International Session

Session ID U-01

Convener MURAYAMA, Yasuhiro

Title Toward a New Framework of Global Data Activity

Scope Data in Earth, planetary and space sciences is growing in size explosively, is becoming heterogeneous in nature, and is requiring multidisciplinary interactions to related scientific fields and more general society. As the importance of the data is increasingly stressed, further efforts to use and publish such data in various ways are expected for communications with general society. Database or data center works in individual institutes have become more active; at the same time discussions to make interdisciplinary cooperation or fusion between databases, organizations, and data systems are strongly required. While international unions, programmes, and bodies such as IUGG, IPY, IRDR, WMO, UNESCO, etc., have been launching their own data activities and/or are showing the interest in data issues separately, they are now discussing or approaching collaboration with related activities. A new programme, ICSU World Data System (WDS), was launched in 2008, where one of the most important goals is to realize "system of data systems". In November 2010 ICSU decided to establish its international programme office (IPO) in Japan. This session welcomes reports and discussions on domestic and international data activities, and development of system of data systems and key technologies for international data sciences and data systems, as well as it fosters and facilitates various exchanges and mutual understanding between multidisciplinary science data activities/programmes/institutes; also this session welcomes discussions on activities and communities in Japan and how they can interact with ICSU-WDS and other related activities to aim at the shared interests and goals.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID U-02

Convener YOSHIKAWA, Makoto

Title New Progress toward the Understanding of Small Solar System Bodies: From HAYABUSA to HAYABUSA2

Scope This session is aimed at setting up a forum to discuss how we can make progresses in our understanding of the solar system evolution with our hands on data. Presentations not only related to the asteroid sample return missions of Hayabusa and Hayabusa2 but also other topics related to the science of the small bodies in the solar system (satellites, asteroids, comets, interplanetary dust particles, trans-Neptunian objects, and planetesimals) are invited. In addition to the extensive astronomical/remote-sensing observations and theoretical works, Hayabusa has brought us samples back from Itokawa (S-type asteroid) for unprecedentedly detailed analysis. The results of the Hayabusa sample initial analysis do prove that analysis of returned samples will play a key role in our future study of the solar system evolution. While the mission preparation of Hayabusa2, which is targeted at a more primordial asteroid than Itokawa (1999JU3, C-type), is being matured, expectation of building a new gateway to biology-flavored topics via organic material and aqueous alteration analysis is ramping up. In this session, after summarizing the cutting-edge results obtained by various methods including the Hayabusa sample analysis, we will discuss the future shape of the study of the solar system evolution.

Invited Lecturers Michael Zolensky (NASA Johnson Space Center)

Session ID P-PS01

Convener HELBERT, Jorn

Title Taking Mercury and the Moon in the laboratory

Scope The wealth of data we are currently receiving from the Moon and Mercury require substantial efforts in the laboratory to provide reference measurements. The goal of this session is to bring together all groups engaged in this effort.

Invited Lecturers Michael Zolensky (NASA Johnson Space Center)

Session ID P-PS02

Convener KIMURA, Jun

Title Toward future explorations of Jupiter and Saturn system

Scope Giant planets are the most prominent representative bodies not only in the solar system but also in the extrasolar systems. In this session, origin, interior, atmosphere, composition, surface feature, and electro-magnetic field etc. of the Jovian planets and the icy moons will be comprehensively discussed. Toward future exploration missions, we'd like to promote the study of giant planetary systems, and also progress in developing a solar sail mission to observe Jovian system and Trojan asteroids will be discussed.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID P-PS03

Convener SASAKI, Sho

Title Mars

Scope The study on Mars has greatly been developed due to new data from modern missions as well as to new results from theoretical and numerical works. Morphology and variable phenomena, seen on the surface, in the atmosphere and its surrounding plasma, all indicate that Mars is still an active planet. In Japan, MELOS mission has been discussed. The current plan involves an orbiter and an engineering demonstration lander (or atmosphere sample return vehicle). In this session, current researches on Mars as well as future mission plans are discussed.

Invited Lecturers Michael Zolensky (NASA Johnson Space Center)

Session ID P-PS04

Convener BARKIN, Yury

Title Studies of rotation, inner dynamics and gravitational fields of Solar system bodies

Scope Dynamic studies of rotary motions of celestial bodies give the important key to understanding of their internal structure, gravitational fields and dynamics of their shells. Due to space missions of last time and precision radar observations from the Earth the extremely important data on rotational motions of Mercury, the Moon, Mars, the Titan and other bodies of solar system are obtained. An increase of accuracy of observations of rotation of Mercury and the Moon in the nearest years is expected. Rotations and internal structures of solar system bodies have as the general properties so find out also the important specific features (resonant character of motion, presence of a liquid core, presence of liquid ocean shells, a massive atmosphere at the resonant satellite of the Titan and other). These features of celestial bodies result in necessity of development of new approaches and methods for construction of analytical theories of their rotation. The basic purpose in work of the given session is to combine and systematize studies of rotary motions of solar system bodies in view of their multilayered structure. The reports reflecting researches on the following themes are invited. The construction of analytical and semi - analytical theories of rotation of the Moon, Mercury and Venus, the Titan, other resonant satellites of planets, asteroids. Researches of gravitational fields and an internal structure of bodies of solar system, construction of their models. Researches of rotational motions of the Earth and Mars (in particular as systems of interacting shells). Observations of rotation of planets and satellites. Dynamics of relative oscillations of the shells of celestial bodies (differential rotations and small translational relative displacements). Studies of tidal evolution of rotary motions etc.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID P-PS05

