with the objectives to promote, develop, and disseminate knowledge on Inuit culture, language, and society while collaborating with Inuit communities. Several projects initiated by Inuksiutiit Katimajiit have played a major part in positioning Canada as the world leader in Inuit studies. Two accomplishments stand out in particular: the Études Inuit Studies journal and the Inuit Studies conferences. The initiatives of AIK have endowed the elicitation, dissemination, and promotion of knowledge originating from the Inuit—whether traditional or contemporary— with a global dimension. In this way, Inuksiutiit may have played an essential part in supporting the Indigenous citizens of the North American Arctic in the assertion of their identity and social rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding lead exposure pathways is a priority because of its ubiquitous presence in the environment as well as the potential health risks. We aimed to identify potential lead sources and pathways of lead exposure, including long-range transport, and the magnitude of exposure in Arctic and subarctic communities. A scoping review strategy and screening approach was used to search literature from January 2000 to December 2020. A total of 228 academic and grey literature references were synthesised. The majority of these studies (54%) were from Canada. Indigenous people in Arctic and subarctic communities in Canada had higher levels of lead than the rest of Canada. The majority of studies in all Arctic countries reported at least some individuals above the level of concern. Lead levels were influenced by a number of factors including using lead ammunition to harvest traditional food and living in close proximity to mines. Lead levels in water, soil, and sediment were generally low. Literature showed the possibility of long-range transport via migratory birds. Household lead sources included lead-based paint, dust, or tap water. This literature review will help to inform management strategies for communities, researchers, and governments, with the aim of decreasing lead exposure in northern regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of Regional Strategic Environmental Assessment (R-SEA) in Canada's western Arctic has raised many questions concerning the country's preparedness for offshore Arctic energy development, given the constraints of project assessments in addressing long-term cumulative impacts of energy development on the marine environment and local communities. There has been much interest in R-SEA in recent years, and a growing body of research on the benefits of strategic approaches to environmental assessment, but relatively little attention has been given to implementation. This paper examines key opportunities for and challenges to the implementation of R-SEA in Canada's western Arctic. Results reinforce concerns that the current approach to environmental assessment in Canada's western Arctic is insufficient to address expanding offshore energy development. However, results also indicate several challenges to be addressed to advance R-SEA in the offshore environment including governance, stakeholder resistance to a futures-based approach, the timing of implementation, managing the diversity of expectations about R-SEA, and the nature and scope of alternatives assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the main elements of four IPY projects that examine the Arctic Atmosphere. All four projects focus on present conditions with a view to anticipating possible climate change. All four investigate the Arctic atmosphere, ocean, ice, and land interfacial surfaces. One project uses computer models to simulate the dynamics of the Arctic atmosphere, storms, and their interactions with the ocean and ice interface. Another project uses statistical methods to infer transports of pollutants as simulated in large-scale global atmospheric and oceanic models verifying results with available observations. A third project focuses on measurements of pollutants at the ice-ocean-atmosphere interface, with reference to model estimates. The fourth project is concerned with multiple, high accuracy measurements at Eureka in the Canadian Archipelago. While these projects are distinctly different, led by different teams and interdisciplinary collaborators, with different technical approaches and methodologies, and differing objectives, they all strive to understand the processes of the Arctic atmosphere and climate, and to lay the basis for projections of future changes. Key findings include: • Decreased sea ice leads to more intense storms, higher winds, reduced surface albedo, increased surface air temperature, and enhanced vertical mixing in the upper ocean. • Arctic warming may affect toxic chemicals by remobilizing persistent organic pollutants and augmenting mercury deposition/retention in the environment. • Changes in sea ice can dramatically change processes in and at the ice surface related to ozone, mercury and bromine oxide and related chemical/physical properties. • Structure and properties of the Arctic atmospheric-troposphere to stratosphere-and tracking of transport of pollution and smoke plumes from mid-latitudes to the poles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The social