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Other Polar News and Announcements - archive 2006

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Applications for PolarTrec 2007/08 for teachers are now available

Teacher Application Deadline: Tuesday, 2 January 2007

Teachers are invited to submit an application to participate in field research learning experiences in the Arctic and Antarctic during the 2007 or 2007-2008 field seasons.
For further information, please contact: info@polartrec.com(tel. 001-907-474-1600) or visit the website:
http://www.polartrec.com

Young Explorers Grants Program from the National Geographic Society

Further information is available at: http://www.nationalgeographic.com/yeg

or contact: Alison Reeves at: areeves@ngs.org

Commemorative International Polar Year Stamps

/ipy/IPYsheet300dpi.jpg

The United States Postal Service has decided to highlight the International Polar Year 2007-2008 on a souvenir sheet Feb. 22, when scientists around the world will conduct research and field observations to increase understanding of the roles that both polar regions play in Earth system. The sheet features two international rate stamps. One is a photograph of the aurora borealis. The second is an equally eye-catching photograph of the aurora australis. The souvenir sheet will only be available online at www.usps.com/shop or by calling 1-800-STAMP-24. Advance orders will be accepted beginning Feb. 1. To view the stamps, go to:
http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007stamps/downloads/internationalpolaryear/IPYsheet300dpi.jpg
or:
http://www.usps.com/communications/newsroom/2007stamps/welcome.htm

Polar Press Clips 2006 available

The Office of Legislative and Public Affairs of the National Science Foundation, in conjunction with the Office of Polar Programs, has produced a 288-page book entitled "Polar Press Clips 2006." This book highlights press coverage of both Arctic and Antarctic topics of scientific interest in such areas as astronomy, biology, and glaciology. There are also interesting sections on logistics and Bering Sea Research.

This book is available free of charge to inquirers (limit two copies per inquiry please) by going to the following website to order a copy:
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/orderpub.jsp
You may order by the NSF number, which is: NSF 06-46.

The arctic community is encouraged to send any news clippings of interest and relevance for next year's edition of the book, particularly those that mention National Science Foundation support, to:
Polar Press Clippings
OLPA, Room 1245
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22230

Illustrated glaciological glossary

Institute of Geography & Earth Sciences at the University of Wales in collaboration with SwissEduc from Switzerland created a new illustrated glaciological glossary, which can be found at:
http://www.glaciers-online.net/glossary/index-en.html

Contacts:
Michael Hambrey, Institute of Geography & Earth Sciences, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK at: mjh@aber.ac.uk and
Juerg Alean, SwissEduc, Eglisau, Switzerland, at: jalean@stromboli.net

Solicitation Announcement: Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2006 at NASA

A NASA Research Announcement (NRA), entitled Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Sciences (ROSES) 2006, solicits basic and applied research in support of the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD; http://science.hq.nasa.gov/). This NRA covers all aspects of basic and applied supporting research and technology in space and Earth sciences.

The due date for proposals is Monday, 8 January 2007.

For further information, please contact: Dr. Ming-Ying Wei, Earth Science Division, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters,
Phone: 001-202-358-0771, e-mail: Ming-Ying.Wei-1@nasa.gov

Antarctic Science online submission through Manuscript Central now available!

For online submissions to the Antarctic Science go to: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/cup/antsci

Antarctic Science provides a truly international forum for the broad spread of studies that increasingly characterize scientific research in the Antarctic. The journal attracts papers from all countries currently undertaking Antarctic research and has a truly international editorial board. It publishes both review and data papers with no limits on length, two page short notes on technical developments and recent discoveries, book reviews and a diary of forthcoming events. These, together with an editorial discussing broader aspects of science, provide a rich and varied mixture of items to interest researchers in all areas of science. One issue each year is normally devoted to a specific theme or papers from a major meeting.

Editor(s):
David W. H. Walton, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK
Michiel R. van den Broeke, Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Research, Utrecht, The Netherlands
Alan P. M. Vaughan, British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, UK

NSIDC (National Snow & Ice Data Center) announces a new educational tool: A Cryosphere Glossary

NSIDC has created a web-based searchable glossary of cryospheric terms that contains more than 1,000 general and scientific definitions related to various forms of frozen water. The glossary can be found at:
http://nsidc.org/cgi-bin/words/glossary.pl

More news from NSIDC is available from NSIDC newsletters at: http://nsidc.org/pubs/notes/

Arctic Frontiers Conference - Scholarships Available from British Council (International Networking for Young Scientists-INYS)

21-29 January 2007, Tromso, Norway

Application Deadline: Wednesday, 1 November 2006

For further information about INYS and the conference scholarships, please go to:
http://www.sams.ac.uk
or contact: Dr. Finlo Cottier at: fcott@sams.ac.uk

For further information about the Arctic Frontiers conference, please go to:
http://www.arctic-frontiers.com

IPY Consultative Forum

In association with the XXIX SCAR meeting in Hobart, on July 8 the International Polar Year Steering Committee held an IPY Consultative Forum to introduce the wider community to the goals and activities of the IPY and the progress being made, and to give the community an opportunity to ask questions about plans and progress and involvement.

