Session Announcement and Call for Papers
Snow on Sea Ice: Measurements, Processes, and Impacts
American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting
10-14 December 2007
San Francisco, California
Abstract Submission Deadline: 6 September 2007
For further information, please go to:
http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm07/?content=search&show=detail&sessid=175
Papers are invited for Session C02: "Snow on Sea Ice: Measurements,
Processes, and Impacts" being convened at the American Geophysical Union
(AGU) Fall Meeting on 10-14 December 2007 in San Francisco, California.
Session Description:
The importance of sea ice in the climate system is widely recognized.
The snow cover on sea ice plays an integral part in the
ocean-ice-atmosphere interactions since it modifies the albedo, thermal
and dynamic properties, and salt (or fresh water) content of the
snow-ice system. For example, the snow cover forms an insulating
"blanket" of low conductivity affecting the heat transfer between the
ocean and atmosphere through sea ice. Snow cover and snow cover
processes therefore contribute to or can even drive the climatic
interactions when they are present on sea ice. Biologically, the snow
cover controls the light regime within and under sea ice and can
influence and even control the primary productivity in both the water
column and the sea ice. There are also surface communities that form at
the base of the snow cover when sea water flooding occurs. Furthermore,
determining the baseline thickness of polar sea ice during the
International Polar Year has been identified as a primary objective. The
snow cover, snow depth, seasonal and regional variability, etc. over sea
ice are keys to the success of sea ice thickness estimates. This session
aims to target new advances on (1) satellite (e.g., AMSR-E, ICESat,
Envisat) and in situ measurements of snow cover, snow depth, and their
seasonal and regional variability, (2) physical processes of snow cover,
sea ice, and their biological interactions, and (3) snow cover impacts
on the polar and global climate and vice versa. Steve Ackley, Hajo
Eicken, Don Perovich, and Tony Worby will give overview talks to ensure
representation of both the Arctic and the Antarctic.
Conveners:
Hongjie Xie
University of Texas at San Antonio
E-mail: hongjie.xie [at] utsa.edu
Thorsten Markus
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
E-mail: Thorsten.Markus [at] nasa.gov
Further information and abstract submission procedures are available at:
http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm07/