Ice Sheet Stability

Invitation to attend a moorings logistics planning meeting

Deadline for applications to attend open session: 16:00 on 1 October 2010

Summary

Participants are invited to attend an open session of the next Expert Group meeting of the Ocean Forcing component of the NERC Ice Sheet Stability programme.

The aim of the open session is to provide input on the number, type and location of moorings to be deployed in the Amundsen Sea area in support of the delivery of this programme. The meeting will be on 14 October 2010.

Background

Under Phase 2 of the NERC theme action plans a £7·4m ice sheet programme was funded by NERC Council. The objective of this programme is to improve understanding of key ice sheet processes and incorporate this within models, leading to better projections of future ice sheet stability. The programme will focus on the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS).

The programme objective will be addressed via two integrated components: Ocean Forcing of the Ice Sheet (OFC) and Ice Sheet Response (ORC) that will each be achieved through specific deliverables. The delivery of this programme is now being advised by expert groups, who are supporting the development of science and implementation plans.

The Ocean Forcing Expert group have identified two key deliverables:

Deliverable A: Increased understanding of the mechanisms driving the variability of ocean heat exchanges at the continental shelf break, and the shelf sea processes governing variability in heat transport from the open ocean to ice shelf front.

Deliverable B: Increased understanding of the sub-ice shelf processes driving melt.

It is anticipated that these deliverables will have a strong geographical focus on the Amundsen Sea sector of the WAIS.

To achieve these deliverables oceanographic observations will be required and, for Deliverable A, it is expected that moorings will be play a key role in obtaining these observations. Logistical constraints, however, necessitate that the planning, construction and deployment of these moorings should start prior to grant proposals being awarded.

Open session

Participants are therefore invited to attend an open session of the next Ocean Forcing Expert Group meeting to advise on the number, type and location of moorings that should be deployed to support Deliverable A of this programme.

The discussions from this open session will be used by the Expert Group, within the financial and logistical constraints of the programme, to define the logistical support provided to Deliverable A.

The number of attendees at the meeting will be limited and so participation should only be from those who feel they have the expertise to inform these discussions. Where necessary institutions and departments should try to self organise to manage numbers.

The meeting will not form any part of the application process to the programme, and no funds will be available as a direct result of this meeting. Application to the programme will be through an open call which is anticipated will be advertised in Q4 of 2010-11.

Application to attend the open session

The open session will be held on 14 October 2010 in Swindon from 11:00 to 13:00. To express an interest in attending the open session, please send your contact details and a short paragraph describing your expertise by email to Jessica Batchelor by 16:00 on 1 October 2010.

Invitations to attend will be sent out by 6 October. If necessary, selection will be made to achieve the greatest spread of attendance across relevant institutions and disciplines.