Report from the IPY Consultative Forum in Hobart, Tasmania, 8 July 2006

New Book: "Glacier Science and Environmental Change" Edited by Peter Knight (Keele University)

Written by the world's foremost authorities in the subject, Glacier Science and Environmental Change is an interdisciplinary reference work examining contemporary issues in glaciology. Drawing together the research efforts of glaciologists, geologists, hydrologists, and climatologists it explores the interface between glacier science and environmental change, past, present, and future.
HB August 06 544 pages 1405100184 £125.00 / US$ $249.95
For more information please visit: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/1405100184

New Website: Arctic Ship Coordination during the International Polar Year (IPY)

The website is available at:
http://www.asci-ipy.de

Updated Submarine Sonar Data Available

This data set consists of upward looking sonar draft data collected by submarines in the Arctic Ocean. The data can be accessed via the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), at:
http://nsidc.org/data/g01360.html

Greenland ice sheet is melting faster

The Greenland ice sheet is melting three times faster today than it was five years ago, according to a new study. The finding adds to evidence of increased global warming in recent years and indicates that melting polar ice sheets are pushing sea levels higher, the authors report. According to the study, Greenland ice loss now amounts to more than 48 cubic miles (200 cubic kilometers) each year.

Click here for more details from Planet Ark and iNSnet News

New website: Arctic Sea Ice News 2006

The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) has launched Arctic Sea Ice News 2006, an online resource covering the sea ice conditions for the remainder of the summer melting season. Content includes:

-Ongoing updates as events warrant
-Commentary by NSIDC scientists
-Press information: contact, interview, time line information
-Up-to-date graphics
-Extensive background information on sea ice and its importance to climate.

Visit NSIDC Arctic Sea Ice News 2006 at http://nsidc.org/news/press/2006_seaiceminimum/20060816_arcticseaicenews.html.

The Polar View programme is now extending services to the Southern Hemisphere.

Polar View is part of the joint European Space Agency and European Commission programme called Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES), which is developing a range of environmental information services primarily from satellite earth observations. The Antarctic Node of Polar View will initially focus on delivering near real time information to contribute to safe and efficient ship navigation in sea ice. Operational services will start in October for the 2006 season.

More Information about Polar View can be found at:
http://www.polarview.aq/ and http://www.polarview.org/

A special issue on Remote Sensing of Cryosphere is planned within Remote Sensing of Environment.

The special issue is open to any contribution dealing with technical, theoretical and practical aspects of remote sensing of cryosphere.
Suggested topics are reported in the attached call for papers. Any other contribution not appearing in the suggested topics is more than welcome and will be evaluated.
The call for papers is open now and will close on July 31, 2006.
You should communicate your intention to submit a paper to the issue as soon as possible to Dr. Marco Tedesco at: mtedesco@umbc.edu

Authors wishing to submit papers should prepare and submit their manuscripts according to the Instructions to Authors published on the Remote Sensing of Environment website: http://RSE.edmgr.com/. Please go to the website http://rse.editorialmanager.com and identify the paper as a special issue paper (it is one of the categories in Editorial Manager) and then type: "Cryosphere special issue" in the 'Details' that can be included with a submission. Papers will be peer-reviewed in accordance with the journal's established policies and procedures. The selection of final papers will be dependent upon both the results from peer review and review of manuscripts by the guest editor.

Antarctic Interactive Education Web site for Schools

On July 7 2006, the UK launched a new Antarctic Education Website, developed from the 1999 Antarctic Education Resource Pack for Schools. The new website (www.discoveringantarctica.org.uk) is an interactive web-based resource for 11-16 year olds. It was developed by the UK's Foreign and Commonwealth Office working with the Royal Geographical Society and the British Antarctic Survey. The new on-line resource incorporates all the background and facts about Antarctica which were in the original pack, and updates them into an interactive web site. The web site includes on line quizzes, as well as downloadable teaching resources and lesson ideas.

Siberian Warming May Release Carbon Dioxide from Decomposing Organic Matter

Organic materials such as grass and animal remains are likely to decompose as the Siberian permafrost thaws, releasing billions of tons of carbon dioxide, adding dramatically to the amounts of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels.
Read the article.

