Registration is now open for the 2018 Workshop on the Dynamics and Mass Budget of Arctic Glaciers & the IASC Network on Arctic Glaciology Annual Meeting. The meeting will take place at the popular University Center Obergurgl, in Obergurgl, Austria, 22 - 24 January, 2018. 

The purpose of the meeting is:
•    to present and discuss new results on observations and modeling of the dynamics and mass budget of Arctic glaciers, including the Greenland ice sheet,
•    to provide a forum for glaciologists and marine biologists to present and discuss their work and to stimulate future collaborations, 
•    to plan and coordinate field work with the aim of using available infrastructure and logistics in the most efficient way.

Participation:
The meeting is open to anyone interest in Arctic Glaciology. In particular, we encourage submissions that comply with one of two special themes: 

  1. Understanding atmosphere-glacier-ocean interactions and their implications for the pan-Arctic glacier mass budget
  2. The importance of Arctic glaciers for the Arctic marine ecosystem

Please scroll down for details on the special sessions. Besides addressing classical topics on Arctic Glaciology, this year the workshop will host a cross-cutting activity of the Marine and Cryosphere working groups of IASC, with the aim to bring together people from glaciology, marine ecology and oceanography.

Contributions in the form of oral presentations and or posters are welcomed. Presentation will be 15-20 minutes, including discussion. For those who bring a poster, time will be reserved in the program to give a short 2-3 minute introduction to the poster. Three days of talks and poster presentations, as well as open-forum discussions are planned.

Registration deadline is November 10, 2017.

Abstracts and registration:
Please submit your abstracts (maximum length 300 words) by filling out the following google form, latest by November 10, 2017: https://goo.gl/forms/inY9ygyM4ZOrKrjv1 
If you have any questions, please email Thorben Dunse (thorben.dunse [at] geo.uio.no). Please indicate whether you prefer oral or poster presentation and if you like to contribute to one of the special sessions.

This workshop is supported by IASC Cross-Cuttting and Cryosphere programs. Depending on the number of participants, we may request a small registration fee (not more than 30 EUR), in order to ensure sufficient supply of coffee and other refreshments.

Contacts:
Thorben Dunse (Chairman IASC Network on Arctic Glaciology)
Michael Kuhn (Chairman local organizing committee)


---------------------------
For detailed information about the special sessions, financial support and travel information, read further or visit the IASC-NAG website: https://nag.iasc.info/workshop

Special Sessions:

S1: Understanding atmosphere-glacier-ocean interactions and their implications for the pan-Arctic glacier mass budget
Conveners: Luke Copland, Thorben Dunse, Ellyn Enderlin and Jon Ove Hagen

This special session aims at illuminating glacier- atmosphere and glacier-ocean interactions. We seek contributions that help to: (i) identify and quantify atmospheric and oceanographic processes that drive changes in the mass balance and dynamics of Arctic glaciers and ice caps; and (ii) quantify the relative importance of surface melt vs. iceberg calving in accounting for pan-Arctic glacier and ice cap changes. 

Topics may include:
•    Glacier response to changes in atmospheric and oceanic circulation patterns
•    Climate mass-balance simulations using coupled atmosphere-glacier models 
•    Process studies on glacier calving/frontal ablation
•    Frontal-ablation results for selected glaciers or regions
•    The importance of subaqueous melt for frontal ablation and link to ocean temperatures

Confirmed keynote speaker:
Luke Copland (University of Ottawa): A consistent estimate of Pan-Arctic glacier frontal ablation, 2000-2015

 

S2: The importance of Arctic glaciers for the Arctic marine ecosystem
Conveners: Thorben Dunse, Renate Degen, Monika Kędra, Martin Sharp

Arctic glaciers contribute significant amounts of freshwater into Arctic fjords/ocean, in the form of surface melt and runoff and frontal ablation (iceberg calving and submarine melt). While the impact on glacial freshwater-discharge on fjord and ocean circulation is widely recognized (albeit not well understood), awareness of the potential impacts of glacial processes and glacier-change on marine ecosystems and biodiversity is only emerging. 
This IASC cross-cutting activity of the Marine and Cryosphere Working Groups/Network on Arctic Glaciology aims at bringing together people from glaciology, marine ecology and oceanography. Such cross-disciplinary research is required to predict future climate dynamics and ecosystem responses, and to improve our understanding of the vulnerability and resilience of Arctic environments and societies. 

Topics may include
•    Physical and geochemical processes at tidewater-glacier termini
•    New technologies to investigate proglacial marine environments
•    Chemical composition of glacial runoff (supraglacial vs subglacial runoff) and iceberg melt and effects on the physical oceanography and geochemistry of fjord/ocean water masses
•    Proglacial marine ecosystems (e.g. plankton, benthos, fish, seabirds and marine mammals) and their response to glacier processes and glacier changes 

Confirmed keynote speakers:
Andy Hodson (The University Centre in Svalbard / The University of Sheffield): Nutrient delivery from polar glaciers to downstream ecosystems
Harald Steen (Norwegian Polar Institute / Centre for Ice, Climate and Ecosystems): Glacier runoff and its effect on and arctic fjord circulation and ecosystem
Monika Kędra (Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences): Retreating glaciers impacts on Arctic marine fjord ecosystem

 

Financial support:
We have some financial support from IASC and the IASC Cryosphere Working Group to enable young scientists to participate in the meeting and will distribute it with the help of the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS; www.apecs.is). If you are interested, please fill out this google form by 10 November 2017: https://goo.gl/forms/HUBI4C5gEfzy6ipT2
If you have questions regarding the funding applications, please contact the APECS Executive Director Gerlis Fugmann (info@apecs.is). If support is granted, reimbursement will be after the meeting. Individuals who received IASC travel support in the last 18 month prior to the 2017 meeting will not be eligible. Those supported have to provide a brief 1-2 page report to IASC after the meeting.

 

Extended abstracts:
Extended abstracts of the contributions will be distributed after the meeting. Deadline for receipt of extended abstracts is March 30, 2018. This abstract should be a word file of 1 to 3 pages, and may contain a table and one or two (color) figures/photographs. The book of abstracts will be published in digital form.

 

Accommodation:
The workshop will be held in the University Center Obergurgl. Housing for the participants is provided by the University Center Obergurgl (www.uz-obergurgl.at/english/) in either double or single rooms based on demi-pension, i.e. including breakfast and dinner. Rates are € 97 per person per day (€ 79 for students), with a surcharge of € 34 per day in case of single-occupancy. Expected arrival and departure dates are Sunday, 21st and Thursday, 25th of January, respectively. To make reservations contact the University Center Obergurgl: obergurgl@uibk.ac.at and please mention that you are participating in the "Arctic Glaciology Workshop 2018”. Please indicate any dietary requirements.

Note that the number of rooms reserved for this meeting is limited. We therefore encourage you to share rooms!!

 

Travel information:
Obergurgl can be reached via Innsbruck (and Ötztal) by bus or a combination of train and bus. The travel time is around 2 hours. For connections visit https://tickets.oebb.at/en/ticket . An alternative hub is Munich, Germany, from which train connections to Innsbruck exist (expect 2 additional hours). Some may find it convenient to share a rental car (3 hours drive from Munich to Obergurgl).

Designed & hosted by Arctic Portal