2012 EUMETSAT METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE CONFERENCE

Transcription

1 2012 EUMETSAT METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE CONFERENCE SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT 3-7 September 2012 Sopot, Poland

2 EUMETSAT has the pleasure to welcome experts in the field of meteorology, climatology and the environment to its 2012 Meteorological Satellite Conference, co-organised and hosted by the Polish Institute of Meteorology and Water Management- National Research Institute (IMGW-PIB) The conference will take place in the Sheraton Sopot Hotel on 3-7 September The conference will consist of oral presentations, poster sessions and invited plenary talks in the following categories: Session 1 Session 2 Session 3 Session 4 Session 5 Session 6 Session 7 Current and future satellites, instruments and their applications The hydrological cycle Monitoring climate and understanding climate processes based on satellite data Satellite-based observations of the oceans Forecasting and Nowcasting Atmospheric composition Training (including remote presentations) In addition to the cornerstone themes, namely climate monitoring, atmospheric composition and satellite-based observations of the oceans, special focus will be given this year to the session on the hydrological cycle. This theme focuses on satellite and combined satellite and ground-based observations supporting monitoring, modelling and forecasting, leading to a better understanding of hydrological processes in the land/ocean/atmosphere domains. These processes include liquid and solid precipitation, soil moisture, snow cover, land surface (e.g. evapotranspiration) and other hydrological, radiation and meteorological inputs essential for water cycle studies. Particular attention will be paid to present and upcoming satellite missions related to the hydrological cycle. Many scientists across the world working with such data have also chosen this conference as a forum to discuss their findings in a dedicated session spanning two days. As always, we can promise you experience, innovation and diversity thanks to a broad mix of participants from over 40 countries. We hope to see you in Sopot in September. Notification of the availability of the second announcement and draft programme is being sent to those who registered via the first announcement. The draft programme will be updated as and when necessary and abstracts posted on the EUMETSAT website: EUMETSAT METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE CONFERENCE, 3-7 SEPTEMBER 2012

3 Details of registration, accommodation, travel and other important information can be found on the following pages. IMPORTANT! Please read these pages before registering and booking hotel accommodation. The registration and hotel booking form can be found at: Important dates: Dates of the conference: 3-7 September 2012 (Monday to Friday) Deadline for lower registration fee of PLN 1,130: 31 July 2012 (thereafter: PLN 1,350) Deadline for hotel accommodation bookings: Hotel Sheraton: 15 June Hotel Villa Baltica: 31 July Hotel Rezydent 15 June Hotel Bayjonn: 31 July Villa Mera: 30 June Hotel Zhong Hua: 31 July Hotel Haffner: 30 June Hotel Europa: 31 July Villa Sedan: 30 June Hotel Sentoza: 15 August Information on Hotel cancellation policies (differs from hotel to hotel) can be found under the section on Hotel Bookings\Cancellations. The above deadlines were established after long negotiations between ATP, the various hotels and EUMETSAT. The strict booking conditions are not in line with EUMETSAT s usual policy but we have no control over Polish hotel jurisdiction. We therefore cannot emphasise enough that early booking is not only recommended but essential in order to avoid disappointment. CONTACTS For registration and hotel bookings: ATP ACTIVITY LTD., ul. Leszczynki 71, Gdynia, Tel: (Hanna Postoła) info@atpactivity.pl Should you have any queries related to registration and hotel bookings, please contact us via . For general information about the conference or about EUMETSAT: EUMETSAT ORGANISING COMMITTEE Tel conference-organisation@eumetsat.int CONFERENCE LOCATION Sheraton Sopot Hotel Powstancow Warszawy 10 Sopot Web:

