Conference Title: Earth Dynamics Perception and Deadlocks (EDPD-1)
Year : 2011 Date: September 2011 Duration : 4 days
Venue: Kanyakumari, India Duty: Convener and Chief Responsible
Sponsors : Transect and NCGT Status of Conference: International
Participants : Geoscientists and Physicists from Azerbaijan, Australia, Columbia, Egypt, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, Russia, Ukraine and United States of America
Theme:
Earth Dynamics Perception and Deadlocks (EDPD-1)
Controversies over scientific opinions are not uncommon in the evolution of the different branches of science. Creation versus evolution is one such prominent case that raged for a long. Big bang versus steady state is another example. Currently the world is gripped in a hot debate between those who “believe” the science of cause-and-effect relationship between CO2 and global warming is established and those who “consider” the jury is still out. Indeed, among the latter group there is a strong opinion that out rightly rejects this relationship. Because the subject has assumed open and direct political stage for reasons that are evidently going to impact future public welfare across the globe, it is not surprising that there is an unprecedented public involvement in the debate. Each piece of scientific data presented in favor or against the two opposing views is being subjected to intense scrutiny not just by opposing camps of scientists but also by interested citizenry. And media is not far behind. No doubt this public scrutiny has exposed and smeared many a scientific careers but it is expected to impose strict scientific ethics at least in climatology.
No other science or scientific controversy has had this benefit. We, the Earth scientists, know it first hand as for the current mainstream geodynamic concept, the plate tectonics, is concerned. Like the CO2-induce global warming mantra, it caught the imagination of vast majority of Earth scientists although the fact remains that only 0.0001% of ocean floor had been mapped to any degree of certainty and vast tracks of continents remained unmapped by early 1960s when plate tectonics was formulated and propounded. However, right from its inception plate tectonics continued to be contested by scientists based in different parts of the world, though miniscule in overall numbers. Data continued to be presented that underscored its unviability and plate tectonicists continued to provide explanations that opposite camps labelled ‘ad hoc fixtures.’ However, over the time the opposite camp, like the global warming “skeptics,” even lost platforms (journals, conferences) to present their data though ironically their numbers continued to increase.
It was courtesy dedication of a small group who find scientific difficulty with plate tectonics that a platform for scientists was created in 1996 in the form of ‘New Concepts in Global Tectonics’ with its Chapters in different countries and a Newsletter that would allow scientists of any opinion to publish their data and interpretations if they have sound scientific grounds. Since its inception the Group has hugely increased in numbers, publishing online journal, New Concepts in Global Tectonics Newsletter and holding international meetings in different parts of the world at regular intervals.
It was in this backdrop that TRANSECT and NCGT have jointly organized this conference at Kanyakumari, southernmost India from 21st to 24th September to open a dialogue on recent development in global tectonics. In inaugural speeches both Transect and NCGT emphasized the vital role of field geology in understanding the Earth’s geodynamic processes and wished this spirit to be succeeded by young scientists.
Other than the Indian Earth scientists, the workshop was attended by many overseas delegates including Australia, Azerbaijan, Columbia, Iran, Italy, Norway, Russia, Ukraine and USA. In the workshop, a total of 20 oral and several poster presentations were made (list attached). The papers covered a wide range of subjects: Earth’s dynamic processes, Earth expansion, planetary influence on Earth’s geodynamics, earthquakes, and mineral deposits. Reflecting recent unusually strong catastrophic seismic/volcanic and extreme weather events throughout the globe, however, the conference had a major thrust on earthquakes, their prediction and planetary interactions. The conference was eye-opening and inspirational for attendants, especially young scientists.
PROGRAM
21 September, 2011
1700 Inaugural function
Welcome, Biju LONGHINOS (Convener & Chief Responsible, EDPD)
Introduction to NCGT, Dong CHOI (Editor, NCGT Newsletter) Introduction to Transect, M. RAMASARMA (Chairman, TRANSECT)
Inaugural speech, S. SINGANENJAM (Director GSI)
Felicitation, C.G. NAMBIAR (Prof. Geology, Cochin Univ. for Science and Technology) Vote of thanks, S.N. KUMAR (Reader, Dept. of Geol., Univ. of Kerala)
Opening talk: State of the art in global tectonics, Karsten STORETVEDT (Professor, Univ. of Bergen, Norway)
Scientific Talks Daywise
22 September, 2011
Studies on interior Earth, planets and sun – the need for a straight forward and transparent approach, Subhasis SEN
Theoretical bases of one mechanism of mass-flow in the Earth inner structures. Hatam GULIYEV
Earth’s primeval make-up and its evolutionary course, Karsten STORETVEDT
Moon the controller of some major terrestrial geological features, Subhasis SEN
Tectonic interpretation of the Great East Japan Earthquake in March, 2011, Dong CHOI
The Neogene geodynamics in Iranian Plateau, Soheila BOUZARI
Continental to oceanic crustal transition off the western continental margin of India and paradoxes in plate reconstructions scenarios in eastern Arabian Sea, S. RANGARAJAN
Solar-Earth dynamic interpretation in a new tectonic framework: potential for predicting natural hazards, Bruce A. LEYBOURNE, Ismail BHAT and Santosh MISHRA
Planet Earth and the expansion based concept of unified global tectonics, Subhasis SEN
23 September, 2011
Radio anomalies and variations in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) used as seismic precursors on a global scale. Valentino STRASER
Earth tides and earthquakes. Vinayak KOLVANKAR
Satellite remote sensing in earthquake thermal precursors studies, Arun K. SARAF
Solar polar rotation driving Madden-Julian oscillation’s seismic teleconnections, Bruce LEYBOURNE, Ismail BHAT and Santosh MISHRA
Diurnal seismicity and temperature, Vinayak KOLVANKAR
Potential relationship between climate, earthquake and solar cyclicity in Apennines (Italy), Valentino STRASER
Gravitational stress: analysis and implications for earthquake prediction, N. VENKATANATHAN and Karthik RAMANAN
Seismic activities in relation to ionosphere, Bindu MANGLA
Sun, solar system dynamics and occurrence of major earthquake in India, T.E. GIRISH
Significant results obtained so far, analyzing the data of super conducting gravimeter, installed at Ghuttu for earthquake precursors in Garhwal Himalayas, Bhupendra Bahadur SINGH
Aerosol behaviour over Ranchi, Kumari LIPI
Poster presentation
24 September, 2011
Field visit - Putteti syenite- Kozhikkottupothai Mesozoic mafic dykes- Kottaram charnockites and Khondalite
25-30 September 2011 Post Conference Field Excursion
Manappara, Sittampundi, Sangeri, Bhavani, Sivamalai, Chennimalai, Salem, Samalpatti, ( all in Tamil Nadu State) Chitradurga, Hiriyur, Shimoga, Malpe Island ( all in Karnataka State)
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