J. TUZO WILSON MEDAL - Call for Nominations
The executive of the CGU solicits
nominations for the J. Tuzo Wilson Medal - 1998. The Union makes
this award annually to recognize outstanding contributions to
Canadian geophysics. Factors taken into account in the selection
process include excellence in scientific or technical research,
instrument development, industrial applications and/or teaching.
If you would like to nominate a
candidate please contact the Chair of the CGU Awards Committee at
the address shown on the last page of this newsletter. At a
minimum, the nomination should be supported by letters of
recommendation from colleagues, a brief biographical sketch and a
Curriculum Vitae. Nominations should be submitted by February 28,
1998. Additional details concerning the nomination process can be
obtained from the Chair of the CGU Awards Committee:
L'exécutif de l'UGC vous invite à
suggérer des candidats pour la médaille J. Tuzo Wilson - 1998.
L'Union décerne la médaille chaque année "en
reconnaissance d'une contribution remarquable à la géophysique
canadienne". En choisissant parmi les candidats, on considére
les accomplissements en recherches scientifique ou technologiques,
aux développements d'instruments, aux applications industrielles
et/ou à l'enseignement.
Si vous désirez suggérer un
candidat pour cette médaille, s.v.p. contacter le Président du
Comité des Prix d'Excellence. Les nominations doivent être
supportées de lettres de recommandation de colléques, d'un bref
sommaire biographique et d'un Curriculum Vitae. Les nominations
doivent être soumises avant le 28 février, 1998. Des détails
additionnels concernant le processus de nomination peuvent être
obtenus en communiquant avec le Président du Comité des Prix d'Excellence
de l'UGC.
1978 J. TUZO WILSON
1979 ROY O. LINDSETH
1980 LARRY W. MORLEY
1981 GEORGE D. GARLAND
1982 JACK A JACOBS
1983 D. IAN GOUGH
1984 TED IRVING
1985 HAROLD O. SEIGEL
1986 MIKE ROCHESTER
1987 DAVID STRANGWAY
1988 ERNIE KANESEWICH
1989 LEONARD S. COLLETT
1990 GORDON F. WEST
1991 THOMAS KROGH
1992 R. DON RUSSELL
1993 ALAN E. BECK
1994 MICHAEL J. BERRY
1995 CHARLOTTE KEEN
1996 PETR VANICEK
1997 CHRIS BEAUMONT
The membership database for the Canadian Geophysical Union is maintained by the CGU Secretariat at the University of Western Ontario. In addition to keeping track of our approximately 500 members, the database is used for CGU mailouts, such as the newsletter and abstract book, and is currently being used to establish a list of all CGU members with e-mail addresses. As many members will realize from recent e- mail distributions, we currently have e-mail addresses for 88% of CGU members, but unfortunately many of those addresses are out of date or incorrect. The graphs below show a breakdown of currently active CGU members according to various criteria. Part (a) represents a geographical breakdown of the membership, according to province/territory of residence. Approximately 39% of active CGU members reside in western Canada (i.e., west of Ontario). The province that accounts for the majority of CGU members is Ontario (36%), followed by BC (15%), Alberta (13%) and Quebec (8%). Approximately 8% of active CGU members reside outside of Canada. When joining the CGU, individuals may opt to join as a full member, a student member, or as a member of an affiliated society. Two societies, the Geological Association of Canada and the Canadian Association of Physicists, have special status as founding societies of the CGU and collect dues for affiliated members on our behalf. The CGU tracks member affiliation in its database, thus providing some information about where our members are coming from. This information is incomplete for a number of reasons, such as: 1) full members may belong to affiliated societies; 2) members may belong to two or more affiliated societies; 3) student members may belong to affiliated societies, but this information is not recorded. Despite these shortcomings, it is clear from graph (b) that several societies, especially GAC and AGU, are particularly significant in terms of member affiliations.
D. Eaton, CGU Secretary
The twenty-third annual meeting was held
at the Banff Conference Centre on May 4-8, 1997. A record number
of 252 registered participants attended the various technical
sessions, which included Lithoprobe, Electrical and
Electromagnetic Studies, Gravity and Geodesy, Seismology,
Earthquakes, Mathematical Geophysics, SEDI and Geodynamics,
Hydrology, climate System History nd Dynamics, and the President's
Plenary Session. The Hydrology section of the CGU and the Western
and Eastern Snow Conferences organized a number of technical
sessions covering all areas of hydrology and snow, as well as a
number of workshops.
Other activities included the Icebreaker,
the Annual General Meeting, the Eastern/Western Snow conference
Barbeque, the CGU Annual Awards Banquet (which included a moving
presentation on a recent Mount Logan Expedition, by Mr. Michael
Schmidt of the Pacific Geoscience Centre), and the field trips to
the Columbia Icefield (42 participants) and to the Grassi Lakes
and Kananaskis Valley (10 participants).
PRESIDENT'S
PLENARY SESSION
reported by R.D. Hyndman
The President's Plenary session included three talks for the general audience of all attending the conference. Dr. S.C. Colbeck of the Cold Regions Research Laboratory in New Hampshire presented a broad review of recent research in the geophysics of snow. His topics ranged through snow hydrology, avalanche forcasting, snow friction on skis, and the physical and chemical characteristics of snow. Dr. G. Ranalli of Carleton University followed with a talk on the Rheology of the Lithosphere. He outlined the influence of temperature, pressure and composition on rheology, especially on the brittle-ductile transition. He then emphasized how the variation in crustal and upper mantle rheology control tectonic processes such as mountain building and earthquake faulting. In the final talk, Dr. Larry Mayer of University of New Brunswick described how very detailed analyses of deep sea cores and down hole geophysical logging can give important information on past climate change. Of particular importance is the recognition in the climate records of the Milankovich cycles of solar radiation due to orbital variations.
