SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT

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HOSTED BY

University of Iceland

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SPONSORS

Geological Survey of Canada
International Glaciological Society
Lunar and Planetary Institute
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Reykjavik - European City of Culture in the Year 2000
University of Iceland

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The response to the announcement of the Second Mars Polar Conference has been outstanding, with indications of interest received from researchers in 12 countries in fields as diverse as glaciology, climatology, planetary geology, planetary atmospheres, geophysics, spacecraft design and instrumentation, remote sensing, exobiology, and life in extreme environments. This strong interdisciplinary interest is underscored by the fact that more than half the respondents are members of the terrestrial polar science community.

The enthusiastic response to the conference is particularly gratifying in the wake of the recent loss of the Mars Polar Lander (MPL) and Deep Space-2 Microprobe (DS-2) missions. The wealth of new data that the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft continues to return about the nature and seasonal evolution of the poles has further highlighted the importance of addressing the science questions that originally motivated the MPL and DS-2 missions. For this reason, the conference program will place a special emphasis on discussion of potential techniques that might be employed to improve spacecraft survivability and the remote characterization of potential landing sites in preparation for future missions to the martian poles.

PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The Second International Conference on Mars Polar Science and Exploration is the latest in a continuing series of meetings that are intended to promote the exchange of knowledge and ideas between planetary and terrestrial scientists interested in Mars polar research. The purpose of the conference is to assess the current state of Mars polar research; discuss what might be learned from upcoming missions; and identify potential science objectives, spacecraft platform options, and instrument suites for potential Surveyor-, Discovery-, or Micro-class missions to the polar regions within the next decade. This meeting is intended to advance such missions and serve as an important resource for those scientists wishing to develop instruments, propose spacecraft, or participate as a member of a science team in response to any future Announcement of Opportunity.

The decision to hold the conference in Iceland was strongly influenced by the country's large number of glacial, hydrologic, and volcanic analogs to potential past or present conditions in the polar regions on Mars. These include the occurrence of shield volcanos, subglacial volcanism, table mountains, subglacial lakes and j�kulhlaups, and landscapes carved by wind erosion. A special session at the meeting will address these phenomena and several field trips have been arranged to visit various sites of scientific interest (described in further detail later in this announcement).

A variety of international conferences are held in Reykjavik each year. The city and its surroundings offer many attractions, including museums, theaters, galleries, and numerous opportunities for sight-seeing and outdoor activities. Reykjav�k has also been selected as one of the cultural capitals of Europe during the year 2000 and will host a major series of cultural events and festivities that are described in greater detail at the program's Web site (www.reykjavik2000.is).

The principal goal of Mars polar exploration is to determine whether there is an interpretable record of climatic and geologic history preserved within the polar deposits. The answer to this question will require a variety of surface and subsurface observations that will necessitate the development of a broad range of innovative exploration tools and strategies. Any scientist with relevant theoretical, experimental, or polar field experience is strongly encouraged to participate in the conference and submit an abstract.

The following are just a few of the questions that will be addressed during this five-day meeting.

• How did the martian polar ice caps and layered deposits originate? How old are they? And what is the chronology of events recorded in their strata?
• How do the compositional, physical, thermal, and radiative properties of the deposits vary, both geographically and with depth?
• What does their stratigraphy tell us about the annual cycles of CO₂, H₂O, and dust? How have these cycles changed with time?
• Is there evidence of past or present glacial flow? How did the spiral pattern of scarps and troughs develop and how do they evolve with time?
• Is the base of either cap at the melting point?
• Do basal lakes or other liquid water environments exist that are suitable for the survival and growth of indigenous life?
• How can the experience gained from investigations of the Earth's polar ice sheets (e.g., radio echo sounding, core drilling, ice margin studies, planned Lake Vostok sampling) benefit Mars polar exploration?
• What do the similarities and differences between the polar geology of the Earth and Mars tell us about the nature and evolution of the martian polar environment?

Papers originating from the First International Conference are scheduled to appear in March, in the Mars Polar Science special issue of the planetary science journal Icarus. As an aid to those researchers who want an up-to-date review of the state of Mars polar science and exploration, preprints of the two lead papers from that special issue are available as PDF files.

CONFERENCE FORMAT
The conference program will consist of a mix of invited and contributed talks, panel discussions, and poster presentations, and will be supplemented by several special sessions, field trips, and social events that will be held throughout the meeting. To promote the exchange of new ideas and rigorously assess our current understanding of the martian polar regions, approximately 40% of the program has been set aside for questions and answers and moderated discussion.

CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
Contributed abstracts are encouraged from all participants. Abstracts may address any relevant aspect of terrestrial of martian polar research, including, but not limited to:

• Polar geology, glaciology, and hydrology (including studies of potential Icelandic and other terrestrial analogs)
• Compositional, thermophysical, and spectral properties
• Climate and meteorology
• Exobiology and life in extreme environments
• Geophysical and remote sensing investigations
• Instrument design and exploration strategies

Abstracts may be submitted for oral presentation, as posters, or for print only. Contingent upon their review by the program committee, accepted abstracts will be published as part of an LPI report that will be distributed to conference participants at the meeting. Note that, because of the time constraint and the anticipated number of conference participants, it may not be possible to schedule all abstracts submitted for oral presentation. In that event, the program committee may request that an abstract be presented as a poster.

