The International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS) is the eighth association of the
International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics
The International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG; french: Union géodésique et géophysique internationale, UGGI) is an international non-governmental organization dedicated to the scientific study of Earth and its space environment usi ...
(IUGG). It was launched by the IUGG Council on 4 July 2007, developing from the International Commission of Snow and Ice of the
International Association of Hydrological Sciences
The International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) is a non-profit non-governmental scientific organisation committed to serving the science of hydrology and the worldwide community of hydrologists. The IAHS was established in 1922, ...
(IAHS) via the transitional Union Commission for the Cryospheric Sciences (UCCS).
Formation of this new Association is recognition of the importance of the
cryospheric sciences
]
The cryosphere (from the Ancient Greek, Greek ''kryos'', "cold", "frost" or "ice" and ''sphaira'', "globe, ball") is an all-encompassing term for those portions of Earth's surface where water is in solid form, including sea ice, lake ice, ri ...
in the study of
Earth System Science
Earth system science (ESS) is the application of systems science to the Earth. In particular, it considers interactions and 'feedbacks', through material and energy fluxes, between the Earth's sub-systems' cycles, processes and "spheres"—atmos ...
, and particularly at a time of significant global change. IACS has historic connections going back to the establishment of the (International Glacier Commission) in 1894.
The broad objectives of IACS are:
* to promote studies of the cryosphere;
* to encourage research on cryospheric sciences through collaboration;
* to foster discussion and publication of results of cryospheric research;
* to promote education about the cryosphere;
* to facilitate standardisation of cryospheric measurements; and
* to promote the science of Permanent Services under IACS responsibility
(at present IACS has responsibility within the International Council of Science for the World Glacier Monitoring Service (WGMS)).
IACS is structured around a number of disciplinary Divisions. Currently these are:
* Snow and Avalanches;
* Glaciers and Ice Sheets;
* Sea Ice, Lake and River Ice;
* Cryosphere, Atmosphere and Climate;
* Planetary and other Ices of the Solar System.
A number of working groups under these Divisions address scientific problems of the cryosphere that are timely and well constrained. Recent examples include a working group on "Intercomparison of Forest Snow Process Models", and working groups that have developed a new "International Classification for Seasonal Snow on the Ground" and a new "Glossary of Mass Balance and Related Terms".
See also
*
International Glaciological Society
The International Glaciological Society (IGS) was founded in 1936 to provide a focus for individuals interested in glaciology, practical and scientific aspects of snow and ice. It was originally known as the "Association for the Study of Snow an ...
References
External links
IACSIAHSIUGG
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Glaciology
Earth sciences societies
Association of Cryospheric Sciences
Geology societies
Geographic societies
Cryosphere