Date

The ACSYS Decade and Beyond - Final ACSYS Science Conference
11-14 November 2003
Arctic and Antarctic Research Center, St. Petersburg, Russia,
"Progress in Understanding the Arctic Climate System"

For more information see:
http://acsys.npolar.no/meetings/final/conf.htm


To celebrate ten years of progress in WCRP research on the Arctic
climate system and its role in global climate, ACSYS will hold its final
scientific conference. The conference will draw together advances in our
understanding of the Arctic climate system and examine the challenges
for future research.

Session themes will address:
1 The State of the Arctic Climate System Improvements in our
knowledge of the Arctic climate system and its variability through
historical data, ongoing measurements, and process studies.
2 Observing the Arctic Climate System Improvements in our ability to
measure and observe aspects of the Arctic climate system and its
processes across a range of time- and space- scales.
3 Process Studies and Modelling Improvements in representation of
cryospheric, atmospheric, terrestrial, and oceanic processes in models
including assimilation of observations into models.
4 Interactions with the Global Climate System Improvements in our
understanding of the role of the Arctic in the global climate system,
its response to large-scale climate variations, and the processes
involved. In a final session, a panel discussion will examine the
question:
5 "What are the important gaps in our knowledge?" and consider
opportunities and initiatives to address them.

The conference will include oral presentation of invited keynote
lectures and contributed papers. There will also be poster sessions to
allow presentation of a wide range of relevant studies.

CALL FOR PAPERS
Contributions are solicited on any research topic related to the Arctic
Climate System and its role in global climate. Contributions addressing
the conference themes listed previously are especially encouraged.
Abstracts should be submitted via the website at:
http://acsys.npolar.no/meetings/final/conf.htm no later than 31 May
2003. If you do not have Internet access, or if you have difficulty
with the submission, please contact the International ACSYS/CliC
Project Office at acsys [at] npolar.no.

The conference proceedings will be published as a WCRP report. In
addition to the conference summary, the proceedings will include
extended abstracts of up to four pages. Acceptable formats are A4 or US
Letter size, using Times New Roman size 11 font. Graphic illustrations
must be of high quality and should be submitted separately, preferably
as original postscript files. Please submit your extended abstracts
electronically to ACSYS (see Contact Information), prior to 10 November
2003.

Please register and submit your abstract by 31 May 2003. The
registration form is accessible from the conference website
http://acsys.npolar.no/meetings/final/conf.htm, or register by e-mail to
acsys [at] npolar.no. If you do not have Internet access, please mail or fax
your registration to the address provided on the back of this flier. The
following registration information is required:

a Author/presenter/co-author names, postal addresses, phone/fax
numbers, and e-mail;
b Oral or poster presentation preference;
c Abstract, author information, conference session
theme (1-4);
d Arrival and departure dates;
e Hotel room preference (single/double);
f Accompanying person's name;
g Saturday excursion (if sufficient interest) - yes/no;
h Buffet dinner first evening - yes/no;
i Young Scientist travel support applicant - yes/no.

The EUR 150 registration fee covers airport pick-up, first-day
ice-breaker and buffet, conference material, lunch and coffee breaks,
and printing costs. Special reduced fees for students (EUR 50) and for
presenters from developing countries and Russia (EUR 10) are offered.

VISA REQUIREMENTS
Most foreign nationals need entry visas to travel to Russia. Entry visas
can be obtained at a local Russian Embassy or Consulate. But first, a
proper invitation from the Passport and Visa Department of the Ministry
of Internal Affairs is required. To obtain this letter, please submit
the following information to the conference secretary, Tatyana
Gerasimova (see contact information on the back panel) by 1 September
2003:

-Traveller(s) name(s), company name, mailing address;
-Mailed, faxed or scanned copies of passport pages containing photo and
personal information of traveler(s);
-Position held;
-Exact dates of stay in Russia;
-List of other cities you plan to visit while in Russia;
-Country and city where Russian consulate issuing your visa is located.

The conference will be held at the:
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute
38 Bering Street
199397, St. Petersburg
Russia
Room Rates at the Hotel Moskva*
USD 43.50* or 68.50* - single room
USD 57* or 95* - double room
USD 44.50* or 82.50* - double room, single occupancy

The Hotel Moskva is situated five metro stops from the conference site
at the "Alexander Nevsky Square"metro stop. Travel time to "Primorskaya"
- the AARI metro stop - is about 20 minutes. Be prepared for rush-hour
crowds. Rush-hour taxi time is 40-45 minutes. Hotel reservation is done
via the registration form at
http://acsys.npolar.no/meetings/final/conf.htm, or by contacting Tatyana
Gerisimova. At check-out, guests may pay for their rooms with either
cash (rubles only) or credit card.

EXCURSION
If enough interest, an excursion to local tourist attractions at a cost
of approximately EUR 15 is planned on the Saturday following the
conference. Please indicate your interest to particpate when
registering.

SPECIAL ARRANGEMENTS
The local hosts will help arrange special day-time excursions for
accompanying persons if there is enough interest.

Useful tourist links to St. Petersburg include:
http://www.finditlocal.com/stpetersburg/
http://www.cityvision2000.com/
http://home.comset.net/freshspb/

For more information, please contact Chad Dick or Tordis Villinger at
acsys [at] npolar.no