Teleconference and Webinar Archives for Monthly Alaska Climate Change Presentations: Alaska Center for Climate Assessment & Policy:

Tuesday, November 3, 2009
CHANGES TO PERMAFROST IN ALASKA: OBSERVATIONS AND MODELING
Vladimir Romanovsky, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Observed and predicted climatic changes will inevitably change the energy and mass fluxes at the land surface and, as a result, the near-surface and subsurface physical conditions in the Alaskan Arctic and Sub-Arctic. This will trigger changes in ecosystems and infrastructure because the stability of these systems in the north relies on the stability of ice that, so far, holds these systems together. If recent warming trends in the Arctic continue, it will take several centuries to millennia for permafrost to disappear completely in the areas where it is now actively warming and thawing. In losing permafrost, we are losing the stability of these systems. Negative consequences of this degradation will be pronounced from the very beginning because the highest ice content in permafrost is usually found in the upper few tens of meters. In this presentation we will discuss possible effects of degrading permafrost in the Alaskan Arctic and Sub-Arctic on hydrology, ecosystems, infrastructure, and the carbon cycle.

Fish harvests in the Arctic Ocean are small, yet the largest U.S. commercial fisheries lie immediately south in the Bering Sea. Some groundfish and crabs have moved northward. This trend is predicted to continue. A large ecosystem study of the Bering Sea aims to understand and forecast these changes. The Bering Sea project is funded by the North Pacific Research Board and the National Science Foundation (http://bsierp.nprb.org/). Join us to learn more about climate impacts on Alaska fisheries.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON WATER AVAILABILITY IN ALASKA
Brendan J. O’Brien, Climate Change Analyst, The Wilderness Society

This webinar reports results of research using data from the Scenarios Network for Alaska Planning (SNAP) to downscale and map projected changes in surface water availability state-wide. Future estimates of potential evapotranspiration have been calculated from averaged monthly climate data from 5 global circulation models, previously evaluated as best-fit for Alaska. Future projections are compared with a historical baseline to determine the magnitude of change over time. With significantly more water leaving the landscape, growing season water availability is likely to drop below historic levels by mid-century, leading to more severe water deficits across the landscape. Such a dramatic decrease in water availability will likely have strong impacts on the wildlife, vegetation, and human communities that depend on water resources. Join us to learn more about projected changes in water availability state-wide. With this information, Alaskans will be better prepared to identify species, landscapes and communities that are vulnerable to change.

The University of Alaska, Scenarios Network for Alaska Planning (SNAP) provides quick and easy access to a wide range of climate projections for the state of Alaska at a 2km resolution. Data and maps are available for download in web-based and Google Earth formats. These maps show projected changes in temperature, precipitation, growing season length, freeze-up date and thaw date, and include documentation of uncertainties. Join this tutorial to learn how to view, interpret and download available data and maps and discuss upcoming SNAP products.
Participants will need to download Google Earth onto their computer before the webinar tutorial (see http://www.snap.uaf.edu/google-earth-maps). For assistance contact Brook Gamble, 907-474-7812, brook.gamble@alaska.edu.

In response to unprecedented changes occurring in the circumpolar Arctic, in 2004 the Arctic Council called for the Council’s Protection of the Arctic Marine Environment (PAME) working group to conduct a comprehensive assessment of Arctic marine shipping. The Arctic Marine Shipping Assessment (AMSA) 2009 Final Report represents the results of this four year study. Findings and recommendations were negotiated and approved by the Ministers of the Arctic States on April 29, 2009 and take into consideration Arctic marine geography, changes in sea ice and climate, history of marine transport, governance of Arctic marine shipping, current marine use in the Arctic, Arctic marine infrastructure, human and environmental considerations and impacts, and Arctic marine shipping futures scenarios to 2020. This presentation is an overview of the AMSA findings, presented by Dr. Lawson Brigham.

Read the Anchorage KTUU Channel 2 TV transcript or view the newscast (7:20-8:00)

The National Weather Service Alaska-Pacific River Forecast Center has monitored river ice breakup on major rivers in Alaska for decades. The breakup process for large rivers in Interior Alaska can range from dynamic to thermal. The timing and severity of breakup is controlled by both weather and climate. Climate variability influences each of the elements of breakup, but weather patterns control the process. Join us to learn about trends in ice breakup conditions over the past decades, to hear expectations for breakup in 2009, and to discuss implications of variability in breakup conditions.

