A mini-conference on long-term variability of the Barents Sea region
will be held at Meteo-France, Toulouse, France from 15 to 17 April 2002.
For more information about this mini-conference, or the companion
workshop on sea-ice extent and the global climate system (announced on
Arctic Info on 12/11/01), please contact:
Dr. Chad Dick
Director
International ACSYS/CliC Project Office
The Polar Environmental Centre
N-9296 Tromsø, Norway
Tel: +47/7775-0145
Fax: +47/7775-0501
E-mail: acsys [at] npolar.no
ABSTRACT DEADLINE IS: 15 February 2002
First Announcement and Call for Abstracts
Mini-Conference on Long-term variability of the Barents Sea region
Toulouse, France
18-19 April 2002
Sponsored by:
The Arctic Climate System Study/Climate and Cryosphere Project of the
World Climate Research Programme
http://acsys.npolar.no/
http://clic.npolar.no
PERSPECTIVE
The climate of the Barents Sea is rather unusual given its high
latitude. Much of the region is free of sea ice throughout the year.
Surrounding land areas are several degrees warmer than the average for
their latitude in the Northern Hemisphere. The cause of this is the
relatively warm water flowing from the Atlantic Ocean, bringing heat
from lower latitudes. Some scenarios for climate in a world affected by
increased greenhouse gas concentrations suggest that the northward flow
of this warm water may be considerably reduced in the future. Warmer
climate is still predicted, but increases may be less than in other
areas of the globe. The Barents Sea region then is an area of special
climatic interest.
The Barents Sea is also of strategic and economic importance. It
provides a route for trade between Western Europe and Northern Russia.
It supports one of the most productive fisheries in the world, and the
region is known to have extensive reserves of oil and gas.
From the late 16th century onwards, the Barents Sea was also an
important area for whaling and sealing activities. It was during these
expeditions that the first records of Barents Sea climate were made.
Ships visiting the region recorded their position as they followed the
movement of whales along the ice edge. From such records it has been
possible to produce a historical ice chart archive, with the earliest
charts dating from the late 16th century. With the development of the
appropriate technology, ocean temperatures and salinities have been
measured from the middle of the 19th century, while direct
meteorological measurements have been made in the region from the late
19th century. More recently still, techniques have become available
whereby proxy records of climatic variables have been established,
extending our knowledge of the region's climate to prehistoric times.
With current concern about global warming, the Barents region may be
vulnerable to climate change. If properly understood, its sensitive
ecology may provide an early warning of human influence on global
climate, but any changes need to be put in the context of past
variability. Hence there are many reasons for wanting to study the
long-term variability of this region.
OBJECTIVES
The conference will bring together scientists with a knowledge of
long-term variability of climate in the Barents Sea Region and those
with an interest in predictions of future conditions. In particular, it
will highlight the interactions between the ocean, sea ice, and the
atmosphere in the region, and how variations in these three media
interact with each other and with other environmental parameters. The
influence of climate on the ecology of the region is of special
interest.
The conference aims to promote discussion of the following topics:
- Long-term records of climatic parameters, such as oceanic and
atmospheric conditions, sea-ice extent, etc.;
- Feedbacks to the climate system of the Barents Sea Region;
- Long-term variability of other environmental parameters;
- Relation of other environmental parameters to climate variability;
- Modeling of Barents Sea Region climate; and
- Impacts of future variations.
In particular, the conference will promote the use of current historical
records of climate and other parameters. These include:
- The Barents and Kara Seas Oceanographic Database (BarKode);
- The ACSYS Historical Sea Ice Chart Database;
- The Climatic Atlas of the Barents Sea 1998;
- The World Ocean Database, 1998; and
- The Biological Atlas of the Arctic seas 2000: Plankton of the Barents
and Kara seas.
The conference will also actively seek other sources of data relevant to
the long-term variability of the Barents Sea region, and encourage
efforts to make that data widely available for scientific research.
CONFERENCE FORMAT
Participants are asked to submit one-page abstracts in advance of the
meeting (see below). The organizers will select a number of papers for
oral presentation on each of the primary topics. Other papers will be
presented as posters, and time will be made available for a dedicated
poster session. This will include a brief oral introduction of all
posters.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
ABSTRACT DEADLINE IS: 15 February 2002
Participants are asked to submit their one-page abstract to IACPO by 15
February 2002. The abstract should fit on a single A4 or US Letter (8.5"
x 11") sheet, using Times New Roman font no smaller than 10 point, with
a minimum 2.5 cm (1") margin all round. They should be submitted
electronically to: acsys [at] npolar.no
REGISTRATION AND FEES
We ask that you notify the International ACSYS/CliC Project Office (see
Contact details) as soon as possible if you intend to participate. Note
that a small registration fee will be charged to cover some venue and
catering costs. Further details will be available before formal
registration.
LIMITED TRAVEL SUPPORT
Participants are expected to use their own national, institutional, or
other sources of funds to attend this conference. Limited travel support
may be available for those who cannot obtain their own funding. Please
contact the International ACSYS/CliC Project Office by 15 February 2002
at the latest if you are in need of financial support to attend the
conference.
LETTER OF INVITATION FOR VISA APPLICATIONS
Those requiring a travel visa to attend the conference will need a
letter of invitation from the local hosts. If you require a visa, you
should contact the International ACSYS/CliC Project Office in Tromso,
Norway, as soon as possible. Please allow ample time to complete the
procedure prior to the conference.
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Roger Colony: rcolony [at] iarc.uaf.edu
Aleksey Zuyev: aleksey.zuyev [at] nodc.gov
Willy Ostreng: willy.ostreng [at] fni.no
Chad Dick: chad [at] npolar.no
VENUE AND INFORMATION
The conference will be held at Meteo France (web site -
http://www.meteo.fr) in Toulouse, France. The local organizing committee
will reserve rooms in local hotels. Further information on transport and
accommodation will be presented in the next announcement and under
meetings on the ACSYS and CliC web sites (see front cover).
COMPANION WORKSHOP
A three-day workshop on Sea-ice extent and the global climate system
will be held at the same venue from 15 to 17 April 2002.
CONTACT DETAILS
Initial inquiries may be directed to Chad Dick or Tordis Villinger at:
acsys [at] npolar.no
or:
International ACSYS/CliC Project Office
The Polar Environmental Centre
N-9296 Tromso, Norway
Ph: +47/7775-0150
Fx: +47/7775-0501
Further information will also be available from:
http://acsys.npolar.no/meetings/list.htm