Skip to main content
Bhotekoshi valley, Nepal (Credit: Kristen Cook)

EGU news EGU Galileo Conference: Perturbations of Earth surface dynamics caused by extreme events

EGU logo

European Geosciences Union

www.egu.eu

EGU Galileo Conference: Perturbations of Earth surface dynamics caused by extreme events

20 February 2019

The second EGU Galileo Conference of 2019 will bring together scientists studying a range of rare or extreme events and their broader impacts on Earth surface processes, biogeochemical cycles and human systems. Jointly organised with the Nepal Geological Society, the conference will take place on 13–19 October 2019 in Kathmandu and in the Bhotekoshi valley in Nepal. Applications are accepted until the end of April.

Rare extreme events often have strong impacts with devastating consequences for infrastructure and lives. Moreover, these events can destabilise the Earth surface processes for years to decades or even longer and can increase risks during that time. The 6th EGU Galileo Conference: ‘Perturbations of Earth surface dynamics caused by extreme events’ aims to explore this legacy.

The first part of the conference will take place in Kathmandu. The second half of the conference will be held in the Bhotekoshi valley, in an area highly affected by the Gorkha earthquake, providing an integrated field and conference experience. The travel from Kathmandu to the Bhotekoshi will double as a field excursion, during which participants will observe a giant landslide, evidence of past mega­floods, interactions between infrastructure (hydropower facilities and roads) and landslides and floods, and be introduced to the Gorkha earthquake landslides and impacts.

The following keynote speakers are confirmed:

  • Michael Manga, UC Berkeley, Hydrological responses to earthquakes
  • Alexandra Turchyn, Cambridge University, climate perturbation of the biogeochemical cycles
  • Sara Rathburn, Colorado State University, precipitation, sediment and carbon transport
  • Karen Gran, University of Minnesota Duluth, fluvial recovery after volcanic eruptions
  • Brian Buma, University of Denver, ecosystems disturbance and coupling with landscapes
  • Flavio Anselmetti, University of Bern, earthquakes and sediment records
  • Jamie Howarth, Victoria University of Welligton, earthquake cycles and carbon fluxes

Geoscientists interested in participating in the meeting can apply by the end of April. Registration and abstract submission for successful applicants will begin in May. The number of participants will be limited to around 80 and the conference will cost 500 EUR (425 EUR for early career scientists) for the full week including accommodation, food and transport. The organisers have a budget allocated to sponsor a number of early career scientists interested in attending. Additional information about the meeting, including how to apply, is available on the conference website.

EGU Galileo Conferences address well-focused, cutting-edge topics at the frontier of geosciences research. They are named in honour of Galileo Galilei and have been taking place since 2017.