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December 16, 2019
 
No Arctic-science events are scheduled today.
Media

arctic shipping Bill Would Give Alaskans an Advisory Role in Arctic Shipping. For ship travel, the Arctic is a new frontier, with an ocean of possibilities and few rules. A bill advancing in the U.S. Senate aims to allow new maritime opportunities while designing a framework that ensures safety. "It's not very often that you are able to really start with a blank sheet, and in this case, even though we're seeing stepped up volume of traffic, it's still a pretty blank sheet up there," said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, the bill's sponsor. "So let's make sure that we're doing this right." KTOO
 
Ice in Motion: Satellites Capture Decades of Change. New time-lapse videos of Earth's glaciers and ice sheets as seen from space -- some spanning nearly 50 years -- are providing scientists with new insights into how the planet's frozen regions are changing. At the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, scientists released new time series of images of Alaska, Greenland, and Antarctica using data from satellites including the NASA-U.S. Geological Survey Landsat missions. One series of images tells illustrates the dramatic changes of Alaska's glaciers and could warn of future retreat of the Hubbard Glacier. Over Greenland, different satellite records show a speed-up of glacial retreat starting in 2000, as well as meltwater ponds spreading to higher elevations in the last decade, which could potentially speed up ice flow. And in Antarctic ice shelves, the view from space could reveal lakes hidden beneath the winter snow. Science Daily

Orca Killer Killer Whale Grandmothers Boost Survival of Calves. New research finds that killer whale grandmothers who were no longer able to reproduce had the biggest beneficial impact on the survival chances of their grand-offspring. This may be because grandmothers without calves of their own are free to focus time and resources on the latest generation, the researchers suggest. Science Daily 
 
Nunavik's Ice Wedges Show How a Warmer Northern Landscape is Changing. The top layer of century-old ice wedges in the ground around Salluit has started to melt over the past decade. A researcher with Université Laval, Samuel Gagnon, studies these formations that characterize much of the landscape across the Canadian Arctic and subarctic. Ice wedges are made purely of ice, as opposed to permafrost, which is frozen dirt. They're caused by the seasonal thaw of snow in areas covered in permafrost. Nunatsiaq Online
Future Events
 
Arctic Frontiers, January 26-30, 2020 (Tromso, Norway). Arctic Frontiers is a global scientific conference on economic, societal, and environmental sustainable growth. This year's theme will be "The Power of Knowledge," with a pan-arctic emphasis, and builds new partnerships across nations, generations and ethnic groups. Arctic Frontiers provides a forum for dialogue and communication between science, government and industry in the Arctic. The plenary program will have five main sessions with the following working titles: State of the Arctic, The power of knowledge, Robust and resilient Arctic communities, Powered by knowledge, Arctic oceans - distant connections, Sustainable business development. An abstract-driven science program will address Arctic Food Security, Local or Global Arctic? Multi-scaled considerations of connections and remoteness in climate-impacted, Disruptive Technologies and Knowledge-based Development in the Arctic.

** New this week ** The Alaska Marine Science Symposium, January 27- 31, 2020 (Anchorage, Alaska USA). The Alaska Marine Science Symposium (AMSS), Alaska's premier marine research conference, has been bringing together scientists, educators, resource managers, students, and interested public for over twenty years to discuss the latest marine research being conducted in Alaskan waters. Over 700 people attend this 4-day long conference held annually during the month of January. Each day of the conference highlights important Alaskan marine ecosystems: Gulf of Alaska (Tuesday), Bering Sea & Aleutian Islands (Wednesday), and the Arctic (Thursday). Research topics discussed range from ocean physics, fishes and invertebrates, seabirds, marine mammals, to local traditional knowledge. Since its inception, NPRB has been a proud sponsor and one of the leading organizers of AMSS.