The Alaska Center for Climate Assessment and Policy is pursuing the development of a new web-based tool to provide likelihoods of weather conditions for any outdoor activity. This tool will convert historical hourly weather data (temperature, precipitation, present weather, visibility and wind speed) into user-specified summaries of weather probabilities. The interactive tool will be based on weather station data and is intended to guide the planning of any outdoor activity. We also plan to provide similar information for all of Alaska and offshore locations based on new analysis from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center that will be available next year. In the future, we plan to add projected changes of climate-related weather variables. WE NEED YOUR INPUT. Please join us for this webinar to give your feedback on how a web-tool for Alaska weather and climate projections can be most useful to you.

The Alaska Ocean Observing System and the North Pacific Research Board are collaborating to develop the Alaska Marine Information System (AMIS) to catalog and display project information and data. The AMIS Project Browser allows users to search for projects and data by geography, time, funding agency, principal investigator, and data types. AMIS also provides visualization tools for displaying past, current and future projects with their geographic areas and sampling locations displayed on a map. AMIS provides users with data and the project metadata to download. AMIS enhances coordination and efficient use of funding resources by linking visually and through text the status of projects across Alaska. Join us in this webinar to learn how to use and contribute to the AMIS project.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
CLIMATE CHANGE AND TOURISM IN ALASKA
John Walsh, University of Alaska

Recent research at the Universities of Illinois and Alaska has investigated the links between climate warming and tourism demand. A tourism climate index was created to capture weather information relevant to tourist activity at a particular location. Join us to learn about trends in the season length and frequency of weather conducive to sight seeing and skiing in southcentral and southwest Alaska and to learn how this climate index for tourism can be applied in other tourist activities and locations in Alaska.

What is the difference between climate and weather? How does the extent and limitation of instrument records in Alaska influence climate observations? What is the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and how does it influence climate variability in Alaska? Join us for this ACCAP webinar to learn the answers to these questions and more.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008;
GOOGLE EARTH MAPS OF PROJECTED CLIMATE CHANGE IN ALASKA,
Now Available from the Scenarios Network for Alaska Planning
Michael Sfraga, T. Scott Rupp, Katie Kennedy, University of Alaska

The Scenario Network for Alaska Planning (SNAP), housed within the University of Alaska Geography Program, now has Alaska climate change projections available for download in Google Earth Format. These maps show projected changes in temperature, precipitation, growing season length, freeze-up date and thaw date, and include documentation of uncertainties. Join us for a demonstration of these newly available maps and a discussion of how SNAP's continued work can be most useful to you.

Listen to the webinar Podcast

Presentation/Slides: Google Earth Maps of Projected Climate Change in Alaska, University of Alaska SNAP Program

Instructions for downloading the SNAP maps: SNAP Google Earth Download Tutorial

Fairbanks Daily News Miner story about the Google Earth Maps webinar:. Mapping 21st Century Climate Change in Alaska

Tuesday, October 14, 2008
INCREASING INSECT REACTIONS IN ALASKA: IS THIS RELATED TO CHANGING CLIMATE?
Jeffrey G Demain, MD, FAAP, FAAAAI
Director, Allergy Asthma & Immunology Center of Alaska
Associate Clinical Professor, University of Washington

This webinar will discuss changes in distribution of venomous insects in Alaska over the past decade including two recent sting deaths. We will explore the six regions in Alaska to determine how each area has been impacted and will look at possible causes such as increases in average annual and winter temperatures.

Listen to the webinar Podcast

Download Presentation: Increasing Insect Reactions in Alaska: Is this Related to Changing Climate?

Tuesday, September 23, 2008
CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE OCEAN: ACIDIFICATION BY ATMOSPHERIC CARBON DIOXIDE
Dr. Jeff Short, Auke Bay Laboratory,
National Marine Fisheries Service

The surface layer of the world's oceans have been acidified by 30% in the last 60 years due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Continued unconstrained CO2 emissions may triple ocean acidity by 2100. Such a fundamental and abrupt geochemical shift has significant impacts on marine life, including possible mass extinctions. Cool temperatures and upwelling make Alaskan coastal waters among the most vulnerable to acidification effects, which already threaten shellfish and corals. Many additional, more subtle effects are likely but difficult to predict. Join us for this webinar to learn more about the implications of ocean acidification for Alaska.