NSIDC Images Viewable Using Google Earth

The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) has made a select set of images viewable through the popular interactive desktop application, Google Earth. Currently, Google Earth users can view images showing permafrost, snow, sea ice extent, and photographs of glaciers. Distribution of permafrost, snow, and ice are displayed as overlays on the Google Earth base map. Snow and ice information are updated daily.
For further information, please go to:
http://nsidc.org/data/google_earth/

For climate studies: A Report on the joined SCAR/CliC/ICPM Workshop on High Latitude Reanalyses is available

A SCAR/CliC/ICPM Workshop on High Latitude Reanalyses was held at the British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, 10-12 April 2006. Some troubling issues were listed during the workshop:

View the Report on SCAR/CliC/ICPM Workshop on High Latitude Reanalyses, BAS, Cambridge, 10-12 April 2006.

Robotic route for Polar pioneers

The next generation of Antarctic explorers could be robots capable of driving hundreds of kilometres and doing scientific experiments alone.
Read the whole story on BBC News

Report: "Toward an Integrated Arctic Observing Network" available from Polar Research Board

The report can be read online or downloaded in PDF format at no cost
from: http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11607.html

Bering Sea Climate is Shifting

Scientists say sea life is fighting to survive as the water warms up and ice melts sooner. The changes are profound and may be irreversible.
Whales, walruses, seabirds and fish are struggling to survive the changing climate of the Bering Sea, their northern feeding grounds perhaps permanently disrupted by warmer temperatures and melting ice, scientists reported Thursday in the journal Science.

For the first time, U.S. and Canadian researchers, led by Jacqueline M. Grebmeier, a specialist in polar biological oceanography at the University of Tennessee, systematically assessed the long-term effect of warmer temperatures on the sea life between the Alaska coast and St. Lawrence Island in the northern Bering Sea.

Read the whole article

National Science Foundation Solicitation Released

"Antarctic Research" (NSF 06-549), The Office of Polar Programs

Submission deadline: Wednesday, 7 June 2006

For further information, please see the full solicitation at:
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5519&org=ANT&from=home

New website - The Web-Guide to Research for Undergraduates (WebGURU)

An interactive web-based tool intended to assist undergraduates navigate the hurdle of an undergraduate research experience.

The website is available at: http://www.webguru.neu.edu/

New Book on Polar Remote Sensing

A new two-volume book, "Polar Remote Sensing," has just been published by Springer Praxis Books:

Volume I: Atmosphere and Oceans
By: Dan Lubin and Robert Massom
ISBN: 3-540-43097-0
Price: $179 USD

Further details are available at:
http://www.springer.com/sgw/cda/frontpage/0,11855,4-10006-22-13886970-0,00.html

Volume II: Ice Sheets
By: Robert Massom and Dan Lubin
ISBN: 3-540-26101-X
Price: $189 USD

Further details are available at:
http://www.springer.com/sgw/cda/frontpage/0,11855,4-10006-22-52121780-0,00.html

Release of National Research Council Report "Polar Icebreaker Roles and U.S. Future Needs: A Preliminary Assessment"

The National Academies' Polar Research Board (PRB) and the Transportation Research Board (TRB) have released a new report: Polar Icebreaker Roles and U.S. Future Needs: A Preliminary Assessment. U.S. Congress asked the National Academies to provide a comprehensive assessment of the current and future roles of polar icebreakers in supporting U.S. operations in the Antarctic and the Arctic, including scenarios for continuing those operations and alternative approaches, the changes in roles and missions of polar icebreakers in the support of all national priorities in the polar regions, and potential changes in the roles of U.S Coast Guard icebreakers in the Arctic that may develop due to environmental change. This brief interim report highlights the most urgent and time-dependent issues, and a final report, expected to be released next summer, will examine the type of icebreaking ships that the U.S. requires in the long term and other issues.
The full text of the report and a free PDF for download are available via the National Academies Press (http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11525.html).

View the National Academies' Office of News and Public Information's Press Release.

Announcing the Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN)

This is the first network exclusively devoted to the support of the young permafrost researchers community. PYRN is a student-driven initiative under the patronage of the International Permafrost Association (IPA). PYRN are seeking to establish contact in countries all around the world.

For further information, please see the PYRN website:
http://www.awi-potsdam.de/pyrn/

or contact:
Hugues Lantuit, Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), Research Section Potsdam, Telegrafenberg A43, Potsdam 14473, Germany.
Email: pyrn@awi-potsdam.de