A workshop on Sea-Ice Extent and the Global Climate System will be held
at Meteo-France, Toulouse, France from 15 to 17 April 2002. For more
information about this workshop, please contact:
Dr. Chad Dick
Director
International ACSYS/CliC Project Office
The Polar Environmental Centre
N-9296 Tromsø
Norway
Phone: +47/7775-0145
Fax: +47/7775-0501
E-mail: acsys [at] npolar.no
or see their web site at: http://acsys.npolar.no/meetings/list.htm
ABSTRACT DEADLINE: 15 February 2002
Preliminary Announcement and Call for Abstracts
Workshop on Sea-Ice Extent and the Global Climate System
Toulouse, France
15-17 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
"Northern Hemisphere spring and summer sea-ice extent has decreased by
about 10 to 15 percent since the 1950s." (Climate Change 2001: The
Scientific Basis, Summary for Policymakers.)
PERSPECTIVE
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Third Assessment
Report notes that the extent of sea ice in the Northern Hemisphere is
decreasing. Sea-ice thickness may also have decreased significantly in
the Arctic, leading to speculation that the Arctic Ocean may become
seasonally free of sea ice within the present century. Such a scenario
has enormous climatic, economic and social implications.
In contrast, the IPCC notes that no significant trends in Antarctic sea
ice are apparent: "After an initial decrease in the mid-1970s, Antarctic
sea-ice extent has remained stable, or even slightly increased."
(Climate Change 2001: The Scientific Basis, Technical Summary.)
Unlike the Arctic, changes in Antarctic temperatures do not seem to be
related to Southern Hemisphere sea-ice extent.
How well are these changes in sea-ice extent understood? Do arctic
changes indicate a long-term trend, or are they merely part of a cycle?
Are Antarctic observations sufficient to characterise the state of
sea-ice extent in the Southern Hemisphere? Can we model changes in
sea-ice extent and relate them to changes in climate? Are our historical
records of sea-ice extent adequate for model validation?
OBJECTIVES
The overall goal of the workshop is to place recent changes in sea-ice
extent in the context of long-term variability. To achieve this, the
workshop will bring together modeling and observational scientists from
both the research and operational sea-ice communities. The objectives of
the workshop are to:
- identify diagnostic opportunities provided by sea-ice datasets in the
context of climate variations over interannual-to-century timescales;
- examine the limitations of these sea-ice datasets;
- seek strategies for minimizing these limitations in diagnostic
applications and in future monitoring; and
- highlight potential uses of available sea-ice data in applications
ranging from sea-ice forecasting to the simulation of climate by global
coupled models.
Issues of particular interest are the synthesis of datasets from
different sources, and the assimilation of sea-ice data into re-analyses
and other reconstructions of historical- and paleo-climate variations.
The geographical coverage will include all areas affected by sea ice,
including not only the arctic and southern oceans, but also all marginal
seas of the Northern Hemisphere, which may act as early indicators of
climate change. The workshop organizers will actively seek out new
datasets relevant to the long-term variability of sea-ice extent.
RESEARCH AND DATA MANAGEMENT TOPICS
Topics to be addressed include:
- Modeling: sea-ice modeling, regional climate modeling, global climate
modeling.
- Data Analyses: climate diagnostics, climate reconstruction, physics
of ice-cover variation and change.
- Data Management: dataset identification, source and meta-data, error
analysis.
WORKSHOP FORMAT AND REPORT
Participants are asked to submit one-page abstracts in advance of the
meeting (see below). The organizers will select/solicit a small number
of keynote presentations on primary topics. Poster sessions will be
encouraged as the best method of presenting further work. These will
complement participation by the attendees in the following (tentative)
working groups.
- WG 1: Data/model interaction (including assimilation studies and the
thermo-dynamics of the marginal ice zone).
- WG 2: Assessment and diagnosis of historical sea-ice extent
observations (long-term change and trends, and processes).
- WG 3: Data archival and enhancement.
The working groups will report on the level of scientific understanding
of these items, and will recommend future data requirements.
Recommendations will be published in a workshop report, along with the
submitted one-page abstracts.
CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Participants are asked to submit their one-page abstract to IACPO by 15
February 2001. The abstract should fit on a single A4 or Letter sheet,
using no smaller than 10-point text, with a minimum 2.5 cm 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
under 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 workshop. 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 2001
at the latest if you are in need of financial support to attend the
workshop.
LETTER OF INVITATION FOR VISA APPLICATIONS
Those requiring a visa to attend the workshop 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 workshop.
ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Roger Colony: rcolony [at] iarc.uaf.edu
John Walsh: walsh [at] atmos.uiuc.edu
Thierry Fichefet: fichefet [at] astr.ucl.ac.be
Humfrey Melling: mellingh [at] dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Chad Dick: chad [at] npolar.no
VENUE AND INFORMATION
The workshop 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 sent to those who express interest
in attending the workshop.
COMPANION WORKSHOP
A two-day workshop on Long-Term Variability in the Barents Sea Region
will be held at the same venue on 18 and 19 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 Troms, Norway
Phone: +47/7775-0150
Fax: +47/7775-0501
Further information will also be available from:
http://acsys.npolar.no/meetings/list.htm