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IACS Symposia
SESSION |
TITLE |
C01 |
Understanding Cryospheric Change in Canada |
Convenors: |
Greg Flato |
Invited Speakers: |
| Brian Menounos, University of Northern British Columbia, Canada |
| Claude Duguay, University of Waterloo, Canada |
| Terry Prowse, Environment Canada and University of Victoria, Canada |
| Diane Lavoie, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada |
| Christian Haas, University of Alberta, Canada |
| Derek Mueller, Trent University, Canada |
| Toni Lewkowicz, University of Ottawa, Canada |
Humfrey Melling, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canada
Valentina Radic, University of British Columbia, Canada
David Burgess, Natural Resources Canada, Canada
Stephanie Pfirman, Barnard College, USA
Gregory Flato, University of Victoria, Canada
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Description: |
This symposium will provide a synthesis of current understanding of the drivers, processes and feedbacks involved in cryospheric variability and change in Canada. It will be comprised of a series of invited overview presentations addressing the main cryospheric components (snow, sea-ice, fresh-water ice, glaciers and permafrost) along with the connections between these components and the ecosystem. The presentations will provide an overview of the current state of the science, outlining key processes, recent research results, and critical knowledge gaps. The session will also aim to include a presentation on the connections between the cryosphere and northern residents. |
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C02 |
Mountain and Forest Snow Cover: Climatology, Interactions and Processes |
| Convenors: |
Christoph Marty, Peter Beni, Richard Essery |
Invited Speaker: |
Danny Marks, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Boise, USA
Steven Ghan, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, USA |
Description: |
The unique physical properties of snow have a profound and rapidly varying influence on the seasonal snow cover in mountain and forest areas. Heterogeneity by vegetation canopies and the complexity of alpine landscapes interact with present challenges for both monitoring and modelling of snow in many areas where the snow cover is an important phenomenon of the natural environment. The amount of snow in alpine and forest areas is also key factor for winter tourism. Its quantification, trend and modelling in a changing climate are thus important for ecological and economical assessments. Models of snow processes are required for a wide range of applications in hydrological forecasting, avalanche risk assessment and climate modelling. The scientific background of this session is defined by the role of alpine snow as a water resource and touristic necessity and its interaction with mountain forest as an important part of the landscape and protection from snow avalanches. The session will focus on monitoring, processes and modelling of spatial and temporal variations in the accumulation and melting of alpine- and forest snow cover. |
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C03 |
Snow and Ice Mechanics and Microstructure |
| Convenors: |
Ilka Hamann, Thomas Kämpfer |
Invited Speakers: |
| Takeo Hondoh, Hokkaido University, Japan |
| Ian Baker, Dartmouth College, USA |
| Jacques Meyssonnier, Laboratoire de Glaciologie et de Géophysique de l'Environnement, CNRS, France |
| Jo Jacka, Australian Antarctic Division |
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Description: |
Precise knowledge of the mechanics of ice and snow is essential for the correct understanding of the geomorphological processes taking place in cold regions. Such processes have not only geophysical, but also climatic and social consequences that range from local to global scale. The mechanical properties of snow, firn and ice are direct macroscopic manifestations of their microstructures. These consist not only of polycrystalline properties, like dislocations, inclusions, grain boundaries and lattice orientations, but also of the geometric and topological properties of the pore space of granular snow and porous firn. As an additional complication, the continual creep and the high homologous temperatures typically found in natural snow and ice give rise to complex metamorphism and recrystallization processes that unceasingly modify their microstructures. The objectives of this session are to address how the microstructures of snow, firm and ice evolve, how they affect the mechanical properties of snow and ice, and how they interact with the environment on local and global scales. Especially welcome are contributions covering the most diverse aspects of modelling, experiments and field observations of snow and ice mechanical and microstructural processes, as well as their geophysical, climatic and social consequences. |
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C04 |
Changes in Glaciers in Different Climate Regimes |
Convenors: |
Liss Andreassen, Bruce Raup |
Invited Speakers: |
| Graham Cogley, Trent University, Canada |
| Andreas Kääb, University of Oslo, Norway |
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Description: |
The mass balance of glaciers is determined by the relative amounts of snow accumulation and ablation, and is therefore sensitive to changes in these climatic variables. Over the last several decades, glaciers have changed dramatically, contributing to sea level rise. Coordinated international programmes such as the Global Land Ice Measurements from Space (GLIMS) initiative are now delivering information on glacier variations from many new regions. Results from the International Polar Year (IPY) are also beginning to emerge. This session is an opportunity to bring together the latest observations of glaciers and ice caps in different climate regimes from around the world and to compare these observations with modelling studies. We welcome regional studies of recently observed changes of individual glaciers or ice caps, dynamic processes affecting mass balance, as well as theoretical studies on modelling of glacier mass balance. Presentations addressing the current state of glaciers and the contribution to runoff and sea level rise are especially encouraged. |
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C05 |
Changes in Continental Snow Cover, Lake and River Ice |
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Convenors: |
Claude Duguay, Allan Frei |
Invited Speakers: |
Terry Prowse, Environment Canada and University of Victoria, Canada
David Robinson, Rutgers University, USA
Jia Wang, NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab, USA |
Description: |
Snow and freshwater ice are sensitive indicators of climate variability and change, as well as drivers of climate variability due to their feedback on the surface energy budget. Changes in snow cover melt dates, timing of maximum snow depth, lake and river ice phenology (freeze-up, break-up and duration) and maximum ice thickness have been documented for many regions of the Northern Hemisphere during the latter part of the 20th century. Recent observations and projections from climate models indicate that further significant changes are to take place during the 21st century. This session will accept contributions focusing on the response of terrestrial snow cover and freshwater ice to climate variability, including atmospheric circulation patterns, and climate change (past, contemporary, and future projected conditions) from regional to hemispherical scales. The session will also provide an avenue to present papers dealing with the status of snow/freshwater ice observing networks around the world and strategies for improving observational networks, including the use of satellite remote sensing and numerical models. |
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CO6 |
This symposium has been cancelled and all papers submitted to it have been distributed to other appropriate symposia |
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