and cultural dimensions of arctic environmental change were explored through Canada's International Polar Year (IPY) research program. Drawing on concepts of vulnerability, resilience and human security, we discuss preliminary results of 15 IPY research projects (of 52) which dealt with the effects and responses of northern communities to issues of ecological variability, natural resource development and climate change. This paper attempts to determine whether the preliminary results of these projects have contributed to the IPY program goal of building knowledge about well-being in the arctic. The projects were diverse in focus and approach but together offer a valuable pan-northern perspective on many themes including land and resource use, food security, poverty and best practices of northern engagement. Case study research using self-reported measures suggests individual views of their own well-being differ from regional and territorial standardized statistics on quality of life. A large body of work was developed around changes in land and resource use. A decline in land and resource use in some areas and consequent concerns for food security, are directly linked to the effects of climate change, particularly in coastal areas where melting sea ice, erratic weather events and changes in the stability of landscapes (e.g., erosion, slumping) are leading to increased risks for land users. Natural resource development, while creating some new economic opportunities, may be compounding rather than offsetting such stresses of environmental change for vulnerable populations. While the IPY program has contributed to our understanding of some aspects of well-being in the arctic, many other issues of social, economic, cultural and political significance, including those unrelated to environmental change, remain poorly understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the Arctic Observing Network Social Indicators Project subsistence component is to assess the adequacy of existing subsistence harvest data to advance our understanding of arctic change and to serve as the basis for recommending steps that can improve the observation network. The assessment is based on a database developed to include 1521 place/year records for Alaska and northern Canada. Of these records, 641 include estimates of harvest of all resources. Separate harvest reports are available for 131 species. Annual harvests are expressed as kilograms of edible harvest per capita for years ranging from 1965 to 2007. One or more measures per decade of comprehensive harvest in the 1990s and 2000s exist for 50 of the 411 arctic North American communities. Based on these results, in most, but not all regions, available data on subsistence harvests in Arctic North America cannot support analysis of changes in harvest over time. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game Community Subsistence Information System continues to provide harvest data for communities and has developed several regional sets of community harvest data in response to actual and potential environmental changes. The past harvest surveys conducted in the Nunavik, Inuvialuit, and Nunavut regions offer valuable experience as well as baseline data. The Arctic Borderlands Ecological Cooperative is a model of community-researcher collaboration. These past and current initiatives provide a foundation for the design of an expanded arctic subsistence observation network. The paper concludes with a discussion of challenges and recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human security, particularly in the Arctic, is being stressed by climate change and other factors. Science and technology provide one instrument for the development of strategies that will protect those living in the Arctic from threats to environmental, social and economic conditions, namely human security, incurred by climate change. This paper explores a public good approach to Canada's Science and Technology (S&T) strategy. Investigated in particular is the role of science and technology in addressing Arctic human security needs, using evolving Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) quality-of-life indicators to measure the ability of Canada's S&T strategy to meet these needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses papers written about the issues that will result as climate change opens up the Arctic region. The papers of three Canadian experts on the north region of Canada that is closest to the Arctic area are discussed. The experts include Franklyn Griffiths of the University of Toronto, Rob Huebert of Calgary, and F. Whitney Lackenbauer of Waterloo. The authors have written the papers with the intention of fostering discussion and the design of a strategy in dealing with the changes that will result from global warming.

