Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Japan-UNESCO/UNU Symposium on The Great East Japan Tsunami on 11 March 2011 and Tsunami Warning Systems: Policy Perspectives

The Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on 11 March 2011 caused nearly 20,000 people to lose their lives.
Since the event many national and international post-tsunami field surveys have been carried out. Performance analyses of tsunami early warning systems in place at the time of this event have also been done. Based on these surveys and performance analyses the symposium will offer a number of invited high level perspectives from decision makers and scientists and address topics including:

- Event facts and analysis
- Tsunami Warning Systems, Tsunami preparedness and event experiences
- What has been learned from this event and policy implications.

The symposium will be opened by Ms Irina Bokova, Director General of UNESCO.

Venue and Date
- United Nations University (Jingumae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Japan)
- 16-17 February 2012

Click here to read the Second Announcement of the Japan – UNESCO/UNU Symposium (English version).

Further information here

TALLER SOBRE SISTEMA DE ALERTA TEMPRANA NACIONAL ANTE TSUNAMI Y SISTEMAS OPERACIONALES ESTÁNDAR, PERU

Taller sobre Sistemas de Alerta Temprana de Tsunami en el Peru

 

La mayoría de los más grandes y devastadores tsunami han ocurrido en el Oceano Pacífico y sus mares marginales. La razón es que el Pacífico cubre más de un tercio de la superficie del planeta y está rodeado por una serie de cordilleras, fosas océanicas y arcos de islas llamadas “anillo de fuego”, donde se genera la mayoría de los terremotos. En consecuencia, la costa pacífica de Sudamérica es una de las zonas más propensas a un tsunami. Sin embargo, como no ocurren con frecuencia, muchas veces las comunidades que viven en estas zonas costeras subestiman o ignoran el riesgo. Los tsunami son una fuerza altamente destructiva, y cuando ocurren,la pérdida de vidas, el número de personas heridas y el daño de infraestructura pueden ser extremadamente altos, como se demostró en el tsunami en el Océano Indico en 2004, el tsunami de Chile de 2010 y el tsunami de Japón de 2011.

Tomando en cuenta lo anterior y a fin de apoyar a los gobiernos en la reducción de vulnerabilidad de zonas costeras a la presencia de tsunami, la Oficina Regional de Educación para América Latina y el Caribe OREALC/UNESCO Santiago, en asociación con la Comisión Oceanográfica Intergubernamental de la UNESCO (COI), la Comisión Permanente del Pacifico Surc (CPPS), y las oficinas de UNESCO de Lima y Quito, ejecuta el proyecto “Fortalecimiento del Sistema Regional de Alerta ante tsunami en Chile, Colombia, Ecuador y Perú” que se implementa en el marco del Séptimo Plan de Acción para Sudamérica del Programa de Preparación para Desastres (DIPECHO VII) de la Dirección General de Ayuda Humanitaria de la Comisión Europea (DG-ECHO).

El objetivo del proyecto es fortalecer el sistema sub-regional de alerta temprana, para lo cual considera necesario fortalecer primero los del nivel nacional. Para ello, se vale de la coordinación con los institutos sismológicos, oceanográficos, ministerios de educación y oficinas de preparación y atención de desastres de cada país.

En esta ocasión, el taller propuesto se apoya además de las iniciativas locales en prevención de desastres por tsunami impulsadas por el PNUD y la ong PREDES, ambas también enmarcadas dentro del DIPECHO VII.

Location Hotel Nobility, Ubicado en la Avenida . Roosevelt No. 6461, Miraflores
Lima
Peru

 

Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Fifth International Symposium on Contaminated Sediments: Restoration of Aquatic Environment

Papers are invited for the Fifth International Symposium on Contaminated Sediments to be held on May 23-25, 2012. Sponsored by ASTM Committee D18 on Soil and Rock, the symposium will be held at Concordia University in Montreal, QC, Canada.
Objectives
The major objectives of the symposium are to:

  • Identify sources, types, and behaviour of contaminants;

  • Discuss and share the state of art of sustainable options for the management of contaminated sediments in marine and freshwater environments for restoration of surface water;

  • Provide a forum to debate future directions and visions in terms of technical, environmental and economical perspectives; and

  • Promote multilevel involvement and participation of stakeholders in restoration strategies. Specific Objectives
    The symposium aims to attract a wide variety of papers and audience from multidisciplinary backgrounds. Specific topics to be covered would include, but not limited to, the following:

  • Source control

  • Sustainability indicators

  • Fate and transport of contaminants

  • Ecotoxicology and bioavailability

  • Port and harbour management

  • Sediment quality assessment tools

  • Beneficial reuse strategies for dredged materials

  • Combined treatments

  • In situ and ex situ remediation technologies

  • Natural recovery processes

  • Sediment transport

  • Risk assessment and decision making

  • Sampling, monitoring and performance evaluation

  • Habitat restoration and biodiversity

  • Sediment and site characterization

  • Marine sediments

  • Fresh water sediments

  • Policies and regulations The language of the symposium will be English.
    Case Studies
    A number of case studies have been identified and are expected to include the Great Lakes (United States and Canada), St. Lawrence River (United States and Canada), European harbours, lakes and rivers in Japan, in addition to others.
    Who Should Attend
    The audience is expected to include scientists, engineers, regulators, remediation site owners, and other environmental professionals from universities, and consultants.
    For additional information about the symposium, click on Additional Information

