ABoVE Science Team Technical Interchange Meeting Summary
The NASA Arctic Boreal Vulnerability Experiment (ABoVE) Science Team Technical Interchange Meeting, held April 28-30, 2026 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, successfully brought together approximately 45 in-person participants and 15-20 virtual attendees for three days of collaborative science synthesis and strategic planning. As the final gathering with members of the ABoVE science team after a decade-long campaign, the meeting featured comprehensive updates from ABoVE working groups and synthesis teams focusing on relevant science themes from the campaign (Carbon, Permafrost/Hydrology, Soil Organic Carbon (SOC), Spectral Imaging, Vegetation, and Modeling).
The agenda included productive panel discussions on International Polar Year 5 (IPY5) planning and partner collaborations with the Department of Energy's Next-Generation Ecosystem Experiment (DOE-NGEE) Arctic program, Canadian research programs, and future NASA Arctic missions including Arctic-COLORS and the Earth Venture Suborbital campaign Forecasting Ocean Ecosystem Response to Tipping Elements (FORTE). Participants discussed and planned airborne activities for summer 2026 in support of NASA calibration and validation (cal/val) initiatives. Dedicated synthesis writing blocks advanced manuscript development and fostered collaborative discussions among attendees.
A permafrost tunnel tour, conducted in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL), offered participants a unique opportunity to observe landscape features and permafrost dynamics firsthand. The meeting emphasized pathways for sustaining Arctic science research momentum and planning for future collaborative activities, including continued partnerships through the International Arctic Research Center (IARC) and other institutional frameworks.
Photo Credits: Lia Ferguson, Kyle Kovach, Elizabeth Hoy.