Abstract: This paper considers Frobisher Bay and Inuvik, two Canadian Arctic towns, as examples of the high-modernist planning that swept the globe during the middle decades of the twentieth century, but also Cold War projects reflecting a sudden interest in the Arctic as a region of military significance. Building on the framework provided by James Scott in Seeing like a State (1998), the paper details the connections between modernization theory and Cold War militarism before turning to the strikingly parallel case studies. In each instance, federal officials proposed ambitious urban models designed to simultaneously overcome the hostility of a northern environment and catapult native northerners into conditions of modern living. While the limits and failings of such schemes varied by location, both sites were also laboratories for social scientists employed by the federal government to document and analyze the modernization of the Arctic. The work of these scholars represents a particularly rich and complex record of governmental interventions, tied variously to Cold War imperatives, in northern lives and landscapes at a time of great faith in the transformative power of modern engineering. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Climate change is already occurring in the Arctic and the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment recently concluded that future climate change could be devastating for Inuit. This paper characterises vulnerability to climate change in two Inuit communities in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, focusing on the resource harvesting sector. In both communities, Inuit have demonstrated significant adaptability in the face of current changes in climatic conditions. This adaptability is facilitated by traditional Inuit knowledge, strong social networks, flexibility in resource use, and institutional support. Changing Inuit livelihoods, however, have undermined certain aspects of adaptive capacity and have resulted in emerging vulnerabilities. Global and regional climate projections indicate that climatic conditions which currently pose risks are expected to be negatively affected by future climate change. These projections are not without precedent and analysis of current vulnerability and identification of adaptation constraints by Inuit in the two communities indicate the continued importance of traditional coping mechanisms. The ability to draw on these coping mechanisms in light of future climate change, however, will be unequal and the research indicates that young Inuit and those without access to economic resources, in particular, are vulnerable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Montreal Protocol and its amendments (MPA) have been a huge success in preserving the stratospheric ozone layer from being destroyed by unabated chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) emissions. The phaseout of CFCs has not only prevented serious impacts on our health and climate, but also avoided strong alterations of atmospheric circulation patterns. With the Earth system model SOCOLv4, we study the dynamical and climatic impacts of a scenario with unabated CFC emissions by 2100, disentangling radiative and chemical (ozone-mediated) effects of CFCs. In the stratosphere, chemical effects of CFCs (i.e., the resulting ozone loss) are the main drivers of circulation changes, weakening wintertime polar vortices and speeding up the Brewer–Dobson circulation. These dynamical impacts during wintertime are due to low-latitude ozone depletion and the resulting reduction in the Equator-to-pole temperature gradient. Westerly winds in the lower stratosphere strengthen, which is for the Southern Hemisphere (SH) similar to the effects of the Antarctic ozone hole over the second half of the 20th century. Furthermore, the winter and spring stratospheric wind variability increases in the SH, whereas it decreases in summer and fall. This seasonal variation in wind speed in the stratosphere has substantial implications for the major modes of variability in the tropospheric circulation in the scenario without the MPA (No-MPA). We find coherent changes in the troposphere, such as patterns that are reminiscent of negative Southern and Northern Annular modes (SAM and NAM) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) anomalies during seasons with a weakened vortex (winter and spring); the opposite occurs during seasons with strengthened westerlies in the lower stratosphere and troposphere (summer). In the troposphere, radiative heating by CFCs prevails throughout the year, shifting the SAM into a positive phase and canceling out the ozone-induced effects on the NAO, whereas the North Pacific sector shows an increase in the meridional sea-level pressure gradient as both CFC heating and ozone-induced effects reinforce each other there. Furthermore, global warming is amplified by 1.7 K with regionally up to a 12 K increase over eastern Canada and the western Arctic. Our study sheds light on the adverse effects of a non-adherence to the MPA on the global atmospheric circulation, uncovering the roles of the underlying physical mechanisms. In so doing, our study emphasizes the importance of the MPA for Earth's climate to avoid regional amplifications of negative climate impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the use of science and technology of the Hudson Bay Company, by examining the company's development department (1925–1931). It focuses, first, on the cooperation between the development department and the renowned animal ecologist Charles Elton. Scientific practices of the department were also instrumental in supporting the company's expansive strategy, of finding and commercialising Canada's Arctic north. While the department remained short-lived, the article largely affirms the general view that science and technology played a minor role for trading companies. Yet it gives us a much better understanding of precisely why such a connection is difficult. The case also illustrates that scientific practices could and did play a role for trading companies, and had a specific value in modernising and expanding trade operations. Especially so in organising new supply chains in remote and new territory, and not only to support diversification operations, as it is usually argued. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel approach to assessing the cost of container liner shipping through the Northwest Passage (NWP) on northern local communities. Based on some representative communities, concerns of the residents of these Canadian Arctic regions were assessed. Two essential factors to the well-being of the community members—air pollution and oil spills—are considered in our model. The approach was therefore used to evaluate the socio-economic impact of Arctic container liner shipping in Canadian Arctic regions. More specifically, the approach adopted a) uses a logit model to estimate the market share of NWP for commercial liner shipping; b) investigates different scenarios to evaluate the feasibility of commercial liner shipping through the NWP; c) incorporating concerns from the local communities, conducts a socio-economic analysis for the communities. With the analysis of the socio-economic impacts on local communities, the study would help guide governments on how to evaluate and calculate transit fees for transiting NWP. The study is imperative in supporting decision-making to shape Arctic policy. Furthermore, it gives stakeholders an idea of the market dynamics of shipping in the Arctic area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ice wedges are a characteristic ground ice feature in permafrost regions that form primarily from the meltwater of the seasonal snowpack. Ice‐wedge oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes have been used in winter paleotemperature reconstructions; however, until recently, the ion geochemistry of ice wedges has rarely been analyzed as a potential paleoclimate proxy. This potential is greatest for ice wedges located in coastal regions, where marine aerosols are the dominant contributor to snowpack impurities. Here, we evaluate the source and integrity of ionic concentrations of a coastal ice wedge in the northwestern Canadian Arctic (Beaufort Sea coast) to evaluate the use of ice wedges as a marine aerosol archive. Comparison to a regionally comparable snowpack reveals remarkably similar ionic concentrations for Cl−, Na+, Br−, SO42−, Ca2+, and Mg2+, with a Cl−/Na+ ratio similar to bulk seawater (1.80 vs. 1.79 in seawater), suggesting that marine aerosols, probably from sea salt aerosol production during blowing snow events over sea ice as indicated by depleted SO42− values relative to Na+, are probably the dominant contributor to ion concentrations. A previously established linear age model for the ice wedge is used to develop a continuous ion record spanning ~4,600 to ~700 yr b2k. Cl− and Na+ concentrations reveal a strong and continuous increase in concentrations over the late Holocene, thought to be driven by reduced distance‐to‐coast of up to 1 km as a result of coastal erosion. This study presents a novel interpretation of ice‐wedge geochemical data and represents the first Holocene ice‐wedge ion record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arctic shrubification is an observable consequence of climate change, already resulting in ecological shifts and global-scale climate feedbacks including changes in land surface albedo and enhanced evapotranspiration. However, the rate at which shrubs can colonize previously glaciated terrain in a warming world is largely unknown. Reconstructions of past vegetation dynamics in conjunction with climate records can provide critical insights into shrubification rates and controls on plant migration, but paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on pollen may be biased by the influx of exotic pollen to tundra settings. Here, we reconstruct past plant communities using sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA), which has a more local source area than pollen. We additionally reconstruct past temperature variability using bacterial cell membrane lipids (branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers) and an aquatic productivity indicator (biogenic silica) to evaluate the relative timing of postglacial ecological and climate changes at a lake on southern Baffin Island, Arctic Canada. The sedaDNA record tightly constrains the colonization of dwarf birch (Betula, a thermophilous shrub) to 5.9 ± 0.1 ka, ~3 ka after local deglaciation as determined by cosmogenic 10 Be moraine dating and >2 ka later than Betula pollen is recorded in nearby lake sediment. We then assess the paleovegetation history within the context of summer temperature and find that paleotemperatures were highest prior to 6.3 ka, followed by cooling in the centuries preceding Betula establishment. Together, these molecular proxies reveal that Betula colonization lagged peak summer temperatures, suggesting that inefficient dispersal, rather than climate, may have limited Arctic shrub migration in this region. In addition, these data suggest that pollen-based climate reconstructions from high latitudes, which rely heavily on the presence and abundance of pollen from thermophilous taxa like Betula, can be compromised by both exotic pollen fluxes and vegetation migration lags., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