LITHOPROBE
Chair: D.W.S Eaton
The 1997 Lithoprobe session continued the CGU tradition of providing geophysical perspectives on Lithoprobe studies in Canada and related work elsewhere. The session was very well attended and sparked some thought-provoking discussions. It started off with a presentation by Lingxiu Jiao and Wooil Moon, entitled "Potential Field Anomaly Features and the Sudbury Structure". Lingxiu Jiao, a student at the University of Manitoba, described observed relationships between regional potential-field anomalies (gravity and magnetic) and tectonic features in and around the Sudbury Structure, with particular emphasis on crustal structures delineated by recent Lithoprobe seismic reflection and refraction profiles. Following this, Ron Kurtz of the Geological Survey of Canada, with co-authors D. Boerner, J. Craven and F. Jones, presented an overview of ongoing magnetotelluric studies entitled "Electrical structure of the lithosphere of western Canada". The data collected from 320 sites, covering an area of 600,000 km2, is sufficient to map variations in the electrical structure of the subcontinental mantle. Next, David Eaton (University of Western Ontario) presented a paper entitled "Modelling 3-D elastic scattering in the crystalline crust: Application to the interpretation of crustal reflection profiles". This work utilized the Born approximation to model out-of-plane reflections observed in seismic reflection profiles in the Manicouagan corridor (Quebec) and the Manitouwadge area (Ontario).
Chuch Hurich, with co-authors A. Indares and S. Deemer (all of Memorial University) gave the next paper, entitled "Links between physical properties and metamorphic grade of gabbros: Implications for crustal reflectivity". Based on a comprehensive study of acoustic properties of basement rocks in the Manicouagan area, this study points toward a significant increase with metamorphic grade in the impedance contrast between granitoid rocks and gabbros. The next presentation continued the general theme of physical properties of rocks in the deep crust. It was given by Hans Mueller, together with co-authors S. Rhede and K. Roetzler (all of GFZ Potsdam) on the "Petrophysical relevance of dehydration and partial melting processes under experimental simulated lower crustal conditions". It summarized the state-of-the-art techniques being used in experimental investigations of the dynamics of partial melting of rock samples accompanied by release of volatiles. The final oral presentation was given by Gerald Ross of the Geological Survey of Canada, and was entitled "Lifestyles of the hot and buoyant: Dynamic mantle control on the longevity of the Pacific Ocean". Drawing from global seismic tomography and geoid studies, this paper provided a possible explanation, based on dynamic topography driven by mantle convection patterns, for persistent (> 700 Ma) differences in the tectonic styles of Atlantic and Pacific margins.
The Lithoprobe session was complemented by three poster presentations. The first, especially relevant to the final oral presentation, was a student poster by Julian Lowman (York University) with co-authors G. Jarvis (York University) and C. Gable (Los Alamos National Laboratory), entitled "Mantle convection models of supercontinent construction and destruction". This work incorporated rigidly moving oceanic and continental plates of finite thickness into numerical models of mantle convection, to examine the effects of accretionary versus collisional tectonics and whole- versus layered-mantle convection. G. Ross and D. Eaton presented a poster entitled "Seismic images of continental assembly: Geon 17-19, western Canada" which examined 2000 km of Lithoprobe seismic profiles in Alberta to constrain models of tectonic evolution of the basement crust. Finally, Mike Burianyk and co-authors Y. Bouzidi and E. Kanasewich (University of Alberta) combined seismic velocity models from a wide-angle survey with depth migration imaging applied to a critical seismic reflection profile across a suture in southern Alberta. The poster was entitled "Seismic velocity models and depth migration imaging of the Alberta Basement".
ELECTRICAL AND ELECTROMAGNETIC STUDIES (reported by E.S. Krebes)
The Electrical and Electromagnetic Studies session included three oral and four poster presentations. H.G. Miller and K. Guzzwell showed how a combination of electromagnetic techniques coupled with a good distribution of monitoring wells was used inexpensively to map contaminant plume dispersion with time at a Newfoundland waste site. K. Spitzer presented three different methods for calculating the DC sensitivity for surface and subsurface source/electrode configurations. S. Krylov, N. Bobrov and M.-K. Seguin discussed the use of electromagnetic frequency-domain sounding methods in the delineation of a permafrost zone in Siberia. J.M. Maillol, M.-K. Seguin, O.P. Gupta and N. Sen reported that electrical resistivity tomography, both in the surface-downhole and cross-hole modes, works well in delineating uncharted abandoned waterlogged mine galleries in India, but not dry galleries. K. Spitzer and M. Chouteau employed a 3D finite difference algorithm featuring a preconditioned conjugate gradient equation solver in conjunction with mixed boundary conditions and a singularity removal procedure to forward-model apparent resistivity and chargeability for crosshole techniques. B. Tournerie and M. Chouteau analyzed magnetotelluric data in Abitibi and found, among other things, that their NS and EW resistivity and phase curves confirm previous findings about electrical anisotropy of the lower crust and upper mantle. L. Yu and M. Chouteau used the time domain finite difference method for forward modeling applied to crosswell radio imaging, eliminating the problems associated with the fine grid needed (due to the high conductivity contrasts found in mining applications and the high frequencies used in radio imaging) by using the perfect conductor approximation, and found good agreement with other solutions.
