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Monday, December 15, 2008 Media Advisory:Researchers to Discuss Antarctica's Deep Past Scripps marine geophysicist Steve Cande joins science panel to discuss possible future scenarios for Antarctica's vast ice sheets Scripps Institution of Oceanography / University of California, San Diego PRESS CONFERENCE - AGU Fall MeetingWhat: Media are invited to attend a press conference titled "Antarctica: Back to the Future" during the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall meeting. When: Monday, Dec. 15, 10:00 a.m. Where: AGU Press Conference Room, Moscone West, Room 3015 Who: Steve Cande, professor of marine geophysics, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego and colleagues from Northern Illinois University and Ohio State University Background: During the AGU press conference, Cande will provide an analysis of ongoing research into the global tectonic plate circuit and seafloor spreading that occurred 50 million years ago during the Cenozoic era. Cande and colleagues will discuss new research from several International Polar Year (IPY) expeditions in the region, which can offer possible future scenarios for Antarctica's ice sheets. The ancient movements that shaped the present-day configuration of the east and west Antarctic plates, creating the West Antarctica ice sheet, is an ongoing geological puzzle to scientists. These ancient movements can potentially offer new insights into plate tectonics, volcanism and convection in the earth's mantle as well as provide new information for models of global climate change and sea-level rise. RELATED TO: V11F-03 INVITED · MON., DEC. 15, 8:00 A.M. MOSCONE WEST 3009 · "CENOZOIC MOTION BETWEEN EAST AND WEST ANTARCTICA AND THE GLOBAL PLATE CIRCUIT" # # # Note to Editors/Producers: AGU offers call-in opportunities by reporters to the press conference. The instructions on how to call in are available online at: Remote Press Conference Access # # # Note to broadcast and cable producers: University of California, San Diego provides an on-campus satellite uplink facility for live or pre-recorded television interviews. Please phone or e-mail the media contact listed above to arrange an interview. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at University of California, San Diego, is one of the oldest, largest and most important centers for global science research and education in the world. The National Research Council has ranked Scripps first in faculty quality among oceanography programs nationwide Now in its second century of discovery, the scientific scope of the institution has grown to include biological, physical, chemical, geological, geophysical and atmospheric studies of the earth as a system. Hundreds of research programs covering a wide range of scientific areas are under way today in 65 countries. The institution has a staff of about 1,300, and annual expenditures of approximately $155 million from federal, state and private sources. Scripps operates one of the largest U.S. academic fleets with four oceanographic research ships and one research platform for worldwide exploration. |
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