THE ARCTIC CIRCLE

469th Meeting

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
1. Minutes of the 2009 Annual General Meeting.
2. Report of the Treasurer.
3. Report on the Annual Dinner 2009.
3. Report of the Nominating Committee and Election of Officers.
4. Other business.
5. Adjournment.

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Luke Copland:  RECENT ICE SHELF AND MULTIYEAR SEA ICE LOSSES ALONG NORTHERN ELLESMERE ISLAND

This talk will provide an update and review of the dramatic recent ice shelf and sea ice losses that have occurred along northern Ellesmere Island. These ice shelves have lost approximately a third of their total area over the past 5 years. The Ayles Ice Shelf was completely lost in summer 2005, a third of the Petersen Ice Shelf was lost between 2005 and 2007, and in summer 2008 the entire Markham Ice Shelf calved away and major fracturing occurred elsewhere. There are now only four Ellesmere Island ice shelves left, which are likely to disappear within the next few decades under present and predicted climate conditions. These losses have imperilled unique ice-dependent microbial ecosystems both on and adjacent to these ice masses.

British-born, Luke Copland obtained his undergraduate degree at Cambridge University, then went on to graduate studies in the US and Canada, where he was awarded a PhD by the University of Alberta. He has conducted fieldwork in most of the glaciated areas of the world, including Antarctica, and has been working in the Arctic since the mid-1990s. He joined the Geography faculty of the University of Ottawa in 2006 and is now the director of the Laboratory for Cryospheric Research.

This meeting will be held in the Control Tower on the top floor of the RCAF Officers Mess, 158 Gloucester Street (just east of Bank Street), Ottawa. Parking is available on the street and in nearby parking lots. There is a charge of 3.00 for evening use of the parking lot in the same block as the Mess. The meeting begins at 2000 hrs and the bar will be available from 1930 hrs. As always, guests are welcome.

Members please note that membership fees for 2010 are now due. You will shortly be receiving a dues notice in the mail.

Next meetings:
Feb 9 Julian Goodyear: Mapping the Arctic continental shelf
Mar 9 Kathleen Fischer on the legacy of the IPY for Canada

HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Thomas Frisch
Secretary
(613 725-2221)
tfrisch@sympatico.ca