Special Session: P/E Boundary

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Date
SPECIAL SESSION ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE FALL 97 AGU MEETING IN SAN FRANCISCO
(December 8-12, 1997)

OS02: THE DYNAMICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSEQUENCES OF GLOBAL WARMING AT THE
PALEOCENE/EOCENE BOUNDARY

The Paleocene/Eocene boundary interval (~55 Mya) has become the focus of
considerable attention in earth and ocean sciences in recent years owing to
the recognition that it was a time of abrupt global warming.   A large body
of new evidence is emerging that indicates this event was accompanied by
dramatic changes in ocean circulation and chemistry, and in terrestrial
precipitation patterns.  Evidence also suggests that these climatic changes
had a significant impact on both  marine and terrestrial fauna and flora.
The origin of the P/E boundary event remains a mystery although several
viable mechanisms have been proposed including volcanism and catastrophic
disassociation of marine clathrates.  Papers are invited that address the
climatic and oceanographic dynamics of this event (observational or
modeling on global and regional scales),  and the marine and terrestrial
biological response to this event. Papers on mechanisms for initiating
rapid global warming, the dynamics (ocean or atmosphere) of greenhouse
climates, and the paleoclimatology and paleoecology of the late
Paleocene/early Eocene in general are welcome as well.

Convenors:  JAMES ZACHOS, Dept. of Earth Sciences, University of
California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, Phone: 408-459-4644, E-mail:
jzachos@earthsci.ucsc.edu; and PAUL KOCH, Dept. of Earth Sciences,
University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95064, Phone: 408-459-5861,
E-mail: pkoch@earthsci.ucsc.edu


For the official meeting announcement and detailed instructions for
submitting abstracts, visit the AGU WWW site:
http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm97top.html

Meeting information will also be published in EOS.
ABSTRACT DEADLINE:
        August 27, 1997 (Postal/express mail and e-mail submissions)
        September 3, 1997 (Interactive Web Form submissions)

Pre-Registration Deadline:
        Friday, November 7, 1997
Housing Deadline:
        Friday, November 7, 1997

James Zachos
Internet: jzachos@earthsci.ucsc.edu
Office: 408-459-4644
Lab: (x5088, 5061)
Fax: 408-459-3074