The conference abstracts and preliminary program will also be available in electronic format and will be posted on this Web site on or around May 12, 2000. Files will be in PDF format, viewable with version 3.0 (or higher) of Adobe's Acrobat Reader, available free of charge from the Adobe home page.

Read and follow the instructions below for preparation and submission of your abstract. If you have any questions regarding abstract preparation or submission, please contact the LPI at 281-486-2161, -2188, or -2164 (or send an e-mail message to publish@lpi.usra.edu).

Preparation of Abstracts
Abstracts should not exceed two pages (including figures, tables, and references), and should be submitted electronically to the Lunar and Planetary Institute by April 3, 2000, 5:00 p.m. (CDT). Abstracts can be submitted in any of the following formats: PDF; PostScript; Microsoft Word for PC or Mac; Rich Text Format (RTF); WordPerfect 7 or 8 for PC. Templates and detailed instructions for formatting and submitting your abstract are provided.

FIELD TRIPS
Three guided field trips to areas of scientific interest will be organized in connection with the conference. Please note that no scientific sessions will be held on Wednesday, August 23. Note also that Iceland Travel offers a variety of other guided trips. The tour descriptions given below may be subject to minor changes. All fees listed are in USD.

1. One-day midconference trip on Wednesday, August 23. This tour starts with a visit to the historical site Thingvellir, where the Icelandic parliament, Althingi, was founded in the year 930. In this region, which is near the main boundary between the North American and Eurasian continental plates running through Iceland, clear evidence of volcanic activity and tectonic plate drift can be seen. From Thingvellir the route goes along a mountain track north of the shield volcano Skjaldbreidur, with a view to the Langjokull ice cap, passing between several tablemountains and moberg-ridges formed by subglacial eruptions. The tour includes visits to the majestic waterfall Gullfoss, located in a canyon that was probably carved during a catastrophic flood toward the end of the ice age, and to the site of the famous hot spring Geysir. Duration: ~10 hours. Cost: $75 (includes transportation, tour guide, and lunch).

2. One-day postconference trip on Saturday, August 26. Daytrip by plane to the Westman Islands (Vestmannaeyjar), off the south coast, a 35-minute flight from Reykjavik airport. In 1973 a sudden volcanic eruption forced the evacuation of the island's 5000 inhabitants in one drama-filled night. When the eruption finally ended the town was buried under ash and lava. Today it is once again a thriving fishing community. We'll explore the island, rich in birdlife and wonderful sights, see how the town was excavated and rebuilt, and witness some remains of the eruption. If weather conditions allow, the plane will make a detour and circle over the volcanic island Surtsey, formed in a submarine eruption 1963-1966. Duration: ~10 hours. Cost: $160 (includes flight, bus transportation on the island, tour guide, and lunch).

3. Three-day postconference tour in the South of Iceland, August 26-28. This tour is focused on sites of catastrophic flooding, volcanism, and glacial landforms.

Day 1: Visit to the Thorsmork valley, which is surrounded by active and extinct volcanos. Sites of interest include the Gigjokull glacier and lagoon, the Stakkholtsgja canyon, and the Skogasandur outwash plain. Overnight stay at Skogar.

Day 2: The route passes over outwash plains formed during catastrophic flooding from the active subglacial volcano Katla. After detours to recently formed pseudocraters and/or to the huge volcanic fissure Eldgja, the site of the jokulhlaup following the 1996 subglacial eruption in the Vatnajokull ice cap will be examined. Overnight stay at Freysnes.

Day 3: Visit to Skaftafell National Park, located beneath Oraefajokull, Iceland's largest volcano. After passing the well-known Jokulsa-lagoon with numerous calved icebergs, the tour ends in the town Hofn, where a glacier exhibition will be visited before flying back to Reykjavik in the evening.

Cost: $515 [includes bus transportation to Hofn, flight back to Reykjavik, accommodations (two nights in double rooms) three meals per day, and tour guide].

Note that a specialized field trip to sites of subglacial volcanism will be arranged in the week before the conference, in connection with the "Workshop on Volcano/Ice Interactions on Earth and Mars," which will be held in Reykjavik during the week of August 13-18. For further information on this please contact Magnus T. Gudmundsson at the University of Iceland ([email protected]).

