Dr. Yildirim Dilek Department of Earth Sciences Miami University, USA

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1 Dr. Yildirim Dilek Department of Earth Sciences Miami University, USA

2 40 years of successful, field-based, inter-disciplinary exploration of the Earth processes and training of the future generations of geoscientists!

3 Where does the IGCP fit into the big picture of the global, technology-driven, societal science that explores the feedbacks in both natural and social systems in the Earth? IGCP is a major corner-stone in the larger foundation of the UNESCO to serve the nations of the world.

4 Earth Earth Venus The study of the Planet Earth requires an interdisciplinary approach to understand the interplay among its Lithosphere, Hydrosphere, Atmosphere and Biosphere.

5 IGCP-430: Mantle Dynamics & Natural Hazards Mantle The Earth is a giant heat engine, and 70% of its heat transfer by plate tectonics (convection through the mantle) 25% by conduction through continents 5% by mantle plumes

6 The upper ~100 km of the Earth in the oceans is created by plate tectonic events, driven by deep mantle dynamics and processes, and gets recycled entirely in every ~150 to 200 million years. IGCP-256: Ophiolite genesis and evolution of oceanic lithosphere; IGCP-283: Evolution of the Paleo- Asian Ocean; IGCP-433: Caribbean plate tectonics; IGCP-440: Rodinia assembly & breakup IGCP-480: Tectonics of Central Asia

7 Plate tectonics alters: Ocean currents and therefore heat transport; Global atmospheric circulation. And, generates more volcanic activity! more volcanic eruptions >> emit more CO 2 into atmosphere; this would cause global temperatures to rise. Hence, plate tectonics causes significant global changes. IGCP-428: Climate and boreholes; IGCP-430: Mantle dynamics and natural hazards; IGCP-455: Basement volcanoes interplay and human activities. IGCP-476: Monsoon evolution and tectonic-climate linkage in Asia.

8 ~330 Ma Appalachian- Caledonian Mountain Belt Colliding plates and continents create large mountain belts, which are rich in ore deposits and natural resources: IGCP-23: The Caledonide Orogen; IGCP-540: Gold-bearing hydrothermal fluids of orogenic deposits.

9 Pangea Continental collision leads to mountain buildup with deep roots (like icebergs). The landscapes of high mountains are ever-changing & controlled by the balance between uplift, precipitation (climate) and erosion. IGCP-559: Crustal architecture and landscape evolution. Mountain root

10 Absolute motions of plates and continental blocks with respect to fixed Asia in present time: active deformation, seismicity & the history of human civilizations IGCP-567: Earthquake archeology archeoseismology along the Alpine-Himalayan seismic zone.

11 Distribution of earthquake occurrences, seismic hazard & landslides in the Mediterranean region and Eurasia IGCP-382: Seismotectonics and seismic hazard assessment of the Mediterranean basin; IGCP-414: Seismic ground motion in large urban areas; IGCP-425: Landslide hazard assessment and cultural heritage.

12 VOLCANISM & GLOBAL CHANGE Mount Pinatubo plume from NW on June 12, 1991 Eruption of Mount Pinatubo in 1991 ejected roughly 10 billion metric tons of magma, and 20 million tons of SO 2. Over the following months, the aerosols formed a global layer of sulfuric acid haze. Global temperatures dropped by about 0.5 C (0.9 F), and the ozone depletion temporarily increased substantially. IGCP-383: Paleostress, neotectonics, geodynamics & natural hazards in West Pacific/Asia.

13 The Aerosol Plume produced by Mt. Pinatubo Mt. Pinatubo injected 20 million tons of sulfur dioxide into the stratosphere; The sulfur dioxide was observed around the globe in the equatorial regions Global air temperature before and after Mt. Pinatubo eruption average hemispheric temperatures dropped by C for a period of 1-3 years.

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15 2010 Eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull, Iceland They caused enormous disruption to air travel across Europe during six days in April The eruption may have affected atmospheric carbon dioxide levels by fertilizing oceans with iron > increased CO 2 absorption following the eruption. The total loss for the airline industry was around US$1.7 billion. Just over 200 years ago an Icelandic volcano (Laki) erupted with catastrophic consequences across the northern hemisphere > triggered the French revolution.

16 IGCP PROJECT 497: RHEIC OCEAN ( ) The Rheic Ocean opened between Gondwana and a number of continental blocks that rifted from the Amazonian-West African margin of Gondwana about 470 Ma. Frankfurt 2008 Closure of the Rheic Ocean produced the vast Ouachita- Alleghanian mountain belt in North America and the Variscan orogenic belt in Central & Eastern Europe. It was one of the principal events in the assembly of the supercontinent Pangaea, and caused significant global changes and mass extinctions.

17 400 Ma

18 Evolution of the northern margin of the Rheic Ocean; Field excursion, 5 July 2005, Portsmouth (UK)

19 Remnants of the Rheic Ocean, Portsmouth, U.K.

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21 IGCP Project Crustal Architecture and Images Structural controls on landscapes, resources and hazards

22 IGCP Project Crustal Architecture and Images Structural controls on landscapes, resources and hazards

23 Caribbean Region with locations of IGCP 546 activities

24 Where does the IGCP go from here in the next 10 years? Increasingly more interdisciplinary studies of the Earth not only within the broad field of geosciences, but also with physics, chemistry, biology, astrobiology & archeology: IGCP should collaborate closely with other entities in the UNESCO. Field-based studies in geosciences constitute the most fundamental boundary conditions and the reality-check in our research: IGCP should continue to support and encourage field-oriented, observational work by interdisciplinary teams. More funds are needed to support the increasing number of excellent, multi-disciplinary projects by truly global research teams, particularly those made of young scientists: IGCP, UNESCO and the National Committees can be more creative and pro-active in seeking & securing external funds. The IGCP Science Board and staff can afford to play an active role by engaging the international scientific community in submitting proposals based on some current trends in frontier science and hot-topics, w/o overcompensating the bottom-up nature of its historically successful program.

25 Hierapolis ancient city & fault-controlled geothermal waters, Western Turkey Thank you for your attention!

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