GRAVITY AND GEODESY Reported by J.A.R. Blais
The Gravity and Geodesy Session included three oral and two poster presentations. The free-air gravity information was shown by G. Pari to provide a sensitive discriminant of the gravitational differences that characterize the chemical and thermal models for subcontinental mantle dynamics. Ocean tide loading corrections for gravity and displacement were discussed by S. Pagiatakis with some of the implications for the Canadian West Coast Deformation Array (WCDA). R. Blais discussed multiresolution analysis and wavelet transforms in planar and spherical domain applications of digital signal analysis and geophysical inverse problems. Two posters were presented by X. Li on borehole gravimetry and by H. Lyatsky on gravity and magnetic data analysis related to the Trans-Hudson orogen.
SEISMOLOGY
reported by E.S. Krebes and M. Yedlin
The Seismology session included 7 oral and 2 poster presentations. Four of these were student papers. Z. Hajnal and B. Nemeth analyzed seismic data recorded over the Trans-Hudson Orogen and found a number of unusual features of the lithospheric mantle which may be due to lithospheric convergence of bounding Archean cratons and closure of the intervening ocean basin. M.-K. Seguin and A. Bala integrated deep crustal seismic data from a profile transecting the southern Superior and northern Grenville provinces with data from other geophysical and geological methods to obtain a better understanding of the Precambrian crust. M.-K. Seguin, N. Sen and O.P. Gupta used a high resolution reflection seismic method to detect uncharted abandoned mine galleries in India, finding that the method worked better at waterlogged sites, as opposed to dry sites. H.D. Geiger, J.C. Bancroft and G.F. Margrave explained the method of Equivalent Offset Migration of seismic reflection data and applied it to Lithoprobe data from Alberta. H.D. Geiger was also presented with Chevron Canada's Outstanding Student Paper in Seismology Award for this paper. R.A. Slawinski and E.S. Krebes applied the finite difference method to viscoelastic wave propagation with the stress-strain relation expressed in differential form, and found that (a) the method is viable and (b) the correct stability criterion in the viscoelastic case is not always the same as in the elastic case (a common assumption in the literature). M.A. Slawinski, R.A. Slawinski and R.J. Brown presented an analytical method for inverting seismic traveltime data in layered media to yield Thomsen's weak-anisotropy parameter "gamma", and showed that the method is versatile but sensitive to errors in measured traveltime. R.O. Russell discussed the application of the seismic method to mining. N. Ganguly, Y. Mi, G. Spence, R. Hyndman and R. Chapman analyzed high resolution seismic reflection data and core samples to infer the properties of the marine gas hydrate layer off Vancouver Island. J.A. Hope and A. Cichowicz attempted to determine whether or not chaotic behaviour could be identified in two seismic time series recorded in a gold mine in South Africa, in order to learn more about how to predict mining seismic events, which constitute a safety hazard for mine workers.
EARTHQUAKES
Reported by P.P. Wu
The earthquake session had six oral and two poster presentations. R. Hyndman, D.A. Oleskevich and K. Wang examined hypotheses for the thermal and structural control of the updip and downdip rupture limits of great subduction thrust earthquakes in Cascadia, S.W. Japan, S. Alaska and S. Chile. An update on continuous GPS monitoring of crustal deformation in the Northern Cascadia subduction zone was given by J.A. Henton, H. Dragert and R. Hyndman. Strong Motion Seismograph records on the Fraser River Delta have been used by G. Rogers, J. Cassidy and D. Weichert to study seismic site amplification in the range of natural periods of existing buildings. A.L. Bird and G. Rogers studied earthquake pattern and focal mechanism in the Queen Charlotte Island region from 1982 to 1996 and found that the mixture of primarily strike-slip and thrust faulting are consistent with a small element of convergence across the dominantly strike-slip Queen Charlotte Fault and with the major pressure axis associated with the relative plate motion. H. Lyatsky reviewed geological and geophysical data associated with fault-bounded blocks of continental crust on the continental margin offshore western Canada and proposed that subduction is decaying off Washington States and does not seem to reach Canada. W. Moon, J. Ristau, Y. Yamaguchi and V. Singhroy discussed utilization and application of space-borne Synthetic Aperture Radar technology for earthquake tectonic investigation with specific focus on the Nahanni earthquake area in Northwest Territories. Through a poster, R. Secco and T.L. Hicks presented a stability study of hydrous minerals at high pressure and temperature for understanding the fluid budget and change in phase assemblage which may perturb the thermal structure of the slab by alteration of its thermal properties. K. Wang, J. He, E. Davis and C. Goldfinger also presented a poster on their finite element models used to understand how tectonic forces determine the stress field of the Juan de Fuca plate and proposed that the right-lateral shear motion of the Pacific and North America plates is primarily responsible for the stress pattern there.
MATHEMATICAL
GEOPHYSICS
Reported by E.S. Krebes
The Mathematical Geophysics session included four oral and one poster presentation. Three of these were student papers. C.G. Farquharson and D.W. Oldenburg showed how general non-L2 measures of data misfit and model structure can be used to solve linear and non-linear inverse problems, illustrating their techniques with examples involving magnetic and electromagnetic data. K. Kingdon and B. Buffett presented a mathematical model for describing the formation and accumulation of gas hydrates in porous media and used it to assess competing theories about hydrate production and evolution. J. Ristau and W. Moon applied the modified local statistics method to digitally filter satellite image data, and found that the method successfully suppresses speckle noise while causing a minimal loss in resolution. G.F. Margrave described nonstationary filters and showed how they can be used to model absorption and the propagation of waves through complex media. In a student poster paper, C.R. Pinnegar, L. Mansinha and D. Eaton applied the S-transform to improve the stacking of seismic traces in regions of lateral heterogeneity and non-zero dip.