Convener KIMURA, Makoto

Title Asteroidal collision from meteorites and experimental works

Scope Meteorites abundantly contain ultra-high-pressure minerals, which formed during asteroidal collision. They are also important minerals in Earth's interior. In this session we discuss the features and formation process from the observation of meteorites and experimental works.

Invited Lecturers Ahmed El Goresy (Universitaet Bayreuth)
Yangting Lin (Institute of Geology and Geophysics)

Session ID P-PS06

Convener YURIMOTO, Hisayoshi

Title Minerals-Water-Organics in the early solar system

Scope Recent progress in the study of primitive materials of the early solar system such as chondrites, interplanetary dust particles, micrometeorites, comets and asteroids, reveals that chemical interaction among inorganic minerals, organic materials, and water is crucial in their evolution. In this session we discuss the minaral-organic-water interactions of primitive materials by material characteristics, material syntheses and astronomical observations.

Invited Lecturers Joseph Nuth (NASA)

Session ID P-EM07

Convener EBIHARA, Yusuke

Title Space Weather

Scope Space weather is referred to the conditions in the solar-terrestrial coupled system, including the Sun, solar wind, magnetosphere, ionosphere and thermosphere, that can influence human activities in space and on ground. This session consists of the following three sub-sessions: (1) Fundamental studies on physical processes that emerge in the solar-terrestrial system. (2) Application studies on space weather, including forecasting technique, and influence on human activities in space and on ground. (3) Reports on recent solar-terrestrial events, for example, solar flares and magnetic storms, as well as a broad perspective of the upcoming solar maximum.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID P-EM08

Convener LIU, Huixin

Title Mesosphere-Thermosphere-Ionosphere coupling in Asian sector

Scope This session focuses on the coupling between the thermosphere-ionosphere-mesosphere (MTI) in the Asia-Oceania sector.
Physics-wise, the Asia sector plays a central role in the global coupling process. This is easily understood with the fact that deep convection activity over Indonesia is the strongest on the globe and is thus the essential driver of the global coupling between the lower and upper atmosphere. Facility-wise, the Asian sector has recently enjoyed a huge increase in ground instruments probing the MTI regions. These include many meteor/MF/HF/VHF radars, all sky camaras, magnetometer chains, GPS receiver networks in India, Indonesia, China, Korea, Japan and Australia, if just to mention a few. The over observation area covers nearly all latitudes from equator to mid-latitude and extending to the pole. However, in comparison to the American sector, much less progress has been achieved in the Asian sector in terms of coordinated observations. To maximize the scientific returns, it is vital to coordinate various Asian facilities to form an "All-Asia" network instead of viewing them on a point by point basis.
In responding to this need, this international session focuses on recent achievements pertaining to the MTI coupling in Asian sector. Presentations on observations/modelling of regional features obtained from the above local facilities or the combination of them are particularly welcome. Presentations on global features which provide global context to Asian studies are also highly valued. Introduction about new instrument or new observing capabilities are strongly encouraged.
This session wishes to serve as a forum to exchange views and information among Asian scientists in the field of MTI, and to foster collaborations among young scientists.

Invited Lecturers Jiuhou Lei (National science and technology Uni. China)
Charles Lin (National Cheng-Kung Uni.)
Young-Sil Kwak (Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institue)
Y. H. Chu (National Central Uni.)

Session ID P-EM09

Convener SUMMERS, Danny

Title Current Research on Earth's Inner Magnetosphere

Scope Earth's inner magnetosphere is a dynamic plasma environment comprising complex interacting components including the radiation belts, ring current, plasmasphere and ionosphere. Understanding the transport, acceleration and loss of radiation belt particles is an ongoing theme in radiation belt physics. While much progress has been achieved in the last decade in understanding how wave-particle interactions control the radiation belts, the development of successful physics-based global models of radiation belt dynamics is far from complete. Ring current models that calculate self-consistently both the electric and magnetic fields that determine ion dynamics remain under development. We need to understand why the storm-time ring current sometimes rapidly decays. We need to determine how the generation and global distribution of energetic electrons in the inner magnetosphere is influenced by the distribution of cold dense plasma comprising the plasmasphere and plasmaspheric plumes. We need to quantify how the plasma physics of the inner magnetosphere is influenced by ion outflow from the ionosphere. The foregoing are only some of the open research questions in inner magnetospheric physics. This session invites current research on any of the above and related phenomena. Theoretical modeling,simulation and observational contributions are all welcome.

