This web site is hosted by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS)The objective of the Working Group is to facilitate research on the dynamics and mass budget of Arctic glaciers. The Working Group wants to make a significant contribution to assessments on the impact of climate change in the Arctic region. The focus is on the effect of glaciers on sea-level change and on the fresh water input into fjords and embayments. In some parts of the Arctic (e.g. Iceland), rapidly changing glaciers may affect shipping and infrastructure. The Working Group aims to study such glaciers and to increase our understanding of the mechanisms behind rapid change. The Working Group also wants to stimulate collaboration between glaciologists and climate modellers. The terms of reference for the IASC Working Group on Arctic Glaciology can be found HERE.
Land ice masses in the northern circumpolar region cover more than 2 075 000 square kilometres and therefore form an important element in the Arctic environment. Glaciers in the Arctic have generally experienced a negative mass balance during the last century, and there is a concern that future greenhouse warming may lead to an acceleration of ice wastage. It is against this background that the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) established a Working Group on Arctic Glaciology in 1992. The first project coordinated by the Working Group was entitled MAGICS: Mass balance of Arctic Glaciers and Ice sheets in relation to the Climate and Sea level changes. As part of MAGICS two significant contributions were made: (1) A compilation of existing in situ mass-balance observations on Arctic glaciers (see Publications and mass balance), and (2) An estimate of the contribution of Arctic glaciers to sea-level change in the next 100 years (a contribution to ACIA, Arctic Climate Impact Assessment).
The scope of the Working Group is currently being extended. Apart from compiling and updating mass-balance observations on Arctic glaciers, which is regarded as an important task, the Working Group has the ambition to initiate a major project on the dynamics of calving glaciers. Such a project is planned as a contribution to the IPY (International Polar Year 2007-08).
The Working Group has a relatively simple organisational structure. Each year the national representatives participate in an official Working Group meeting where more formal matters as well as the long-term strategy are discussed. Connected to this meeting is a 2-day workshop on the mass budget of Arctic glaciers, which is open to all scientists. Brief presentations and posters provide an overview of recent results and ongoing activities. Extended abstracts are normally collected and printed.
The annual workshop also serves as a place where more practical plans are made to share costs and logistics for field work. In the past very fruitful international collaboration has been initiated at the annual workshops!Occasionally the Working group also organises events on a larger scale, like the Symposium on Arctic Glaciology that was held in Geilo, Norway (August 2004). This symposium was co-sponsored by the International Glaciological Society.
The Working Group has a small budget made available by IASC on an annual basis. The budget is normally used to cover some administrative costs and to support of a few young scientists that want to participate in the annual workshop.Currently, the Working group has representatives from Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Japan, Norway, Poland, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, U.S.A. (see National representatives).
This web site is hosted by the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland (GEUS)