GLIMS Update: (1) Hazards. (2) Meetings

[Jeff Kargel]

Dear GLIMS colleagues and associates,

Thank you to all who contributed to the recent GLIMS workshop in Cambridge on August 17-18 and to GLIMS presentations at the IGS meeting there this past week.  This GLIMS Update contains two items:
1.  A note regarding GLIMS and glacier hazard warnings (don't link the two).
2.  Advance planning for future GLIMS meetings. 

Thank you for your attention to both issues.

Sincerely,

Jeffrey S. Kargel
Department of Hydrology & Water Resources
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85742
USA
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1. GLIMS MUST NOT ISSUE GLACIER HAZARD WARNINGS 
    For well established reasons, it is crucial that anybody involved in issuance of public warnings about glacier hazards not do so in the name of GLIMS.  We do not discourage your involvement in hazards-related glacier research; quite the contrary.  But it is really important for the security of the GLIMS project that any such warnings be detached from GLIMS.  That is, GLIMS does not issue such warnings.  Also for well established reasons, we strongly encourage information related to hazards be subject to peer review if time permits; in all cases, it is helpful and usually crucial that scientists work closely with local/national scientists and civic leaders; it is best for all concerned to allow the civic leaders to make responsible decisions and public pronouncements if at all possible.  Having said this, of course we accept that it is the individual scientists' duties to bring information related to public safety to the attention of responsible officials, and to the public as needed, so in no way are we discouraging hazards-related glacier research and communications.   It has been decided during a discussion among international participants at the recent Cambridge GLIMS workshop that we must expressly forbid the issuance of glacier warnings in the name of GLIMS.  There are legitimate reasons to produce GLIMS-related publications that pertain to hazards, but these should avoid issuance of warnings that may cause unnecessary public panic, local negative economic impact as an undesired/unneeded consequence, or unnecessary circumvention of the usual routing of important public safety information.  As a related matter, it is important to be careful about issuance of statements indicating that a particular glacier is absolutely safe and free of potential hazard.  Common sense will tend to rule on these matters more than any strict set of criteria.  If you would like to discuss a particular situation in advance of making necessary in-country contacts, you may feel free to discuss privately with members of !
 the GAPH
A
Areas, http://www.geo.unizh.ch/gaphaz/contact.html).

2.  FUTURE GLIMS MEETINGS

There was significant interest expressed at the Cambridge workshop that GLIMS should start organizing for the next meetings.  Three meeting candidates have been discussed, and I think we should pursue all three.  I can lead organization of the AGU mini-gathering, but I seek local in-country logistical coordinators/hosts for the proposed Italy and China meetings. 

-- An informal GLIMS gathering at the Fall AGU meeting.  Lunch, dinner, informal evening session during the AGU week?

-- A GLIMS workshop coordinated with (before or after) the IUGG meeting in Perugia, Italy.  Include optional field trips to glaciers in the Appennines and/or Alps?

-- A GLIMS workshop in China in 2008.  Field trips to glaciers?

I urge all GLIMS colleagues to look at the websites for the first two meetings (given below) and try to develop an abstract for one of the cryosphere sessions in those main meetings.  In the case of AGU, abstract deadline approaches (7 September).  It would be great if you could make reference to GLIMS in your abstract title or text.   It would also be really good if GLIMS could have a presence in several sessions at each of these meetings.  Information follows on the URLs, abstract deadlines, and some appropriate sessions for potential GLIMS contributions.  In addition, any GLIMS colleague may feel free to organize other formal GLIMS symposia and less formal conference gatherings at other venues, although my meeting load will probably restrict my GLIMS meeting organizational duties to the aforementioned meetings.   However, before I get too deep into logistical planning, I solicit your comments and suggestions, including suggestions of alternatives or additions to the meeting plans.  If I have missed any pertinent sessions at the AGU and IUGG meetings, please notify me.  

Fall AGU, 2006, San Francisco, 11-15 December 2006; http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm06/.  Some cryosphere sessions:
-- U14:	International Polar Year 2007-2008: Global Science at High Latitudes
-- C01:	Cryosphere General Contributions
-- C26:	Mountain Climate, Energy Fluxes and Glacier Melting

IUGG, Perugia, Italy.  July 2-13, 2007. http://www.iugg2007perugia.it/ 
-- JGS005 Observations of the Cryosphere from Space (IAG and UCCS Symposium hosted by IAG)
-- JMS016 Cryospheric Change and Sea Level
-- JMS027 Glacier Fluctuations in the Asian High Mountains (UCCS Symposium hosted by IAMAS)
-- JPSCCS004 Arctic Glaciers and Ice Caps Mass Balance/Calving (UCCS Symposium hosted by IAPSO)
-- JVS003 Ice –Volcano Interactions
-- HS3007 Remote Sensing for Environmental Monitoring and Change Detection (Sponsor ICRS)
-- MS002 Global Observing Systems, Past, Present and Future (ICCL)