4 GENERAL INFORMATION Note: Obtaining a visa is the responsibility of the participant WEATHER INFORMATION FOR SOPOT IN SEPTEMBER September is widely regarded to be one of the best months in Poland. Temperatures are generally in the low 20s (Celsius), which makes it much more bearable than the intense heat of the summer months. Evenings in September can be surprisingly chilly, especially near the sea due to the high concentration of iodine in the air. A walk along the sea front can be very beneficial to health. And because of Sopot s agreeable climate, it has become a very popular spa resort on the Baltic Sea. VISA REQUIREMENTS FIRST, CHECK THE CURRENT VALIDITY OF YOUR PASSPORT. All travellers will need a passport valid for at least 90 days following their departure date from Poland. However, we strongly recommend traveling with six months validity on your passport at all times. SECOND, MAKE SURE YOUR PASS- PORT HAS BLANK VISA PAGES. Most destinations, including Poland, require that you have adequate unused pages in your passport, allowing for any necessary stamps upon arrival and departure. We recommend that you have at least two free pages in the visa section of your passport before any international travel. FINALLY, CONFIRM IF TRANSIT VISA IS REQUIRED FOR ANY CONNECTIONS. Check with your airline in case you have connecting flights overseas as part of your journey to Poland. It may be the case that countries you pass through en route to your destination require a separate transit visa. Please refer to visa requirements of the specific country. For more details, you may consult the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website: Visa,requirements,2346.html and/or your nearest Polish consulate or embassy. CURRENCY The official Polish currency is the złoty (literally, golden ), abbreviated to zł and pronounced zwo-ti. It is divided into 100 groszy, which are abbreviated to gr. Banknotes come in denominations of 10zł, 20zł, 50zł, 100zł and 200zł, and coins in 1gr, 2gr, 5gr, 10gr, 20gr and 50gr, and 1zł, 2zł and 5zł. The banknotes feature Polish kings, come in different sizes and are easily distinguishable (source: Lonely Planet). ATMs are also beginning to proliferate in Polish cities, indicated by the sign Bankomat. Banks are open Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 17:00 and some are open on Saturday until 13:00. All major credit cards (including Visa, MasterCard, Diners, American Express) are accepted anywhere. TIPPING Tipping in Poland is commonplace and not leaving a small gratuity (5-10%) for service is considered bad manners. In restaurants, when your money is collected, saying thank you signals to the waiter/waitress to keep the change. Read more: Travel-g s606/Poland:Tipping.And. Etiquette.html TIME ZONE Poland is one of the countries that use Central European Time (UTC/GMT +2 hours) EUMETSAT METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE CONFERENCE, 3-7 SEPTEMBER 2012

5 POWER SUPPLY The electrical current is 230 volts, 50Hz. Standard two-pin European-style plugs are used. BUSINESS HOURS Business hours in Poland are traditionally 8:00 to 16:00, Monday to Friday. Western influence, however, means that hours are starting to shift to the more common 9:00 to 17:00 pattern. LANGUAGE The official language of the conference will be English. No interpretation will be provided. INTERNET AND FACILITIES Wireless Internet will be available throughout the venue. Six computers, three hubs and a printer will be at the disposal of delegates in a dedicated room for checking . TEA/COFFEE BREAKS Tea/coffee breaks with be held mid-morning and mid-afternoon. Please see the programme for precise times. INSURANCE Delegates are strongly advised to take out personal travel and medical insurance. No responsibility for any incident arising during the conference can be accepted by EUMETSAT. POSTERS Posters will be an important feature of the conference and efforts have been made to optimise this aspect of the programme. General viewing will be from Monday to Friday noon. Two dedicated poster sessions will take place on: Tuesday 14:15-18:00 and Thursday 18:00-20:00. The poster dimensions are: 224cm (high) x 95 cm (width) = portrait orientation. Affixing material will be supplied. SPONSORSHIPS EUMETSAT and the IMGW-PIB would like to thank the following sponsors: Gepard (Austria) Kongsberg Spacetec (Norway) VCS (Germany) HE Space Operations (Germany) ScanEx (Russia) Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN) Institute of Oceanology (IO PAN), Poland - project SatBałtyk LUNCHES Lunches are not included in the conference registration fee. There are many cafés and restaurants within walking distance. A list will be provided with the conference documentation.

