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Cryosphere 2020 postponed until 2021

Even though the spreading rate of the COVID-19 virus seems to be slowing in many countries the situation is still very uncertain. According to latest information from Icelandic authorities, restrictions on travel to and from Iceland might be upheld throughout 2020. We have therefore decided to postpone the symposium until next year.

New dates: September 27 - October 1, 2021

The symposium title will thus become Cryosphere 2021 as we continue our preparations into next year. Please stay tuned for further information on the symposium website, on Cryolist and other mailing lists. Note that we might decide to run a 5-day symposium instead of the originally planned 4-day event.

We thank you for your consideration and look forward to seeing you in Iceland next year!

This symposium will bring together scientists, stakeholders and policy makers for a discussion on the latest results from studies of the entire cryosphere, which plays an important role in the hydrological cycle and the Earth System and is one of the most useful indicators of climate change. The symposium will allow ample time for panel discussions on scientific results, new technologies, research gaps and future perspectives in the light of the Paris Agreement, which calls for limiting global warming to 1.5–2°C.

We seek papers and presentations on timely topics related to all components of the cryosphere and its changes due to global warming. Contributions related to adaptation and mitigation strategies in view of the UN´s 2030 sustainable development goals and on the coordination of studies of snow and ice and associated hydrological changes on Earth through the Global Cryosphere Watch or other bodies are also welcome. Key focus areas will include (but are not limited to):

1. The state of the planet and its cryosphere
2. Earth´s snow cover
3. Glacier changes
4. The Greenland Ice Sheet
5. The Antarctic Ice Sheet
6. Sea ice on Earth
7. Permafrost/frozen ground
8. Lake and river ice
9. Climate variations, climate and Earth systems modelling
10. The cryosphere in high mountain areas
11. Research gaps and new technologies
12. Opportunities, adaptation and mitigation
13. The Global Cryosphere Watch

The symposium will include oral and poster sessions. The organizers will facilitate interaction between representatives of different research fields, and stimulate discussions on one of the most pressing issues facing humanity. Additional activities will include an opening Icebreaker reception, a banquet dinner and an optional full-day excursion after the symposium.

Participants who wish to present a paper (oral or poster) at the Symposium will be required to submit an abstract. The Council of the International Glaciological Society will publish a thematic issue of the Annals of Glaciology on topics consistent with the Symposium themes. Participants are encouraged to submit manuscripts for this Annals volume.

Participants who wish to present a paper (oral or poster) at the Symposium will be required to submit an abstract. The International Glaciological Society will publish a thematic issue of the Annals of Glaciology on topics consistent with the Symposium themes. Participants are encouraged to submit manuscripts for this Annals volume, see https://www.igsoc.org/annals/a85_call_4_papers.pdf. The abstract should not contain any figures nor references and should not be longer than 2500 characters. Abstracts should be submitted through the conference website (https://www.cryosphere2020.is/abstract-submission).

Deadline for submitting abstracts: 15 April 2020.

After the first attempt to organise the conference in the usual dates (April), which was made impossible by the COVID-19 restrictions, we set a new date - end of September. We are aware of the difficulties that might arise at any time, therefore a parallel online streaming from the conference will be organised for those who will not be able to come in person. We would like to encourage you to register for the conference!

f you are a student or Early-Career Researcher (<3 years after PhD defense), you are cordially invited to attend our conference which serves as a platform for presenting your research, as well as for exchanging experiences and strengthening the bonds within a community of Polar and Alpine scientists, within the fields of both bio- & geosciences.

In conjunction with Polar Week 2020, USAPECS is announcing the fifth annual Polar Film Fest.

What is the Polar Film Fest?
After the success of Polar Film Fests 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 US APECS is organizing the fifth Polar Film Fest for 2020, which is taking place during International Polar Week. To follow the previous PFF the five days of the Film Fest (September 21-25) will showcase films about the Arctic, Antarctic, and wider cryosphere.

We invite submissions for the following themes:
1) Dreamland Fieldwork
2) The Great Arctic Drift: Views of Polar Research
3) Homegrown: Stories by Indigenous Storytellers
4) “What is it that you do again?”: Explaining your research to your family
5) Ask a Polar Scientist
6) Represent for the Alpine - The quest for the perfect powder

Please follow the link above for more details.

The tools and techniques for making monthly and season scale climate forecasts are rapidly changing, with the potential to provide useful forecasts at the month and longer range. We will review recent climate conditions around Alaska, review some forecast tools and finish up the Climate Prediction Center’s forecast for October and the late fall/early winter season. Join the gathering online to learn more about Alaska climate and weather.

Please follow the link above to register.

Join us as members of the MOSAiC expedition education and outreach team describe the MOSAiC media library (MOSAiC scientist video calls, images, podcasts, and more) and how it can be used as a teaching tool to connect with the expedition and learn more about the Arctic climate system!

About MOSAiC

The MOSAiC expedition is one of the largest Arctic research expeditions ever conducted with more than 500 scientists from 19 countries participating. The goal of the expedition is to study all aspects of the changing Arctic climate system by freezing a ship in ice and drifting with the ice for an entire year! Since the start of the expedition in September 2019, MOSAiC scientists have braved sub-zero temperatures, months of total darkness, curious polar bears, and logistical challenges in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite these obstacles, this unprecedented expedition has persisted and will continue through October 2020.

