The Terms of Reference of the CLIVAR/CliC/SCAR Southern Ocean Region Panel are:

"To serve as a forum for the discussion and communication of scientific advances in the understanding of climate variability and change in the Southern Ocean. To advise CLIVAR, CliC, and SCAR on progress, achievements, new opportunities and impediments in internationally-coordinated Southern Ocean research."

Specific Activities:

1.      Facilitate progress in the development of tools and methods required to assess climate variability, climate change and climate predictability of the ocean-atmosphere-ice system in the Southern Ocean.
2.      Identify opportunities and coordinated strategies to implement these methods, spanning observations, models, experiments, and process studies.
3.      Provide scientific and technical input into international research coordination, collaborating as required with other relevant programs, including the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS).
4.      Monitor and evaluate progress in Southern Ocean research, and identify gaps.
5.      Enhance interaction between the meteorology, oceanography, cryosphere, geology, biogeochemistry and paleoclimate communities with an interest in the climate of the Southern Ocean.
6.      Work with relevant agencies on the standardization, distribution and archiving of Southern Ocean observations.

CLIVAR Task Team: Southern Ocean Freshwater release model experiments Initiative (SOFIA)