2 December 2019

Welcome to the International Symposium on Auroral Physic (ISAP), held at CIAO, Kárhóll, Iceland on 2-7 October 2023. REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN! 

Conference theme: The auroras are very amazing universal phenomena, widely existing at solar system planets and particularly those with global magnetic fields and atmospheres, e.g. Earth, Jupiter, Saturn, Neptune, and Uranus. It is believed to be powered by the interaction of the solar wind with the planetary system and produced through the collision of precipitating charged particles and the upper atmosphere.

There are still, however, crucial gaps in our knowledge about the physical mechanisms and dynamic processes of the various types of auroras, for instance, the acceleration mechanisms of precipitating electrons for discrete auroras, the mechanisms responsible for pitch angle scattering of electrons and protons responsible for diffuse aurora, the physical processes related with the spatiotemporal structuring of the discrete and diffuse aurora, and so on. The developments of aurora observations have promoted the explanations of these auroral phenomenology, but they often fall short in key aspects, and lack of a unified theoretical framework.

Contributions on all aspects of auroral physics, including auroral morphology, auroral instruments, auroral acceleration region, auroras in the planetary system, auroral particles precipitation, wave-particle interaction related with auroras, substorms, and storms auroras and beyond are invited. You can submit your abstract by email to Zejun Hu (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.).

Meeting Organizer: China-Iceland Arctic Scientific Observatory (CIAO), Arctic Portal (AP), Aurora Observatory ses. (AO) and Science Institute, University of Iceland.

Meeting guidance: Polar Research Institute of China (PRIC) and the Icelandic Centre for Research (RANNIS) 

Scientific Committee:

• Prof. Qiugang Zong (Peking University, China / Chairman of the Scientific Committee, ISAP)
• Prof. Huigen Yang (Polar Research Institute of China)
• Prof. Gunnlaugur Björnsson (Science Institute, University of Iceland)
• Prof. Zhonghua Yao (Institute of Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, China)
• Dr. Zejun Hu (Station Leader, China-Iceland Arctic Observatory, Polar Research Institute of China)

Meeting Contact:  Zejun Hu (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +86-13818420500, Station Leader of CIAO, PRIC)
Bin Li (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., +86-18621719025, Polar Research Institute of China)
Halldór Jóhannsson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., + 354 899 2828, Executive Director, Arctic Portal)
Reinhard Reynisson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Managing director, Aurora Observatory)

Important Dates: The meeting date is from October 2^nd - 7^th, 2023.
2^nd Oct: Arrival in Akureyri, Northern Iceland. Meeting registration and conference welcome dinner
3^rd Oct - 5th Oct: meeting in China-Iceland Arctic Observatory (CIAO)
^7th Oct: end of the meeting – departure from Akureyri.

Venue: The meeting will be held in the China-Iceland Arctic Observatory (CIAO). The CIAO is located at Kárhóll, Iceland, about 1.5 km south of the small community of Laugar, approx. 60 km east of Akureyri in Northern Iceland at 65°42.431’N, 17°22.017’W. 

REGISTRATION: In order to provide good service for all participants a registration page has been created. Please register for the conference here.

Invitation letter for Visa application: If you need an invitation letter please fíll in the VISA registration form. An invitation letter will be emailed to you and the relevant VISA center if applicable. Information on VISA requirements to visit Iceland here!

Travel:  PLEASE NOTE - When arriving in Iceland you will arrive at Keflavík International Airport (KEF).

