SVALHOLA - Svalbard Holocene Assembly on Glaciers and Climate

Studying past shifts in high latitude glaciers and climate through the current interglacial (the Holocene, covering the last c. 12000 years) allows us to better understand the role of the Arctic in the global climate system and to more effectively predict antecedent climate scenarios. Due to Svalbard`s high Arctic location between the northern extent of the North Atlantic Drift and the seasonal sea ice, the region is an ideal location to study the Arctic`s sensitivity to global climate change. Because of the region`s strategic location for studies of past and present climate as well as the relatively well-developed infrastructure, numerous national and international research institutes and universities have conducted studies of Holocene glaciers and climate across the region. A workshop that brings together these groups, facilitates discussions, assesses the state of the art as we know it as well as addresses future prospects for studies of Holocene environments and environmental change is timely. The Svalbard Holocene Assembly (SVALHOLA) will initiate collaborative projects between research groups, promote holistic studies that synthesize evidence from sedimentary archives (terrestrial, marine and lacustrine) and will lead to multi-disciplinary initiatives that combine field-data with climate proxy records and modeling studies. Organization, collaboration and a holistic approach are key ingredients for better understanding Svalbard`s Holocene history of glaciers and climate. This project directly relates to the Glaciology Research Flagship program for Ny-Ålesund as well as unites numerous ongoing research projects (Ris-10122, 6663, 5155).