Bolin centre Summer School on Arctic Climate

Bolin centre Summer School on Arctic Climate

Location:           Abisko and Tarfala research stations, Northern Sweden

Time:                August 17-27, 2009

The recent years of rapid changes in the Arctic have taken many in the scientific community by surprise. However, also in historical records the region has seen some of the most pronounced climatic variations on Earth. The theories of why the Arctic shows such rapid variations are plentiful, although, as of today none of them alone have been entirely accepted.

The Bert Bolin Centre for Climate Research (BBCC) at Stockholm University arranges a summer school on Arctic Climate in collaboration with the Bjerknes Research School in Climate Studies at the University of Bergen and scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and University of Cambridge. The course is held at the Abisko research station in northern Sweden. 

The two-week course seeks to gain a general understanding of the physical components that form the Arctic climate system. In addition, focus is on the interplay between the components and the candidate feedback mechanisms that are believed to play important roles in the variable Arctic climate. Key topics covered will include:

- Overview of key components; Ocean – Land – Atmosphere – Cryosphere

- Arctic hydrology, snow and ice

- Climate feedback mechanisms with focus on Arctic climate changes

- Arctic climate variations in the records from the past and in future projections

 
Teaching will combine overview and in-depth lectures, student projects and excursions in the sub-Arctic alpine environment. A visit at the Tarfala glacier research station is included in the course. The course aims to bring both the participants and the lecturers from various relevant fields, up to the forefront of current Arctic climate research.

 Qualified participants are promising young scientists at the beginning of their careers, such as PhD students, early post-docs or similar. The number of participants will be limited for practical and pedagogical reasons. Each applicant should submit:

- Statement of interest

- CV of relevant academic background

- Letter of recommendation from a supervisor or other relevant person

 Participants will pay for airfare and train tickets to Abisko, lodging at the research station and food. All other costs will be covered. It is likely that stipends will be available for promising students in special need.

Decisions on admission to the summer school will be announced on March 20, 2009, for submissions made prior to the deadline on March 6. Late submissions will be considered at a later time to the extent that the limitation of the course has not been reached.

Applications (pdf or word) are submitted electronically to:

thorsten.mauritsen@misu.su.se , and a copy to bjorn.gunnarson@natgeo.su.se