Present-day glacial and periglacial processes in arctic and alpine environments provide modern analogues that are crucial to correctly reconstruct processes and climatic changes that took place in mid-latitude regions during the Pleistocene (e.g. retreat of ice sheets and mountain glaciers, melting of low-land permafrost). Current changes in mid-latitude mountain ranges, on the other hand, might be auguries of changes occurring in arctic regions within a context of future climate change (e.g. shrinkage and disappearance of glaciers, speed-up of creeping permafrost features, relictification of rock glaciers).

We invite contributions dealing with present-day and Quaternary glacial and/or periglacial landforms and processes in mid-latitude lowland and high-mountain areas. Case studies highlighting the interaction between these two cryospheric components, those using a multi-disciplinary approach, unusual combinations of approaches or those with a clear geochronological focus that could provide a fresh outlook on palaeoenvironments, are also highly welcome.

Confirmed keynote speakers:

Dr Jostein Bakke, Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research and University of Bergen, Norway

Dr Hanne Christiansen, The University Courses on Svalbard (UNIS), Longyearbyen, Svalbard