This volume of Annals of Glaciology contains papers presented to the Sixth International Symposium on Antarctic Glaciology (ISAG6). The symposium was held at the Ningwozhuang Hotel in Lanzhou, China from 5-9 September 1998. It was organized by the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research Working Group on Glaciology and hosted by the Lanzhou Institute of Glaciology and Geocryology, Chinese Academy of Science. The International Glaciological Society (IGS), the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the State Science and Technology Commission of China, the State Oceanic Bureau of China and the Chinese Academy of Science were co-sponsors of the symposium.

Local organization of the symposium was the responsibility of Qin Dahe (Chairman), Ma Fucheng, Gan Shijun, Chen Liqi, Zhang Kan and Chen Guodong.

There were 78 participants from 20 countries at the symposium. 93 papers were presented, 73 as oral presentations and 20 as poster presentations. Fifty of these papers are published in this volume. All papers were refereed and edited in accordance with IGS's usual practices by an editorial committee consisting of T H. Jacka (Chief Editor), D. Dahl-Jensen, Lijun, P. A. Mayewski, Qin Dahe, Renjiawen andj. P. Steffensen.

Special thanks are due to three people for additional assistance during the symposium and during the editing of this volume. They are Sunjunying, Hou Shugui and Li Jun.