6 REGISTRATION INFORMATION The conference fee for participants registering and paying by 31 July is PLN 1,130. Thereafter, the fee increases to PLN 1,350. Please note that the fee is independent of the number of days a participant attends in the conference. Attendees at any of the workshops and not participating in any part of the conference are not required to pay the registration. Please inform the conference organising committee at conference-organisation@eumetsat.int in order for a badge to be prepared. To register, please go to A special rate for students has been established at PLN 500. Students should please bring proof of status, e.g. their student badge, with them to the conference. On-site registration will take place on Sunday, 2 September, from 16:00 to 19:00 in the foyer of the Sheraton Hotel. Registration will continue on Monday at 08:00 and throughout the following days. The desk will be momentarily closed during the opening ceremony. Registration will be confirmed automatically upon receipt of the completed registration form. A letter of confirmation will be forwarded by shortly afterwards. PAYMENTS Note: All bank charges are the responsibility of the participant Advance payments must be made in Polish złotys and by credit card (preferred) or by bank transfer. Late registration payments made on site (at the Sheraton Hotel) may be made in cash (PLN) or by credit card (only Visa and MasterCard/EuroCard). CREDIT CARD Almost every credit card is accepted, but the most common are Visa/Visa Electron, MasterCard/EuroCard. BANK TRANSFER The name and address of the participant will need to be clearly indicated when completing the bank transfer: Company: ATP activity Sp. z o.o., ul. Leszczynki 71, Gdynia, Poland Account number: IBAN: PL Swift: RCBWPLPW Bank name: Raiffeisen Bank Polska S.A. ul. Piękna Warszawa The bank details are provided on the invoice received together with the letter of confirmation. Unpaid bank charges will be claimed upon registration at the Sheraton Hotel. CONFIRMATION As stated, registration will be automatically confirmed upon receipt of the completed registration form. A letter of confirmation will be sent by shortly afterwards. (Confirmation of registration and receipt of payment will only be sent when both the registration form and fee have been received.) EUMETSAT METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE CONFERENCE, 3-7 SEPTEMBER 2012

7 PARTICIPANT FEE CONFERENCE REGISTRATION CANCELLATIONS All cancellations must be notified to All refunds will be processed after the conference. Cancellations notified later than 24 August will be subject to a 130 PLN cancellation charge. There will be no refund for cancellations notified less than 48 hours prior to planned arrival. HOTEL REGISTRATION The organisers have carefully selected a number of hotels within easy reach of the conference venue and the city centre and offering the best available rates. Please see first page for individual deadlines for booking (the best we could achieve after long negotiations).to make a booking, please go to atpactivity.pl/form/accommodation.php, where you will find the registration and accommodation booking forms. If you are not in a position to make a hotel reservation when you register, you can return to this form to request hotel accommodation using the password assigned to you when registering. A map indicating the location of the various hotels as well as the conference centre and icebreaker venue can be found under: HOTEL CANCELLATIONS: Hotel Deadline for reservation Cancellation policy Sheraton Hotel 15 June Bookings have to be guaranteed against credit card. Cancellations communicated by to reservation.sopot@sheraton. com and received before 4.00 p.m. one day prior to the arrival date are free of charge. Hotel Rezydent 15 June Full payment in advance, no reimbursement Villa Mera 30 June Full payment in advance, no reimbursement Hotel Haffner 30 June Full payment in advance. Cancellation up to 1 August one night s accommodation must be paid Villa Sedan 30 June Full payment in advance. Cancellation up to 31 August one night s accommodation must be paid Hotel Villa Baltica 31 July Full payment in advance. Cancellation up to 31 August one night s accommodation must be paid Hotel Bayjonn 31 July Full payment in advance, no reimbursement Hotel Zhong Hua 31 July Full payment in advance, no reimbursement Hotel Europa 31 July Full payment in advance, no reimbursement Villa Sentoza 15 August Full payment in advance, no reimbursement

