The three-day workshop is composed of seven sessions (five oral sessions, two poster sessions). Each oral session includes two or three keynote presentations and 8 oral presentations.

Sessions and Keynotes:

    1. Observing Systems over High Elevations: Routine Observations, GPS, and Isotope

        Keynote: Toshio Koike (Japan), Massimo Menenti (France)
        Conveners: Toshio Koike (Japan), Zeyong Hu (China)
        Recent decades have seen a rapid advance in the observation theory and methodology worldwide. However, the lack of field data in high-altitude regions remains a major hindrance to our understanding of key physical processes embedded in a changing climate. Specifically, the harsh environment prevents many experiments from providing long-term, high-quality, and comprehensive measurements. This session particularly welcomes novel contributions that address the water/energy cycle using field data of the highest standard possible. Relevant measurements include, but not limited to, meteorological parameters, profiles, turbulence, stable isotopes, and total precipitable water. Research findings with implications for the regional scale are especially encouraged.

    2. Satellite Remote Sensing and Data Assimilation

        Keynote: Bob Su (Netherlands), Jiancheng Shi (China), Shunlin Liang (USA)
        Conveners: Li Jia (China), Shunlin Liang (USA)
        Satellite remote sensing and data assimilation play an imperative role in understanding and quantifying the water/energy cycle in high-altitude regions, where observations are sparse. This session welcomes novel method and system developments and applications of optical, thermal, and microwave remote sensing, as well as their evaluation against observations. The retrieved parameters can be all components related to the water/energy cycle, such as radiation budget, energy budget, atmospheric heating, cloud water, precipitable water, and water storage.

    3.Land Water and Energy Processes: Data Analysis, Process Parameterizations, and Modeling

        Keynote: Monique Leclerc (Canada), Hirohiko Ishikawa (Japan), Youlong Xia (China)
        Conveners: Qingyun Duan (USA), Hirohiko Ishikawa (Japan)
        The profound physics underlying the water/energy cycle makes it impossible to make a substantial contribution solely with a single approach. Field data analysis often leads to findings of local interest or representativeness; theoretical thought can hardly be trusted before being critically evaluated against field measurements; numerical models tend to be of broad interest, whose usefulness, however, cannot live without contributions by data or theoretical analysis. This catch-all session expects to gather scientists addressing relevant topics using various tools. Contributions making a combination of diverse emerging approaches are highly welcome.

    4. Physical and Dynamic Processes of Water and Energy Cycle: Land-Atmosphere Interactions

        Keynote: Yongkang Xue (USA), Kenichi Ueno (Japan)
        Conveners: Kenichi Ueno (Japan), Tetsuzo Yasunari (Japan)
        The land-atmosphere interactions in high Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau have been recognized important for the onset and strength of the Asian monsoon system. However, the physical and dynamic causes of the variability and change of the monsoon system remain poorly quantified. It is thus by far impossible to predict future scenarios of Asian climate and water resource with enough confidence. This session welcomes efforts to contribute to the complex, yet very important, topic through promising approaches, either analytical or experimental. Topics of interest include, amongst others, up-scaling of local quantities to a regional scale, feedback mechanisms in a changing climate, forecast and variability of extreme events, and possible future trends in the water/energy cycle.

    5. Climate Change and Response of High-Altitude Aquatic Ecosystems and Cryosphere

        Keynote: Rong Fu (USA), Daqing Yang (USA)
        Conveners: Daqing Yang (USA), Yinsheng Zhang (China)
        The Asian monsoon system and regional climate alike have undergone significant changes in the recent past. These changes are amplified in high-altitude regions, and provide opportunities to observe climate change and the response of high-altitude aquatic ecosystems and cryosphere. This session covers the observed and modeled change over typical highland surfaces (vegetation, glacier, lake, permafrost) and major water/energy cycle components (precipitation and evaporation).