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Standing Scientific Group on Physical Sciences (SSG-PS)

SCAR SSG-PS Meetings

People in SCAR Physical Sciences

Recommendations from Physical Sciences

Ice Sheet Model Workshops

Reports & Articles

Action Groups

During the last SCAR Conference held in St Petersburg in June 2008, the Standing Scientific Group on Physical Sciences agreed to continue the action group on Environmental Contamination in Antarctica (ECA). During the same meeting the 2nd ECA workshop took place (view the workshop report); there, the data collected by the groups formed during the 1st workshop (held in Venice) were presented and discussed.

The following priorities were identified for future activities:

The 3rd ECA workshop programme will present contributions from scientists involved in programmes dealing with ECA and studying the transport of micro-components and pollutants in polar regions. In this context, contributions from researchers studying environmental contamination on a large scale, particularly in relation to climate change, are of particular interest. The workshop will take place in Venice from 22-23 June 2009. It will be dedicated to the memory of colleague Kevin Rosman, who recently passed away. For details, please see the Events page.

Expert Groups

Scientific Research Programmes within SSG-PS:

Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment (ACCE) Review

SCAR's AGCS team was asked to take the lead in the preparation of a report on Antarctic Climate Change and the Environment (ACCE), to consider the past and possible future changes in the physical environment of the Antarctic and the impact on the biota. A new draft will be circulated for comment in the spring of 2009.

Scientific Programme Planning Group

Data and Information Services

The SCAR REference Antarctic Data for Environmental Research (READER) initiative aims to create high quality data sets of key variables for investigation of climate variability and change. There are currently three components:

Partnerships and Co-Sponsorships

CliC - Climate and Cryosphere Programme

SCAR co-sponsors CliC with the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). For further information, see the Memoranda of Understanding between SCAR and the WCRP.

CLIVAR/CliC/SCAR Southern Ocean Implementation Panel

SCAR co-sponsors the CLIVAR/CliC Southern Ocean Implementation panel with the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). For further information, see the Memorandum of Understanding between SCAR and the WCRP.

iAnZone - International Antarctic Zone Programme

SCAR has agreed that the International Antarctic Zone programme (iAnZone) will be affiliated to the SCAR/SCOR Oceanography Expert Group.

ICED - Integrating Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics in the Southern Ocean Programme

SCAR partners SCOR and other organisations in sponsorship of ICED. For more information on the Integrated Analyses of Circumpolar Climate Interactions and Ecosystem Dynamics in the Southern Ocean (ICED), see the SCAR ICED page.

IGOS-P - Integrated Global Observing Strategy Partnership

SCAR and the WCRP are co-sponsors of the Cryosphere Theme, a plan for a Cryosphere observing system. The observing system was developed for the IGOS Partners, and was published in hard copy in late 2007. It can be found on the Internet at http://www.eohandbook.com/igosp/cryosphere.htm.

IPAB - International Programme of Antarctic Buoys

SCAR co-sponsors IPAB with the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). For further information, see the Memorandum of Understanding between SCAR and the WCRP.

IPICS - International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences

At their XXIX meeting in Hobart, July 2006, SCAR Delegates decided that SCAR should formally become a co-sponsor of the International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences (IPICS).

SCOR - Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research, Oceanography Expert Group

In addition to the SCAR/SCOR partnership sponsoring ICED (see above), a joint SCAR/SCOR Oceanograpy Expert Group was set up to focus on physical oceanography, while recognising the inter-dependence of physical, chemical and biological processes in the Southern Ocean. It is co-sponsored with the Life Sciences SSG.

SCOSTEP - Scientific Committee on Solar Terrestrial Physics

SSG-PS member and officer, Maurizio Candidi, is the SCAR representative on the Bureau of the Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics (SCOSTEP), and provides a key link between SCOSTEP and SCAR programmes, such as ICESTAR (see under Scientific Research Programmes above).

WCRP - World Climate Research Program

The WCRP and SCAR share common goals in seeking to observe, understand, and predict climate variability and change in the Antarctic region, including the Southern Ocean. Through the SCAR-WCRP Memoranda of Understanding, the WCRP and SCAR aim to share corresponding efforts and resources and avoid duplication. This will be achieved through SCAR co-sponsoring the following activities of the WCRP:

(i) the CLIVAR/CliC/SCAR Southern Ocean Implementation Panel,

(ii) the Climate and Cryosphere Project (CliC), (jointly with IASC and WCRP),

(iii) the International Programme for Antarctic Buoys (IPAB)

as well as through the WCRP co-sponsoring the new SCAR programme on Antarctica in the Global Climate System (AGCS).

Meetings