T5-5 Space for polar science

The unique dimension provided by regular synoptic views of the high-latitude regions by Earth observing satellites has resulted in breathtakingly rapid development of satellite data applications in all aspects of polar science. Since the flight of Sputnik, and coincident 1957-58 International Geophysical Year, this new space frontier has seen rapid technical advances towards today's satellite-based polar observing system infrastructure.

IPY 2007-2008 has seen unified international engagement and response of Space Agencies to the scientific challenges posed by IPY projects. The result is a spectacular array of new snapshot satellite products and valuable new data time-series with which to address some of the most important scientific, and social and economic questions of our time. This session solicits abstracts which describe the broad array of unique space-based contributions to IPY, the new geophysical products, and examples of results from the world-class science being undertaken with satellite data captured over both poles.