Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments
Every year, numerous field teams travel to remote field locations on the Greenland ice sheet to carry out polar research, geologic exploration, and other commercial, military, strategic, and recreational activities. In this region, extreme weather can lead to decreased productivity, equipment failur...
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Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10037/18911 https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00260 |
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ftunivtroemsoe:oai:munin.uit.no:10037/18911 2023-05-15T14:26:59+02:00 Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments Leidman, Sasha Z. Rennermalm, Åsa K. Broccoli, Anthony J. van As, Dirk van den Broeke, Michiel R. Steffen, Konrad Hubbard, Alun Lloyd 2020-07-30 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/18911 https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00260 eng eng Frontiers Media Frontiers in Earth Science Norges forskningsråd: 223259 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/RCN/SFF/223259/Norway/Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate/CAGE/ Leidman, Rennermalm ÅK, Broccoli, van As D, van den Broeke MR, Steffen K, Hubbard AL. Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments. Frontiers in Earth Science. 2020;8 FRIDAID 1821284 doi:10.3389/feart.2020.00260 2296-6463 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/18911 openAccess Copyright 2020 The Author(s) VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Geosciences: 450 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Geofag: 450 Journal article Tidsskriftartikkel Peer reviewed publishedVersion 2020 ftunivtroemsoe https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00260 2021-06-25T17:57:36Z Every year, numerous field teams travel to remote field locations on the Greenland ice sheet to carry out polar research, geologic exploration, and other commercial, military, strategic, and recreational activities. In this region, extreme weather can lead to decreased productivity, equipment failure, increased stress, unexpected logistical challenges, and, in the worst cases, a risk of physical injury and loss of life. Here we describe methods for calculating the probability of a “scienceable” day defined as a day when wind, temperature, snowfall, and sunlight conditions are conducive to sustained outdoor activity. Scienceable days have been calculated for six sites on the ice sheet of southern Greenland using meteorological station data between 1996-2016, and compared with indices of large scale atmospheric circulation patterns: the Greenland Blocking Index (GBI) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Our findings show that the probability of a scienceable day between 2010 and 2016 in the Greenland Ice Sheet.’s accumulation zone was 46 ± 17% in March-May and 86 ± 11% in July-August on average. Decreases in scienceability due to lower temperatures at higher elevations are made up for by weaker katabatic winds, especially in the shoulder seasons. We also find a strong correlation between the probability of a scienceable day and GBI (R = 0.88, p < 0.001) resulting in a significant decrease in April scienceability since 1996. The methodology presented can help inform expedition planning, the setting of realistic field goals and managing expectations, and aid with accurate risk assessment in Greenland and other harsh, remote environments Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Greenland Ice Sheet North Atlantic North Atlantic oscillation University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive Greenland Frontiers in Earth Science 8 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
University of Tromsø: Munin Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftunivtroemsoe |
language |
English |
topic |
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Geosciences: 450 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Geofag: 450 |
spellingShingle |
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Geosciences: 450 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Geofag: 450 Leidman, Sasha Z. Rennermalm, Åsa K. Broccoli, Anthony J. van As, Dirk van den Broeke, Michiel R. Steffen, Konrad Hubbard, Alun Lloyd Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments |
topic_facet |
VDP::Mathematics and natural science: 400::Geosciences: 450 VDP::Matematikk og Naturvitenskap: 400::Geofag: 450 |
description |
Every year, numerous field teams travel to remote field locations on the Greenland ice sheet to carry out polar research, geologic exploration, and other commercial, military, strategic, and recreational activities. In this region, extreme weather can lead to decreased productivity, equipment failure, increased stress, unexpected logistical challenges, and, in the worst cases, a risk of physical injury and loss of life. Here we describe methods for calculating the probability of a “scienceable” day defined as a day when wind, temperature, snowfall, and sunlight conditions are conducive to sustained outdoor activity. Scienceable days have been calculated for six sites on the ice sheet of southern Greenland using meteorological station data between 1996-2016, and compared with indices of large scale atmospheric circulation patterns: the Greenland Blocking Index (GBI) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Our findings show that the probability of a scienceable day between 2010 and 2016 in the Greenland Ice Sheet.’s accumulation zone was 46 ± 17% in March-May and 86 ± 11% in July-August on average. Decreases in scienceability due to lower temperatures at higher elevations are made up for by weaker katabatic winds, especially in the shoulder seasons. We also find a strong correlation between the probability of a scienceable day and GBI (R = 0.88, p < 0.001) resulting in a significant decrease in April scienceability since 1996. The methodology presented can help inform expedition planning, the setting of realistic field goals and managing expectations, and aid with accurate risk assessment in Greenland and other harsh, remote environments |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Leidman, Sasha Z. Rennermalm, Åsa K. Broccoli, Anthony J. van As, Dirk van den Broeke, Michiel R. Steffen, Konrad Hubbard, Alun Lloyd |
author_facet |
Leidman, Sasha Z. Rennermalm, Åsa K. Broccoli, Anthony J. van As, Dirk van den Broeke, Michiel R. Steffen, Konrad Hubbard, Alun Lloyd |
author_sort |
Leidman, Sasha Z. |
title |
Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments |
title_short |
Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments |
title_full |
Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments |
title_fullStr |
Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments |
title_full_unstemmed |
Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments |
title_sort |
methods for predicting the likelihood of safe fieldwork conditions in harsh environments |
publisher |
Frontiers Media |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://hdl.handle.net/10037/18911 https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00260 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Greenland Ice Sheet North Atlantic North Atlantic oscillation |
genre_facet |
Arctic Greenland Ice Sheet North Atlantic North Atlantic oscillation |
op_relation |
Frontiers in Earth Science Norges forskningsråd: 223259 info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/RCN/SFF/223259/Norway/Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate/CAGE/ Leidman, Rennermalm ÅK, Broccoli, van As D, van den Broeke MR, Steffen K, Hubbard AL. Methods for Predicting the Likelihood of Safe Fieldwork Conditions in Harsh Environments. Frontiers in Earth Science. 2020;8 FRIDAID 1821284 doi:10.3389/feart.2020.00260 2296-6463 https://hdl.handle.net/10037/18911 |
op_rights |
openAccess Copyright 2020 The Author(s) |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2020.00260 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Earth Science |
container_volume |
8 |
_version_ |
1766300520540012544 |