  • 11th International Conference of Gas in Marine Sediments

    Further information here

    Thursday, September 29, 2011

    International Conference on Marine Ecosystem 2012


    INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MARINE ECOSYSTEM 2012
    (INCOMES 2012)
    "Moving Toward Multi-Scientific Knowledge for Sustainable Future"
    13-15 March 2012
    Persada Johor International Convention Centre
    Jointly organized by
    Marine Ecosystem Research Centre, Faculty of Science and Technology, UNIVERSITI KEBANGSAAN MALAYSIA
       In collaboration with
     
       


    More information here

    Friday, July 22, 2011

    Linking the Time and Space Scales of Chemical Oceanography

    August 14-19, 2011
    Proctor Academy
    Andover, NH

    Sessions:
    [SUNDAY]
    The Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill: A Status Report
    [MONDAY]
    The Marine Phosphorus Cycle: Past, Present and Future
    New Insights into the Marine Nitrogen Cycle

    [TUESDAY]
    Chemical Oceanography in Deep Time
    Glacial-Interglacial Changes in Ocean Chemistry

    [WEDNESDAY]
    Trace Element Cycling in the Ocean: Biotic Influences and Responses
    Submarine Groundwater Discharge

    [THURSDAY]
    Carbon Processing in the Coastal Ocean
    Biogeochemical Processes in Marine Sediments Across Space and Time

    Goldschmidt 2011, Earth, Life and Fire, Prague, Czech Republic






















    Themes and Sessions

    The Science Committee, chaired by Bernard Marty and Bernard Bourdon, have organised the following themes and sessions for Goldschmidt2011, which incorporates many sessions submitted during the public "Call for Sessions".


    Further information here

    8th Annual Meeting and Geosciences World Community Exhibition

















    View/donwload AOGS 2011/2012 Brochure HERE

    Sediment and carbon fluxes under human impact and climate change















    Further information here

    7th International Conference on Asian Marine Geology, India






    More information HERE

    Friday, June 17, 2011

    Interesting articles - NatureGeoscience /May-Jun

    Tectonics: Unexpected Andean earthquakes

    Nature Geoscience 4, 357–358 (2011) doi:10.1038/ngeo1167
     
    Published online
     
     Great earthquakes along the western, subduction zone boundary of the Andes Mountains in South America are expected. Measurements of surface motion along the eastern boundary highlight the potential for equally large earthquakes in the east. 
     
    Subject terms:

    Tuesday, February 1, 2011

    12th International Symposium on the Interactions between Sediments and Water, UK







    The International Association for Sediment Water Science (IASWS) is pleased to announce that the 12th International Symposium on the Interactions between Sediment and Water will take place in June, 2011 in southwest England. The symposium will be co-hosted by the University of Plymouth and Queen Mary University of London and held at Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon...

    Further information here

    Wednesday, January 12, 2011

    Tuesday, January 11, 2011

    Coastal Sediments, May - USA 2011








    SHORT COURSES
    Up to four short courses will be offered on Monday, May 2nd, prior to the start of the full conference. Each short course will be conducted from 8 am - 5 pm and attendees can receive 8 Professional Development Hours (PDH) for the day. Registration for the short courses will begin in Fall 2010. A tentative list of short course topics include:
    I. Coastal Sediment Transport Processes: Theory, Methods, and Modeling (instructors: Leo van Rijn, Magnus Larson, and and D.J. Walstra)(click here for short course schedule).(sponsored by Golder Associates)
    II. Coastal Inlet Modeling (instructors: Gary Zarillo and Duncan FitzGerald)...................................................................(click here for tentative short course schedule)
    III. Miami Beach, Beach Nourishment Project: A Coastal Engineering Project from Design through Post-Construction Monitoring (instructor: Bob Dean)(click here for tentative schedule and short course description)
    IV. Coastal Ecosystems: Living Shorelines (instructor: Debbie Devore - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)..........................(click here for tentative schedule and short course description)

    For more information about the short courses, please contact Julie Rosati (Julie.D.Rosati@usace.army.mil).
    More details will be posted as information becomes available, so please check back often!


    More information here 

    6th International Conference on Remediation of Contamined Sediments. February 2011










    The 2011 Sediments Conference

    Accumulations of potentially hazardous contaminants in the sediments of rivers, lakes, bays, and harbors present significant risk to economic development and the health of aquatic environments worldwide. Maintaining the economic and biological viability of these environments requires management of complex series of actions that affect a wide range of environmental, economic, and social issues. As a forum for sharing experience and progress toward this goal, the Sixth International Conference on Remediation of Contaminated Sediments will be held in New Orleans February 7–10, 2011. Chaired by Eric Foote and Andrew Bullard of Battelle, the Conference is presented and organized by Battelle. The Conference sponsors are other leading organizations active in sediment remediation research and application. The 2011 Conference will address the challenges of combining basic research, new characterization and assessment methodologies, innovative engineering, and good management practices to address the concerns of all stakeholders.


    Short Course Registration

    For a PDF of the descriptions, click here



    Further information HERE

    Monday, January 3, 2011

    Earthquake Details - Araucania, Chile

    Thanks to: http://earthquake.usgs.gov for information.

    2011 January 03 05:03:49 UTC (Click on each image for better observation)

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     Theoretical P-Wave Travel Times