Symposium on Ocean Mixing
IAPSO/SCOR Working Group 121 on Ocean Mixing
Victoria Conference Centre
Victoria, Canada
11-14 October 2004
For further information, please go to:
http://www.jhu.edu/scor/WG121Symposium.htm
or contact:
Robin Muench (rmuench [at] esr.org)
SCIENTIFIC ADVISORS
The Working Group 121 membership (both Full and Associate) consisting of
Molly O'Neil Baringer (USA), Hans Burchard (Germany), Sybren Drijfhout
(Netherlands), Gary Egbert (USA), Ann Gargett (USA), Chris Garrett
(Canada), Theo Gerkema (France), Toshiyuki Hibiya (Japan), Peter
Killworth (UK), Trevor McDougall (Australia), Mark Merrifield (USA),
Eugene Morozov (Russia), Robin Muench (USA, Chair), Rob Pinkel (USA),
Barry Ruddick (Canada), Louis St. Laurent (USA), David Salas de Leon
(Mexico) and Anders Stigebrandt (Sweden)
CONFERENCE OBJECTIVES
Our understanding of ocean mixing processes has generally lagged our
grasp of large-scale ocean circulation. Perhaps the greatest impact of
this knowledge gap has been the inability of large-scale ocean models to
parameterize these small-scale processes adequately. This lack of
adequate parameterization has, in turn, limited the ability of models to
recreate all pertinent aspects of the large-scale circulation or to
provide credible predictions of reaction to various climate change
scenarios. Recently, though, a number of elegant studies involving
methods such as tracer releases and utilizing newly developed
instrumentation have started to close the gap in understanding between
the very large-scale and the very small-scale ocean processes. We are
now acquiring a quantitative, as well as a qualitative, understanding of
the interactions among mean and fluctuating currents, internal waves,
seafloor topography and roughness, stratification, and both diapycnal
and lateral mixing.
As a result of these developments over the past decade, we are now at a
point from where we can see a rapid growth in our quantitative
understanding of ocean mixing and in our ability to model the
large-scale ocean. The challenge will be to coordinate developments in
these two areas so that we can obtain the greatest possible benefit to
both, and to oceanography in general. This was a primary sentiment
underlying the formation of Working Group 121. The planned symposium is
seen as a mechanism to encourage and accelerate the needed coordination
through exchange of small-scale results within the context of
large-scale processes. This exchange will rely on the active
participation of internationally known experts in the fields of ocean
mixing and large-scale modeling. Equally important is the participation
of younger researchers, who will be responsible for the future nurturing
of ideas which, it is hoped, may surface during the course of the
symposium.
STRUCTURE OF THE CONFERENCE
The conference will utilize invited presentations and contributed poster
displays for development of ideas and results. The invited
presentations are intended to provide points of focus and will consist
primarily of overview talks addressing the major issues involved with
ocean mixing, summarizing our present understanding, and speculating on
future needs and trends. The poster displays should provide the
material addressing the primary focal points and are anticipated to
consist primarily of new results, program-specific and otherwise. Ample
time will be provided, during coffee and lunch breaks and during
dedicated poster sessions, for discussions and interactions among
conference participants.
EXPENSES
Funds for helping to defray conference costs are being requested,
through formal proposal submission or request, from different agencies
and countries. A conference fee, amount to be determined, will be
charged to conferees to offset costs for refreshments and incidentals.
It is planned to offer assistance in defraying travel and registration
costs to qualified and needful attendees, especially to graduate
students, postdoctoral fellows, and scientists from developing nations.
VENUE
Victoria is situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, on the
Strait of Juan de Fuca, in the province of British Columbia, Canada.
Victoria is conveniently located with respect to Europe, Asia and the
Americas and is easily accessed via international airports in Seattle,
USA or Vancouver, Canada. A short connecting flight or scenic ferry ride
serves to connect both of these airports with Victoria. The conference
has been scheduled outside the summer tourist season in order to reduce
lodging costs and ensure availability. The Victoria Conference Centre
is a large, modern facility that will be well suited for this
conference. Details can be found on their website at
http://www.victoriaconference.com.
The Victoria region has a proud history of oceanographic research, being
the site of both the University of Victoria and of the Institute for
Ocean Sciences in nearby Sidney. Some of the earliest, pioneering
observations of ocean turbulence were made in nearby tidal channels.
CONFERENCE PROCEEDING
The conference proceedings will be published as a collection of
peer-reviewed papers in one or more dedicated issues of Deep-Sea
Research II. This medium combines global distribution of results with
minimal publication costs and a reasonably short turnaround between the
conference and final publication.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Website for updated information:
http://www.jhu.edu/scor/WG121Symposium.htm
Meeting Chair: Robin Muench (rmuench [at] esr.org)