8 REGISTRATION INFORMATION SOCIAL EVENTS Registration is mandatory for the conference dinner. A contribution of PLN 175 is required (also for any accompanying person). For catering purposes, you are kindly asked to indicate on the registration form whether you will attend the welcome drink and/or the icebreaker cocktail and whether you will be accompanied. WELCOME RECEPTION Sunday, 2 September, at 19:00-20:30 in the first floor foyer of the Sheraton Hotel the conference venue. Sponsored by Kongsberg (Norway) ICEBREAKER COCKTAIL Monday, 3 September, at 18:30-20:30 at the restaurant Zatoka Sztuki, Aleja Franciszka Mamuszki 14, Sopot, located literally on the beach and only a stone s throw from the conference venue. For more information, see: CONFERENCE DINNER (INFORMAL) Wednesday, 5 September, at 19:30-23:00 in the Gdańsk Shipyard (Stocznia Gdańska). The yard gained international fame when Solidarity (Solidarność) was founded there in Gdańsk was the arena for events that changed the face of the world. A strike by 17,000 shipbuilders saw Solidarity, led by shipyard electrician Lech Wałęsa, recognised as the first non-communist trade union in the then Soviet bloc. The move was one of the first successful steps in a campaign of civil resistance that contributed to the eventual collapse of communism across eastern Europe. A contribution of 175 PLN per person is required EUMETSAT METEOROLOGICAL SATELLITE CONFERENCE, 3-7 SEPTEMBER 2012

9 TRAVEL INFORMATION FACTS ABOUT SOPOT The resort of Sopot is surrounded on the one side by the Tricity Landscape Park and on the other by the sandy beaches of the Gulf of Gdansk. The history of the town goes back to the early Middle Ages, with the first written mention of Sopot s name dating back to March Sopot survived the war almost intact; only the fighting in March 1945 deprived Sopot of its spa, casino buildings and beautiful hotels alongside the main pedestrian walkway. Nevertheless, the city has retained its unique character of a summer resort since the beginning of the 20th century. In 1979, Sopot was officially recognised as an urban complex of monuments and is now protected by the state conservation services. In 1999, by order of the Minister of Health, it officially attained the status of a health spa. Sopot s most readily recognisable landmark is its wooden pier, which was built in the 1820s and, at 511 metres, is the longest in Europe. TRAVELLING BY AIR HOW TO GET TO AND FROM GDANSK (LECH WALESA) AIRPORT The airport is located to the west of Gdansk, about 8 km from the centre and about 10 km from Sopot. By bus: Line No. 110 to Wrzeszcz railway station, then by train to Sopot. Consult for the timetable. TOURS Due to the tourist agency s usual requirement for a guaranteed minimum number of inscriptions in advance of the conference, no specific tours are offered for accompanying persons. However, the following website provides a wealth of information of interesting places to visit. Help will be provided by ATP at the conference registration desk. By taxi: At the time of writing (May 2012), the approximate price of a taxi from the airport to Sopot is between 60 and 70 PLN. Always use a marked taxi with a phone number and company name. City Plus taxis are reliable and can be found in front of the terminal LOW COST AIRLINES A number of low cost airlines fly to Gdansk, including Wizz Air; Air Berlin, Flybe, Ryanair and TUIfly. It is worth checking if any of these run a service to and from Gdansk from your nearest airport.

10 MEMBER STATES COOPERATING STATES GEORGIA GEORGI A Tibilisi ibilisi MEMBER STATES Eumetsat-Allee Darmstadt Germany Tel: /3770 Fax: ops@eumetsat.int EUMETSAT also has established cooperation agreements with organisations involved in meteorological satellite activities, including the National Meteorological Services of Canada, China, India, Japan, Korea, Russia and USA. EUMETSAT, MAY 2012 COOPERATING STATES