Workshop on Chemical Atmosphere-Snow-Sea Ice Interactions: taking the next big step in the field, lab & modelling

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Conference date and venue

The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) held an International Workshop on Chemical Atmosphere-Snow-Sea Ice Interactions in 2014.

Date: 13 – 15 October 2014
Venue: Trinity Hall, Cambridge
Address: Trinity Lane, Cambridge, CB2 1TJ

Registration deadline: Friday 15 August 2014

Standard registration fees

Workshop participant (includes coffee breaks, lunch, venue and conference dinner): £170
Partner rate (includes conference dinner): £55

Scope & Aims

The air-snow-sea ice system plays an important role in the global cycling of nitrogen, halogens, trace metals or carbon, including greenhouse gases (e.g. CO2 air-sea flux), and therefore influences also climate. Its impact on atmospheric composition is illustrated for example by dramatic ozone and mercury depletion events which occur within or close to the sea ice zone (SIZ) mostly during polar spring and are catalysed by halogens released from SIZ ice, snow or aerosol. Recent field campaigns in the high Arctic (e.g. BROMEX, OASIS) and Antarctic (Weddell sea cruises) highlight the importance of snow on sea ice as a chemical reservoir and reactor, even during polar night. However, many processes, participating chemical species and their interactions are still poorly understood and/or lack any representation in current models. Furthermore, recent lab studies provide a lot of detail on the chemical environment and processes but need to be integrated much better to improve our understanding of a rapidly changing natural environment.

The aim of this three day workshop is to bring together experimental and theoretical scientists who work on the physics, chemistry or biology of the atmosphere-snow-sea ice system in order to discuss research status and challenges, which need to be addressed in the near future. An important objective is to foster new research collaborations and identify opportunities for international collaborative funding proposals. An expected workshop outcome will be a publicly available white paper/conference report outlining research priorities and pathways how to address them.

Space is limited to 80 participants. Early career scientists (within 5 years of their PhD) and doctoral students are encouraged to submit an abstract and are eligible for partial financial support.

Session Topics

Rather than grouping by discipline or chemical species workshop sessions will focus on a key question or topic taking advantage of the inter-disciplinary scientific background of workshop participants. Invited speakers will open each session with overview presentations (30-45 min) highlighting research status and challenges of each topic followed by shorter oral presentations (15 min including questions). On day 1 there will be a poster session, but posters will be on display during the entire 3 days giving more opportunity for discussion. On day 3 enough time for discussion will be provided to identify imminent research priorities and how to address them through collaborative funding proposals.

Session outline:

13 October 09:00-09:15 Welcome by David Vaughan (BAS Director of Science)

S1: “Climate impacts of Chemical Atmosphere-Snow-Sea Ice interactions – what are the mechanisms & are they relevant at the regional or global scale?”
S2: “Biogeochemistry of the air-snow-sea ice-ocean system – processes & impacts“
S3: “Air-snow exchange processes – closing the gap between Field, Lab and Models”
S4: ”New strategies – Developing optimal probes and systems to study AICI in lab & field”
S5: “Taking the next steps – challenges & opportunities”

Short talks on existing research platforms/opportunities

S6: “Open discussion - What are research priorities & how do we get them funded?”

Photo: Trinity Hall

Venue

The conference will take place at one of the oldest Colleges of Cambridge University, Trinity Hall, founded in 1350 originally for the study of law. Today the beautiful riverside setting is home to a friendly community of undergraduate and graduate students studying a range of subjects.

Directions and map to Trinity Hall, Cambridge

Photo: Trinity Hall

Conference Dinner

Photo: Corpus Christi

The conference dinner will take place Corpus Christi College, only a 5 minute stroll away from Trinity Hall, on the evening of the second day. The Dining Hall, one of the most beautiful in Cambridge, is New Gothic in style and the walls are lined with portraits of previous Masters. The upper walls are decorated in William Morris print, made from plates rediscovered in the 1960s and also found in the House of Commons.

Directions and map to Corpus Christi College

Accommodation

We have reserved rooms to accommodate everyone at the Arundel House Hotel in walking distance to the conference venue and the historic city centre of Cambrdige.

Arrival on 12th October 2014 and departure on 15th October 2014:

35 x non-smoking single rooms at a rate of £85.00 per room.
36 x non-smoking double bedded rooms at a rate of £130.00 per room.
9 x non-smoking twin bedded rooms at a rate of £130.00 per room.

All prices include full English breakfast and VAT.

You will be able to book accommodation on a first-come-first-served base at the time of registration for the conference through our website.

Travelling to Cambridge

Directions and map showing transport into and around Cambridge

Scientific Programme Committee:

K. Abrahamsson (University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden)
T. Bartels-Rausch (Paul-Scherrer Institute, Villigen, Switzerland)
G. Dieckmann (Alfred Wegener Institut, Bremerhaven, Germany)
M. M. Frey (British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom)
A. E. Jones (British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom)
M. King (Royal Holloway University of London, Egham, United Kingdom)
V. F. McNeill (Colombia University, New York, United States)
S. Preunkert (Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Géophysique de l'Environnement, St. Martin d’Hères, France)
M. Roeselová (Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, Czech Republic)
J. Thomas (LATMOS-IPSL, Paris, France)
J.-L. Tison (Université libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium)
D. Voisin (Laboratoire de Glaciologie et Géophysique de l’Environnement, St. Martin d’Hères, France)
X. Yang (British Antarctic Survey, Cambridge, United Kingdom)

Organising Committee (BAS, Cambridge, UK):

M. M. Frey
L. Gonzalez Pacheco Sosa
P. Goodearl
A. E. Jones
X. Yang

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