Arctic Update Header
September 5, 2017
 
No Arctic-science events are formally scheduled for today.
Media
   
Healy, Coast Guard In a Changing Arctic, a Lone Coast Guard Icebreaker Maneuvers Through Ice and Geopolitics. Coast Guard Ensign Ryan Carpenter peered north through a front window of this 420-foot-long ship, directing its bright-red hull through jagged chunks of ice hundreds of miles north of Alaska. It was only the second time that Carpenter, 23, had driven the 16,400-ton USCGC Healy, one of the U.S. military's two working polar icebreakers. He turned the ship slightly to the left in the sapphire-blue water, and a few seconds later, the ship's bow rumbled through the crusty white ice floe at about 10 mph. Metallic shudders rippled throughout the vessel, a feeling that Arctic rookies often find unnerving. The Washington Post
 
Hidden Home Hundreds of Years Old Unearthed as Quinhagak Readies Cultural Center. For nearly a decade, archaeological crews from around the world have dug into an ancient site near the Bering Sea village of Quinhagak. This year, they thought they'd wrap it up. Maybe they'd excavate another 12 inches down to reach the bottom of the main dwelling. Then they'd cover and sandbag the site to protect it from eroding away as permafrost thaws. Were they ever glad to be so wrong. Alaska Dispatch News
 
Coast Guard Seal Coast Guard Tests New Oil Spill Technology as Arctic Waters Open Up. In late July, the Aqua-Guard Triton RotoX dipped into the icy Beaufort Sea. The goal was to test whether the prototype could clean up an oil spill in the Arctic. The oil skimmer, which was remotely controlled from the deck of the icebreaker Coast Guard Cutter Healy, is one of many technologies being examined by the U.S. Coast Guard's research and development program. The Canadian-designed RotoX was made to skim oil off Arctic water littered by broken sea ice - the very problem that environmental groups say should preclude oil development in offshore Alaska. Alaska Dispatch News
 
Why are Arctic Rivers Rising in Winter? Alaska's glacier-fed, braided Tanana River is home to some of the world's highest-quality salmon fisheries, which have provided sustenance for humans for nearly 12,000 years. Like many Arctic rivers, however, the Tanana and its tributaries are transforming because of rising global temperatures. One prominent change in recent decades is a steady rise in Arctic rivers' winter flow, which has long puzzled researchers because there is no commensurate increase in precipitation in the Tanana River watershed. Now, a new study suggests that melting glaciers may drive this increased flow by amplifying headwater runoff, the water that drains the mountain region, which is partly lost to the underlying aquifer. In turn, the aquifer feeds the Tanana River year-round. Increased aquifer recharge due to glacier-fed stream corridors may also degrade permafrost from below, further amplifying the seasonal aquifer storage capacity and therefore lowland winter flows. EOS
 
Reindeer Could Save the Arctic Tundra From Vanishing. Reindeer, a crucial part of life for many people living in the far north, are part of the answer to that, according to a study in the journal Nature Communications. The researchers used plots of tundra that were artificially heated using greenhouses for most of the year. In a window during the summer, reindeer were allowed to graze in some of the plots but were shut out from others with high fences. The study was carried out in north-west Finland, where reindeer are semi-domesticated. On the plots where local reindeer, lemmings and voles were free to graze if they wished, the biodiversity of the plots stayed high. In the warm plots where there was no grazing, biodiversity fell compared with tundra that hadn't been warmed. International Business Times
Future Events
 
Alaska UAS Interest Group 2017 Meeting, September 12-15, 2017 (Fairbanks, Alaska USA). The Alaska UAS Interest Group Meeting is the premier event for unmanned aircraft systems in Alaska, the Arctic, and beyond. Join this event to learn about cutting-edge research and technology, hear about the latest trends in the UAS industry, and enhance your UAS business.


2017 Arctic Energy Summit, September 18-20, 2017 (Helsinki, Finland). The 2017 Summit will address energy in the Arctic as it relates to:
  • Small and off-grid community energy solutions
  • Oil and gas development
  • Renewable energy
  • Regulation and Financing
  • Transportation and transmission
The AES is a multi-disciplinary event expected to draw several hundred industry officials, scientists, academics, policy makers, energy professionals and community leaders together to collaborate and share leading approaches on Arctic energy issues.

