Session Announcement and Call for Papers
Open Session on Ice Covered High Latitude Oceans (OS9)
European Geosciences Union General Assembly
2-7 April 2006
Vienna, Austria
Abstract Submission Deadline: Friday, 13 January 2006
In the upcoming EGU General Assembly in Vienna, Austria there will be an
an open session on Ice Covered High Latitude Oceans.
Description
Polar Seas and the physical processes in the ocean and the atmosphere
are crucial for the ocean thermohaline circulation and climate. Recent
years, particularly in the light of approaching the International Polar
Year (IPY), have seen increased research effort in high-latitude oceans.
Observational programs provide field data and went into the analysis
phase. Numerical modelling capabilities have been greatly expanded. The
purpose of this session is to present results from observational and
modeling activities focusing on the atmosphere-ice-ocean system. We
invite researchers working in high-latitude oceans to discuss their
views on ocean processes that are important to ocean and climate
variability. We also invite project leaders to report pre-IPY activities
and IPY planning on relevant topics.
Main topics will include (but are not limited to):
- Circulation, water mass formations/modifications, and ice cover in
high-latitude oceans. Horizontal fluxes, interbasin exchanges,
variability of the Circumpolar Current, meridional overturning, and
links to the Global Thermohaline Circulation. Here the focus is on
regional studies dealing with interbasin exchanges and the flow through
straits and archipelagos. The export products of the high-latitude
oceans, such as the overflows across the Greenland Scotland Ridge and
the bottom water export in the Weddell Gyre, form important connections
to the global conveyor. Process oriented studies are specifically
welcome.
Shelf processes and shelf-basin interactions. Boundary processes
strongly influence the properties of the interior oceans. Many aspects
of variability make these regions unique. Contributions may include
topics like ice melt and growth, polynyas, river discharge, shelf-slope
convection, and deep/bottom water formations.Small scale processes including air-ice-ocean interactions and
vertical fluxes in the ocean. Small-scale processes in high latitude
seas are unique features due to the small Rossby radius. The variable
sea ice cover also drives changes on small time and space scales. Topics
may include ice edge processes, air-ice-ocean fluxes, mixed layer under
sea ice.
Conveners:
Sirpa Hakkinen, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Jean-Claude Gascard, Laboratoire d'Oceanographie Dynamique et de Climatologie (LODYC)
Xiaojun Yuan, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory
More information on EGU can be found at:
http://meetings.copernicus.org/egu2006