EESS talk on "Polar Amplification, Sea-Ice Melt and Ocean Circulation changes: A Few of the Many Reasons to Understand the Arctic Better"
Cancelled
Event details
| Date | 05.11.2019 |
| Hour | 12:15 › 13:00 |
| Speaker | Dr Danièle Rod is the Executive Director of the Swiss Polar Institute. She studied political science and economy. Previously, she was Head of Division for International collaboration at SNF and Science and Technology Counsellor at the Swiss Mission to the EU in Brussels. Dr Samuel Jaccard is SNF professor at the Institute of Geological Sciences and the Oeschger Center for Climate Change Research (OCCR), University of Bern. Samuel Jaccard is a geochemist with interests in unravelling the links between polar ocean biogeochemistry and climate on various timescales, ranging from the past million years to the present. In particular, Jaccard is using a range of stable and radiogenic isotope methods to quantify biogeochemical fluxes, both at the land-ocean interface and in the ocean. |
| Location | |
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Abstract:
The Arctic region - and Greenland in particular - have both been considerably affected by global warming. As a result of polar amplification, temperatures have increased by more than 2-3 °C within the last decades - well above the globally averaged temperature increase of 1°C. One of the most dramatic manifestations of warming in the Arctic relates to the substantial decrease in sea-ice cover affecting oceanic heat uptake and marine biological production.
Furthermore, increasing temperatures contribute to accelerate glacier melt both in the Arctic realm and in Greenland with meltwater contributing to sea-level rise and measurable large-scale ocean circulation changes. Increased nutrient and sediment supply associated with glacial runoff modify coastal and open ocean ecosystems, with shifting phytoplankton communities affecting the entire food chain, including birds and mammals. The warming environment also presents major challenges to local communities, notably affecting natural resources and infrastructures.
From this perspective, furthering our understanding underlying the complex interactions between the terrestrial biosphere, the cryosphere, the ocean and atmosphere will offer opportunities to better preserve these unique ecosystems in the future. The Greenland Circumnavigation Expedition, GLACE, will take scientific teams from all over the world on a complete circumnavigation of Greenland over a two-month period in August and September 2019.
The Arctic region - and Greenland in particular - have both been considerably affected by global warming. As a result of polar amplification, temperatures have increased by more than 2-3 °C within the last decades - well above the globally averaged temperature increase of 1°C. One of the most dramatic manifestations of warming in the Arctic relates to the substantial decrease in sea-ice cover affecting oceanic heat uptake and marine biological production.
Furthermore, increasing temperatures contribute to accelerate glacier melt both in the Arctic realm and in Greenland with meltwater contributing to sea-level rise and measurable large-scale ocean circulation changes. Increased nutrient and sediment supply associated with glacial runoff modify coastal and open ocean ecosystems, with shifting phytoplankton communities affecting the entire food chain, including birds and mammals. The warming environment also presents major challenges to local communities, notably affecting natural resources and infrastructures.
From this perspective, furthering our understanding underlying the complex interactions between the terrestrial biosphere, the cryosphere, the ocean and atmosphere will offer opportunities to better preserve these unique ecosystems in the future. The Greenland Circumnavigation Expedition, GLACE, will take scientific teams from all over the world on a complete circumnavigation of Greenland over a two-month period in August and September 2019.
Practical information
- General public
- Free
- This event is internal
Organizer
- EESS - IIE
Contact
- Prof. D. Andrew Barry - IIE