Asbury H. Sallenger
(credit: U.S Geological Survey)
It is with great sadness that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has learnt of the death of Dr Asbury (Abby) Sallenger, who passed away on 5 February 2013.
A leader in America’s research on the causes and effects of sea level rise, Dr Sallenger was one of the Lead Authors of Chapter 5 of the Working Group II contribution to the IPCC’s forthcoming Fifth Assessment Report, on coastal systems and low-lying areas.
A coastal geologist by profession, Dr Sallenger was a primary architect of the coastal programme for the United States Geological Survey.
During his carrier he wrote and co-authored various research papers on changes in the shore line. His strong desire to communicate science led him to publish the book Island in a Storm, about a young woman during a hurricane that struck Louisiana in 1856, that also talks about predictions of what lies ahead for coastal areas in a climate change era.
Dr Sallenger was 63 years old. He is survived by his wife Delores, son Asbury the 3rd and daughter Ashby.