Dramatic Changes in Polar Ice: Are We Waking Sleeping Giants?

From disappearing Arctic sea ice to the rapid acceleration of Greenland and Antarctica's outlet glaciers, the Earth's ice cover is changing in remarkable ways.  Because ice plays a critical role in shaping our planet's environment, understanding changes like these is crucial.  Scientists' ability to investigate the dramatic behavior of the Earth's vast and remote frozen regions has been greatly enhanced in recent years by the development of sophisticated satellite observation capabilities.  The space-based view provides both perspective and context that enable new insights into how and why ice is changing and what these changes may mean for life on Earth.

Anyone outside NIST wishing to attend must be sponsored by a NIST employee and receive a visitor badge. For more information, contact Stephanie Shaw at 301-975-2667. Colloquia are videotaped and available in the NIST Research Library.