EDPD 2011 - International Conference on Earth Dynamics- Perceptions and Deadlocks

The hypothesis of Plate Tectonics 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.Now with the modern technological innovations, leading towards sea floor mapping and deep continental drillings, the sceptism against this hypothesis catches grip with solid scientific reasoning.

In this backdrop, the international conference discuss about the new data and on current understanding about Earth dynamics.

Topics and their sense to theme

State of the art in Global Tectonics - a snapshot

“A Snapshot” is an introduction pointing to the essential conditions that have developed the platform for the conference. It aims to give an overview of the current looking of global tectonics and their shortcomings exposed by the expansion of observational knowledge, and points to possible ways out of the dilemma.

1. Climate and Tectonics ? the gateway to geodynamics?

That tectonics can influence climate is well known ? rise of Himalaya, for instance, have affected global wind circulation, and thereby climate. But earth’s internal dynamics (tectonics) ? together with sun, atmosphere and oceans - being one of the climate drivers is a rather new and emerging concept. It appears that increased seismicity and hydrothermal activity in some geologically active zones relates to the atmospheric pressure system. The session is intended to look into these intriguing aspects.

2. Stratigraphic boundaries ? geodynamic stamps of the past.

3. The Dynamic Earth ? perceptions and deadlocks.

4. Planetary motions and Earth configuration.

5. Mineral Segregation ? formation of ores.

6. Hydrocarbons ? nature, depth and dynamics!

Geocognition ? sensing the planetary system.

Any sensible thought process about the working of earth will have to bring in the physical link between diverse phenomena, notably accounting for the relationship between short lived catastrophic events and long-term quiescence. The panel discussion aims at bringing a sensible cognition about the earth system at large.