Second International AMMA Conference

African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses

The Second International AMMA Conference will be held in Karlsruhe, Germany between 26th and 30th of November 2007.

Second Announcement 2nd International AMMA Conference (29.06.07, English, printing version for download, pdf 0,1 MB)

Seconde Annonce 2ème Conférence Internationale AMMA (01.08.07, French, printing version for download, pdf 0,1 MB)

Joint Meetings

AMMA-Ocean / TACE / PIRATA Meeting, 27th to 30th of November 2007. First Announcement AMMA-Ocean/TACE/PIRATA Meeting

2nd THORPEX Africa Planning meeting, 23rd and 24th of November 2007 African THORPEX Flyer (03.08.07, English and French, pdf 2,6 MB)

African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (AMMA) is an international project to improve our knowledge of the West African monsoon (WAM) and of its variability. AMMA is motivated both by fundamental scientific questions (process and scale interactions) and societal needs. These needs are related to the WAM variability strongly impacting key living issues for the West African population (water resources, food security, health).

Scientists from 29 countries, representing more than 140 national and pan-national agencies are involved in AMMA. In addition to the international structure which has been set up, a network of African scientists linked to AMMA has been established (AMMANET) which helps to consolidate existing collaborations in Africa and to federate initiatives through a pan-African partnership.

AMMA is endorsed by the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and continues to develop in association with CLIVAR and GEWEX. AMMA has also been endorsed by two projects within the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP): IGAC and ILEAPS.  AMMA is working with other international projects and programmes to achieve its aims including GCOS, GOOS and THORPEX.

Conference Objectives

The conference aims to bring together researchers from around the world working on the WAM and its impacts, to review ongoing research and modelling activities and to discuss ongoing and future contributions to the AMMA research programme. It also provides an ideal opportunity for consolidating and establishing collaborations at the international level, in particular with African scientists. Substantial efforts will be made to ensure good attendance at the conference, particularly from African and young scientists.

The conference will take place within the enhanced observing period (EOP) and one year after the AMMA special observing period (SOP) in 2006. The conference will provide an ideal opportunity to present first results, to review and discuss the ongoing process studies and related research activities like the ongoing field measurements in West Africa. A strong emphasis will be put on the interface between geophysical and impact studies.

Conference Themes

Recognising the societal need to develop strategies that reduce the socioeconomic impacts of the variability of the WAM, AMMA facilitates the multidisciplinary research required to provide improved predictions of the WAM and its impacts. This is achieved and coordinated through five international working groups (WG) and two cross-cutting activities:

1. West African monsoon and global climate including aerosols and chemistry
2. Water cycle
3. Surface - Atmosphere feedbacks
4. Prediction of climate impacts
5. High impact weather prediction and predictability
6. Climate modelling (evaluation and improvement)
7. Long Term Observations (Ground measurements and satellite products).

The main conference themes reflect the main research areas.

Funding of the conference and logistical help

The conference is funded by all agencies funding AMMA and direct sponsoring by DFG, IRD and FZK.

The Second International Conference of AMMA will be organized conjointly between the local organisation team of the IMK/FZK (1) under Prof. C. Kottmeier as local host and the AMMA Project Office under Dr. E. van den Akker.

(1) Institute of Meteorologie and Climate Research / Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe