STATE OF KNOWLEDGE ON THE SOUTHWESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN MARGIN
 
A Workshop to be held in Montevideo , Uruguay , 16-22 November 2008
 
 
SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT
 
Goal: To foster international cooperative research focused on the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean
margin.
 
The Southwestern Atlantic Ocean Margin, along the coasts of Southern Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina , is one
Subtropical Convergence
of the most biologically productive areas of the World Ocean supporting one of the most important fisheries and the largest CO2 sink in the South Atlantic . Although this region is of global significance, the scientific community has a relatively poor understanding of the complex interactions of physical, chemical and biological processes which control the transport pathways and production in time and space.
SW Atlantic Chlorophyl

This workshop will bring together about fifteen or more US marine scientists, who are experts in ocean margin processes, together with a similar group of scientists from Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil to synthesize the existing information on this region and to formulate plans for future international research collaborations.

 
Patos-Mirim Lagoon
 
The workshop participants will prepare a report to the wider community summarizing the existing scientific understanding of this region which will serve both research and educational programs. As a result of the workshop, regional and US scientists will establish networks to initiate the pursuit of cooperative research projects/programs in the region, such as NSF’s Partnerships for International Research and IAEA’s Regional Technical Cooperative Program, that articulate with more global research agendas. This enhanced North American-South American collaboration will lead to greater hemispheric marine environmental understanding.

 

 
 
 
Fe stain on Southern Brazil Beach
Southern Brazil Beach
 
There will be a US$ 300 registration fee, that will include lunches and receptions, which may be waived by the Organizing Committee, and additional support for travel and lodging may be available.
Because the workshop is focused on identifying knowledge gaps and developing research plans to address them, it will require that all participants are engaged in the process. Therefore the number of participants will be limited to about forty. Participation in the workshop is by invitation from the Organizing Committee.
 
Sunset over Patos Lagoon
Iguassu Falls
Scientists who may be interested in participating should contact a member of the Organizing Committee from their country providing a brief, one-page resume which indicates the relevance to the workshop of their research experience. A grant from the United States National Science Foundation (NSF) will provide partial support for US participants. Contact Herb Windom for more information.

 

 

Background Papers

The following Background Papers are provided to give the participants of the workshop brief overviews of specific science topics which the Organizing Committee feels are pertinent to the anticipated inter discipline discussions on ocean margin processes at the workshop. The authors of these papers were also asked to summarize issues/topics/uncertainties which they feel require further research and that may be critical to a better general understanding of the relations between ocean margin processes in the Southeastern Atlantic region. We hope that all participants will read these papers prior to the workshop so that they may provide adequate contributions to discussions.

Additional papers will be added as they are made available and each can be accessed by clicking on them:

PRIMARY PRODUCTION IN THE SWAOM REGION: WHAT WE KNOW by Virginia M.T. Garcia and Aurea M. Ciotti

SUBMARINE GROUNDWATER DISCHARGE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO SWAOM by Willard S. Moore

NUTRIENT TRANSPORT, CYCLES AND FATE by L. Felipe Niencheski

THE GEOCHEMISTRY OF THE PARANÁ : AN OVERVIEW by Pedro Depetris and Andrea Pasquini.

SOUTHWESTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN MARGIN– WATER MASSES AND CIRCULATION by Alberto R. Piola

BENTHIC PROCESSES OF RELEVANCE TO THE SWAOM ENVIRONMENT by Aleandra M. F. Rao

TRACE METAL CHEMISTRY by Herb Windom