Location

The study of Antarctica and the Southern Ocean, and their role in the Earth system, has never been more important as the region experiences change in climate and environment that have global implications. The Antarctic is a “natural laboratory” for scientific research of importance in its own right and impossible to achieve elsewhere on the planet. The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)’s strategic vision is for a world where the science of the Antarctic region benefits all, excellence in science is valued and scientific knowledge informs policy making.

The 2012 SCAR Open Science Conference will focus on SCAR's dual role of science and advice to policy makers. The plenaries will focus on high level overarching themes we believe will be of interest to the majority of attendees:

• Antarctic Conservation Challenges in a Century of Change • Past, Present and Future Climate Evolution • Evolution and Biodiversity in Antarctica

There are a total of 46 sessions planned, many of which the following have a direct connection with past and current climate, changes in climate and their effect, and their relation to policy. The details of each session are given here http://scar2012.geol.pdx.edu/themes.php

Some directly relevant sessions are given here, but for the full descriptive list, please visit

http://scar2012.geol.pdx.edu/themes.php

Multi-Disciplinary Science

1.     Antarctic Climate Evolution

2.    Decadal Time Scale Variability in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Climate System

3.    Global and Regional Climate Signals from Ice Cores

4.    Natural and Anthropogenic Forcing on the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Climate System

5.    The Export of Antarctic and Southern Ocean Climate Signals

6.    Status and Trends in Antarctic Sea Ice and Ice Shelves

7.    Glaciers and Ice Sheet Mass Balance and Their Relation to Sea Level

8.    Prediction of Changes in the Physical and Biological Environment of the Antarctic

9.    Ocean Acidification

10. Integrating Climate and Ecosystem Dynamics (ICED)

19. Antarctic Permafrost, Periglacial and Ice-Free Environments

20. Antarctic Clouds, Precepitation and Aerosols

22. Stratosphere-troposphere exchange, tropopause chemistry and climate influences/responses

26. Bipolar Science: Connections with the Arctic

27. Human Biology and Medicine

28. Global Navigation Satellite System Research in Atmospheric Science for the Polar Environment

31. SERCE: Solid Earth Response and Cryosphere Evolution

Observing Systems and Data

32. Observing Antarctica and the Southern Ocean

35. Ecosystem Change in Antarctica, the Importance of Long-Term Data

Social Sciences and Humanities

38. Human Connections to the Antarctic and Antarctic Values

39. Changing Poles: Challenges to Antarctic and Arctic Communities and Institutions

Policy Advice

42. Conservation and the Protection of Antarctica: The Marine System

43. Conservation and the Protection of Antarctica: The Terrestrial System

44. Antarctica and the Southern Ocean: Future Management Challenges

45. Sustainability of Antarctic Research

Conference registration will soon open. Confirmed registration fees are:

- Early $425 USD

- Regular $475

- Late $525

- Student FREE first 200 accepted abstracts $175 thereafter

- Accompanying $60

Conference mini-symposia:

The morning plenary sessions will focus on high level overarching themesof interest to the majority of attendees:

1. Antarctic Conservation Challenges in a Century of Change led by N Gilbert 2. Past, Present and Future Climate Evolution led by J Turner and N Bertler 3. Evolution and Biodiversity in Antarctica led by J Gutt

The sessions (http://scar2012.geol.pdx.edu/themes.php) will lead on from these.