SEDI
AND GEODYNAMICS
Reported by P.P Wu
The SEDI & Geodynamics Session included ten oral presentations on topics covering different parts of the Earth's interior. B. Buffett proposed that the interaction between the electromagnetic torque exerted on the inner core by fluid core oscillations and the gravitational coupling between the solid inner core and the mantle can explain the observed decade fluctuations in the length of day. Torsional oscillations in the fluid core is further pursued in the second paper where M. Dumberry and B. Buffett modified the existing theory to include boundary layers in the fluid core and showed that this affects the fluctuation in the length of day and has implications on the core velocity field. Next, attention is shifted to the mantle. G. Jarvis, W. Tao, S. Wang and J. Lowman used 2D Benard convection calculations to study the relative importance of hot upwelling sheets, cold sinking sheets and thickening upper and lower thermal boundary layers in producing plate motions at the Earth's surface. W. Tao and G. Jarvis used time-dependent 2D numerical models of ablative weak-slab subduction to show that slab-induced stresses can result in subduction reversal even in the absence of terrane accretion and that this reversal mechanism can account for the formation of horseshoe arcs. Using 2D finite-difference mantle convection models, J. Lowman and G. Jarvis examined aggregation and dispersal of blocks of continental lithosphere and showed, with the help of an animated movie, that the accretionary history of the continental cratons and fragments, which assemble to form a supercontinent, governs the stability of the growing continent. G. Pari & W.R. Peltier discussed how one can explain simultaneously the surface heat flux anomalies which favors rigidly-layered circulation in the mantle and gravity data that favour whole mantle convection. P. Wu used the relaxation of postglacial rebound stress as manifested in observed changes in stress orientations in eastern Canada during the last 9,000 years to constrain mantle viscosity. For the last three papers in the session, attention again shifts to the core. B. Seyed-Mahmoud, K. Aldridge, G. Henderson and W. van Wijngaarden presented their numerical study on elliptical instability in a rotating fluid outer core due to tidal forcing. Z. Peng showed that a mushy inner core boundary has large effects on the eigenperiods of the Slichter modes of oscillation. Finally, H. Yang and R.A. Secco presented their study on melting and electrical resistivity of Fe-17wt%Si at high pressures and discussed their implications for deep earth processes and Si candidacy for outer core light element.
The 1997 CGU-HS meeting focused on a special theme of Snow and Ice and was jointly hosted by the Eastern and Western Snow Conference societies. A total of 46 oral papers and 48 poster papers were presented at the joint CGU-HS/ESC/WSC meeting. Selected papers from the meeting will be published in an upcoming issue of Hydrological Processes
CLIMATE SYSTEM HISTORY AND DYNAMICS
This special session, organized by W.R. Peltier, included 35 oral and 12 poster presentations covering a wide variety of topics. The session was divided into sub-sessions on The Holocene Epoch, The Pre-Holocene and the Younger Dryas, Models, Data and Future Projections, The Last Glacial Maximum, and a Poster Session.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
by Edward S. Krebes
In conclusion, the local organizing
committee, consisting of J.A.R. Blais, P.P.C. Wu and E.S. Krebes
of the University of Calgary, would like to thank all the
contributors and sponsors, Chevron Canada Resources and Shell
Canada, for this very successful annual meeting. The
contributions of Hugh Geiger are especially appreciated for the
student activities and awards, and obtaining company sponsorship.
Ms. M.A. Stroh of Conference Management Services at the
University of Calgary is also thanked for her expert conference
services.
The 1998 Annual Scientific Meeting of the CGU will be held jointly with the IAH, GAC, MAC, and APGGQ.
Check the following Web pages for details:
http://www.gp.uwo.ca/cgu/meetings/annual.html
http://www.ggl.ulaval.ca/Quebec1998.html
CANADIAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION - HYDROLOGY SECTION (CGU-HS)
SUMMARY OF 1997 CGU-HYDROLOGY
SECTION MEETING, BANFF
by Al Pietroniro, secretary CGU-HS
The 1997 CGU-HS meeting focused on a special theme of Snow and Ice and was jointly hosted by the Eastern and Western Snow Conference societies. A total of 46 oral papers and 48 poster papers were presented at the joint CGU-HS/ESC/WSC meeting. Selected papers from the meeting will be published in an upcoming issue of Hydrological Processes.
The fifth annual general meeting of the Hydrology Section was held on Tuesday May 6th. (Minutes are available at the CGU-HS web site: ecsask65.innovplace.saskatoon.sk.ca/cguhs/). A number of membership items were reviewed, including the formation of a new hydrology section committee: the Committee on Erosion and Sedimentation to be chaired by Dr Peter Ashmore. Presentations were made concerning the CNC/IAHS committee draft terms of reference and some by-law changes.
