EGU 2019 session – Abstract submission open!

With the EGU conference 2019 just around the corner (10 January 2019, 13:00 CET) we would like to further publicise our session (CL1.08/BG2.34/GM5.7/SSP2.15) on the instrumental role Tibet has played on changing climate through the Cenozoic. Our session aims to bring together academics from many different disciplines from climate dynamics, vegetation/botany specialists and geologic/tectonic processes experts to better understand this important region. We hope to bring together academics from Asia, Europe and the America’s to showcase the latest exciting work being conducted on this exciting and highly interdisciplinary field of science.

Link to EGU 2019 abstract submission portal sessionTibetan climate, vegetation and tectonics through the Cenozoic

The Tibetan region is the largest and highest geographical area on Earth. Through strong alterations of surface energy fluxes the modern Tibetan Plateau mechanically and thermodynamically alters properties of the atmosphere . This has a significant impact on surface processes (weathering, vegetation) as well as climate both regionally (e.g. monsoons) and globally (e.g. modification of the large-scale atmosphere-ocean circulation). The Tibetan plateau has not always been as it is today with tectonic and climatic processes modifying its height, latitudinal location, aerial extent and structural properties significantly through the Cenozoic. The topographic evolution of the Tibetan plateau is still subject to considerable controversy, with different reconstruction techniques showing significant disagreement as regards the magnitude and extent of topographic change. Accurate reconstructions are fundamental to our understanding of the behaviour of the past climate system, particularly in respect of the major forcings, which alters the climate signal and whether or not any tipping points exist, or have existed, in the system. A range of different proxies have been used to try and inform the tectonic, climate and vegetation history of the region, but each have large-uncertainties that are difficult to constrain and often yield contradictory outcomes. Bringing together and discussing these diverse visions of palaeo-Tibet will hopefully result in a consensus view, or at least limit the number of possible topographic configurations, that can be tested through climate modelling. Climate models are being used to test hypothesis and mechanisms to explain the divergence in the proxies and bringing all interested parties together to discuss and evaluate model/proxy synergy will be of huge benefit for the Earth science community. By bringing together the tectonic, climate and vegetation communities a greater understanding of the evolution of climate change, biodiversity and the Himalaya-Tibetan plateau through the Cenozoic can be constructed. This will enhance our understanding of the various focings that influence their behaviour through the past and add further constrain on future IPCC predictions.

It is a great opportunity to mix with many great scientists in many different fields of expertise from climate modellers, geologists, biogeochemists, botanists, vegetation modellers and policy makers from around the world to showcase your exciting science and to build your scientific networks.

Please contact alex.farnsworth@bristol.ac.uk for any enquiries.

See you there!