In August 2018, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched the Aeolus satellite, whose Atmospheric LAser Doppler INstrument (ALADIN) is the first space-borne Doppler wind lidar to regularly measure vertical profiles of horizontal line-of-sight (HLOS) winds with global sampling. This mission is intended to assess improvement to numerical weather prediction provided by wind observations in regions poorly constrained by atmospheric mass, such as the tropics, but also, potentially, in polar regions such as the Arctic where direct wind observations are especially sparse. There remain gaps in the evaluation of the Aeolus products over the Arctic region, which is the focus of this contribution. Here, an assessment of the Aeolus Level-2B (L2B) wind product is carried out, progressing from specific locations in the Canadian North to the pan-Arctic. In particular, Aeolus data are compared to a limited sample of coincident ground-based Ka-band radar measurements at Iqaluit, Nunavut, to a larger set of coincident radiosonde measurements over the Canadian North, to Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)'s short-range forecast, and to the reanalysis product, ERA5, from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). Periods covered include the early phase of the first laser flight model (flight model A – FM-A; September to October 2018), the early phase of the second laser flight model (flight model B – FM-B; August to September 2019), and the middle phase of FM-B (December 2019 to January 2020). The adjusted r -squared between Aeolus and other local datasets is around 0.9 except for lower values for the comparison to the Ka-band radar, reflecting limited sampling opportunities with the radar data. This consistency is degraded by about 10 % for the Rayleigh winds in the summer due to solar background noise and other possible errors. Over the pan-Arctic, consistency, with correlation greater than 0.8, is found in the Mie channel from the planetary boundary layer to the lower stratosphere (near surface to 16 km a.g.l.) and in the Rayleigh channel from the troposphere to the stratosphere (2 to 25 km a.g.l.). In all three periods, Aeolus standard deviations are found to be 5 % to 40 % greater than those from ECCC-B and ERA5. We found that the L2B estimated error product for Aeolus is coherent with the differences between Aeolus and the other datasets and can be used as a guide for expected consistency. Our work shows that the high quality of the Aeolus dataset that has been demonstrated globally applies to the sparsely sampled Arctic region. It also demonstrates the lack of available independent wind measurements in the Canadian North, lending urgency to the need to augment the observing capacity in this region to ensure suitable calibration and validation of future space-borne Doppler wind lidar (DWL) missions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrastructure and transportation systems on which northern communities rely are exposed to a variety of climatic hazards over a broad range of scales. Efforts to adapt these systems to the rapidly warming Arctic climate require high-quality climate projections. Here, a state-of-the-art regional climate model is used to perform simulations at 4-km resolution over the eastern and central Canadian Arctic. These include, for the first time over this region, high-resolution climate projections extending to the year 2040. Validation shows that the model adequately simulates base climate variables, as well as variables hazardous to northern engineering and transportation systems, such as degrading permafrost, extreme rainfall, and extreme wind gust. Added value is found over coarser resolution simulations. A novel approach integrating climate model output and machine learning is used for deriving fog—an important, but complex hazard. Hotspots of change to climatic hazards over the next two decades (2021–2040) are identified. These include increases to short-duration rainfall intensity extremes exceeding 50%, suggesting Super–Clausius–Clapeyron scaling. Increases to extreme wind gust pressure are projected to reach 25% over some regions, while widespread increases in active layer thickness and ground temperature are expected. Overall fog frequency is projected to increase by around 10% over most of the study region by 2040, due to increasing frequency of high humidity conditions. Given that these changes are projected to be already underway, urgent action is required to successfully adapt northern transportation and engineering systems located in regions where the magnitude of hazards is projected to increase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forest–tundra ecotone is a large circumpolar transition zone between the Arctic tundra and