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March 13, 2018

Methane Variation Over Terrestrial and Marine Arctic Areas (2010-2016): IASI Satellite Data, March 13, 2018 (Silver Spring, Maryland USA).  There is evidence that methane is being released into the atmosphere at high northern latitudes as the Arctic warms up. Methane concentration in the Arctic lower troposphere was estimated between 2010 and 2016 with the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI), a thermal IR spectrometer orbiting the Earth on a satellite MetOp-A. The area studied encompasses the Barents/ Kara seas and the Wester Siberian Lowland (WSL), one of the most important methane sources in high northern latitudes. This event is a NOAA's National Ocean Service Science Seminar.
Media
 
First Case in Finland: Elk Dies Due to Chronic Wasting Disease. The Finnish Food Safety Agency (Evira) says that analysis of the carcass of a moose or European elk (Alces alces) found in Kuhmo, eastern Finland, shows that it died of chronic wasting disease (CWD). The illness has so far only been found in North America and, since 2016, in neighbouring Norway. The remains of the 15-year-old elk were found in the Kainuu region, close to the Russian border. YLE

arctic shipping Shipping Traffic Swells in Canadian Arctic as Sea Ice Shrinks. As Arctic sea ice melts, the distance travelled by ships in the Canadian Arctic has nearly tripled over the past 25 years. And with shipping traffic down in the Northwest Territories due to the decline in oil and gas exploration, the bulk of this activity is concentrated in Nunavut's waters. Nunatsiaq Online

NWT Government Aims to put Mental Health Counselors in Schools. The Northwest Territories government is proposing to hire child and youth care counsellors in elementary and high schools across the Northwest Territories starting next school year. The initiative, a joint effort between the departments of Health and Social Services and Education, Culture and Employment, is still waiting for approval in this year's budget. It comes with a price tag of $1.5 million for the first year. CBC News
 
Connecticut-named Subs Break Through Arctic Circle Ice. Two Connecticut-named submarines broke through the pack ice Saturday in the Arctic Circle.
The Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine USS Hartford and Seawolf-class fast attack submarine, USS Connecticut both surfaced during the multinational maritime Ice Exercise 2018 in the Arctic Circle, north of Alaska. CT Post
 
Understanding High-Latitude Methane in a Warming Climate. Beneath vast plains of Arctic tundra and swampy taiga forests lies permanently frozen ground, or permafrost. As northern polar regions continue to warm at a rate twice the global average, this permafrost begins to thaw. Unfrozen, waterlogged soils are like witches' cauldrons for methane, a greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide. In these environments, organic material from plants and other sources slowly decays with the help of microorganisms called Archaea, releasing methane (CH4) into the atmosphere [Schuur et al., 2015]. Scientists know that this process is occurring, but the precise amount of Arctic carbon released as CH4 remains uncertain. EOS
 
Nomination Deadline Extended: Advisory Panel Solicitations, New Deadline is 4pm AK, March 30th. The North Pacific Research Board is seeking nominations to fill three seats on its Advisory Panel beginning June 1, 2018. The new deadline for receipt of nomination materials is 4:00 pm AK, Friday, March 30, 2018. The Board is especially interested in nominations for the Arctic region seat. The Advisory Panel represents stakeholders, user groups, and other interested parties from regions within the Board's purview. Appointments are for three-year terms, with a maximum of two consecutive terms. The three seats opening in June 2018 represent three different regions: The Gulf of Alaska, the Bering Sea, and the Arctic. North Pacific Research Board 

Can Nature Clean Up Oil Spills in the Arctic? A new era of trans-Arctic shipping is under way. Last year, the first 300-meter-long commercial LNG oil tanker crossed the Northern sea route between Europe and Asia without the protection of an icebreaker thanks to the retreating and thinner Arctic sea ice caused by climate change. Year-on-year record-breaking high temperatures and unprecedented low levels of sea ice in the modern era may soon make trans-Arctic shipping between Europe, Russia and Asia economically feasible for the first time in our history. Science Nordic
 