Other items included the selection of the new CGU-HS executive:
The 1997 recipient of the D.M. Gray Student Paper Award in Hydrology was Mr. Newell Hedstrom, Department of Agricultural and Bio-resource Engineering, University of Saskatchewan, for his paper entitled "Accumulation of Intercepted snow in the Boreal Forest: Measurements and Modeling" and co-authored by J. Pomeroy. Four student papers were submitted for the competition. Each consisted of a five page submission as well as the oral or poster presentation. These papers were reviewed by a panel arranged by H. Woo, including K. Young, H. Woo and A. Pietroniro. These papers were judged on originality, applicability to hydrology, analytical and technical merit, and presentation.
CGU-HS 1998 MEETING INFORMATION
SCIENTIFIC PROGRAM
The scientific program of the Hydrology Section WILL emphasize the following themes. In addition there will be the numerous symposia and special sessions organized by the other participants in Quebec 98.
Hydrological advances in Canadian Environments
Focus is placed upon recent achievements and current problems in hydrological sciences that are related to the Canadian environment, including:
Papers of interest to various CGU-HS Committees are also encouraged.
Guest Speaker
As part of the fluvial sediment transport theme, Dr. Peter Wilcock of The Johns Hopkins University will be presenting an invited lecture at the Hydrology Symposium entitled "Living with gravel: physics and applications of fluvial erosion and sedimentation".
IN MEMORIAM
It is with sad hearts that we announce the passing away of Larry Hamlin in a car accident in Fort Nelson BC last month. Larry was a CGU-HS member working as an engineer for Morrow Engineering Consultants in Saskatoon. He had recently completed his MASc. with the National Hydrology Research Institute and the department of Civil Engineering at the University of Waterloo, where he also studied for his Bachelor Degree. The CGU-HS would like to convey our deepest sympathy to the Hamlin family and all of Larry's friends and colleagues. In his honour the CGU-HS is donating $100 to a memorial scholarship fund in his name at the Department of Civil Engineering, University of Waterloo.
APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING IN HYDROLOGY
Sponsored by Environment Canada, Natural Resources Canada, NASA, NOAA, US Department of Agriculture, CGU-HS Committee on Remote Sensing and GIS.
This is the fourth workshop in a series designed to document up-to-date activities in the use of remote sensing in hydrology. The present workshop breaks new ground as a cooperative venture between the United States Department of Agriculture, Hydrology Laboratory and Environment Canada. The workshop will contain four sessions.
Workshop Sessions
Location Inn at Loretto, Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico U.S.A.
Date November 4-7, 1998
Anyone interested in attending please contact Dr. A. Pietroniro at Al.Pietroniro@ec.gc.ca or 306-975-4394.
NEWS ITEMS FROM BRITISH
COLUMBIA
by Roland B. Stull, Chairman, Atmospheric Science Program, UBC.
Each produces forecasts out to 48 hours, starting at 00 UTC every day. They are run on an overlapping set of nested grids, with coarser meshes covering all of Western Canada and much of the upstream northeast Pacific Ocean. The finer mesh can resolve some of the orographically modified/induced precipitation. Examples of their daily forecasts are on the web: http://spirit.geog.ubc.ca/~model/ Verification against radar, rain gauges, and stream gauges is beginning.
The forecast precipitation data are freely available for the purposes of education, demonstration and research. For more details contact Professor Stull, Chairman of the UBC Atmospheric Science Program, at rstull@geog.ubc.ca
Grants from each of the consortium members are for well-defined research areas. Environment Canada support is for improvements in predictability, case studies of storm events, and air pollution modeling. The BC Hydro support is for improvements in precipitation forecasting over their hydroelectric watersheds. Nonetheless, the synergy of all these organizations working together allows for some resources to be pooled, to the mutual benefit of all members. Information about this consortium is available on the web, at: http://spirit.geog.ubc.ca/~model/consortium.html
The consortium was formed as a result of a Western Canada Weather Workshop (WCWW), held at UBC in August 1997. One purpose of the workshop was to discuss forecast needs and current capabilities in mesoscale modeling. Another theme was precipitation events, such as the floods and blizzards in British Columbia during the past year. It is planned to make these WCWWs an annual event.
NORTHERN RESEARCH BASINS 11th INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AND WORKSHOP
Prudhoe Bay to Fairbanks, Alaska, USA, August 18-22, 1997. by Garry Thorne, Atomic Energy of Canada, Whiteshell Research (thorneg@aecl.ca)
An interesting and technically rewarding hydrology symposium which started in Prudhoe Bay on August 18, and concluded in Fairbanks, Alaska on August 22 was hosted by the Water Research Center, University of Alaska. Participation included delegates and attendees from Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden and the United States. The role of the NRB working group is to foster research of river basins in northern latitudes dominated by snow, ice and frozen ground.
Two general themes were chosen for the 11th NRB meeting: 1) An examination of the spatial variability of hydrological processes (mass and energy fluxes) in the circumpolar arctic and 2) Development in northern regions: hydrologic implications and considerations. In addition, a task force presented results of their work on, cold regions hydrologic processes in linked hydrological/atmospheric models. Proceedings of the 11th NRB meeting were available at the symposium and authors are invited to submit their papers to the journal, Nordic Hydrology.
Activities at the symposium included a tour of the Kuparuk Basin oil fields (Prudhoe Bay), visits to wetland research sites in the foothills of the Brooks Range and a wind-up banquet which was preceded by a gold panning session.
