|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Hearings to Examine NASA Missions and Programs, Focusing on Update and Future Plans, 10:00 AM EDT on September 30, 2020 (Washington, DC USA). U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., chairman of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, will convene a hearing titled, "NASA Missions and Programs: Update and Future Plans." This hearing will focus on the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) progress on major missions, including the Artemis Program. The hearing will also provide an opportunity to discuss mission challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and how the agency is adapting to meet those challenges.
|
Media
Check Out These Otherworldly Photos From a Coast Guard Cutter's Trip Into the Arctic. The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Campbell made history last week when it became the first medium endurance famous class cutter to be awarded the Arctic Service Medal. Its crew earned the medal, given for a service period of more than 21 days north of the Arctic Circle, while conducting joint exercises off the coast of Greenland alongside forces from the Royal Danish Navy vessel HDMS Knud Rasmussen. Navy Times
China's New Icebreaker Completes First Arctic Expedition. The ship this week arrived back in its home port of Shanghai after a 2.5 months long Arctic expedition. In the course of the voyage, researchers successfully took a 18,65 meter long bottom sediment core. It is the biggest ever core of the kind taken in Arctic waters, Xinhua reports. The sediments were taken from 1870 meter depths and will be subject to comprehensive study and analysis, according to the state news agency. The Barents Observer
 Scientists Investigate Black Carbon Effects on Climate in the Arctic During Winter and Spring. As an important light-absorbing aerosol, black carbon (BC) can affect the energy balance of the earth-atmosphere system via direct and indirect radiative forcing. When BC deposits on snow and ice, it can trigger BC-snow/ice feedbacks, further affecting climate. The Arctic region is especially sensitive to climate change, and previous studies found that increases in BC emissions may contribute to the amplification of Arctic warming. Phys.org
[Russia] About 200 Arctic Social Facilities to Get Connected to the Internet by Year End. Thirty-one social facilities have been connected to the internet in the Krasnoyarsk Territory since the beginning of this year. Another 153 facilities will be connected to the global network before the year expires. Minister of Digital Development of the Krasnoyarsk Territory Nikolai Raspopin spoke via videoconference about the implementation of the project as part of the Communications in the Russian North 2020 eighth national conference. The Arctic
Rapid Greening Across Arctic Tundra Studied via NASA Satellites- 'Really a Bellwether of Global Climatic Change.' As Arctic summers warm, Earth's northern landscapes are changing. Using satellite images to track global tundra ecosystems over decades, a team of researchers finds the region has become greener as warmer air and soil temperatures lead to increased plant growth. "The Arctic tundra is one of the coldest biomes on Earth, and it's also one of the most rapidly warming," said Logan Berner, assistant research professor with Northern Arizona University's School of Informatics, Computing, and Cyber Systems (SICCS), who led the research in collaboration with scientists at eight other institutions in the U.S., Canada, Finland and the United Kingdom. "This Arctic greening we see is really a bellwether of global climatic change - it's this biome-scale response to rising air temperatures." SciTech Daily
 US Coast Guard Conducts Joint Arctic Operations, Scientific Research Off Greenland. U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Campbell (WMEC 909) returned to homeport Tuesday, following a two-month deployment supporting joint Arctic operations off Greenland's western coast. Campbell's crew contributed to joint exercises, research and development efforts, and critical diplomatic engagements while covering more than 11,500 miles (10,000 nautical miles). "I am very proud of the efforts and adaptability of every one of Campbell's crew who demonstrated the ability to operate and execute our mission aboard one of the finest Famous-class cutters in the fleet, said Capt. Thomas Crane, commanding officer of Campbell. Defense Visual Information Distribution Service
USA Steps Up Diplomatic Efforts in the Arctic. "There is huge interest from Washington in the Arctic region at the moment", U.S. Coordinator for the Arctic Region James DeHart tells High North News. "I am here to consult with our close allies and partners in the region as we develop our own diplomatic plan in the coming couple of months." In a video interview from Oslo, Norway, DeHart says the U.S. State Department is currently working on its own diplomatic plan in the Arctic. High North News
 Job Posting: Director of the Secretariat. The Arctic Council seeks a candidate for the position of Director of the Arctic Council Secretariat (ACS). The ACS supports the work of the Arctic Council and is located in Tromsø, Norway. The Arctic Council is a high-level intergovernmental forum to promote cooperation, coordination, and interaction among the Arctic States with the involvement of Arctic Indigenous peoples and other Arctic inhabitants. The Arctic Council Chairmanship rotates every two years among the Arctic States. Iceland is the current Chair of the Council and the Russian Federation will take over the Chairmanship in May 2021. The Arctic Council is comprised of the eight Arctic States: Canada, the Kingdom of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, the Russian Federation, Sweden, and the United States. A unique feature of the Arctic Council is the involvement of six international Indigenous peoples' organizations as Permanent Participants: Aleut International Association; Arctic Athabaskan Council; Inuit Circumpolar Council; Gwich'in Council International; Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North; and the Saami Council. Arctic Council
|
|
Future Events
 United States Air Force Arctic Strategy: Perspectives and Insights, 12:00 pm EDT on October 5, 2020 (virtual). This event is hosted by the Polar Institute of the Wilson Center and the Arctic Domain Awareness Center. The Air Force Arctic Strategy was released in July 2020.  According to the Department of the Air Force, "The strategy outlines the Department's unique regional role and efforts to optimize Air and Space capabilities throughout the region in support of the National Defense Strategy." We are honored to host a group of distinguished military leaders for a facilitated round table discussion regarding the Air Force Arctic Strategy to include contextual perspectives about the new Arctic, the Arctic in context of Great Power Competition, and the role and importance of the Air Force in Alaska and the Arctic.
