1998 International Year of the Ocean
Activities & Events - Conferences
Conference Information
1998 International Year of the Ocean
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Ocean Circulation and Climate- The Conference of the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE)24-29 May 1998, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
WOCE is now entering its phase of Analysis, Interpretation, Modelling and Synthesis (AIMS) which will continue until 2002. The reconciliation of model results and observations, and ultimately the assimilation of ocean data into models, presents the ocean science community with a novel set of challenges. The results from WOCE are having a profound influence on understanding the physics, chemistry and biology of the worldís oceans and their interaction with the atmosphere. Scientific Organising Committee
The Conference The 1998 WOCE Conference "Ocean Circulation and Climate" marks the end of the observational phase and looks towards the challenges of WOCE AIMS. It will be WOCE's first global meeting since the 1987 Planning Conference in Paris. It will provide an opportunity for scientists who have been involved in the observational and modelling activities to display the progress made towards the programmeís objectives and to highlight the intellectual challenges that remain to derive maximum benefit from the enormous investment already made in WOCE. It is planned to issue the first set of WOCE data CD-ROMs to conference participants. The conference is sponsored through WCRP by the World Meteorological Organisation, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the International Council for Scientific Unions and the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research. It will be organised in association with the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans. Conference Structure Registration will commence on Sunday, 24th May 1998. In order to provide the greatest opportunity for interaction between scientists with varying interests there will be no parallel sessions. Each day will have a particular theme relating to the overall objectives of WOCE:
A series of invited plenary lectures will be given in the mornings. Afternoons will be dedicated to posters. Posters will, as far as possible, be related to the daily themes and will be available for viewing throughout each day. The list of plenary session speakers will be published in the second circular to be issued in August 1997. Poster submissions The call for poster presentations was made in August 1997 with a submission deadline of February 1998. A book of poster abstracts will be produced prior to the meeting. Venue The Conference will be held in the Halifax World Trade and Convention Centre located in the centre of Halifax, the capital of Nova Scotia. It is within easy reach of hotels, shops, restaurants and local transportation and close to historical sites and the waterfront. Halifax and its twin city of Dartmouth (linked by ferry and bridge) lie close to entrance to the Bedford Basin - the world's second largest natural harbour. There is a busy modern commercial port. Halifax (pop. 250,000) is an urban centre for Atlantic Canada. It is the location of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography, the Canadian Navy's Atlantic Fleet, the Canadian Coast Guardís Arctic icebreakers and the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. Halifax universities and colleges, including Dalhousie University, make the city a centre for scientific research. Halifax International Airport, 25km fr om the city centre, provides direct air links to cities in Canada, eastern USA and to Europe. Climate The climate is temperate but maritime and changeable. Local lore recommends that it is safe to plant a garden after the 24th of May. It is unlikely, but not impossible, that Halifax will experience frost or snow during the week of the conference. It is possible that Halifax will greet you with six sunny days with temperatures in the mid 20's. It is most likely that you experience Halifax in sun, in fog and in rain (sometimes during the same afternoon) with temperatures from 7 - 22ºC. Accommodation A block of rooms is being held in three business class hotels linked to the Conference Centre by enclosed pedways. Other accommodation options will range from luxury hotels to university dormitories. Registration Completion of the enclosed form or registration on the
WOCE Conference WWW Page Travel Support Limited funding will be available to support the participation of students presently or planning to be involved in WOCE research and to scientists from countries with emerging economies. An indication of whether you may require support should be made at the time of initial registration. Sponsorship The organisers welcome financial sponsorship of the conference. This could be in the form of sponsorship of specific events such as receptions and coffee breaks or could be used to reduce the planned conference registration fee or to fund travel grants. The Director of the WOCE Project Office would be happy to discuss any offers of sponsorship.
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