The 2nd Asia CliC Symposium - The state and fate of Asian Cryosphere October 22-26, 2007 First Circular

January, 2007

Objectives:

High Asia is regarded as the third pole of the earth. The changes in the Asian cryospheric elements not only affect the regional climate, but also play an important role in the global processes. The glaciers are mainly distributed in the mid-latitude high mountains. They store plenty of information about past climatic and environmental variations. The cold region and arid desert basins coexist in the central Asia, and there is a close relationship between hydro-meteorelogy of the mountain glaciers and the oasis in the plain area. The changes in the cryosphere have a direct impact on the water cycle and ecological environment in the cold and arid regions. Changes in cryosphere characteristics can result in changes of the regime of extreme climatic events and natural disasters, which are closely related to the transportation and human life activities.     The Symposium was organized to focus on the Asian Region component of the Asia CliC Project, which had its first symposium in April, 2006 in Yakohoma (Japan), and started to implement the science plan. The objectives of symposium are to exchange scientific results and information, discuss the main issues of CliC in this region, develop plans for implementation and build the Asia CliC Committee and Scientific Steering Group(SSG) of Asia CliC, as well as to discuss plans about International High Asia Cryospheric Years(IHACYs). The Organizers are expecting especially the participation of scientists/engineers, students and also funding bodies in various countries of Asia.     The symposium will focus on High Asia and the eastern part of the Eurasian continent and the surrounding regions. The topics of main interest are:     (1) Glacier distribution/changes     (2) Condition and changes of frozen ground     (3) Snow cover, cold region hydrology and water resources     (4) Land surface and atmosphere processes in cold region and mountains     (5) Large-scale cryosphere-atmosphere interactions     (6) Cryospheric database     (7) Satellite and ground base observations of cryosphere     (8) Modeling of cryosphere     (9) Strategy for future cryospheric research     The meeting will be composed of general presentation of papers (oral and posters) on the above topics, and will have one day with split sessions on specified topics that need to be discussed in depth, and that require immediate action by the communities.     Before the Symposium, there will be the meeting of Chinese National Committee of CliC (CNC-CliC) and a relevant workshop, which will be semi-opened. For those who have interest in specific studies on cryosphere in China and the surrounding regions, you are welcome to participate. Details of this meeting will be given in the 2nd Cirular.

Organized by:

WCRP-CliC Science Steering Group     China CliC Committee     Japan CliC Committee

Supported by:

Chinese Academy of Sciences,     JAMSTEC,     WCRP and others

Dates:

October 22-26, 2007

Venue:

Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute (CAREERI), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, China.

Registration:

Registration is free. Please fill out the registration and accommodation form described at the end of circular and send back to symposium secretariat by May 15, 2007. For those who need VISA to come to China, please register by July 15, 2007 for the preparation of needed documents.

Symposium Secretariat:

Name: Qin Xiang/Xie Aihong     Email: qinxiang@lzb.ac.cn/xieaih@lzb.ac.cn     Phone: +86-931-4967370/338, Fax: +86 931 8277094     Address: Donggang West Road 320, Lanzhou, 730000, Gansu Province, China

Registration and Accommodation Request Form

Please fill out this registration form and send to xieaih@lzb.ac.cn,by May 15, 2007. For those who need VISA, please register by July 15, 2007.