To travel to Akureyri (AEY) - we recommend you take a domestic flight from Reykjavík Airport (REK). The flight duration is about 45 min. Your flight to Akureyri departs from the domestic airport in Reykjavik- about a 1-hour drive from Keflavík airport!
Flight tickets to Akureyri via Keflavík airport can be booked via most booking sides e.g. icelandair.com or skyscanner.com. Tickets to and from Reykjavík to Akureyri (REK-AEY) can also be booked individually via icelandair.com.
Flights on October 2^nd to Akureyri depart at 07.10, 11.45, 15.30 and 18.15
Flights from Akureyri on the 7^th depart at 8.25, 11.10, 13.55, 16.45 and 19.30
Conference organizers are offering individually attended transfers for participants between airports for a fixed price of USD 60 per person, each way. Transfer time is about 50 minutes.
Alternatively, you can take the airport bus to the domestic airport. It leaves from outside the arrival terminal via the Reykjavik bus terminal where you need to change buses. Travel time is about 1.5-2 hours pending departure from the airport. The price is about 36 USD.
Airport transfer is also offered to and from Akureyri Airport to individual hotels for USD 20 per person, each way.

Book your transfer through the Symposium registration page.

It is also possible to rent a car at the airport in Keflavik and drive to Akureyri and the CIAO. The distance is about 450 km and it will take 6 - 7hr. If you require assistance please send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Registration and conference fee: please use the registration page.
Conference fee - USD 650 per delegate. 
Included in the fee: transport to the CIAO station from Akureyri; Lunch and light refreshments at the CIAO on October 3, 4, and 5^th; Excursion on the 5^th; conference dinner/icebreaker on October 2^nd; conference material during the conference.
Please register for the conference here.

Accommodation: The meeting organizers recommend that participants accommodate in Akureyri during the conference.
ISAP Symposium organizers have block-booked hotel rooms for conference participants, at the best available rates, at hotels in Akureyri.
The accommodation per category is very comparable in quality.
Hotels are offered in 3 categories: Price per person based on single-room occupancy

4 star - USD 300 per night (including breakfast)
3 star - USD 200 per night (including breakfast)
Guesthouse - USD 150 per night

If you need a hotel in Reykjavik prior or after the ISAP conference you can book a good hotel in downtown Reykjavik hotel through the ISAP symposium registration page.

4 star - USD 300 per night (including breakfast)
3 star - USD 200 per night (including breakfast)

Book your accommodation through the Symposium registration page. Booking options are given for Sept 29, 30 and Oct. 1 and 2nd. and Oct. 5, 6, 7 and 8th. in Reykjavik. Should you need other options please contact the organizers directly.

October is a busy season in Akureyri so we highly recommend participants to confirm their hotel choice ASAP. Based on the confirmation payment we will confirm a hotel room for each delegate on a first come first served basis!
If you have any questions or need assistance with your travel arrangements please email the local conference organizers at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call +3544612800.

A free shuttle bus will be available between Akureyri and the meeting venue at the CIAO with pick up and drop off at conference hotels.

Payments: 

Payments are made to the conference organizer Arctic Foundation-ArcticPortal.org. Social security number: 610721-1090, Radhustorg 7, 600 Akureyri, Iceland. 

Payments can be made by any credit card through the secure payment terminal.
Payments can also be made via bank transfer if preferred.
Bank information: Account holder. Arctic Foundation-ArcticPortal.org, Radhustorg 7, 600 Akureyri, Iceland.  IBAN number: IS900358380011646107211090 /  SWIFT: ESJAISRE
Reference: ISAP Symposium - Delegates' name
Please send a confirmation email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Cancellation of Registration:

Cancellation must be made in writing via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

• A cancellation made more than 4 weeks prior to the start of the symposium will be charged 25% of the total delegate fee, including symposium fee, accommodation, transfers and optional events.
• A cancellation made less than 4 weeks prior to the start of the symposium will not be refunded.

COVID-19: All infection prevention rules for COVID-19 have been lifted at the Icelandic border. For more information please refer to the Iceland Covid travel regulation webpage.

For people who need to flight back to China, a negative COVID-19 antigen self-test within 48 hours before boarding“登机前48小时内抗原自测” is needed. For more information, please refer to the China Covid travel regulation webpage.

For registration, logistics, transfers, hotels, and general information contact - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

These maps show the route from Akureyri to the CIAO station, the area around the CIAO station, and the route from Akureyri Airport to the town center.

Registration Page