Special Sessions

The scientific committee of the MedGU-24 invites research papers on all cross-cutting themes of Earth and planetary sciences, with a main focus on these Conference Tracks.

Submissions for additional conference tracks (e.g., special sessions) are solicited from the scientific community by March 31, 2024.

If you are interested in proposing a special session, please follow this example and send your proposal to contact@medgu.org.

Click on each special session to learn more about its scope:



Track 14: Special Session on Urgent Computing and Early Warning Systems for Geohazards

MedGU-24 hosts a special session and expert meeting focused on urgent computing and Early Warning Systems (EWS) for Geohazards. Focus will be given to specific regions of the Mediterranean and the world under significant exposure to hazardous phenomena such as tsunamis, earthquakes or volcanoes. This session will address, among other, the current state of EWS instrumentation, which may be lacking and prevent experts from identifying worst-case scenarios, evaluate the level of readiness of at-risk populations, and the enabling of different typologies of Urgent Computing (UC) services for emergency and crisis management. Experts are especially encouraged to submit their most current research and participate in the session with their cutting-edge understanding of these aspects.

Conveners

  • Arnau Folch

    Arnau Folch

    Geociencias Barcelona (GEO3BCN-CSIC)
    Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC)
    Barcelona, Spain
    Email: afolch@geo3bcn.csic.es
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  • Josep de la Puente

    Josep de la Puente

    Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC), Barcelona, Spain
    Email: josep.delapuente@bsc.es
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  • Jorge Macías

    Jorge Macías

    Malaga University (UMA), Malaga, Spain
    Email: jmacias@uma.es
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  • Stefano Lorito

    Stefano Lorito

    Istituto Nazionale Di Geofisica E Vulcanologia, Rome, Italy
    Email: stefano.lorito@ingv.it
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  • Ahmet Cevdet Yalçıner

    Ahmet Cevdet Yalçıner

    Department of Civil Engineering, Ocean Engineering Research Center, Middle East Technical University (METU), Ankara, Türkiye
    Email: yalciner@metu.edu.tr
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Track 15: Special Session on Recent Earthquakes of the Mediterranean Regions

Two large earthquakes, the Kahramanmaraş seismic sequence (Southern Turkiye, Mw 7.8 & 7.6) and the High Atlas earthquake (Southern Morocco, Mw 6.8) took place in 2023. Both earthquake sequences caused severe damage and casualties in regions with dense population. Impressive 350-km-long surface ruptures with complex structural faulting along the East Anatolian Fault and its branches characterize the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and its 8–9 mm/yr left-lateral rate of faulting. The High Atlas earthquake on the other hand revealed surface deformation with blind faulting along 50-km-long rupture of the southern Sahara suture zone of the Maghrebides ranges. The modeling of coseismic ruptures using GPS and InSAR data allow the constrain of the fault ruptures at depth and related large scale crustal deformation. Slip deficit and fault interaction illustrate the short and long term behavior of these seismically active zones with slip rates from cm down to sub mm. We invite contributions in earthquake faulting, earthquake geodesy (GPS and InSAR), paleoseismology, seismotectonics, structural geology and tomography for the understanding of seismic cycles and crustal deformation in different tectonic frameworks (e.g., strike-slip, thrust faulting, normal faulting).

Conveners

  • Ziyadin Çakir

    Ziyadin Çakir

    Department of Geological Engineering, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Türkiye
    Email: ziyadin.cakir@itu.edu.tr
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  • Fida Medina

    Fida Medina

    Moroccan Association of Geosciences, Commission of Natural Hazards, Agdal, Rabat, Morocco
    Email: medinafida@yahoo.com
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  • Abdelhakim Ayadi

    Abdelhakim Ayadi

    Centre de Recherche en Astronomie Astrophysique et Géophysique (CRAAG), Algiers, Algeria
    Email: abdelhakim.ayadi@gmail.com
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  • Mourad Bezzeghoud

    Mourad Bezzeghoud

    Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
    Earth and Remote Sensing Laboratory, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
    Email: mourad@uevora.pt
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  • Mustapha Meghraoui

    Mustapha Meghraoui

    Associate Editor, Mediterranean Geosciences Reviews (Springer)
    Associate Editor, Arabian Journal of Geosciences (Springer)
    Emeritus Professor, IPG Strasbourg, France
    Email: m.meghraoui@unistra.fr
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Track 16: Special Session on Earthquake Source and Ground Motion Modeling for Seismic Hazard and Risk Assessment

The characteristics of active fault movements are essential for estimating the earthquake potential in a complex geological setting. Researchers have conducted several studies using different datasets and methods to rapidly understand seismogenesis and its corresponding impact. Accumulated data have been providing very important knowledge about the rupture processes of earthquakes, propagation paths and site effects on ground motion, and the relation between ground motion, damage, and earthquakes. This session focuses on earthquake sources and the methods and applications of physics-based earthquake ground motion simulations capable of handling wave propagation at frequencies of seismic engineering interest in the framework of seismic hazard and risk assessment. We invite contributions drawing on advances in knowledge of earthquake kinematic and dynamic rupture processes, including wave path and site effects representations using velocity models with multi-scale variability (with linear and non-linear material properties). We also seek contributions to the development of non-ergodic ground-motion models combining recorded and simulated data and their associated implications for probabilistic seismic hazard models in different regions of the world. Applications of these methodologies in the framework of seismic hazard and risk assessment of urban areas are welcome.