Workshop on the Dynamics and Mass Budget of Arctic Glaciers & the IASC Network on Arctic Glaciology Annual Meeting, January 28-30, 2020 (Obergurgl, Austria). In addition to sessions on glacier dynamics and mass balance, the workshop will host a cross-cutting activity by the Cryosphere and Marine Working Groups of the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC) on "Glacier-ocean interactions and their impact on Arctic marine ecosystems". This activity aims to provide an inter-disciplinary forum by bringing together glaciologists, marine ecologists and oceanographers interested in glacier-ocean interactions and to stimulate future collaborations.

ISAR-6: Arctic Research: the Decade Past and the Decade Future, March 2-6, 2020 (Tokyo, Japan). Rapid changes are taking place in the Arctic that impact regional human and natural systems, and affect the global environment. The International Symposium on Arctic Research (ISAR) will meet for the sixth time since its first symposium in 2008 to identify changes in the Arctic environment and society, and to discuss possible future sustainable development. The hosts invite all researchers with interests in the Arctic to participate in this multidisciplinary symposium and share their insights, their challenges, and to explore the possible futures of the Arctic.

International One Health, One Future 2020 International Conference, March 11-14, 2020 (Fairbanks, Alaska USA). This year's conference, presented by University of Alaska Fairbanks Center for One Health Research in partnership with the U.S. Department of State, will host internationally recognized keynote speakers across eight themes. There will be something for all stakeholders - community members, health care providers, state and federal agency employees, researchers, educators and students. One Health recognizes the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health, and that a holistic approach to the well-being of all will lead to improved health outcomes and enhanced resilience.

Linking Experts in Polar Science and Technology, March 12, 2020 (Boulder, Colorado USA). The Polar Technology Conference (PTC) brings together polar scientists, technology developers, and field technicians from academia, state and federal agencies, the private sector, and non-governmental organizations. This interdisciplinary space provides an opportunity for technical and theoretical exchange on challenges impeding polar research and field operations. Community input is crucial to ensure that technological infrastructure investments are efficient, satisfy science drivers, and meet field requirements. The conference will address approaches to working and studying in the polar regions, including: terrestrial, marine, atmospheric, and social science disciplines; autonomous instrumentation; observation platforms; and all levels of logistical support.

Arctic Science Summit Week and the 5th Arctic Observing Summit. March 27 to April 2, 2020, (Akureyri, Iceland). 
The Arctic Observing Summit (AOS) is a high-level biennial summit that provides a platform to address urgent and broadly recognized needs of Arctic observing across all components of the Arctic system. The theme of AOS 2020 is Observing for Action. AOS 2020 will be held in Akureyri, Iceland (March 31-April 2) and will focus on pressing issues related to the use, design, optimization and implementation of the observing system. To that end, submissions in the form of white papers, short statements and poster abstracts are requested that address any and all aspects of the overarching theme and sub-themes. Currently seeking submissions to the AOS. See link for additional information.

** New this week ** North x North Festival + Critical Futures, April 13-19, 2020 (Anchorage, Alaska USA). North x North celebrates connection, creativity, imagination and innovation across the Circumpolar North and convenes people worldwide for a discussion about possible futures. It begins with Critical Futures, a creative conference that focuses on language, visuals and ideas for creatively and critically thinking about the future and responding to climate change, and ends with a Fest featuring film, food and music. This event is hosted by the Anchorage Museum.

The 7th Annual Arctic Encounter, April 16-17, 2020 (Seattle, WA USA). The 2019 Arctic Encounter Seattle drew participants and stakeholders from over 20 nations, including over 80 speakers, 27 sponsors, 17 media partners, northern fashion and photography art installations, 13 guest performers, the second annual Far North Fashion Show, live podcast recording sessions, musical and spoken word performances, and over 10 artist exhibitors. The 2020 Arctic Encounter Seattle expects to increase engagement in new sectors and engage participants through policy debates, research presentations, live performances, and more. The Arctic Encounter is the largest annual Arctic policy and business conference convening in the United States, with partnerships and convening efforts worldwide. 

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