IARC Summer School on the Modeling of Arctic Climate

Location:  International Arctic Research Center
University of Alaska
Fairbanks, Alaska, USA

Dates:  May 26- June 7, 2008

Coordinators:  John Walsh, Vladimir Alexeev and Elena Sparrow

Background:  Arctic climate is the result of a complex interplay between the atmosphere, the ocean, sea ice and a terrestrial component in which freezing and thawing are critical to variations over a range of timescales. In view of the delicate balances between these components and their poorly documented sensitivities, it is not surprising that global climate models show the largest disagreement among themselves, and also the strongest greenhouse-induced changes, in the polar regions.  Since changes in the Arctic may well have global implications, it is essential that Arctic climate simulations be enhanced in order to reduce the uncertainties in projections of climate change. 

Scientific Program:  The two-week summer school will bring together graduate students and young scientists, on the one hand, and specialists in Arctic climate and climate modeling, on the other hand, in order to convey to a new generation of scientists the opportunities and challenges of Arctic climate modeling.  Specifically, young scientists will gain:

1. perspectives on the key issues in Arctic climate from observational, diagnostic and modeling perspectives,
2. exposure to the types of models used in addressing Arctic climate and climate change,
3. hands-on experience in the analysis of climate model output or in climate model experimentation at a level consistent with the students' expertise. 

The summer school will consist of background pedagogical lectures in the mornings, and mini-projects and informal discussions in the afternoons. The mini-projects will be performed in collaboration with faculty members or lecturers, and will utilize existing databases and available models. Students will have access to personal computers and workstations for their mini-projects, on which they will give short presentations at the end of the two-week period. The first week will be spent in Fairbanks, Alaska and the second week in Barrow, Alaska in coordination with the Barrow Arctic Sciences Consortium (BASC).

Key topics to be covered in the lectures include, but are not limitedto:

• Arctic climate: key characteristics and processes
  
• Feedbacks in the Arctic system (e.g., surface albedo, clouds, water vapor, circulation)
  
• Arctic climate variations:  past, ongoing and projected
  
• Energy balance and single-column models applied to the Arctic
  
• Global climate models:  an overview
  
• Modeling of the sea ice and the Arctic Ocean
• Modeling of frozen soil regimes, especially permafrost
• Arctic ecosystems and climate change
  
• Trace gases, aerosols and chemistry:  importance for climate changes

Contact: Tohru Saito
               International Arctic Research Center
               University of Alaska
               930 Koyukuk Drive
               Fairbanks, AK 99775

               Phone:  907-474-1544
               Email:  saito@iarc.uaf.edu