WORKSHOP: CONTOURITES & CLIMATE

The enhanced accumulation rates of contourite drifts, in comparison with condensed pelagic deposits, make them attractive for high resolution palaeoceanographic reconstructions to better understand the ocean's role in the global climate system. Therefore, a specific one-day workshop on Contourites and Climate, focusing on the palaeoceanographic significance of contourites is being organized for the 17th June, 2010, within the international congress "Deep-water Circulation: Processes & Products".

Organizing Committee for the workshop:

	Francés, G. (UVI, Spain) Local coordinator.		Knutz, P. (GEUS, Denmark).
	Cacho, I. (UB, Spain).		Voelker, A. (LNEG, Portugal).
	Flores, J.A. (USAL, Spain).		Schönfeld, J. (IFM-GEOMAR, Germany).
	Lebreiro, S. (IGME, Spain).

The following goals and a number of related topics will be covered on this workshop:

• Palaeoceanographic questions addressed through contourite research.
• Ocean circulation during past climate periods.
• Ocean-climate variability.
• Abrupt climatic changes
• Climatic transitions.
• Global warming and its potential impact on bottom-current circulation.
• Numerical modelling of climate.
• Proxies for climatic reconstruction from contourite deposits

Dr. Michael Sarnthein (Univ. Kiel, Germany) will give a special keynote presentation in the framework of this workshop focussed on 14C - based circulation changes of glacial-to-deglacial ocean overturning circulation.

Poster presentations are especially welcome for this workshop, while some selected papers will be chosen for oral presentation.

At the end of the workshop there will be a round-table session to discuss results, ideas and conclusions related to contourites and climate.