Bring MOSAiC into your virtual classrooms today!

WHO: K-12 science teachers.
WHAT: Webinar focused on virtual tools to introduce students to the MOSAiC expedition.
WHY: The MOSAiC expedition will continue through October 2020. Take advantage of the many MOSAiC-related virtual teaching tools and connect your students to the science and adventure of the MOSAiC expedition in real-time!
HOW: Register for the webinar to receive an invitation and Zoom link for the event.

The BEST Secretariat is pleased to announce the launch of the new call for proposals for the EU and UK Overseas Countries and Territories.

This grant scheme is designed to provide effective support for actions on the ground carried out by local stakeholders. The maximum amount and duration of a project are respectively €60,000 and 19 months. It has been adapted to cope with the consequences of the Covid-19 outbreak and extended to circular economy solutions preserving ecosystems and reducing pressure on biodiversity.

The Guidelines and related application forms – which encompass all the information needed – are available on the BEST 2.0+ website. Potential applicants are invited to carefully read all the documents before submitting their application on the portal.

The deadline to apply is 22 October 2020.

Webinar info

Interested Polar and Sub-polar stakeholders are also invited to attend an upcoming information session to find out more and ask questions.

Link to meeting: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/426152909

You will be prompted to download the GoToMeeting application if you do not already have it installed.

International Glaciological Society Global Seminar #20:

Ginny Catania, University of Texas at Austin, USA, "Topographic Control on Greenland Outlet Glacier Retreat and Thinning".

Please register in advance for the seminars. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the seminar.

The seminar will also be available afterwards on the Friends of the International Glaciological Society Facebook page so that you can watch it there if technology fails or you can't make it.

Following the many challenges posed by the current COVID-19 pandemic, the organizing committee has decided to postpone the in-person PALSEA-SERCE 2020 workshop to autumn 2021.

However, to continue fostering scientific exchanges in the sea level and ice sheet community in these difficult times, the organizers have decided to set up a virtual meeting, named PALSEAExpress, for the dates of September 15th and 16th, 2020. Each day will consist of three hours, divided between invited talks (20 minutes each plus question time) and virtual poster presentations.

Meeting times

• September 15th, 11:00 am - 02:00 pm UTC (3:00-6:00 am AKDT, 7:00-10:00 am EDT)

• September 16th, 4:00-7:00 pm UTC (8:00-11:00 am AKDT, 12:00-3:00 pm EDT)

Virtual poster abstract submission

During the two-day meeting, we will reserve time slots for virtual posters. Abstract submission is now online and will close August 15th, 2020. You can submit your abstract through this form.

PLEASE NOTE: each abstract will be reviewed by the organizing committee. As the virtual meeting time is limited, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to accommodate all abstracts. Priority will be given to Early Career Researchers and researchers from low GDP countries.

Update: Frozen Pasts 5 has been postponed until 7-10 September 2021, with optional field trips on the 11th.

These are unsettled times, but we are holding out hope for convening the 5th International Frozen Pasts Conference (FP5) on the human dimensions of glacial and ice patch environments at all latitudes and on all continents in mid-September.

FP5 represents the continuing tradition of the conferences themed around glacial and ice patch archaeology begun in Bern in 2008. The schedule for the conference is described on the website.

Most events will be held at the Chico Hot Springs Resort (Pray, Montana), starting with a Tuesday evening Icebreaker. Exceptions include afternoon field trips on Wednesday and Thursday. At the end of the Thursday trip, a poster session will be held at the Mammoth Hotel, Wyoming. Poster presenters should bring their posters with them on the Thursday afternoon trip.

30 June 2020: extended deadline for abstracts and registration.

An online webinar will be held to provide information about the ongoing TA/RA call and for answering questions related to the application process and TA and RA in general.

The EU-H2020 funded INTERACT (International Network for Terrestrial Research and Monitoring in the Arctic) opens a call for research groups to apply for Trans-National Access and Remote Access to 52 (TA) and 33 (RA) research stations. The sites are located across the Arctic and northern alpine and forest areas in Europe, Russia and North-America and they represent a variety of glacier, mountain, tundra, boreal forest, peatland and freshwater ecosystems, providing opportunities for researchers from natural sciences to human dimension. Trans-national Access includes free access (either physical or remote) for user groups/users to research facilities and field sites, including support for travel and logistic costs. Overall, INTERACT provides three different modalities of access: Transnational and Remote Access that are applied through annual calls, and Virtual Access which means free access to data from stations, available at all times through the INTERACT VA single-entry point.

The current call for Trans-national and Remote Access applications is open until 15th October 2020, and it is for access taking place between April 2021 and March 2022.

Regarding COVID-19 and the ongoing call: we proceed with the call in a regular manner, but reserve the possibility to modify the call, postpone the granted accesses or negotiate shift from physical access to remote access if the situation and safety regulations so require. You can find the TA/RA Call information, descriptions of stations and their facilities, and registration to the INTERACCESS on-line application system from the INTERACT website.