ISOTOPE HYDROLOGY
ACTIVITIES IN CANADA
by John Gibson
At the annual general meeting of the CGU-HS in May, the Hydrology Section membership voted to accept the formation of two new isotope hydrology committees, the Committee on Isotopic Tracers and the CNIP (Canadian Network of Isotopes in Precipitation) Subcommittee. The isotopes of interest to the committees are those occurring naturally (i.e. environmental isotopes) which can be employed without harm to the environment. The Committee on Isotopic Tracers, with a membership of 6 Canadian scientists, was established to support and facilitate information exchange between isotope specialists and hydrologists in Canada and internationally, and to address issues of importance to isotope-based hydrology studies including integration within multi-disciplinary research programs. Recognizing and supporting promising applications of isotopic tracers, promoting cooperative research, providing information resources, and articulating research and educational needs to government agencies, universities, and the general hydrology community are its fundamental aims. The committee has been active over the past few months creating a web page, and supporting both the ISOBALANCE Workshop (see below) and the activities of the CNIP Subcommittee. The CNIP Subcommittee, consisting of the members of the Committee on Isotopic Tracers and 6 additional Canadian scientists, is charged with the specific responsibility of overseeing the establishment and 30-year operation of a formal national network for collection of isotopes in precipitation, as a Canadian contribution to GNIP (Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation) sponsored by IAEA, WMO, IGBP-PAGES and IAHS. Such a network is a basic requirement for wider application of isotopes in hydroclimate and environmental research. A proto-network has already been established by the CNIP subcommittee in cooperation with CAPMON (Canadian Air and Precipitation MOnitoring Network), scientists at the Atmospheric Environment Service, and the Environmental Isotope Laboratory at the University of Waterloo. For more information on the isotope committees, please visit our web site at: http://ecsask65/innovplace.saskatoon.sk.ca/cguhs/ or contact Dr. John Gibson, National Hydrology Research Institute, Saskatoon (gibsonj@nhrisv.nhrc.sk.ec.gc.ca)
An International Workshop on Application of Stable Isotopes in Water Balance Studies
National Hydrology Research Institute, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 13-17 July 1997 Co-sponsored by CGU-HS and CGU-HS Committee on Isotopic Tracers, Water Resources Division - Indian Affairs and Northern Development - Yellowknife, Sustainable Forest Management Network of Centres of Excellence, the Mackenzie GEWEX Study, Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. and the Waterloo Centre for Groundwater Research Over 46 scientists from 11 countries and the International Atomic Energy Agency, gathered in Saskatoon to review and discuss the use of the naturally-occurring stable isotopes of water in hydrology and climate studies. The workshop was the first of its kind to be held in Canada and the World. Highlights of the meeting included invited plenary reviews on applications of isotopes in the study of precipitation and atmospheric moisture, atmospheric water balance, runoff generation, glacial and proglacial processes, evaportranspiration, open-water evaporation, large lakes and inland seas, atmospheric General Circulation Models and paleohydrology. Round-table discussions on Canadian environmental issues, including the proposed Canadian Network of Isotopes in Precipitation, and the Mackenzie GEWEX Study, Canada's contribution to GEWEX (the Global Energy and Water Cycle Experiment) benefited immeasurably from the tenets and criticism of international isotope experts, and will undoubtedly help to shape Canada's approach to application of the technique into the 21st century. Results of the workshop will be presented in a state-of-the-science review to be published in 1998 by John Wiley & Sons in the journal series Hydrological Processes. For more information, please contact Dr. John Gibson, National Hydrology Research Institute, Saskatoon (gibsonj@nhrisv.nhrc.sk.ec.gc.ca).
THE CANADIAN GEWEX
RESEARCH PROGRAM (MAGS)
by Wayne Rouse
GEWEX is the acronym for Global Energy and Water Experiment. It is an international resreach program designed to understand and model the global energy and water cycles. Canadian GEWEX is focused on the energy and water cycling in the Mackenzie Basin, hence the acronym MAGS for Mackenzie GEWEX Study. The reasons for selection of the Mackenzie Basin for concentrated research efforts are as follows. Canadian researchers can make special contributions to the global GEWEX program because of their extensive research experience with high latitude energy and water cycling systems. The Mackenzie is the largest north-flowing river system which empties into the Arctic Basin from Canada and one of the largest in the world. The Mackenzie River is a major contributor of fresh water to the Arctic Basin. In common with other high latitude regions, the year to year variability in climate and the water balance in the Basin is large and impacts from climate change are also likely to be large. Monthly temperature deviations from the normal as large as ±12 C are not uncommon in the winter and early spring months. In this relatively low precipitation region, it is the spring snow melt which exerts the largest influence on river flow. Variability in the overall depth of the snow pack and the rapidity of melt results in interannual variations, measured near the mouth of the Mackenzie, as large as 100% in the peak runoff month of June. Mid-summer variability is equally as large, being influenced by both the antecedent snow-melt regime and by summer precipitation amounts. Such variability exerts strong impacts on the salinity of the central Arctic Ocean basin and especially its peripheral seas. MAGS research is designed to understand, quantify and model terrestrial land-atmospheric energy and water cycling in the Mackenzie Basin. The eventual goal is to improve monthly and seasonal prediction of these cycles. The major water vapour inputs to the basin derive from the north Pacific Ocean and exports are downstream to central Canada. Convective processes involve precipitation to and evaporation and sublimation from the surface. Surface water is lost through basin runoff into the Beaufort Sea. The annual net water balance may not be zero, as a substantial water storage can occur in the extensive wetlands, large lakes and in glacier ice. All of the horizontal and vertical water cycling is accompanied by energy cycling. One major mandate of MAGS is to research and model the atmospheric and surface components of the system and to aggregate the components into a basin-wide model system. A second