Key Session Topics
S1: (Marine) Geohazards – from observation to long-term monitoring and modelling – newest methodological developments in geophysics
Convener:
Katrin Huhn (MARUM, Uni Bremen)
Wolfram Geissler (AWI Bremerhaven)
Andrey Babeyko (GFZ Potsdam)
Earthquakes, volcanic activities and the often-associated large-scale gravitational mass movements are among the most destructive natural hazards around the world. If occurring in the marine environment, they have the potential to generate harmful tsunamis whose far-reaching effects can threaten even distant coasts. Due to their cascading character, these geohazards have to be studied and accounted for with a multi-hazard/multi-risk approach. With the overarching aim to gain a deeper insight into the underlying processes, their initiation, onset, interplay, and thus to identify potential precursors and to predict (multi-)hazard impact, various studies utilizing a broad methodological spectrum have been conducted in the last decades. Utilized methods range from geophysical imaging and characterization, borehole measurements, long-term in-situ monitoring, space-based techniques, to analog and numerical modeling - to name a few. Especially to note are newest methodological developments in the field of long-term monitoring systems coupled to numerical process simulations.
We invite contributions from both the marine and terrestrial realms to mutually improve and advance our understanding of the preparatory and unrest phases of natural geohazards, their dynamics and their consequences. Contributions incl., but not restricted to geophysical field observations, lab techniques, monitoring and early warning systems, analogue and numerical modeling of (multi-)hazards are welcome.
S2: Renewable Energy – Contributions of geophysics on- and offshore
Convener:
Volkhard Spieß (Uni Bremen)
Benedict Preu (IWES Fraunhofer)
Stefan Wenau (IWES Fraunhofer)
Society’s transition from fossil to renewable energy sources is one of the leading topics of recent years and involves large-scale energy recovery from exogenic and endogenic processes of the earth. Atmospheric and oceanographic circulation and current regimes and associated effects like precipitation are important carriers of recoverable energy, but also geothermal systems of the upper crust represent large energy reservoirs that may be used for energy production.
Geophysics and related disciplines like meteorology and oceanography contribute significantly to these efforts by providing an understanding of fundamental processes, modelling of energy contents and recoverable resources, and also by allowing an imaging of sub-surface structures, e.g. for geothermal exploration or the characterization of the subsoil for engineering purposes.
A prominent example for the application of geophysical methods is the characterization of offshore wind farm areas, including magnetic methods for seafloor object detection or seismic reflection methods integrated with geological and geotechnical data as a key aspect of ground model building for turbine foundation design and installation. The rapid expansion of offshore wind in many parts of the world has contributed to methodological and technological advances and developments in geophysical measurements in shallow waters with the aim of high-resolution imaging and characterization of the shallow sub-surface. Simultaneously, this expansion also requires an increasing number of qualified geophysics and natural sciences professionals.
This focus theme invites scientists from research and industry, not only from geophysics but also from associated fields of geoscience, physics or technology, to report from the various fields of application and to discuss upcoming developments.
S3: Geophysics to investigate the rapidly changing polar regions
Convener:
Vera Schlindwein (AWI Bremerhaven)
Karsten Gohl (AWI Bremerhaven)
Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets and sea-ice retreat at alarming rates. Yet, knowledge about the physical boundary conditions of ice sheet processes, the interaction between ice sheets and their subglacial topography, geology and the deeper solid earth, is relatively sparse. Likewise, the physical processes determining the fate of Arctic sea ice are not fully understood. Therefore, comprehensive data sets and their analyses from different perspectives are urgently needed to assess the physical properties of the solid earth, sediments and cryosphere of the polar regions and their role in climatic changes of various time scales. This session invites contributions based on a variety of terrestrial, glaciological, marine, airborne and satellite geophysical data sets in the polar regions. Analysis and modelling methods applied to such data may include seismology, cryo-seismology, reflection/refraction seismics, potential field methods, geothermal heat flow, EM methods, core-log data, remote sensing, and geodetic measurements.
Plenary talk: Christoph Mayer (Bayrische Akademie der Wissenschaften München)
S4: Tectonics and dynamics of rifts and ridges
Convener:
Marta Pérez-Gussinyé (Uni Bremen)
Vera Schlindwein (AWI Bremerhaven)
Karsten Gohl (AWI Bremerhaven)
Rifting of continents is a fundamental process of plate tectonics whereby the continental lithosphere extends and thins, eventually leading to breakup and the formation of new oceanic ridges. Understanding the various processes contributing to rifting and spreading, including the relationship between tectonism, sedimentation, magmatism and hydrothermal circulation will be fundamental to identify the potential of these sites to host untapped resources necessary for the new green economy. This session aims to bring together contributions in any of these aspects and which span from the initiation of rifts to their transformation into spreading ridges and the subsequent tectonics and dynamics of steady-state seafloor spreading. Contributions from observationalists and modelers form a wide a range of disciplines are welcome.