History
of PECS
by
J. van de Kreeke
(now with some group photographs)
During the nineteen fifties and sixties coastal engineers and coastal oceanographers focussed on different problems with regard to estuaries. Coastal engineering problems related mostly to stability of tidal inlets, land reclamation and the closure of estuaries and bays for storm surge protection. Solving these problems required knowledge of tides and tidal currents. In contrast, the coastal oceanographers tended to concentrate on tidal mean properties including salinity, stratification, gravitational circulation. While the coastal engineer derived its tools from hydraulics, the coastal oceanographer relied on geophysical fluid dynamics. In the seventies the coastal engineers started to face different type of problems relating mostly to water quality. Because water quality is largely determine by tidal mean motions, the coastal engineer began to seek help from the coastal oceanographer. As a result of this the coastal oceanographer detected an interest in their work that had been absent in the community of blue water oceanographers.
The logical place for the two disciplines to meet and exchange ideas seemed the bi-annual International Conference on Coastal Engineering (ICCE). Unfortunately, the forum of the ICCE became increasingly focussed on the near-shore relegating estuarine problems to the status of stepchild. It was at the ICCE of 1976 that a small group of coastal engineers and coastal oceanographers realized that their interests would be better served by a specialty conference focussing on the physics of estuaries. The idea was to have this conference at the same venue and either directly preceding or following the ICCE. Because it was difficult to find host institutions in some of the places where the ICCE was held, this idea ultimately was abandoned.
With the intent of focussing on estuaries, the first conference was organized in September of 1978 in Hamburg. The second conference did not take place until 1984 in Miami. Since 1984 conferences have been held every two years. With the inclusion of physics of coastal seas in 1990, the conference series became known as PECS. A complete list of the conferences, chairpersons and host institutions accompanies this document
PECS has an advisory board consisting of the chairpersons of the previous meetings. The board is to make sure that future conferences adhere to the earlier mentioned objectives. The board also selects the venue of future conferences. Organizing a conference and publishing conference papers is the sole responsibility of the local organizing committee.
List of Previous Conferences
 |
1978
in Hamburg, Germany organised by J. Sündermann, University
of Hamburg, Institute for Oceanography. Proceedings: Mathematical Modeling of Estuarine Physics, Eds: J. Sündermann and K. P. Holz, Lecture Notes on Coastal and Estuarine Studies, Springer-Verlag. |
|
1984
in Miami, Florida, USA organised by J. van de Kreeke, University
of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. Proceedings: Physics of Shallow Estuaries and Bays, Ed.: J. van de Kreeke, Lecture notes on coastal and estuarine Studies, Springer-Verlag. |
|
1986
in Qingdao, China organised by Huatong Wang, Ocean University of
Qingdao. Proceedings: Physics of Shallow Seas, Eds: Huatong Wang, Jinyong Wang and Hua Day, China Ocean Press. |
|
1988
in Monterey, California, USA organised by R.T.Cheng, U.S. Geological
Survey. Proceedings: Residual Currents and Long-term Transport, Ed: R.T.Cheng, Coastal and Estuarine Studies, Springer-Verlag. |
|
1990
in Gregynog, Wales, UK organised by D. Prandle, Proudman Oceanographic
Laboratory. Group Photo Proceedings: Dynamics and Exchanges in Estuaries and the Coastal Zone, Ed.: D. Prandle, Coastal and Estuarine Studies, American Geophysical Union. |
|
1992
in Margaret River, Australia organised by Ch. Pattiaratchi, University
of Western Australia. Proceedings: Mixing in Estuaries and Coastal Seas, Ed.: Ch. Pattiaratchi, Coastal and Estuarine Studies, American Geophysical Union. |
|
1994
in Woodshole, Massachusetts, USA organised by D.G. Aubrey, Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution. Proceedings: Buoyancy Effects on Coastal an Estuarine Dynamics, Eds: D.G. Aubrey and C.T. Friedrichs, Coastal and Estuarine Studies, American Geophysical Union. Sediment Transport and Buoyancy in Estuaries, Ed. D.G.Aubrey, J. Coastal Research, Special Issue no 25, 1997. |
|
1996
in The Hague, The Netherlands organised by J. Dronkers, National
Institute for Coastal and Marine Management. Group Photo Proceedings: Physics of Estuaries and Coastal Seas, Eds. J. Dronkers and M.B.A.M. Scheffers, A.A. Balkema Publishers. |
|
1998
in Matsuyama, Japan organised by T. Yanagi, Ehime University. Group
Photo Proceedings: Interactions between Estuaries, Coastal Seas and Shelf Seas, Ed.: T. Yanagi, Terra Scientific Publishing Company, Tokyo. |
|
2000
in Norfolk, Virginia, USA organised by C.T. Friedrichs, College
of William and Mary, Virginia Institute of Marine Science and A.
Valle-Levinson, Old Dominion University, Center for Coastal Physical
Oceanography. Group Photo Proceedings: To be published as special issue of Cont. Shelf Res. |
|
2002 in Hamburg, Germany jointly organized by Hans
Burchard, Institute
for Oceanography of the University of Hamburg, and Iris Grabemann
and Jens Kappenberg, GKSS Research
Centre, Geesthacht, Germany. |