First topical IODP Symposium in Bremen

Climate News from the North

The first topical IODP-Symposium was being held at the MARUM_Research Center Ocean Margins from 15th to 16th August. About 130 researchers discussed “North Atlantic and Arctic Climate Variability”. The climatic processes in these regions influence the world climate greatly. The 15 keynote speakers gave an overview of the current state of affairs of this important piece of the climate puzzle. Tied in with the Symposium is a summer school from August 13th through 24th about the climate history of the oceans for advanced PhD-students and post-docs.

„North Atlantic and Arctic are key players in global climate”, explains Prof. Dr. Gerold Wefer, Director of the MARUM and host to the symposium. “Through research drilling the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program aims to unravel the processes in this area. With the won samples we can better understand past and present climate – indispensable basics for predicting climate change”.

The four main topics of the Symposium were: Millennial-Scale Climate Dynamics, Milankovitch Scale Climate Variability, Evolution of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation, Extreme Warm Events. Besides the 15 key note lectures about 70 posters were presented, many of them by junior scientists. The participants came from all over the world and different research areas. Not only scientists working on samples from the IODP program were present, but also scientists with terrestrial, ice and water samples to give an integrated overview.

“When this many renown researchers come together, it is always something very special“, comments Prof. Gerold Wefer, „Hosting the symposium here at MARUM is a great great opportunity especially for our young scientists. To meet the foremost minds of the field, discuss ideas with them and even present their own research and thinking is a tremendous advantage and motivation.”

Tied in with the symposium a summer school for advanced PhD-students and post-docs is taking place from 13th to 24th of August, offered by ECORD, the European Consortium for Ocean Research Drilling. The eleven day course prepares the 25 participants for the requirements they will have to meet when on drill expeditions. The organisers of the summer school are Bremen International Graduate School for Marine Sciences (GLOMAR) and the MARUM.

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The MARUM_Research Center Ocean Margins aims at unravelling the role of the oceans in the Earth’s system by employing state-of-the-art methods. It examines the significance of the oceans within the framework of global change, quantifies interactions between the marine geosphere and biosphere, and provides information for a sustainable use of the ocean.