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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.

International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences (ISAES)

The 11th International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences (ISAES XI) took place in Edinburgh, Scotland from 10 to 16 July 2011. It aimed to bring together scientists studying the different components of Polar Earth Science to exchange information and perspectives. For more information, please visit the ISAES XI website. Proceedings of the Symposium will be available in pdf format shortly.

A piece of music was specially commissioned for ISAES XI and performed in the Playfair Library at the University of Edinburgh. Find out more about the piece on the Communications page of the SCAR website.

SCAR SSG-GS Meetings

People in SCAR GeoSciences

SCAR Data Policy

The SCAR Data Policy aims to provide a framework for SCAR-related research data to be handled in a consistent manner, and to strike a balance between the rights of investigators and the need for widespread access through the free and unrestricted sharing and exchange of both data and metadata. In order to be considered part of a SCAR Research Programme, each Project should follow this policy:

Reports & Articles

Action Groups

Expert Groups

Scientific Research Programmes within SSG-GS:

Scientific Programme Planning Group

Data and Information Services

GeoSciences Newsletters: GeoReach

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.

Signing of the Memorandum of Understanding between IPA, IASC and SCAR Representatives of IPA, IASC and SCAR at the MoU signing ceremony
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

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 take place in Edinburgh, Scotland from 10 to 16 July 2011.