The scientific scope of the Atmosphere Working Group (AWG) includes scientific research towards understanding and prediction of Arctic change, and considering the fate of perennial sea ice and the global atmospheric consequences of its disappearance. This includes past climate states, investigation of Arctic processes across data sets and approaches, and climate model projections. The scope includes local and regional impacts of Arctic change.
The geographic scope of the AWG shall be the Arctic but will also include the Arctic´s responses to global change processes (arctic amplification) and impacts of Arctic changes on the northern hemisphere atmospheric circulation.
Scientific Foci
The AWG addresses topics around interactions between the atmosphere, ocean, and cryosphere, the role of the atmosphere in Arctic socio-economic development, rapid Arctic climate change, and extreme weather and Arctic predictability.
Specific topics of interest include:
- Cloud, Water Vapor, Aerosols, Fluxes
- Arctic Air Pollution
- Coupled Arctic Climate System
- Arctic Weather Extremes
- Linkages: Role of the Arctic in the Global Climate System
These topics have been put under the three pillars of:
- Atmosphere in the coupled Arctic system
- Arctic Climate, Weather, and Predictability
- Arctic Pollution, socio-economic and environmental change
Strategic Work Plan
The AWG Strategic Work Plan concisely articulates (with scientifically-driven high-level specifics, not programmatic detail) how they will achieve IASC’s vision over 5 years. This plan is meant to help Arctic scientists get involved in IASC activities, and it is expected that they will evolve in the coming years as the AWG continues with its work.
Implementation
The AWG has identified four goals that help advance the science and scientific infrastructure listed within the AWG Strategic Plan:
- Advancement of Arctic Atmospheric Science
- Advancement of Arctic Atmospheric Science Researchers and Networks
- Advancement of IASC as an organization
- Advancement of Ethical Research Practices in Arctic Atmospheric Science
To support the progress towards the above goals, guidance on actions and several specific tasks are listed in a document called the AWG Implementation Plan. These tasks are measurable and easily communicated, and supported or endorsed by the AWG to facilitate significant advancement of the international Arctic Science community.
