Call for Session Abstracts
Boundary Layers in High Latitudes
European Geosciences Union General Assembly 2019
7-12 April 2019
Vienna, Austria

Abstract submission deadline: 10 January 2019, 1:00 p.m. Central European Time

For more information about the meeting, go to:
Conference homepage

The European Geosciences Union (EGU) is currently accepting abstract submissions for the EGU General Assembly 2019. This meeting will convene 7-12 April 2019 in Vienna, Austria.

Conveners of the following session invite abstract submissions:

SESSION AS2.3/CR3.10/OS1.14: Boundary Layers in High Latitudes
Conveners: Günther Heinemann, Jo Browse, Julia Schmale, Michael Tjernström, and Gillian Young

Changes in the Arctic and Antarctic climate systems are strongly related to processes in the boundary layer and their feedbacks with the free troposphere. An adequate understanding and quantification of these processes is necessary to improve predictions of future changes in the polar regions and their teleconnections with mid-latitude weather and climate, including meridional transport of heat, moisture, and air pollutants. Processes include atmosphere-ocean-ice (AOI) interactions, such as physical and chemical snow processes (e.g., snow photochemistry), exchange of chemical constituents, sources of aerosol, polynya formation processes, sea ice production and bottom water formation, and cloud formation, which represent key processes for the atmosphere, ocean, and the cryosphere. AOI interactions are also triggered by and have feedbacks with synoptic systems and mesoscale weather phenomena such as cold air outbreaks, katabatic winds, and polar lows. Associated processes also include the effect of warm air advection and clouds on the surface energy budget and related boundary layer exchanges. Of increasing interest is the study of extremes such as heat waves and storms, but also extreme meridional transport events that can disturb the physical and chemical state of the high latitudes and may have a large impact on ecosystem changes. In addition, Arctic boundary-layer processes play an important role for local Arctic air pollution and for the health and ecosystem impacts thereof. Understanding natural processes, including AOI interactions, is essential to the understanding of the background atmosphere to quantify the anthropogenic impacts. Shallow inversions, mostly during winter-time, lead to high air pollutant concentrations. Even though severe air pollution episodes are frequently observed in the Arctic, knowledge on urban emission sources and atmospheric chemical processing of pollution, especially under cold and dark conditions, are poorly understood.

This session is intended to provide an interdisciplinary forum to bring together researchers working in the area of boundary layer processes and high-latitude weather and climate (including snow physics, air/snow chemistry, and oceanography). Cryosphere and atmospheric chemistry processes are highly relevant to this session.

Session conveners invite contributions in the following areas:
•  Observations and research on the energy balance, physical and chemical exchange processes, and atmosphere-ocean-ice (AOI) interactions, including particle sources;
•  Results from high-elevation sites where similar processes occur over snow and ice;
•  Field programs, laboratory studies, and observational studies including remote sensing;
•  Model studies and reanalyses;
•  Advances in observing technology;
•  External controls on the boundary layer such as clouds, aerosols, and radiation;
•  Teleconnections between the polar regions and mid-latitudes resulting in effects related to atmosphere-ice-ocean interactions, as well as insights provided by monitoring of water vapor isotopes that shed light on air mass origins; and
•  High-latitude urban air quality studies.

For more information or to submit an abstract to this session, go to:
Session webpage

For questions about this session, contact:

Günther Heinemann
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Michael Tjernström
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Jo Browse
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Julia Schmale
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Gillian Young
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The authors announce the release of the report, The Arctic Observing Summit: Background and Synthesis of Outcomes 2013-2016. This report summarizes the main recommendations from the first three Arctic Observing Summits (AOS), held in 2013, 2014, and 2016.

The AOS initiative originated from widespread agreement on the need to improve the coverage and coordination of pan-Arctic observing activities, and the communication and utilization of observational information to and by the widest possible audience for the purposes of basic research, problem solving, and decision-making. There is an ongoing demand to facilitate dialogue that will enable responding and adapting to Arctic environmental change and this includes the iterative development of recommendations to foster the coordination of observing activities and to improve existing Arctic observing systems.

To read or download the report, go to:
Report webpage (PDF - 3,603.48 KB)

For questions, contact:
 Ravi Darwin Sankar
 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
 Phone: 403-220-7928

The International Arctic Science Committee (IASC), in cooperation with the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists (APECS), invites Early Career Scientists (ECS) to apply for the 2019 IASC Fellowship Program.

The IASC Fellowship Program is meant to engage ECS in the work of the IASC Working Groups (WGs): Atmosphere, Cryosphere, Marine, Social & Human, and Terrestrial. Each year, one Fellow per WG is chosen.

IASC Fellows are doctoral or postdoctoral researchers who actively participate in selected activities of the IASC WGs. Fellows are expected to contribute scientifically but also to help organize specific activities and to coordinate the reporting to the IASC Secretariat. Thus, the Fellowship Program provides the opportunity for ECSs to become involved in leading-edge scientific activities at a circumarctic and international level, to build an international network, and also to develop management skills. The level of involvement very much depends on the Fellow's interest - the more you invest, the more you get out of it!

The total duration of the IASC Fellowship Program is 1+2 years. In their first year, selected Fellows will receive travel support to attend two consecutive Arctic Science Summit Weeks (ASSWs) where the annual WG meetings are held. After the first year, Fellows have the opportunity to stay involved for up to 2 more years without dedicated funding support from IASC. Note: The travel support during the first fellowship year is the only financial remuneration for the Fellows. Salary is not included during the fellowship.

For more information, please see http://iasc.info/capacity-building/fellowship or contact the IASC Fellowship Coordinator Maja Lisowska (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) or the APECS Executive Director Gerlis Fugmann (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Webinar:
Current IASC Fellows are planning on running a webinar in November to showcase their experience as IASC Fellows and some of the projects they have been able to work on. More information will be made available over IASC and APECS' email lists. You can join for the IASC email list here or become an APECS member here.

For this round of applications, interested ECSs must fulfill the following criteria:

•     PhD student/candidate or postdoctoral researcher (up to 5 years past the PhD)
•     Able to commit to participating in the activities of one of an IASC WG for at least 1 year
•     Able to attend the two upcoming ASSWs: 22 - 30 May 2019 in Arkhangelsk, Russia, and 27 March - 2 April 2020     in Akureyri, Iceland
•     Located in an IASC member country
•     Have a good command of English

How to apply:
If you are interested in this amazing opportunity then please fill out this application form. If you have problems accessing or submitting the form, please contact the APECS Executive Director Gerlis Fugmann at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive a Word version of the form.

Selection process:
The selection of candidates is coordinated by APECS and will be only based on the material you provide in the application form. So be as specific as possible. Applications will be reviewed according to multiple criteria including your research background and the quality of your statement of interest of why you would like to be come an IASC fellow. Top candidates will be suggested to the WG Steering Committees, who will decide on their 2019 IASC Fellow.

The application deadline is Monday 19 November 2018 at 13:00 GMT. Late applications will not be considered. Successful applicants will be notified before the end of the year.