the boreal forest, where snow properties are spatially variable due to changing vegetation. The extent of this biome through all circumpolar regions influences the climate. In the forest–tundra ecotone near Umiujaq in northeastern Canada (56∘33′31′′ N, 76∘28′56′′ W), we contrast the snow properties between two sites, TUNDRA (located in a low-shrub tundra) and FOREST (located in a boreal forest), situated less than 1 km apart. Furthermore, we evaluate the capability of the snow model Crocus, initially developed for alpine snow, to simulate the snow in this subarctic setting. Snow height and density differed considerably between the two sites. At FOREST, snow was about twice as deep as at TUNDRA. The density of snow at FOREST decreased slightly from the ground to the snow surface in a pattern that is somewhat similar to alpine snow. The opposite was observed at TUNDRA, where the pattern of snow density was typical of the Arctic. We demonstrate that upward water vapor transport is the dominant mechanism that shapes the density profile at TUNDRA, while a contribution of compaction due to overburden becomes visible at FOREST. Crocus was not able to reproduce the density profiles at either site using its standard configuration. We therefore implemented some modifications for the density of fresh snow, the effect of vegetation on compaction, and the lateral transport of snow by wind. These adjustments partly compensate for the lack of water vapor transport in the model but may not be applicable at other sites. Furthermore, the challenges using Crocus suggest that the general lack of water vapor transport in the snow routines used in climate models leads to an inadequate representation of the density profiles of even deep and moderately cold snowpacks, with possible major impacts on meteorological forecasts and climate projections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Arctic soils, warming accelerates decomposition of organic matter and increases emission of greenhouse gases (GHGs), contributing to a positive feedback to climate change. Although microorganisms play a key role in the processes between decomposition of organic matter and GHGs emission, the effects of warming on temporal responses of microbial activity are still elusive. In this study, treatments of warming and precipitation were conducted from 2012 to 2018 in Cambridge Bay, Canada. Soils of organic and mineral layers were collected monthly from June to September in 2018 and analyzed for extracellular enzyme activities and bacterial community structures. The activity of hydrolases was the highest in June and decreased thereafter over summer in both organic and mineral layers. Bacterial community structures changed gradually over summer, and the responses were distinct depending on soil layers and environmental factors; water content and soil temperature affected the shift of bacterial community structures in both layers, whereas bacterial abundance, dissolved organic carbon, and inorganic nitrogen did so in the organic layer only. The activity of hydrolases and bacterial community structures did not differ significantly among treatments but among months. Our results demonstrate that temporal variations may control extracellular enzyme activities and microbial community structure rather than the small effect of warming over a long period in high Arctic soil. Although the effects of the treatments on microbial activity were minor, our study provides insight that microbial activity may increase due to an increase in carbon availability, if the growing season is prolonged in the Arctic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shipping is increasing in Arctic regions, exposing marine mammals to increased underwater noise. Noise analyses often use unweighted broadband sound pressure levels (SPL) to assess noise impacts, but this does not account for the animals' hearing abilities at different frequencies. In 2018 and 2019, noise levels were recorded at five and three sites, respectively, along a shipping route in an inlet of Northern Baffin Island, Canada. Broadband SPLs (10 Hz–25 kHz), unweighted and with auditory weighing functions from three marine mammal groups, were compared between times ore carriers (travelling < 9 knots) were present or absent. Clearly audible distances of shipping noise and exposure durations were estimated for each weighting function relative to vessel direction, orientation, and year. Auditory weighting functions had significant effects on the potential perception of shipping noise. Bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) experienced similar SPLs to unweighted levels. Narwhals (Monodon monoceros) and ringed seals (Pusa hispida) experienced lower SPLs. Narwhals were unlikely to clearly perceive shipping noise unless ships were in close proximity (<3 km) and ambient noise levels were low. Detectability propagation models of presumed noise exposure from shipping must be based on the hearing sensitivities of each species group when assessing noise impacts on marine mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Canada''s Arctic environment is rich in hydrocarbon resources. As international attention turns to the Arctic to meet global energy demands there is increased recognition of the