scientific committee on antarctic research an update from colin summerhayes executive director scar...
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SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON ANTARCTIC RESEARCH
An Update
from Colin SummerhayesExecutive Director
SCAR website: www.scar.org
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE ON ANTARCTIC RESEARCH
MAIN ACTIVITIES
Scientific ResearchData ExchangeEducation & OutreachPolicy AdviceManagement
SCAR initiates, develops, and coordinates high quality international scientific research in the Antarctic and on the role of the Antarctic region in the Earth system, so adding value to national research.
SCAR RESEARCH PROGRAMMES
Past Climate – (ACE) uses geological & palaeoclimate data and ice sheet models to study Antarctic climate and glacial history.
Modern Climate – (AGCS) studies the nature of the atmospheric and oceanic linkages between the climate of the Antarctic and elsewhere.
Biological Responses – (EBA) explores the evolutionary history of Antarctic biota, the influence of diversity on ecosystems, and the biota’s response to change.
Under the Ice – (SALE) explores the mysterious world of fresh water under the Antarctic ice sheet.
Sun - Earth Interactions – (ICESTAR) studies the bipolar effects of Sun-Earth interactions, and upper and lower atmosphere connections.
OTHER SCAR SCIENCE TOPICS
Ocean and Atmosphere
Acoustics in the Marine Environment OceanographyCensus of Antarctic Marine Life (CAML)Continuous Plankton Recorder (CPR)Marine Biodiversity Information NetworkInternational Bathymetric Chart of the
Southern OceanOperational Meteorology
OTHER SCAR SCIENCE TOPICS
Ice and Rock
Ice Sheet Mass Balance and Sea LevelPermafrost and Periglacial EnvironmentsIce Drilling TechnologiesSub-Ice Geological ExplorationAntarctic NeotectonicsGeodetic Infrastructure of AntarcticaAntarctic Digital Magnetic Anomaly Project
OTHER SCAR SCIENCE TOPICS
Environment & Monitoring
Biological MonitoringBirds & SealsHuman Biology & MedicineEnvironmental ContaminationPan-Antarctic Observing NetworkKing George Island Science CoordinationAntarctic Astronomy & Astrophysics
SCAR DATA AND INFORMATION
Joint Committee on Antarctic Data Management (JCADM)helps nations to develop & manage National Antarctic Data Centres and to make data available to all through the Antarctic Master Directory (AMD)
Standing Committee on Antarctic Geographic Information (SC-AGI) manages the Antarctic Digital Database (ADD), the Composite Gazetteer of Antarctica, the Antarctic Map Catalogue and the King George Island GIS project.
POLICY ADVICE
Standing Committee on Antarctic Treaty System (SC-ATS)
provides objective and independent scientific advice to:- Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM), Committee on Environmental Protection (CEP),Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine
Living Resources (CCAMLR),Advisory Committee to the Agreement on the
Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP).
SCAR EDUCATION & OUTREACH
SCAR Fellowships encourage the active involvement of young scientists and engineers in Antarctic scientific research, and strengthen international capacity and cooperation.
International Antarctic Institute provides distance learning courses from a number of universities
History of Antarctic Research Group studies development of post IGY Antarctic research in the context of SCAR.
SCAR MANAGEMENT
SCAR Delegates represent the Members & decide on the overall science programme and budget.
Executive Committee represents the Delegates & manages SCAR business inter-sessionally.
Standing Scientific Groups (SSGs)) manage pan-Antarctic scientific research across the nations & establish research groups to address specific science tasks.
SCAR Secretariat the 100% people - facilitates communication and coordination, manages the work programme and budget.
SCAR PARTNERS
iAnZone – International Antarctic Zone Programme
IASC – International Arctic Science Committee
ICED – Integrating Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics
IGOS-P – Integrated Global Observing Strategy Partnership
IPA – International Permafrost Association
IPICS – International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences
SO-GLOBEC – Global Ocean Ecosystem Dynamics, Southern
Ocean component
SCOR – Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research
SCOSTEP – Scientific Committee on Solar-Terrestrial Physics
WCRP – World Climate Research Programme
ICSU - 8 scientific unions
SCAR HIGHLIGHTS FOR 2006
Antarctic plateau is the best place on Earth for surface-based astronomy; Southern Ocean warmed at mid-depths by 0.2ºC (more warming prevented by cooling by volcanic dust);Winter troposphere warmed 0.5 – 0.7ºC/decade over the last 30 years;Climate models suggest there will be 25% less sea ice and central Antarctica will warm by 3ºC by 2100 ;A biogeographical ‘divide’ between the biota of the Peninsula and the rest of the continent, suggests that the biota survive in refugia during glacials;A subglacial hydrologic system links subglacial lakes and lubricates ice streams beneath the polar plateau
FUTURE PLANS
CAML and MarBIN Workshops, Poland , June 2007; ACE session on "Climate and ice in Antarctica and theSouthern Ocean since the LGM; INQUA, Cairns, July 2007;10th International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences (ISAES), Sta Barbara, August 2007 2nd Workshop on Recent High Latitude Climate Change, Seattle, October 2007SCAR-IASC Open Science Conference, St Petersburg, July 2008 10th SCAR Biology Symposium, Sapporo, 2009Numerous IPY activities 2007-2009