 Arctic Circle VIRTUAL: Dialogue with US Senator Lisa Murkowski, 1:30 pm EDT on October 6, 2020 (virtual). This event is hosted by Arctic Circle. In this Dialogue, which takes place only four weeks from the Presidential election, Senator Murkowski will discuss the importance of the election for the Arctic. Participants will be able to send in their questions and comments, both before and during the event, to be addressed in the Dialogue. Arctic Circle's own Chairman and former President of Iceland, Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson will moderate this event.
** New this week ** The Arctic Resilience Forum: Indigenous Youth Leadership, October 7, 2020 (virtual). The Arctic Resilience Forum will be convened every Wednesday from 11:30am - 1:00pm (EST) over a series of ten weeks, beginning October 7, 2020. The online series will engage the broadest audience possible in conversations about how to build the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems across a variety of focus areas.
IARPC Public Webinar Series: MOSAiC Expedition Overview, 2:00 pm EDT/ 10:00 am AKDT on October 8, 2020. The Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC) will host a public webinar providing an overview of the MOSAiC expedition. Throughout October, IARPC Collaborations will be holding a "MOSAiC Month" focused on the Multidisciplinary drifting Observatory for the Study of Arctic Climate (MOSAiC) expedition. This is the first webinar in that series. All are welcome to attend.
** New this week ** The Arctic Resilience Forum: Food Security, October 14, 2020 (virtual). The Arctic Resilience Forum will be convened every Wednesday from 11:30am - 1:00pm (EST) over a series of ten weeks, beginning October 7, 2020. The online series will engage the broadest audience possible in conversations about how to build the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems across a variety of focus areas.
** New this week ** Alaska Federation of Natives 2020 Convention, October 15-16, 2020 (Virtual). The annual convention serves as the principal forum and voice for the Alaska Native community in addressing critical issues of public policy and government. The convention convenes thousands of official delegates and participants from membership organizations across the state. At the Convention, delegates discuss strategic opportunities and challenges, listen to memorable keynote speeches, hear reports from political leaders and presentations from expert panels, and share stories resilience, experiences, strengths, knowledge and hope for the future.
** New this week ** The Arctic Resilience Forum: Renewable Energy, October 21, 2020 (virtual). The Arctic Resilience Forum will be convened every Wednesday from 11:30am - 1:00pm (EST) over a series of ten weeks, beginning October 7, 2020. The online series will engage the broadest audience possible in conversations about how to build the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems across a variety of focus areas.
** New this week ** 11th Maritime Risk Symposium 2020, October 26-30, 2020 (virtual). The Critical Infrastructure Resilience Institute (CIRI), a Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence, will host the 11th Annual Maritime Risk Symposium (MRS 2020) in collaboration with the National Academy of Sciences. The theme of MRS 2020 is "Maritime Resilience." DHS defines resilient infrastructure systems as the "ability of systems, infrastructures, government, business, communities, and individuals to resist, tolerate, absorb, recover from, prepare for, or adapt to an adverse occurrence that causes harm, destruction, or loss of national significance." Through presentations, panels and open forums, the symposium will focus on the attributes of resilience to adversarial events of national significance in the maritime domain, using our experience with COVID-19 as a driver for the discussion. The objective is less about the specific impacts COVID-19 had and is having, and more on how that event informs us on resiliency for future global upsets, in terms of what works, what gaps have been exposed, and what research questions ought to be studied as a first step towards enhancing Maritime Resilience.
** New this week ** The Arctic Resilience Forum: Human Health and Pandemics, October 28, 2020 (virtual). The Arctic Resilience Forum will be convened every Wednesday from 11:30am - 1:00pm (EST) over a series of ten weeks, beginning October 7, 2020. The online series will engage the broadest audience possible in conversations about how to build the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems across a variety of focus areas.