need to advance upstream impact assessment and decision-making to plan for energy development. There have been several applications of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) over the past decade in the international offshore energy sector; however, SEA remains underdeveloped offshore in comparison to project-based environmental impact assessment and unchartered territory in Canada''s Arctic. This paper examines stakeholder perceptions of the opportunities and risks of advancing SEA for offshore energy planning and development in Canada''s Beaufort Sea. Results indicate a number of perceived opportunities for SEA, including improved regulatory efficiency, better regional baselines and planning practices, an opportunity to assess cumulative effects, more meaningful project-based assessment, and greater certainty for industry stakeholders. At the same time there are a number of perceived risks, including foregoing anticipated development opportunities, the loss of flexibility in decision making, adding another layer of bureaucracy, and the added uncertainties of a novel approach. The implications of these findings for advancing SEA in the offshore energy sector are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Études Inuit Studies is the property of Centre interuniversitaire d'etudes et de recherches autochtones (CIERA) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article examines the correlation between Canadian foreign policy and the Arctic. It is attested that attention focused by Canadian politicians upon the Arctic territories fluctuates, and this paper attempts to address the reasons for that. The author urges that the Arctic was highly politicized during the Cold War and is becoming politicized once again due to issues such as climate change. However, it is also stated that the Arctic was a matter of little concern during the ruling periods of Canadian prime ministers Pierre Elliott Trudeau, Brian Mulroney, and Steven Harper. Other issues pertaining to this topic include the political influence of the Inuit peoples, technological evolution, and scientific research in the Arctic.

For more than 100 years the Atlas of Canada, published by Natural Resources Canada, has told the story of Canada through geographical and historical maps reflecting the country's social, environmental, and economic diversity. The Atlas' original North Circumpolar Region map was published in 1990; revisions followed in 1996, 1997, and 2004. The latest edition, published in 2008 for the International Polar Year, reflects significant progress in data collection, data integration, and cartographic methods. The revision process presented a number of challenges that led to innovative cartographic and technical solutions. This article focuses on some of the objectives, challenges, and methods associated with undersea and terrestrial relief, bathymetry, drainage features, sea ice, glaciers, and ice shelves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inuit Elders from the West Coast of Hudson Bay, Canada remember the past to serve the present. This paper describes a mapping and oral history project that is gathering Elders' knowledge of the people, places, sites, and resources that populated their vast traditional territory. We discuss the Elders' conception of this work within the framework of Inuit Qaujimajatuqangiit (Inuit knowledge) and how these understandings are actively contributing to the form and direction of the project. We explore how the Elders' knowledge is used to inform and animate the archaeological findings of the project. These broader discussions are focused around an examination of the tentative links between an historic Inuit trader named Ullebuk (Ouligbuk) and archaeological features uncovered at a site located near Arviat, Nunavut. Finally, we discuss how the Elders' work is trained on the goal of serving their people, particularly the rapidly expanding population of Inuit youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Études Inuit Studies is the property of Centre interuniversitaire d'etudes et de recherches autochtones (CIERA) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract: The Canadian High Arctic contains several of the highest fidelity Mars analogue sites in the world. Situated at nearly 80° north, Expedition Fjord on Axel Heiberg Island is located within a polar desert climate, with the surrounding landscape and conditions providing an invaluable opportunity to examine terrestrial processes in a cold, dry environment. Through the Canadian Space Agency''s Analogue Research Network program, scientific activities based out of the McGill Arctic Research Station (M.A.R.S.) are extremely broad in scope, representing physical, biological, and technological investigations. Some of the most unique hydrogeologic features under investigation near M.A.R.S. are a series of cold saline springs that maintain liquid-state flow year round regardless of air temperature. Previous studies have examined their geomorphic relation to discharge-related formations, water chemistry, temperature monitoring, discharge rates, and combined flow/thermal modeling. Recent investigations have identified microbial communities and characterized biological activity within the springs