Russia Canada Flags Russia and Canada to Explore the Arctic Shelf Together. Russia and Canada are preparing to discuss a potential joint geological project to explore the Arctic shelf, said Yevgeny Kiselyov, Deputy Minister of Natural Resources and the Environment and Head of the Federal Agency for Subsurface Resources Management. He took part in the annual CERBA Eurasia Mining Conference organized by the Canada Eurasia Russia Business Association (CERBA) in Toronto. A meeting of experts to discuss the project details may take place in St. Petersburg in May this year. The Arctic
 
Resolution Pushes for Arctic Port, Coast Guard Base. Arctic infrastructure development is front and center in a new resolution before the House Special Committee on Arctic Policy, Economic Development and Tourism. The committee, which is chaired by House District 40 Rep. John Lincoln (D-Kotzebue), first heard House Joint Resolution 33 on Feb. 27. Anchorage Daily News
Future Events

Preparing for a Northwest Passage; The Role of New England in Navigating the New Arctic, March 25-27, 2018 (Durham, New Hampshire USA). This workshop pairs two of NSF's 10 Big Ideas: "Navigating the New Arctic" and "Growing Convergence Research at NSF."  During this event, participants will assess economic, environmental, and social impacts of Arctic change on New England and establish convergence research initiatives to prepare for, adapt to, and capitalize on these effects.  Shipping routes through an ice-free Northwest Passage in combination with modifications to ocean circulation and regional climate patterns linked to Arctic ice melt will affect trade, fisheries, tourism, coastal ecology, air and water quality, animal migration, and demographics not only in the Arctic but also in lower latitude coastal regions such as New England. With profound changes on the horizon, this is a critical opportunity for New England to prepare for uncertain yet inevitable economic and environmental impacts of Arctic change.  Workshop website: here.

2018 Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference and Forum: Sharing Science and Knowledge, March 28-30, 2018 (Nome, Alaska USA). The annual Western Alaska Interdisciplinary Science Conference (WAISC) aims to bring together local and indigenous knowledge of subsistence-based communities and other scientific research relevant to the Bering Strait region, including environmental and health issues important to rural communities. This is the third time WAISC will be held in Nome. This year's conference focuses on how science and traditional knowledge is effectively communicated within rural communities.

48th International Arctic Workshop 2018, April 5-6, 2018 (Boulder, Colorado USA). Hosted by the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), University of Colorado The 2018 Arctic Workshop welcomes a community that includes all career stages - from student to distinguished world-class expert. The Arctic Workshop is open to all interested in high latitude environments, including those of the past, present, and future. Talks and posters on all aspects of Arctic science, social science, and engineering are invited, including Arctic and Antarctic climate, anthropology, atmospheric chemistry, engineering and infrastructure, environmental geochemistry, paleoenvironment, sociology, archeology, geomorphology, hydrology, glaciology, soils, ecology, oceanography, Quaternary history and more. If you are studying the Arctic, this is the conference for you. 

5th Annual Arctic Encounter Symposium (AES), April 19-20, 2018 (Seattle, WA, USA) - The Arctic Encounter, the largest annual Arctic policy conference in the U.S., will convene policymakers, industry leaders, scientists, Arctic artists and musical performers, and other stakeholders to debate and discuss emerging Arctic challenges and opportunities including policy, innovation, security, and development. The mission of AES is to raise awareness, engage challenges, and develop solutions for the future of the Arctic region and the people who live there. The 5th annual AES will take place in downtown Seattle at the  Bell Harbor International Conference Center on Pier 66.  

2018 North by North Festival, April 23-29, 2018 (Anchorage, Alaska USA). The North by North Festival captures the spirit of Alaska and the Arctic - to address our challenges and opportunities with Northern innovation and resilience, to build on a rich history and to ensure a future full of promise. The Festival is for the North, and organized by Northerners, with goals of sustainability, livability and growth. The Festival brings innovators from across Alaska, the nation and other Arctic regions to collaborate and address local and circumpolar challenges. Through knowledge, governance, business, design, film, music, food, literature and art, we celebrate the North.