Listen to the webinar Podcast

Download Presentation: Climate Change in the Ocean: Acidification by Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
Listen to radio coverage of this teleconferece:
Ocean acidity threatens Alaska waters. Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock. KCAW Raven Radio, aired Sept 23, 2008.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008
UNCERTAINTY IN THE ARCTIC WATER CYCLE
Jessie Cherry , University of Alaska
There are large uncertainties regarding not only the future of the hydrologic cycle and water resources but also their spatial and temporal variability in the present. Many components of the water cycle are difficult to measure accurately, creating one source of uncertainty. Sparse observing networks in the Arctic create another type of uncertainty in that sampling may not be spatially representative. Water-related resource managers must take these uncertainties into account while facing other unknown factors such as the timing of supply and demand and the reliability of infrastructure. This talk will discuss techniques for identifying and where possible quantifying various types of uncertainty.

Listen to the webinar Podcast

Presentation/Slides: Uncertainty in the Arctic Water Cycle

Read the article by Christi Hang in the Fairbanks Daily News Miner about this webinar: Data gaps bedevil research into Arctic water cycle

Tuesday, June 10, 2008
WATER AVAILABILITY IN ALASKA: USING AND UNDERSTANDING NOAA's DROUGHT MONITOR AND DROUGHT OUTLOOK
Doug LeComte, NOAA Climate Prediction Center

Water is important to communities, industry and ecosystems in Alaska. What are NOAA's Drought Monitor and Drought Outlook? How can we use them in planning and decision-making? Join us to address these questions and explore ways that these tools can be more useful to Alaskans.

Listen to the webinar Podcast

Presentation/Slides: Water Availability in Alaska: Using and Understanding NOAA's Drought Monitor and Drough Outlook

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON RENEWABLE ENERGY IN ALASKA
Gwen Holdmann, Alaska Center for Energy and Power

With rising fuel costs, tapping local renewable resources for energy as an alternative to fossil fuels is gaining more and more attention throughout the state. Projected increases in temperature and precipitation from climate change may have consequences for the long term health of renewable energy projects, such as reduced water availability and increased sedimentation for hydroelectric and geothermal projects, changes in available biomass, and shifting wind, wave, and tidal patterns. Join us for a discussion of how climate change is likely to impact renewable energy production in Alaska.

Listen to the webinar Podcast

Presentation/Slides: Climate Change Impacts on Renewable Energy in Alaska
Webinar Summary:Summary - Climate Change Impacts on Renewable Energy in Alaska

Tuesday, April 8, 2008
THE IMPACTS OF CHANGES IN WATER RESOURCES ON NORTHERN SOCIETIES
Dan White, University of Alaska
Water is critical in Northern Alaska for drinking and residential use in villages, for the construction of ice roads and pads in oil and gas exploration and drilling, and as habitat for migratory birds and water fowl. Join us to find out more about how climate change has and will continue to impact availability of water in Northern Alaska

Listen to the webinar Podcast

Presentation/Slides: The Impacts of Changes in Water Resources on Northern Societies
Webinar Summary:The Impacts of Changes in Water Resources on Northern Societies
Related References: Journal of American Water Resources Association on Water Use from Arctic Lakes: Identification, Impacts and Decision Support

Tuesday, March 4, 2008
PERMAFROST DEGRADATION AND MONITORING IN ALASKA
Kenji Yoshikawa, University of Alaska
Dr. Yoshikawa is installing permafrost monitoring projects in schools across Alaska. Join us to learn about mechanisms of permafrost thaw, areas in Alaska that are most susceptible to permafrost degradation with climate change, and how this school-based monitoring project is helping us understand permafrost degradation in Alaska.

Listen to the webinar Podcast

Presentation/Slides: Permafrost Degradation and Monitoring in Alaska
Presentation Handouts (3 slides/page with lines for notes): Permafrost Degradation and Monitoring in Alaska

Tuesday, February 19, 2008
CLIMATE CHANGE SCENARIOS FOR YUKON FLATS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE, ALASKA
Anna Springsteen, University of Alaska and The Wilderness Society
Dr. Wendy Loya, The Wilderness Society
In conjunction with the University of Alaska, Scenario Network for Alaska Planning, we analyzed predictions from the 5 climate models that perform best in Alaska to understand how climate change may affect Yukon Flats NWR over the next ~80 years. Join us to learn more about projected changes in temperature and precipitation and the resulting possible impacts on growing season, fire regimes, permafrost stability, and river and lake hydrology.

