Overview

Multi-year, detailed, and comprehensive measurements, extending from the atmosphere through the sea-ice and into the ocean of the central Arctic Basin are needed to improve our  understanding and modeling of Arctic climate and weather, and enhance Arctic sea-ice predictive capabilities.  These observations will be designed to provide a process-level understanding of the new central Arctic climate system, consisting of dramatically less and thinner sea-ice than in the recent past, as well as a more detailed understanding of the processes leading to these sea-ice changes.  Scientific emphasis will be placed on processes that transfer heat, moisture, density, and momentum through the system.  To obtain the needed measurements, a manned, transpolar drifting observatory is proposed, wherein an ice-hardened ship serves as a central hub for intensive observations of atmospheric, oceanic, and sea-ice properties over 1-2 years’ time.  The comprehensive information from this central facility will be expanded to larger spatial scales using a coordinated network of distributed measurements made using buoys, unmanned aerial systems, autonomous underwater vehicles, additional ships, aircraft, and satellites.  A broad consortium of nations and funding agencies is needed to facilitate, coordinate, and support such a constellation of central Arctic observations.

Link to MOSAiC White Paper (short version)
Link to MOSAiC Overview Presentation at 2012 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting (AGU2012)

International Arctic Science Committee (IASC)

The International Arctic Science Committee is a non-governmental organization that aims to encourage, facilitate, and promote cooperation in all aspects of Arctic research in all countries engaged in Arctic research in all areas of the Arctic region.  Overall, IASC promotes and supports leading-edge, multi-disciplinary research in order to foster a greater scientific understanding of the Arctic region and its role in the Earth system.  MOSAiC is an initiative developed via IASC and its Atmospheric working group.