Book Talk: Melting the Ice Curtain: The Extraordinary Story of Citizen Diplomacy on the Russia-Alaska Frontier, September 21, 2017 (Washington, DC USA). David Ramseur will present this event at the Kennan Institute. At the height of Cold War tensions, Alaskan and Russian citizen diplomats reached across the Bering Strait to launch 30 years of perilous yet prolific dialog. David Ramseur's book, the first to document this era, is the story of how inspiration, courage, and persistence can bridge a widening gap in international relations, detailing a model of cooperation sorely needed today.

Arctic Ambitions VI: International Business Conference & Trade Show, October 3-4, 2017 (Anchorage, Alaska USA). For the 6th year in a row, World Trade Center Anchorage will host the Arctic Ambitions Conference - an event focused on trade, commerce, and investment in the region. This year, the theme of the conference is New Arctic Realities: The Path Forward. With this theme, the following areas will be highlighted: transportation, technology and innovation, infrastructure development, natural resource exploration and production, international trade opportunities, finance and investment, pan-Arctic commerce, and the new political climate toward Arctic development under the Trump Administration.

108th meeting of the US Arctic Research Commission, October 10, 2017 (Anchorage, Alaska USA). Agenda will be posted 9/6/17

5th Northern Oil and Gas Research Form, October 11-13, 2017 (Anchorage, Alaska USA). The United States is hosting the 5th Northern Oil and Gas Research Forum from October 11-13, 2017, in Anchorage, Alaska. This meeting will feature current research and highlight information needs for management of petroleum activities in the US and Canadian Arctic. Abstracts for poster presentations on research and how research is used in management actions are presently being solicited. Please visit the Forum's website (here) for additional details. Deadline for abstract submission is September 10. There is no registration fee for the Forum. Please use the website link above for information on registration, agenda, lodging and transportation.

2017 Arctic Circle Assembly, October 13-15, 2017 (Reykjavi­k, Iceland). The annual Arctic Circle Assembly is the largest annual international gathering on the Arctic, attended by more than 2000 participants from 50 countries. The Assembly is held every October at the Harpa Conference Center and Concert Hall and is attended by heads of states and governments, ministers, members of parliaments, officials, experts, scientists, entrepreneurs, business leaders, indigenous representatives, environmentalists, students, activists and others from the growing international community of partners and participants interested in the future of the Arctic.

5th Alaska Native Health Research Conference, October 16-18, 2017 (Anchorage, Alaska USA). This conference provides a forum to share current health research occurring in Alaska with Alaska Native people. The theme of the conference is "Strengthening Communities through Research for a Healthier Tomorrow". Health topics to be discussed include aging, suicide, health risks associated with added sugar in the diet, infectious disease, and cancer. The conference aims to engage attendees in a fruitful dialogue on the research currently happening in communities, and how to improve research so that it is respectful of and reflects the needs of the Alaska Native people and their communities. We will also identify the areas where research is not being conducted and discuss ways to address these research gaps. This event is sponsored by The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) Health Research Review Committee.

Maritime & Arctic Security & Safety Conference (MASS17) "Arctic Horizons," October 31- November 1, 2017 (Newfoundland & Labrador Canada). Now in its fifth year, MASS has gained an international reputation as a must-attend event to gain a wide perspective on challenges, opportunities and policies related to the Arctic and North Atlantic maritime environments.  The aim of this Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador supported international conference is to promote stakeholder collaboration, technological innovation, harsh environment research & development, and world-class education efforts that are contributing to both Maritime and Arctic issues.   This two day conference will draw a diverse group of speakers and attendees representing government, military, Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard, industry, academic leaders, Northern Leaders, research and other key stakeholders. We hope you can join us to be a part of this important dialogue

Polar Law Symposium 2017 and Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit, November 13-16, 2017 (Rovaniemi, Finland). The purpose of the Polar Law Symposium is to examine, in detail, the implications of the challenges faced by the Polar Regions for international law and policy and to make recommendations on appropriate actions by states, policy makers and other international actors to respond to these emerging and re-emerging challenges. The Rovaniemi Arctic Spirit Conference is integrated with the Polar Law Symposium, which will be organized by the Northern Institute for Environmental and Minority Law at the Arctic Center of the University of Lapland.