** New this week ** The Arctic Resilience Forum: Gender, November 18, 2020 (virtual). The Arctic Resilience Forum will be convened every Wednesday from 11:30am - 1:00pm (EST) over a series of ten weeks, beginning October 7, 2020. The online series will engage the broadest audience possible in conversations about how to build the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems across a variety of focus areas.
** New this week ** The Arctic Resilience Forum: Socio-Ecological Resilience, November 25, 2020 (virtual). The Arctic Resilience Forum will be convened every Wednesday from 11:30am - 1:00pm (EST) over a series of ten weeks, beginning October 7, 2020. The online series will engage the broadest audience possible in conversations about how to build the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems across a variety of focus areas.
** New this week ** The Arctic Resilience Forum: Financing Resilience, December 2, 2020 (virtual). The Arctic Resilience Forum will be convened every Wednesday from 11:30am - 1:00pm (EST) over a series of ten weeks, beginning October 7, 2020. The online series will engage the broadest audience possible in conversations about how to build the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems across a variety of focus areas.
** New this week ** The Arctic Resilience Forum: Infrastructure, December 9, 2020 (virtual). The Arctic Resilience Forum will be convened every Wednesday from 11:30am - 1:00pm (EST) over a series of ten weeks, beginning October 7, 2020. The online series will engage the broadest audience possible in conversations about how to build the resilience of Arctic communities and ecosystems across a variety of focus areas.
2021 Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 26-28, 2021 (virtual). The Alaska Marine Science Symposium (AMSS) has been bringing together scientists, educators, resource managers, students, and interested public for over twenty years to discuss the latest marine research being conducted in Alaskan waters. Over 700 people attend this 4-day long conference held annually during the month of January. Each day of the conference highlights important Alaskan marine ecosystems: Gulf of Alaska (Tuesday), Bering Sea & Aleutian Islands (Wednesday), and the Arctic (Thursday). Research topics discussed range from ocean physics, fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, to local traditional knowledge. Since its inception, NPRB has been a proud sponsor and one of the leading organizers of AMSS.
Arctic Frontiers 2021, February 1-4, 2021 (virtual). Arctic Frontiers started out in 2006 assembling the first global scientific conference on economic, societal and environmental sustainable growth in the north. In February 2021, we will arrange the 15th conference with the theme "Building Bridges". The conference has a pan arctic perspective and builds new partnerships across nations, generations and ethnic groups. Arctic Frontiers provides a forum for dialogue and communication between science, government and industry in the Arctic.
Arctic Science Summit Week, March 20-26, 2021 (Lisbon, Portugal). The Portuguese Minister of Science, Technology and Higher Education, the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Local Organizing Committee will host the Arctic Science Summit Week 2021. The Conference is organized by FCT, Ciência Viva, AIR Center, the Portuguese Arctic Community and by IASC and partners. Framed by the overarching theme for the Science Conference "The Arctic: Regional Changes, Global Impacts," Lisbon invites International experts on the Arctic and Indigenous Peoples to discuss the "New Arctic" and also its impacts and interactions to and with the lower latitudes.
2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses, May 3-6, 2021 (Hanko, Finland). Organizers announce, that due to the coronavirus outbreak, the 2nd Symposium on Polar Microbes and Viruses has been postponed to 2021. This symposium will bring together molecular microbial ecologists specializing in different organism groups to share our latest results and discuss methodological problems, as well as future prospects in the field, including practical international collaborations. The environmental focus will be on cryospheric environments including sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, and permafrost, but excellent research in other polar environments is also invited. The methods to be discussed will focus on 'omics' techniques, ranging from single cells to metagenomes, but research using additional methods is encouraged as well.
3rd Arctic Science Ministerial, May 8-9, 2021 (Toyko, Japan). The Japanese and Icelandic organizers of this ministerial continue to plan for an in-person ministerial, in Tokyo, but have moved the dates from November 21-22, 2020 to May 8-9, 2021 because of Covid-19. Since the last Arctic Science Ministerial in 2018, changes in the Arctic ecosystem and the resulting impacts locally and globally have been severely felt. Considering the need for climate change mitigation, adaptation, and repair measures, the relevance of an international Arctic Science Ministerial has never been greater. It is necessary to strengthen scientific cooperation and collaboration among both Arctic and non-Arctic States in order to develop our understanding of the rapid changes impacting the Arctic. The First Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM1) was hosted by the United States in 2016, and two years later, the Second Arctic Science Ministerial (ASM2) was co-hosted by Germany, Finland, and the European Commission. ASM3 will be co-hosted by Iceland and Japan.
|
|
  
4350 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 510
Arlington, VA 22203, USA
External links in this publication, and on the USARC's World Wide Web site ( www.arctic.gov) do not constitute endorsement by the US Arctic Research Commission of external Web sites or the information, products or services contained therein. For other than authorized activities, the USARC does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. These links are provided consistent with the stated purpose of this newsletter and the USARC Web site.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