and within permafrost sections, having direct relevance to astrobiological analogue research goals. Another main thrust of research activities based at M.A.R.S. pertains to the detection, mapping, and quantification of subsurface ice deposits. A long-term study is presently underway examining polygonal terrain, comparing surficial patterns found in the region with those identified on Mars, and using surface morphology to estimate ice wedge volumes through a combination of aerial photography interpretation and ground-based geophysical techniques. Other technological developments include the use of in situ microscopy for the detection of biomarkers and improved permafrost drilling techniques. This paper presents an overview of previous studies undertaken at M.A.R.S. over the past decades and will describe in detail both present and upcoming work. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Blowing snow is a frequent and significant winter weather event, and there is currently a need for more observations and measurements of blowing snow, especially in arctic and subarctic environments. This is the first paper in a two part series studying blowing snow in Churchill, Manitoba, and Franklin Bay, NWT. In this part, the development and use of a camera system to measure the shape, size and velocity of blowing snow particles is described. This system was used, along with standard meteorological instruments and optical particle counters, during field campaigns at Churchill, MB, which took place in March, 2005 and December, 2006. Measurements of blowing snow particle shape demonstrate that blowing snow particles are generally non-spherical, with an average ratio of the longest particle profile length to the perpendicular width of 1.41. Measurement of particle velocity with the camera system is shown to be inaccurate. However, measurements of particle number correlate well (r 2 =0.85) with simultaneous measurements made with a particle counter at the same height as the camera. The particle size distributions generally follow a Gamma distribution, with an average shape parameter of α =1.9. The shape parameter, α, shows no trend with height. The blowing snow particle number density decreases with height as approximately N ∝ z −1.4. The blowing snow particle number densities, interpolated to a height of 0.1 m, are in the range of 1.4×105 < N <4.7×107 m−3. Particle number densities are shown to generally increase over a limited range of wind speeds, corresponding to 10-m wind speeds in the range of 13< U 10 <17 m s−1. Over this range of wind speeds, the average particle size at a given height does not change significantly with wind speed. However, at a lower wind speed of U 10 ≈9 m s−1, the average particle size is generally smaller. Particle sizes generally decrease with height between 0.06 and 1 m. Above 0.2 m, the average particle diameters found in this study (120 µm< d―<154 µm) are similar to or generally larger than the range of sizes found in previous studies. Below 0.15 m, the average particle diameters in this study (103 µm< d―<172 µm) are similar to or generally smaller than the sizes found in previous studies. There is a large variation in the mean particle sizes of this and other studies, suggesting that particle sizes may be dependent on a number of other factors, such as upwind snow conditions and surface characteristics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Blowing snow is a frequent and significant winter weather event, and there is currently a need for more observations and measurements of blowing snow, especially in arctic and subarctic environments. This paper is the second part in a two part series studying blowing snow in Churchill, Manitoba, and Franklin Bay, NWT. In this part, the development and use of a camera system to measure the relative blowing snow density profile near the snow surface is described. This system has been used, along with standard meteorological instruments and optical particle counters, during a field campaign at Franklin Bay, NWT. A best-fit to the mass density profile in the saltation layer is derived, assuming a half-normal distribution of the vertical ejection velocity of saltating particles. Within the saltation layer, the observed vertical profile of mass density is found to be proportional to the function exp(− 0.61z/h̄), where h̄ is the average height of the saltating particles. For the range of conditions studied, h̄ varies from 1.0 to 10.4 mm, while the extent of the saltation layer varies from 17 to over 85 mm. There is a weak correlation between h̄ and the square of friction velocity. There are weak negative correlations between h̄ and temperature and relative humidity. No correlation is seen between h̄ and the snow age. At greater heights, z >0.2 m, the blowing snow density varies according to a power law (ρ s ∝z − γ), with a negative exponent 0.5<γ<3. Between these saltation and suspension regions, results suggest that the blowing snow density decreases following a power law with an exponent possibly as high as γ≈8. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Copyright of Études Inuit Studies is the property of Centre interuniversitaire d'etudes et de recherches autochtones (CIERA) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)