Polar Research

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Polar Research

• Association of Professional Librarians
• University of Alberta
• Marianne Douglas
• Canadian Circumpolar Institute (CCI)
• University of Alberta

Suite 308, Campus Tower (8625-112 Street),
Edmonton Alberta Canada T6G 0H1 Phone (780)
492-4512 Fax [phone] Email
marianne.douglas_at_ualberta.ca Web
www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/polar/
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Canadian Circumpolar Institute (CCI)

• The Canadian Circumpolar Institute is the
  centre for northern research at the University of
  Alberta, serving Northerners, students,
  academics, government, industry, and the general
  public.

Where is CCI located?
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Mandate

• promote and support interdisciplinary research
  about the circumpolar regions including northern
  Canada, the Arctic and Antarctica
• foster communication among northern and
  circumpolar-oriented researchers
• encourage the involvement of residents from all
  circumpolar regions in the activities of the
  institute
• promote and support the Canadian
  Circumpolar Library collection as a distinctive
  northern (polar) reference centre of
  international importance
• disseminate information about the circumpolar
  regions

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Grants-in-aid administered by CCI

• Two types available
• NSTP (Northern Science and Training Program)
• C/BAR (Circumpolar/Boreal Alberta Research)

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CCI Press

• 7 peer-reviewed special series
• Over 85 titles,
• 55 since 1990

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The Big Picture
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Importance of the North
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Polar Climates Today
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High latitudes early warning sites.
2 x CO2
4 x CO2
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Long- term
data
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Some sources of paleoenvironmental data
Ice cores Marine cores Tree rings
P. Kelly
Joides Resolution IODP
Core
Ideo.coumbia.edu
NOAA
H.D. Grissino-Mayer
Proxy
?18O
?18O, e.g., CH4, CO2, pH, tephra
Tree ring width
Wikapedia
Sed. Composition, Tephra etc.
and there are many more!
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Diatoms algae ...
microfossils
10µ
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Environmental Change?

• Limnological and paleolimnological surveys of
  lakes and ponds

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Ecological Thresholds
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ACIA Arctic Climate Impact Assessment
Climate change Pollutants Water availability Sea
level rise Coastal erosion
November, 2004
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Importance of North (Contd)
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Importance of the North (Contd)
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Polar Research at U of Alberta
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Polar Research at U of Alberta

• Environmental change and its impacts
• Social and cultural resilience and adaptation
• Resource and economic development
• Design for a changing environment
• ? sustainable development

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Is polar research unique?

• Yes and no
• Isolated
• Logistically expensive and difficult to reach
• Need a scientific research license Its the
  law!
• In the North, By the North, For the North
• Cultural and societal ties to landscape

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(No Transcript)
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Information used in my research and my work
Atmosphere
Biosphere
Hydrosphere
Eco-sphere
Lithosphere
Earth Systems Science Approach
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CCI

• One of two polar institutes in Canada.
• Centre dEtudes Nordiques, Université Laval
• CCL 300,000 items, electronic databases,
  e.g., PolarInfo
• Arctic AND Antarctica
• ? unique in Canada