AGU Fall Meeting, December 11-15, 2017 (New Orleans, LA USA). Fall Meeting is the largest and preeminent Earth and space science meeting in the world. The 2017 Fall Meeting will take place in New Orleans, Louisiana, offering attendees the chance to discover a new location that features world renowned cuisine, music, arts and culture, and provides access to vital scientific ecosystems. Fall Meeting will offer a unique mix of more than 20,000 oral and poster presentations, a broad range of keynote lectures, various types of formal and informal networking and career advancement opportunities, scientific field trips around New Orleans, and an exhibit hall packed with hundreds of exhibitors.

ArcticNet invites the global Arctic research community to Arctic Change 2017! This conference will bring together Arctic researchers and students with Inuit, Northerners and government, industry and NGO stakeholders. The world's foremost Arctic scientists will present research findings and discuss impacts of climate change and modernization. With over 1500 participants expected, Arctic Change 2017 will be one of the largest trans-sectoral international Arctic research conferences held in Canada. We welcome students and early career researchers to participate in "Student Day" at the start of the Conference. See an excerpt from last year: ArcticNet ASM2016.
 
ISAR-5 Fifth International Symposium on Arctic Research, January 15-18, 2018 (Tokyo, Japan).The fifth ISAR has been planned at the recommendation of the science steering committee of ISAR-4, which was held in Toyama, Japan in April 2015. The fifth ISAR will be devoted to discussions on environmental changes in the Arctic and their regional and global implications, to seek additional international scientific collaboration in this area by gathering, synthesizing and sharing information related to these changes occurring in the Arctic. Special emphasis will be placed on the fields of the social sciences and humanities, which were not included in the previous ISARs. ISAR-5 will consist of general sessions and special sessions. The general sessions will address the following topics: atmosphere; ocean and sea ice; rivers, lakes, permafrost, and snow cover; ice sheets, glaciers, and ice cores; terrestrial ecosystems; marine ecosystems; geospace; policies and economy; and social and cultural dimensions. Special sessions will be solicited on cross-cutting themes.
 
** New this week ** 2018 Arctic Frontiers: Connecting the Arctic, January 21-26, 2018 (Tromso, Norway). Arctic Frontiers is an international arena on sustainable development in the Arctic. The conference addresses the management of opportunities and challenges to achieve viable economic growth with societal and environmental sustainability. Arctic Frontiers brings academia, government and business together to create a firmer foundation for decision-making and sustainable economic development in the Arctic. Join the Arctic Frontiers conference preparing the new Arctic future. The conference takes place the fourth week of January in the Norwegian city of Tromsø, known as the Gateway to the Arctic. Conference organizers are accepting online abstracts for oral or poster presentation through September 19th.


Alaska Forum on the Environment, February 12-16, 2018 (Anchorage, Alaska)AFE is a statewide gathering of environmental professionals from government agencies, non-profit and for-profit businesses, community leaders, Alaskan youth, conservationists, biologists and community elders. The diversity of attendees sets this conference apart from any other. The 2018 event will be our 20th year providing a strong educational foundation for all Alaskans and a unique opportunity to interact with others on environmental issues and challenges.

The Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans, June 4-8, 2018 (Washington, DC USA). 
The 4th International Symposium will bring together experts from around the world to better understand climate impacts on ocean ecosystems - and how to respond. The event is hosted by a variety of groups including International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), North Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC), and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
 
POLAR 2018, June 15-27, 2018 (Davos, Switzerland).POLAR2018 is a joint event from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). The SCAR meetings, the ASSW and the Open Science Conference will be hosted by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL under the patronage of the Swiss Committee on Polar and High Altitude Research. The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF is organizing POLAR2018.
 
17th International Congress of Circumpolar Health (ICCH17), August 12-15, 2018 (Copenhagen, Denmark). The ICCH congresses are held every third year in different locations in the circumpolar area and represent the largest scientific meetings worldwide on circumpolar health. The ICCH congresses serve as the primary source of information exchange and scholarly communication in issues relating to circumpolar health. More than 750 participants generally register and participate in each Congress, and more than 400 scientific papers or posters are usually presented.

Arctic Biodiversity Congress, October 9-11, 2018 (Rovaniemi, Finland). The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress is hosted by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council, and the Ministry of the Environment, Finland. The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress will build on the success of the first Congress, held in 2014 in Trondheim, Norway, and will bring together scientists, policymakers government officials, Indigenous representatives, Traditional Knowledge holders, industry, non-governmental organizations, and others to promote the conservation and sustainable use of Arctic biodiversity. 

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