Debris-covered glaciers workshop: from remote sensing and field based tools to local communities

The Debris Covered Glaciers workshop: from remote sensing and field based tools to local communities will be held from 2-4 September 2019 in London, UK.

Venue

Burlington House
Piccadilly W1J 0BG, London.

Description

Debris covered glaciers in high mountains pose a growing hazard to nearby communities. This meeting will explore and standardize remote sensing and field-based tools to assess the response of the cryosphere to climate change, and explore how remote sensing can quantify hazards and help local communities prepare for emerging threats.

The changing state of debris-covered glaciers is currently of great interest in glaciology, in particular with respect to the hazards posed by rapidly growing moraine-dammed lakes in close proximity to local communities.

The goal of this meeting is therefore to bring together scientists and practitioners to discuss current research on debris-covered glaciers in high mountain environments (e.g. high Asia, Andes) and specifically to address concerns about climate change and glacier-related hazards. The goal is to exchange expertise and coordinate interaction among scientists to standardize methods, develop recommendations and transfer them to local institutions in the countries concerned.

Program

Participants will collaborate on developing workshop material for future capacity building training packages as well as on the effective deployment of the growing earth science social media presence of High Mountain based communities and organizations. The workshop is closely aligned with the aims of the GAPHAZ working group  of the International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS) and the International Permafrost Association (IPA), and the newly formed IACS group on debris-covered glaciers.

The workshop will thus have two primary components:

a) Conference meeting (half day) Leading experts on debris covered glaciers and their related hazards will present the current state-of-the art on research on debris-covered glaciers and will identify critical knowledge gaps.

b) Working group meetings (2 days) Participants will form small working groups to share the latest methodological developments and algorithms needed to tackle the identified knowledge gaps. The working group goals are to develop strategies for future research activities.

Topics for working groups will be finalized depending on the interests and expertise of final participants. Proposed topics are:

I. Glacier processes and change
II. Glacier related hazards
III. Socio-economic impacts of GLOFs

Specific outcomes will include:
- publishing results of the meeting on an open access website (e.g. GAPHAZ, IACS), and promoting the existence of these findings via social media avenues
- development of collaborative research projects – both active collaborative analysis and formal proposals seeking new funding
- action plans for local community engagement.

Registration

Register here: https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/Events/Register?eventid=59w7l0Qw4n1lpZfClJVGLSVupSfFgLLWtnB0%252FBUpFWJIoT2PxgX%253DY2ScG%253D

For developing country ticket rates please download and complete the registration form here: https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/~/media/shared/documents/Events/2019/Registration%20Form%20-%20Debris%20Covered%20Glaciers%202019.pdf and return to david.riachgeolsoc.org.uk (david[dot]riach[at]geolsoc[dot]org[dot]uk)

Purchasing a ticket gains you entrance to the event and includes tea and coffee refreshments provided at 08:30-09:00 15:00-15:45. Please be aware that lunch is not included in the conference ticket.

Conveners

Dr Adina Racoviteanu, Aberystwyth University - convener
Dr Neil Glasser- Aberystwyth University - co-convener
Dr Lindsey Nicholson, University of Innsbruck - co-convener

Organizing committee/facilitators

Dr Duncan Quincey, University of Leeds
Dr Scott Watson, Univ. of Arizona
Dr Evan Miles, Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL

Further information

Go to the official website: https://www.geolsoc.org.uk/GSL-Debris-Covered-Glaciers

Questions can be sent to the convener Adina Racoviteanu: adr18aber.ac.uk (adr18[at]aber[dot]ac[dot]uk)