Conveners

  • José Fernando Borges

    José Fernando Borges

    Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
    Earth and Remote Sensing Laboratory, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
    Email: jborges@uevora.pt
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  • Abdelhakim Ayadi

    Abdelhakim Ayadi

    Centre de Recherche en Astronomie Astrophysique et Géophysique (CRAAG), Algiers, Algeria
    Email: abdelhakim.ayadi@gmail.com
    scopus preview

  • Mustapha Meghraoui

    Mustapha Meghraoui

    Associate Editor, Mediterranean Geosciences Reviews (Springer)
    Associate Editor, Arabian Journal of Geosciences (Springer)
    Emeritus Professor, IPG Strasbourg, France
    Email: m.meghraoui@unistra.fr
    scopus preview

  • Mourad Bezzeghoud

    Mourad Bezzeghoud

    Institute of Earth Sciences, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
    Earth and Remote Sensing Laboratory, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal
    Email: mourad@uevora.pt
    scopus preview



Track 17: Special Session on Biogeosciences and Global Environmental Change

MedGU-24 hosts a special session on biogeosciences and global environmental change. Biogeosciences, the interdisciplinary field that integrates biological, geological, and chemical processes to understand Earth systems, faces several challenges in the context of global environmental change. Some of these challenges are well known, such as climate change, land use and land cover change, deforestation and land degradation, nitrogen and phosphorus pollution, invasive species, and biodiversity loss or ocean acidification, among others. But there are other threats that need to be addressed in the short term. We refer to aspects such as feedback mechanisms: many biogeoscience processes are interconnected, and changes in one aspect can trigger feedback loops that amplify or dampen the effects of environmental change. Understanding and predicting these feedback mechanisms is critical for accurate modeling of future environmental scenarios. Human-wildlife conflicts: As human populations expand and encroach on natural habitats, human-wildlife conflicts escalate. Finding sustainable solutions to mitigate these conflicts while conserving biodiversity is a major challenge for biogeoscientists and conservationists. Data gaps and uncertainties: Despite advances in technology and scientific understanding, there are still significant gaps in our knowledge of biogeoscientific processes, particularly in remote or inaccessible regions. Filling these gaps and reducing uncertainty in environmental predictions is essential for effective decision-making and policy development. Meeting these challenges requires collaboration across disciplines, integration of data from multiple sources, and innovative approaches to research, monitoring, and conservation efforts.

We invite interested participants to write an intention email to one of the convenors.

Conveners



Track 18: Special Session on Advancements in Seismic Noise-Based Studies

Seismic noise is the ever-present seismic signal recorded by all seismometers in absence of large-amplitude signals like earthquakes. The analysis of seismic noise recordings has become a standard technique to image and monitor the subsurface in a large variety of scenarios worldwide. This session explores the latest advancements in seismic-noise-based studies, including the study of noise sources and applications to image the subsurface and monitor time-varying processes.

We welcome contributions across the spectrum of seismic noise-based observations, including traditional methods such as: Array seismology (FK methods, SPAC, etc) and single-station methods (Rayleigh wave ellipticity, HV ratios, etc) as well as recent advancements in seismic noise interferometry and fiber-optic technologies. We invite abstracts on a diverse range of topics including observational studies, methodological advancements, theoretical modeling, and applications across various fields such as geohazard assessment, resource exploration, and environmental monitoring.

MedGU-24 hosts this special session that aims to foster lively discussions, pushing the boundaries of our understanding the full potential of seismic noise for a deeper look into the Earth.

Conveners

  • Pilar Sánchez-Pastor

    Pilar Sánchez-Pastor

    Geosciences Barcelona (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
    Email: psanchez@geo3bcn.csic.es
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  • Helena Seivane

    Helena Seivane

    Geosciences Barcelona (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
    Email: hseivane@geo3bcn.csic.es
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  • Sabrina Keil

    Sabrina Keil

    Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Ludwig-Maximilians-University Munich, Germany
    Geosciences Barcelona (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain
    Email: s.keil@lmu.de
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Invited speakers

  • Eleonore Stutzmann

    Eleonore Stutzmann

    Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (IPGP), France
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  • Malcon Celorio

    Malcon Celorio

    French Geological Survey (BRGM), France
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Track 19: Special Session on Landslides: Processes, Hazard, Vulnerability, and Risk

Landslides can lead to devastating direct and indirect consequences, resulting in fatalities, damage to property, loss of livelihood, and sediment transfer across environments ranging from steep terrains to gentle hillslopes. Often embedded in multi-hazard scenarios, landslides can be preconditioned or triggered by earthquakes, heavy rainfalls, or wildfires, while flash floods and landslide dams are possible subsequent processes in those hazard cascades. Addressing the landslide phenomena presents a significant challenge for the geoscience community, encompassing process understanding, along with hazard, vulnerability, and risk assessments. The proposed session is designed to convene researchers engaged in various aspects of landslide studies. The session’s scope extends from local to global scales, covering empirical investigations into landslide process chains, the advance of models and monitoring techniques aimed at understanding landslide dynamics, cutting-edge methods for predicting and forecasting landslides, the assessment of socio-economical vulnerabilities, the interactions between landslides and human activities, as well as other natural extremes.

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Conveners