IDP Ice Core Working Group (IDP-ICWG): Alpine Glaciers and Ice Caps

This white paper details opportunities to expand ice core studies of Alpine glaciers and ice caps (outside Antarctica and Greenland) to address multiple research questions and enrich the paleoclimate framework. Alpine drill sites from the Northern and Southern Hemisphere provide high resolution climate records which are highly sensitive to the complex atmospheric processes and changes such as modern warming. Often, the potential ice core archive at lower elevation sites is under threat from increasing atmospheric temperature and loss of stored climate signals. The proposed areas of investigation include the Sub-Antarctic Islands, North Pacific coastal mountain ranges, and the Karakoram in Asia. The scientific goals include a variety of research questions linked to hydroclimate variability, climate feedbacks, past extension of high-altitude glaciers and aerosol deposition. Ultralight and light drilling equipment will be necessary to extract ice cores from extremely remote locations with limited available logistics such as the Sub-Antarctic Islands and Karakoram. Some developing or existing drill equipment (FORO 700 and the improved IDP 3 thermal drill) will need to be used in the relatively more accessible North Pacific drilling sites. A strong increase in the promotion of inclusion and diversity and minorities is planned, broadening research fields and opportunities for minorities with the extension of national programs involving students in field operation in the US North Pacific territory and through the development of international collaborative programs with Australia and Pakistan. Finally, this working group recommends that adequate support for preliminary geophysical activities will be made available in order to optimize the selection of the ice core drilling sites and maximize the linked scientific output.