Listen to the webinar Podcast

Presentation/Slides: Climate Change Scenarios for Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska
Presentation Summary (2-page written summary):Climate Change Scenarios for Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Tuesday, January 15, 2008
SEA ICE CHANGE AROUND ALASKA AND IMPACTS ON HUMAN ACTIVITIES
Hajo Eicken, University of Alaska
The Arctic sea-ice cover is rapidly transforming, with sustained northward retreat of the summer ice edge and thinning of the pack ice. The seas around Alaska have experienced some of the largest changes anywhere in the Arctic. The talk will discuss some of the causes of such change and what this may mean for coastal communities, marine ecosystems and industrial activities.

Tuesday, December 18, 2007
LAST ICE: THE FATE OF BERING SEA MAMMALS IN RESPONSE TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Gary Hufford, National Weather Service
Sea ice in the Bering Sea is beginning to recede apparently in response to climate change. Walrus and Ribbon Seals seek ice floes as habitat where they breed, give birth and haulout to rest. This makes the walrus and ribbon seal vulnerable to and an indicator of climate change. There is also evidence that the walrus may play a role in the productivity of the Bering Sea by releasing nutrients trapped in pore waters of the bottom sediment when they feed. Join us for this webinar to learn more and and discuss the potential implications of loss of these species.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007
ESTIMATING FUTURE VALUE OF ALASKA PUBLIC INFRASTRUCTURE AT RISK TO CLIMATE CHANGE
Peter Larsen, The Nature Conservancy
Alaska's public infrastructure is disigned for a cold climate. We can expect 10-20% higher costs for infrastructure replacement due to climate change. Join us for a discussion of work conducted at the Institute of Social and Economic Research to update a public infrastructure database and estimate future costs to infrastructure replacement due to climate change.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007
UNDERSTANDING COASTAL EROSION IN ALASKA
David Atkinson, University of Alaska
What are the physical mechanisms for erosion in the coastal regions of Alaska? How does permafrost thaw influence erosion? Join us to explore these questions and discuss what information you need to understand and prepare for coastal erosion in Alaska.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007
CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS IN ALASKA: THE WEATHER PERSPECTIVE
James Partain, National Weather Service
This webinar will highlight many of the impacts from climate change on Alaska's weather. These impacts span the range of National Weather Service program areas from Aviation to Volcanic Ash and everything in between. The presentation and discussion period will provide information and develop a shared understanding about links between climate change and weather and how these links drive the services, decision-support, research & development, and policy of the National Weather Service.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007
FIRE AND CLIMATE CHANGE IN ALASKA
Paul Duffy & T. Scott Rupp, University of Alaska
2004 and 2005 were two of the three most extreme fire seasons in Alaska's fifty year fire record. Models project more frequent occurence of extreme fire seasons with climate change. Join us in this discussion of how climate change can be expected to impact the fire regime in Alaska, what information gaps still exist, and what implications this might have for communities in Alaska.

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
ALASKA STORM TRACKS: Monitoring, Outlook and Assessment
Jon Gottshalk, NOAA Climate Prediction Center
Join us for a brief overview and tutorial of information about Alaska storm tracks that is currently available on the world-wide-web. Discussion to follow will focus on how the storm tracks website can be modified to meet your needs. Click here to view the NOAA, Alaska Storm Tracks website.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007
CHANGES IN SEASONALITY: IMPACTS ON RURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE ALASKAN INTERIOR
Craig Gerlach & John Walsh, University of Alaska
Extreme high or low precipitation and/or temperatures and the timing of freeze-up and spring melt, all affect river and air transportation and subsistence harvest in Alaska. This webinar focuses on how changes in seasonality impact residents and businesses that operate in the interior. The goal of the discussion will be to identify specific climate information needs in the interior and to brainstorm ways to meet those needs.
Presentations/Slides:
Interior Alaska: Bellweather of Global Warming - John Walsh
Examples of Climate Products from Arizona - Colin West

Archive of Past Conferences