IAG Workshop: Satellite Geodesy for Climate Studies

                                                                                                                                             © Foto by: Basem Elsaka | University of Bonn

The IAG Workshop: Satellite Geodesy for Climate Studies has been taken place in September 19-21, 2017, in Bonn, Germany

Info

Download the preliminary program, information and abstract booklet (PDF, 1347 KB)

Download the participation list (PDF, 326 KB)

Download the presentations/posters (PDF, 129 MB)

Workshop Rationale

The growing record of space-gravimetric and -geodetic data (GRACE, GNSS, radar altimetry, InSAR, VLBI, …) provides a new view on Essential Climate Variables such as terrestrial water storage and continental ice-mass changes, steric and barystatic sea level variability, sea ice coverage, tropospheric water vapor variations, and others. These observational data sets have the strong advantage to be homogeneous around the globe, and independent from any other data commonly used to validate climate models.
Geodetic time series start to reveal a complex picture of low-frequency natural climate variability, long-term climate change and other anthropogenic modifications in geodetic data. It is still difficult to evaluate decadal variability from geodetic data alone, but in combination with other observations or reanalyses they provide excellent tools for climate model evaluations.

Keynote Speakers 

• Gottfried Kirchengast (University of Graz)
• Rosa Pacione (e-GEOS, Rome)
• Roland Pail (TU Munich)
• Detlev Stammer (University of Hamburg)
• Stefan Kollet (University of Bonn)
• Sonia Seneviratne (ETH Zurich)

Session Structure

Session A: What is required for validating climate models using geodetic data (methods session)

Convenors: Carmen Böning, Marie-Estelle Demory

We invite presentations that deal with the challenges and pitfalls of evaluating climate models - both (ensemble) free simulations and reanalyses - with geodetic data such as GRACE, radar altimetry, or IWV from GNSS and VLBI. We solicit contributions that, for example, discuss approaches for separating natural (e.g. ENSO, decadal) variability and long-term signal (anthropogenic trend) in modeling and data sets, including ensemble approaches, for probabilistic analysis or for estimating the emergence time of signals and the required length of time series.

Session B: Long and consistent geodetic time series (observation session)

Convenors: Wei Feng, Shin-Chan Han

We solicit contributions that deal with the creation of long and consistent time series of geodetic data (e.g. multi-mission radar altimetry, altimetry calibration, combining GRACE with other missions, multi-GNSS and VLBI). This includes the assimilation of geodetic data into e.g. ocean or hydrological models that, in turn, provide harmonized data syntheses for climate model validation.

Session C: Climate modelling and observable variables (modeling session)

Convenors: J.T. Reager, Albert van Dijk

We invite presentations that discuss the ability of climate models to reproduce geodetic observables at various temporal and spatial scales. Contributions could, e.g. highlight efforts to represent moisture, water vapor or IWV in atmospheric modelling, soil water content, groundwater, or discharge, in land surface model simulations, or dynamic sea surface height or patterns of decadal sea level change in ocean models.

Session D:  Prospects of future missions and constellations (prospects session)

Convenors: Bert Wouters, Henryk Dobslaw

We solicit contributions that assess the potential climate data record from combining today’s and future geodetic and remote sensing missions and constellations (e.g. satellite gravity, altimetry, or GNSS and VLBI).   Presentations could discuss, in particular, how to close the gap between what is needed from the climate modeling perspective and what may be achieved.

Organizing committee

The workshop will be organized by:

IAG SC 2.6: Gravity and Mass Transport in the Earth System

IAG JWG 2.6.1: Geodetic Observations for Climate Model Evaluation

IAG JWG 4.3.8 GNSS Tropospheric Products for Climate

Scientific organizing committee:
Annette Eicker (HCU Hamburg), Jürgen Kusche (Uni Bonn), Rosa Pacione (e-geos/ASI), Carmen Böning (JPL), J. T. Reager (JPL), Detlef Stammer (Uni Hamburg), Wei Feng (CAS), Shin-Chan Han (Uni Newcastle), Marie-Estelle Demory (Uni Reading), Henryk Dobslaw (GFZ Potsdam), Albert van Dijk (ANU), Bert Wouters (IMAU, Utrecht).

Registration Fee

The registration fee will be Euro 150. It will have to be paid cash, on-site (receipts will be available). The registration fee will include dinner at September 19, lunch and coffee breaks.

Workshop Venue

University of Bonn, Institute of Geodesy and Geoinformation, Nußallee 15 and 17, D53115 Bonn, Germany.

Bonn is close to airports Cologne/Bonn and Frankfurt.

Accommodation

Bonn offers a wide range of hotels and other accommodations, see e.g.
Website of Bonn Tourism Information

Due to other conferences, hotels will be in demand at the time of the workshop. We have arranged for a limited number of pre-booked rooms (refer to code SGCS) in the following hotels, of which some are in walking distance to the university: MyPoppelsdorf (64 €/single room), Krug (70 €/ single room), Mercedes (90 € double room for single use), Bonn City (79 € single/ 88 € double for single use), Dorint Venusberg Bonn (140,- € single room), V-Hotel Venusberg (108 € single/ 118 € double room), Hilton Bonn (159 € single room), all rates including breakfast. These bookings apply only until July 25.

Side event

Depending on the number of participants we will organize a side event, e.g. Rhine river boat trip.