TRAVEL TO ICELAND
Icelandair connects Reykjavik to the following cities in the U.S. and Canada: New York, Boston, Baltimore, Minneapolis, Orlando, and Halifax. Please note that no other airline offers flights from North America to Iceland. Connections are available with Icelandair and other airlines (during summer) from most major European cities. Conference participants are strongly advised to book early and take advantage of Apex fares. See the Web site www.icelandair.com for further information or contact your local travel agency. Since flights from North America leave in the evening and arrive in Iceland in the early morning hours, participants from the U.S. and Canada are advised to arrive one day before the start of the meeting, to adjust to the time difference (Iceland is on GMT all year round). Please note that you are not able to check in at your hotel until 2:00 p.m. the first booking day.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
Sunday, August 20
Arrival of participants --- Evening social event

Monday, August 21
Opening
Scientific sessions

Tuesday, August 22
Scientific sessions
City sightseeing for accompanying persons

Wednesday, August 23
Field trip to Thingvellir, the volcanic region south of Langjokull, Gullfoss waterfall, and the Geysir geothermal area (09:00 - 19:00)

Thursday, August 24
Scientific sessions
Conference dinner

Friday, August 25
Scientific sessions

Saturday, August 26
One-day field trip to the Westman Islands
Start of three-day tour in the South of Iceland

GENERAL INFORMATION

Venue and Dates
The Conference and Cultural Center of the University Cinema "Haskolabio," August 21-22 and 24-25, 2000. Haskolabio is on the University campus, adjacent to Hotel Saga and close to the City Center. Additional information regarding the local area is available at www.raunvis.hi.is/mars2000.html.

Language
The official language of the Conference is English. No simultaneous translation will be provided.

Slides or Overhead Presentations
Only 5 � 5-cm slide format can be used. Slides should be handed in at the slide center no later than 30 minutes before the beginning of each session. Facilities for preview of slides will be located at the slide center. Two overhead projectors will be available.

Posters
The poster boards are 90 cm wide � 120 cm high. Fittings will be provided.

Registration
A fee of $300 will be assessed each participant to cover conference services. The fee includes conference admission, printed materials, coffee breaks, and the evening social event on August 20. Your registration form and your payment must be received by May 21, 2000, to avoid a $75 late fee.

A fee of $90 is assessed each accompanying guest, and includes the social event on August 20 and city sightseeing.

The registration form should be used for conference registration, the social program, field trips, and hotel reservations. Registration for events included in the registration fee must also be marked on the form. You can also reserve various excursions in advance. All fees given are in USD.

Please complete the registration form and send it together with your payment to:

Iceland Travel/Conference Department
Lagmuli 4, IS-108 Reykjavik, Iceland
Fax: 354 585 4490
E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

Accommodation and Confirmation
The conference organizer, Iceland Travel/Conference Department (IT), arranges for hotel accommodation for participants. Reservations should be made on the registration form, and are booked on a first-come, first-served basis. IT reserves the right to book another hotel if the desired accommodation is fully booked.

All reservation requests should be sent to IT. If you contact the hotels directly they might inform you that they are fully booked, since the rooms are reserved for the conference. Special conference rates are available only through IT.

Accommodation can only be confirmed if the hotel deposit accompanies the registration form. Please note that the accommodation is to be paid in full to Iceland Travel/Conference Department.

Payment
Payment of registration fees and hotel deposit should be made in advance by:

Check:  Checks should be sent together with the registration form by mail. The check should be purchased at your bank and made out in USD to: Iceland Travel, c/o "Mars 2000". We regret that we are unable to accept personal, company, or Euro checks.

Credit Card:  Visa or Euro/Master Credit Cards accepted. Please indicate card number, expiration date, and amount on the registration form.

Bank Transfer:  Payment can also be made by bank transfer into our bank account. Please use the following account information when conducting the transaction:

Bank:  The Agricultural Bank of Iceland (Bunadarbanki Islands)
Bank number: 0318
Account number: 26-006702
ID number: 590670-0149

After having received the payment, IT/CD will send you a confirmation of your reservation, payment, and balance. We would appreciate it if you could settle your balance in advance. If that is not possible, the balance may be paid upon registration at the conference. Reservations by telephone cannot be accepted. You are, however, welcome to make your reservation by telefax.

Cancellation and Refunds
Preregistered participants who are unable to attend the conference will have their fees and hotel deposit refunded less an administrative fee of $40.00, provided that written notice of nonattendance is received at least one month prior to the conference (no later than July 21). After that date no refund may be expected. All refunds will be processed after the conference.

Substitutions
If you have preregistered and you find that you are unable to attend, you may transfer your registration to send a colleague in your place. An administrative fee of $28.00 will be charged.

CONTACT INFORMATION
For further information regarding the format and scientific objectives of the meeting, please contact Stephen Clifford (phone:  281-486-2146; clifford@lpi.usra.edu) or Thorsteinn Thorsteinsson ([email protected]).

Questions concerning the meeting logistics should be addressed to Asa Hreggvidsdottir, Mars Polar Conference, Iceland Conferences, Lagmula 4, IS-108 Reykjavik, Iceland (phone:  +354-585-4400; fax:  +354-585-4490; e-mail:  [email protected]; Web site:  www.icelandtravel.is).

SCHEDULE

March 27, 2000	HARD-COPY abstract submission deadline
April 3, 2000	ELECTRONIC abstract submission deadline
May 21, 2000	Preregistration deadline
May 26, 2000	Final announcement mailed
August 21-25, 2000	Second Mars Polar Conference
August 26, 2000	Postconference field trips

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