equally important mandate is to increase our understanding of, and ability to model, all high latitude meteorological and hydrological processes. Special features of these systems include condensation and cloud-forming processes in different seasons, precipitation mechanisms and types, redistribution of snow on the ground, sublimation and evaporation processes in cold environments, energy, water and permafrost interactions, the role of very large lakes and of wetlands in modelling of solar and net radiation, temperature and snow and rain amounts in a data-sparse region. Detailed surface process studies are concentrated in sub-basins in the continuous permafrost environment in the vicinity of Inuvik, N.W.T., in a discontinuous permafrost mountainous environment of the southern Yukon, in a wetland discontinuous permafrost region near Fort Simpson, N.W.T. and at a boreal forest site representing the southern part of the Mackenzie Basin. Enhanced river discharge measurements are also being undertaken within specific sub-basins. Tools which will be explored and exploited involve the use of various forms of remote sensing (satellite, aircraft, radar) and the employment of regional meteorological models and land-surface segments of general circulation models. MAGS involves the efforts of government and university research scientists. Research programs of both government and university researchers are fully cooperative and in a number of cases closely integrated. Financing of MAGS is provided by government agencies and by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC). Segments of the research have been ongoing for three years and partial financial backing for this first phase MAGS is secured for a further three years. A major thrust of the program is a concerted measurement program called CAGES (Canadian GEWEX Enhanced Study) in which all components of MAGS will be undertaken simultaneously for a water year. CAGES will commence in early summer, 1998. The enhanced observation plan of MAGS represents an integral part of an international effort striving to improve the representation of land area water and energy cycles within climate and other models. The observational component is being supported by the leading weather prediction centres around the world. This effort is being coordinated through the Working Group on Numerical Experimentation to ensure that there is a maximum international involvement in the development of the assimilation fields, in the analysis of the ensuing information, and in the transferability of information from other regions to MAGS and from MAGS to other regions. There will be a large international community concerned with the analysis of the comprehensive information being obtained within MAGS. This includes four other continental-scale GEWEX experiments focused on the Mississippi Basin, the Amazon Basin, the Baltic Sea and Siberia. MAGS has the personnel and resources to provide the most comprehensive data set possible for a north-flowing major river system to the international scientific community. The eventual outcome of MAGS, the development of fully coupled models to simulate the seasonal water and energy cycles over the basin, will allow for more credible predictions of climate variability. This information is needed as Canada strives to understand how climate change may affect us all, or as specific groups that would be most directly affected by climate in or near the Mackenzie Basin. These latter groups include, for example, aboriginal people, hydroelectric agencies, other natural resource industries, communications and tourism.
The address of the MAGS homepage is: http//www.tor.ec.gc.ca/GEWEX/MAGS which is regularly updated. It contains news of all meetings and other events of significance to MAGS. Also information can be obtained from:
The Secretariat
Canadian GEWEX Program
National Hydrologic Centre
11 Innovation Blvd.
Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5
Phone (306) 975-5809 Fax (306) 975-6516
ANNOUNCEMENT: GEWEX/MAGS WORKSHOP
The Annual Workshop of the Canadian GEWEX program, MAGS (MacKenzie GEWEX Study) will be held at AES Headquarters, Downsview, Ontario, 17-19 November, 1997. Updated information will be provided on the MAGS homepage at: http://www.tor.ec.gc.ca/GEWEX/meetings.html or contact the Secretariat, Geoff.Strong@ec.gc.ca
CGU-HS COMMITTEE ON
RIVER ICE PROCESSES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
by Dr. Spyros Beltaos
The Canadian Committee on River Ice Processes and the Environment joined the Hydrology Section of CGU in 1994, following the discontinuation of its former long-term affiliate, the NRCC Associate Committee on Hydrology. The main objectives of the Committee involve the identification of high-priority topics for research and development, formulation of relevant research programs, and promotion of information dissemination and exchange of ideas among practitioners, researchers, and resource managers. Recent Committee activities and current initiatives are described below.
9th workshop on River Ice
Sixty-nine persons attended the 9th Workshop on River Ice, held at Fredericton, New Brunswick, on September 25 and 26, 1997. This workshop was the latest in a series that began in 1980 and gradually became Canada's foremost forum for the discussion of scientific progress, predictive techniques and practical problem-solving with respect to river ice problems. Held ever second year, these workshops bring together specialists and generalists, researchers, practicing engineers, and water resources managers, consultants and academics, in an informal setting that encourages discussion and exchange of ideas. The Canadian Society for Civil Engineering (CSCE) was a co-sponsoring learned society of the 9th Workshop.
Papers were invited on a broad range of topics related to river ice engineering and science, including environmental and ecological conditions in ice-covered rivers. Twenty-nine papers were presented, of which about a half dozen were directly related to the theme "Hydro-power & Ice-covered Rivers: Design, Operational and Environmental Considerations". Other topics addressed by the submitted papers include river hydraulics, ice processes, design considerations, ice jams, computer modelling, environmental aspects, ecology and biochemistry.
The keynote presentation was made by Dr. Kenneth Hare, Professor Emeritus in Geography, University of Toronto. He spoke on the emerging topic of climate change, with focus on the variations of climate and streamflow in the Saint John River basin. Attendance was mostly from Canada and the United States, however, several Japanese and European colleagues were among the participants. By all accounts, both the Workshop and the associated Short Course (described below) were very successful. Congratulations and thanks to the local organizing committee, chaired by Brian Burrell of N.B. Environment.