Council on Earth Cryology, May 15-16, 2018 (Moscow, Russian Federation).  Scientific council on Earth cryology of Russian Academy of Sciences  together with Department of Geocryology of Faculty of Geology of Lomonosov Moscow State University, Institute of the Earth Cryosphere, the Tyumen Scientific Senter, Melnikov Permafrost Institute (Yakutsk) of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Science holds on May 15 - 16, 2018 an enlarged meeting with participation of the Russian and foreign scientists, engineers and experts:  "Current problems of geocryology." The meeting of Scientific council on Earth Cryology of RAS has the status of the International meeting. The publication of materials in the collection of reports is planned. Submissions ( Submission Form ), offers on cooperation, support of a conference and papers ( Sample of Paper ) to e-mail:  cryoconf18@gmail.com
 
The Effects of Climate Change on the World's Oceans, June 4-8, 2018 (Washington, DC USA).   The 4th International Symposium will bring together experts from around the world to better understand climate impacts on ocean ecosystems - and how to respond. The event is hosted by a variety of groups including International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES), N. Pacific Marine Science Organization (PICES), Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of UNESCO (IOC), and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
  
International Conference on Arctic Margins (ICAM) VIII, June 11-14, 2
The international Conference on Arctic Margins (ICAM) is a forum for earth scientists who study the Arctic. It was founded to help understand the little known Arctic geology and to foster cooperation and collaboration among Arctic researchers. There have been 7 meetings since its  inception in 1991. See here  for more information.
 
POLAR 2018, June 15-27, 2018 (Davos, Switzerland). POLAR2018 is a joint event from the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) and the International Arctic Science Committee (IASC). The SCAR meetings, the ASSW and the Open Science Conference will be hosted by the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL under the patronage of the Swiss Committee on Polar and High Altitude Research. The WSL Institute for Snow and Avalanche Research SLF is organizing POLAR2018.

5th European Conference on Permafrost, June 23-July 1, 2018 (Chamonix-Mont Blanc, France). In the continuation of the International and Regional conferences convened by the International Permafrost Association, the 5th European Conference on Permafrost (EUCOP 2018) will be held in Chamonix-Mont Blanc, France, 23rd June - 1st July 2018. The conference aims at covering all relevant aspects of permafrost research, engineering and outreach on a global and regional level. Conference website: here.

Arctic Observing Summit 2018, June 24-26, 2018 (Davos, Switzerland). The Arctic Observing Summit (AOS) is a high-level biennial summit that provides a platform to address urgent and broadly recognized needs of Arctic observing across all components of the Arctic system. AOS 2018 will be held in Davos, Switzerland ( June 24-26) and will focus on pressing issues in the implementation and support of sustained observations that can be addressed through a business-case lens. To that end, short submissions are requested that address any and all aspects of the overarching theme and sub-themes. Additional information can be found here.
 
17th International Congress of Circumpolar Health (ICCH17), August 12-15, 2018 (Copenhagen, Denmark). The ICCH congresses are held every third year in different locations in the circumpolar area and represent the largest scientific meetings worldwide on circumpolar health. The ICCH congresses serve as the primary source of information exchange and scholarly communication in issues relating to circumpolar health. More than 750 participants generally register and participate in each Congress, and more than 400 scientific papers or posters are usually presented.

UArctic Congress 2018, September 3-7, 2018 (Oulu and Helsinki, Finland).
The UArctic Congress 2018 will bring together key UArctic meetings and a science conference into one single gathering, including business meetings of the Council of UArctic, Rectors' Forum, Student Forum, and Thematic Networks & UArctic Institutes Leadership Team. The Congress is an integral part of the Finland's Arctic Council chairmanship program, and open to the public. The event will highlight the themes and priorities of the Finnish chairmanship, including the goals of the United Nations' 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and the Paris Agreement under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress is hosted by the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council, and the Ministry of the Environment, Finland. The second Arctic Biodiversity Congress will build on the success of the first Congress, held in 2014 in Trondheim, Norway, and will bring together scientists, policymakers government officials, Indigenous representatives, Traditional Knowledge holders, industry, non-governmental organizations, and others to promote the conservation and sustainable use of Arctic biodiversity. 

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