Scientists Explore Alaska's Changing Glaciers

Submitted by Vicki Daniels
Phone: (907) 474-5823
01/24/03

Some of Alaska’s glaciers are shrinking, a few are growing and others are surging. Learn why these events are all happening at the same time at a free presentation intended for people of all ages.

UAF Geophysical Institute professors Keith Echelmeyer and Martin Truffer will present a free lecture on the changing glaciers of Alaska at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28 at the Chena River Convention Center in Fairbanks.

The lecture will explain why Alaska’s glaciers are changing, how these changes impact sea level and what the changes reveal about Alaska’s climate.

During the multimedia presentation, Echelmeyer and Truffer also will present some of the spectacular glacial events that occurred as a result of the November 2002 magnitude 7.9 earthquake.

The lecture is the second of six weekly presentations in the 2003 Science for Alaska free public lecture series, coordinated by the UAF Geophysical Institute and sponsored by the Alaska Science and Technology Foundation and the University of Alaska.

All lectures in the series will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesdays at the Chena River Convention Center through the end of February. The lectures have traditionally been held at the Noel Wien Library, however they were moved to the Chena River Convention Center to allow more room for the beyond-capacity crowds that attended last year.

For more information about the lectures, call the Geophysical Institute at (907) 474-7558 or visit the Science for Alaska Free Public Lecture Series Web site.

NOTE TO EDITORS: Supporting glacier photos and corresponding citing instructions are available electronically at ftp://ftp.gi.alaska.edu/pub/media.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Biographical information about Keith Echelmeyer and Martin Truffer and a comprehensive schedule of the statewide series can be found on the Science for Alaska free public lecture series website.

CONTACT:
Martin Truffer, Assistant Professor of Physics, UAF Geophysical Institute: (907) 474-5359

Keith Echelmeyer, Professor of Geophysics, UAF Geophysical Institute: (907) 474-7477

Vicki Daniels, Public Relations Specialist, UAF Geophysical Institute: (907) 474-7558