The 9th workshop was the first in the series to have pre-published Proceedings. Copies of the Proceedings (cost = $50 each) can be obtained from Dr. Sayed Ismail of N.B. Power, P.O. Box 2000, Fredericton, N.B., E3B 4X1, (email address: eismail@nbpower.com).
Short Course on River Ice Science and Engineering
A two-day short course was also held, immediately preceding the 9th Workshop. Instructors were specialists in river ice from Canada and the United States. Thirty persons from a variety of backgrounds enrolled for the short course, including four from overseas. The course objective was to provide an overview of the information and methods that are used in the field of river ice engineering and science, and covering topics in both hydraulics and ice mechanics.
Most of the course material was presented at an intermediate level and was practical rather than theoretical. In addition to course notes, attendees were given the following recent Committee - sponsored publications: Environmental aspects of river ice (published by National Hydrology Research Institute, Saskatoon, Science Report No. 5, 1993, edited by T.D. Prowse and N.C. Gridley); River ice jams (published by Water Resources Publications, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, 1995, edited by S. Beltaos); Primer on Hydraulics of ice covered rivers (jointly published by the Committee and Environment Canada, 1996, Fredericton, edited by K.S. Davar, S. Beltaos, B. Pratte).
Current and New Initiatives
(a)Numerical modelling of ice jams: The Committee has approved the formation of a task force to examine and compare the capabilities of existing numerical models by applying them to selected field case studies. Facilitator: Rick Carson (rcarson@winnipeg.acres.ca).
(b) Effects of climate on river ice processes: A similar task force is being formed to investigate responses to climatic inputs, and potential impacts of the anticipated warming due to greenhouse effects. Facilitator: S. Beltaos (spyros.beltaos@cciw.ca).
(c) Environmental aspects of river ice: A task force initiated in the late 1980s produced a state-of-the-art report in 1993, covering a wide spectrum of physical, chemical, and biological processed related to river ice. The report has been in great demand and two printings are already exhausted. The task force's findings were also presented at the 1993 River Ice Workshop whose Proceedings included many other papers on the same theme. At the 1997 meeting of the Committee, it was decided to continue this effort by focusing on specific topics of current importance, such as fish habitat and life cycle in ice-covered rivers. Professor Geoff Power has agreed to formulate a plan of action for consideration at the next meeting (U. of Waterloo, fax # 519-746-4989).
(d) Next Workshop: The next (tenth) river ice workshop is to be held at Winnipeg in 1999. Theme and dates will be announced sometime in 1998.
For more information see CGU-HS home page or contact Dr. Spryos Beltaos, Committee Chair (National Water Research Institute, P.O. Box 5050, Burlington, ON, L7R 4A6 Phone: 905-336-4898, fax: 905-336-4420, email: spyros.beltaos@cciw.ca)
PRESIDENT: Larry Mayer
University of New Brunswick
Telephone: (506) 453-3577 Fax: (506) 453-4943
email:
larry@atlantic.cs.unb.ca
VICE-PRESIDENT: Terry
Prowse
National Hydrology Research Institute
Telephone: (306) 975-5737 Fax: (306) 975-5143
email:prowset@nhrisv.nhrc.sk.ec.gc.ca
SECRETARY: Dave Eaton
University of Western Ontario
Telephone: (519) 661-3190 Fax: (519) 661-3198
email:
deaton@julian.uwo.ca
TREASURER: Ron Kurtz
Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa
Telephone: (613) 992-4998 Fax: (613) 992-8836
email:
rkurtz@gsc.nrcan.gc.ca
PAST PRESIDENT: Roy D.
Hyndman
Pacific Geoscience Centre
Telephone: (604) 363-6428 Fax: (604) 363-6565
email:
hyndman@pgc.emr.ca
HYDROLOGY SECTION
PRESIDENT: Philip Marsh
National Hydrology Research Institute
Telephone: (306) 975-5752 Fax: (306) 975-5143
email: marshp@nhrisv.nhrc.sk.ec.gc.ca
AWARDS COMMITTEE CHAIR:
Ted Glenn
Chevron Canada Resources
500 5th Ave., Calgary Alberta T2P 0l7Canada
email:
vwegl@chevron.com
SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS
COORDINATOR: Rod Blais
University of Calgary
Telephone: (403) 220-7379 Fax: (403) 284-1980
email:
blais@acs.ucalgary.ca
NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Gary
Jarvis
York University
Telephone: (416) 736-5245 Fax: (416) 736-5817
email: jarvis@mantle.eats.yorku.ca
EDITOR'S NOTE: ELEMENTS, the newsletter for the Canadian Geophysical Union is published and distributed to all CGU members twice each year. Publication is scheduled for March and September. We welcome submissions from members regarding meeting announcements or summaries, awards, division news, etc. Advertisements for employment opportunities in Geophysics will be included for a nominal charge (contact the editor). Notices of Post-Doctoral Fellowship positions available will be included free of charge.
Submissions should be made
to the editor:
Dr. Gary T. Jarvis, Department of Earth and
Atmospheric Science, York University, North York, Ontario, Canada,
M3J 1P3. Telephone: (416) 736-2100 ext 77710; Fax: (416) 736-5817;
Internet: jarvis@mantle.eats.yorku.ca.
Hydrology specific submissions may be sent to the associate editor - hydrology: Dr. Colin Taylor, Department of Geography, Trent University, Peterborough, ON Canada Telephone: (705) 748-1349; Internet: ctaylor@trentu.ca
Electronic submission in ASCII format is encouraged.