First U.S. Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) Annual Meeting

Abstract Deadline has passed.

Organized by the U.S. AMOC Science Team

Loews Hotel
Annapolis, MD USA
4-6 May 2009

REGISTER NOW

AGENDA

In 2007, the U.S. Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology identified as a near-term priority in the Ocean Research Priorities Plan the “improved understanding of the mechanisms behind fluctuations of the Meridional Overturning Circulation(MOC), which will lead to new capabilities for monitoring and making predictions of the MOC changes.” In response to this priority, U.S. scientists drafted a five-year implementation strategy for a new inter-agency program that, together with activities from the U.S. Climate Change Science Program and international partnerships, will develop components of an Atlantic MOC (AMOC) monitoring system and AMOC prediction capability.

The overarching questions intended to provide a focus for integrating program activities include:

1. What is the current state of the AMOC? 
2. How has the AMOC varied in the past on interannual to centennial time scales?
3. What governs AMOC changes?
4. Is the AMOC predictable on 10-100 year timescales?
5. What are the impacts of AMOC variability?

Presentations on any of these topics are welcome, however particular focus on the initial
near-term objectives outlined in the implementation strategy is encouraged: 

1. Evaluation of the current state and variability of the AMOC through both models and observations
2. Evaluation of the coherence and connectivity of AMOC circulation and transports
3. Characterization of AMOC influence on climate and related impacts of AMOC variability
4. Identification of AMOC observing system requirements

One of the primary outcomes of this workshop will be to provide input to recommendations for an AMOC observing system design to be presented at the OceanObs’09 Conference scheduled for September 2009 in Venice. Toward this end, the meeting will be organized with limited oral presentations in order to provide ample time for poster sessions and working groups interspersed throughout the meeting.  Working groups will focus on the following questions:

• What is the optimal observing system design for the AMOC? How could the system components be prioritized and phased to accommodate funding constraints?
• Is there an identifiable and measureable AMOC fingerprint that can be used to constrain the requirements for an AMOC observing system?
• What aspects or regions of the circulation are likely to require more intensive measurements or special considerations?
• How should critical societal impacts of AMOC guide observing system design and phasing?

Scientists working on AMOC and closely related topics, interested federal and state officials, as well as representatives of non-profits and NGOs are encouraged to attend.

Logistical Details

We anticipate that the meeting will commence at 9:00am Monday 4 May and conclude before 4:00pm on Wednesday 6 May 2009. A detailed agenda will be provided at a later date. 

To register and/or submit an abstract for this meeting please go to www.regonline.com/AMOC2009 .
* The abstract deadline is midnight 20 March 2009. 
* Registration deadline is 3 April 2009.
Space is limited, so you are encouraged to submit and register as soon as possible:

Limited Travel Funds are available to graduate and post-doc students. To apply for funding, please contact Cathy Stephens (202-419-3482) in the US CLIVAR Office or Jill Reisdorf (303-497-8636) at JOSS. Please let us know the level of funding you are requesting by April 1.

Accomodations: A block of rooms has been reserved at the Loews Hotel in Annapolis, Maryland. To reserve a room, you may telephone the hotel at 1-800-526-2593 (toll-free from US only) or email their reservations desk at annapolisreservations@loewshotels.com. Specify our reservation code AMO504 to get our special meeting rate. If you need assistance, please contact Jill Reisdorf at reisdorf@ucar.edu. To receive the government rate, you MUST register on or before 3 April 2009.

Transportation: The nearest airport is Baltimore-Washington International. Directions are available under “Hotel Info” at http://www.loewshotels.com/en/Hotels/Annapolis-Hotel/Overview.aspx.

For further information about the scientific program, Lisa Valvo, (lmv4@duke.edu). For logistical details, please contact Cathy Stephens (cstephens@usclivar.org) or Jill Reisdorf at reisdorf@ucar.edu.