You are in: Home » Science & Data » Standing Scientific Group on Geosciences
Standing Scientific Group on GeoSciences (SSG-GS)
The Antarctic continent and surrounding oceans are key parts of the Earth System through the entire history of the Earth. The basement core of Antarctica comprises a suite of crustal blocks that were parts of various supercontinents (e.g. Rodinia, Gondwana). Their outcrops provide important insights into Earth processes. Sedimentary records on and around Antarctica also provide important insights into the history and natural variability of the earth's environments. The geological record can provide key insights into the evolution and processes of change in the Antarctic environment and the biota dependent on it. The geology of the ice sheet bed strongly influences ice behaviour and the development of the ice sheet from its inception. Geodetic and geophysical observatories can furnish a fundamental contribution to the study of geodynamics processes across the continent. The challenge of the next phase of Antarctic science will be to integrate all branches of science into a holistic understanding of Antarctic and its trajectory of change.
Business Meetings, 30 July - 2 August, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- SSG-GS Draft Annotated Agenda; SSG-GS Draft Annotated Agenda (MS Word version) New versions posted 27 May
SCAR SSG-GS Meetings
- Report of XXX SCAR SSG-GS Meeting, 5-7 July 2008, St Petersburg, Russia
- List of Attendees at St Petersburg Meeting (updated 1 December 2008)
- SSG-GS Report to XXIX SCAR Delegates Meeting, 17-19 July 2006, Hobart, Australia
- SSG-GS Report to XXVIII SCAR Delegates Meeting, 4-8 October 2004, Bremen, Germany
People in SCAR GeoSciences
Recommendations from GeoSciences
Reports & Articles
- "Antarctica: A Keystone in a Changing World - Online Proceedings for the 10th International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences", Santa Barbara, California, U.S.A.-August 26 to September 1, 2007. Edited by Alan Cooper, Carol Raymond, and the 10th ISAES Editorial Team.
U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2007-1047 Version 2.0 (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1047/). Also available in the Book Proceedings with DVD from The National Academies Press (http://www.nap.edu/catalog.php?record_id=12168). The publications include 11 keynote papers, 109 short research papers, 217 extended abstracts, 3 meeting and workshop reports and the symposium program book. All are available for free download in PDF format.
Action Groups
- Acoustics in the Marine Environment Contact: Phil O'Brien (phil.o'brien@ga.gov.au)
- GPS for Weather and Space Weather Forecasting (GWSWF) (Cross SSGs Group) Contact: Giorgiana De Franceschi (defranceschi@ingv.it) or Pierguido Sarti (p.sarti@ira.inaf.it)
- Seeps And Vents Antarctica (SAVAnt) (Cross SSGs Group) Contact: Phil O'Brien (phil.o'brien@ga.gov.au)
- King George Island Science Coordination Group (cross-SSGs initiative) Contact: Colin Summerhayes (cps32@cam.ac.uk)
- Code of Conduct for the Exploration and Research of Subglacial Aquatic Environments (AG-CCER-SAE) (Cross SSGs Group)
Expert Groups
- Geospatial Information- Geodesy (GIANT) Contact: Gary Johnston (Gary.Johnston@ga.gov.au)
- Permafrost and Periglacial Environments (PPE) and Antarctic Permafrost And Soils (ANTPAS)
- International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO)
- Antarctic Digital Magnetic Anomaly Project (ADMAP)
- Sub-Ice Geological Exploration (SIeGE) Contact: Ross Powell (ross@geol.niu.edu)
- Antarctic Neotectonics (ANTEC): The activities of this group have been absorbed within the IPY POLENET Programme, which can be accessed via the POLENET website
Scientific Research Programmes within SSG-GS:
Scientific Programme Planning Group
- Solid Earth Responses and Influences on Cryosphere Evolution (SERCE) Contact: Terry Wilson (twilson@mps.ohio-state.edu)
Data and Information Services
- Seismic Data Library System (SDLS) - responsible: Alan Cooper (US Geological Survey).
- Geodetic Data including: master index for antarctic positional control; geophysical and geodetic observatories; and Geodetic Control Database; responsible: Reinhard Dietrich (Germany).
- Antarctic Bedrock Mapping (BEDMAP) - responsible: Alexander Paul R. Cooper (BAS UK).
- International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean (IBCSO) - responsible: Norbert Ott (AWI Germany).
- Antarctic Digital Magnetic Anomaly Project (ADMAP) - responsible: Marta Ghidella (Argentina).
GeoSciences Newsletters: GEOREACH
- GeoReach - May 2010 Issue
- GeoReach - February 2009 Issue
- GeoReach - May 2008 Issue
- GeoReach - October 2007 Issue
- GeoReach - October 2006 Issue
Partnerships and Co-Sponsorships
IPA - International Permafrost Association
The SCAR Permafrost and Periglacial Environments (PPE) Expert Group is co-sponsored by SCAR and the IPA. See the related website on Antarctic Permafrost And Soils (ANTPAS).
At the Arctic Science Summit Week in Bergen in March 2009, SCAR, IASC and IPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding their intention to work closely together.
 |
 |
| President of IASC (Kristjan Kristjansson) signing the document, with President of IPA (Hans-Wolfgang Hubberten) on the right and SCAR Executive Director (Colin Summerhayes) on the left at rear. | Those participating in the signing ceremony, from left to right: Volker Rachold (IASC Executive Secretary), Hans-Wolfgang Hubberten (IPA), Colin Summerhayes (SCAR), Hugues Lantuit (IPA) and Kristjan Kristjansson (IASC). |
Meetings
-
International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences (ISAES)
The International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Science (ISAES) is a major international Antarctic Geoscience meeting convened once every 4 years that brings together ~400 scientists from over 35 countries. The topic for the 10th meeting in Santa Barbara, 26 August to 1 September 2007, was 'Antarctica: A Keystone in a Changing World'. See group photograph. The conference proceedings are already published (see Reports and Articles above). The 11th meeting will be planned during the XXX SCAR meeting in July 2008.
About Acrobat/PDF files