Invited Lecturers Craig Rodger (Univ. of Otago)
Khan-Hyuk Kim (Kyung Hee Univ.)
Frank Cheng (National Cheng Kung Univ.)
Mei-Ching Fok (NASA GSFC)

Session ID P-EM10

Convener HIRAHARA, Masafumi

Title International Symposium for CAWSES-II and ISWI

Scope The international programs, CAWSES-II (Climate and Weather of Sun-Earth System, Part 2) and ISWI (International Space Weather Initiative), have started since 2009, and a number of research activities have been initiated and already attained significant achievements. This international session is devoted to the introductions of the main research subjects and the presentations of the current status in each theme, which would be fruitful for the discussions in domestic/overseas projects from the viewpoint of the promotion of international programs CAWSES-II and ISWI. This session invites host scientists from foreign countries and calls many contributions based on the recent results regarding observations, theory and modeling.

Invited Lecturers Andreas Keiling (UCB)
TSUDA Toshitaka (Kyoto University)

Session ID P-EM11

Convener BURESOVA, Dalia

Title Ionospheric response to forcing from above and below

Scope The Earth's atmosphere as a whole, including the ionosphere embedded in the thermosphere, is a coupled system influenced by solar and magnetospheric processes from above and by upward propagating disturbances from below. The coupling processes are crucial to our understanding of ionospheric dynamics and variability. The ionosphere is forced from above by various space weather processes of solar and internal magnetospheric origin, which all affect the ionosphere through the magnetosphere. The strongest among them are well-developed magnetic storms and substorms, but many other still insufficiently explored processes do exist. On the other hand, the ionosphere is forced from below mainly (but not only) by atmospheric waves like planetary, tidal and acoustic-gravity waves, those being mostly of tropospheric origin but partly excited also in the stratosphere and at higher layers. The symposium invites (multi)instrumental observation, simulation and modelling studies that address the dynamics of the ionosphere with emphasis on magnetospheric and lower atmospheric forcing and the associated feedback on the ionospheric behaviour.
Contributions dealing with magnetospheric forcing are sought particularly in the areas of ionospheric phenomena caused by magnetospheric storms and substorms, current closure, the deposition of energy in its various forms, and the interaction of electromagnetic waves with the ionosphere. New results that focus on the fully three-dimensional ionospheric structure of the above mentioned phenomena are especially appreciated. As for atmospheric forcing, contributions are sought that focus on atmospheric waves, wave-wave and wave-mean flow interactions, atmospheric electricity and electrodynamical coupling processes. New results on MLT feeding (wave penetration and secondary wave generation) of ionospheric disturbances and the solar effect on the vertical propagation conditions of the atmospheric waves are particularly welcome.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID P-EM12

Convener SATO, Mitsuteru

Title Future TLE studies based on JEM-GLIMS and ground-based observations

Scope Recent ground-based and aircraft observations revealed the detailed fine structure, time evolution and their physical process of transient luminous events (TLEs). In 2012 lightning and sprite observations from International Space Station (ISS) named JEM-GLIMS mission will be started. In this international session, papers related to JEM-GLIMS sciences, its future collaborative studies and recent results of TLE observations will be presented.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID P-EM13

Convener TANSKANEN, Eija

Title Terrestrial and planetary magnetotails and their response to variable upstream conditions

Scope Examining the state of the magnetotail is crucial in understanding the magnetospheric dynamics in different time scales. Magnetotail lobes are known to be able to store magnetic energy and release it afterwards during magnetic storms and substorms. At times the magnetic energy is released in a steady mode and at times in a bursty mode, and the loading-unloading can be cyclic or non-cyclic. The different magnetotail responses may be produced by different interplanetary structures e.g. coronal mass ejections, interplanetary shocks or high-speed streams. We sough studies examining: how does tail lobes and plasma sheet response to the variable space weather conditions? When do we observe TCRs and plasmoids? What happens before, during and after the reconnection process? These questions can be addressed by multispacecraft observations from different magnetospheric locations and by ground-based instruments. We invite studies including observations, theory and modelling of magnetotail during variable space weather conditions. Multispacecraft analysis of Cluster and THEMIS together with Geotail studies are particularly welcome.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID P-CG14

Convener KOJIMA, Hirotsugu

Title Instrumentation for space science

Scope This session will cover instrumentation and measurement techniques for the study of space science. We welcome contributions discussing newly designed instruments, and mission oriented instruments already in space or near launch as well as the ground based instruments. Status reports on the space missions are also welcome. This is the international session. We encourage the contributions especially from the Asian countries based on their own space missions.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID A-AS01

Convener ANDO, Kentaro

Title Variability of atmosphere, ocean, and air-sea interaction in and over the Indian Ocean

Scope The atmospheric and oceanic variations in the Indian Ocean impact on world climate as well as coastal and regional climate systems in and around the Indian Ocean. Although various atmospheric and oceanic phenomena in the Indian Ocean are identified, their detailed mechanisms and their relation to bio-geochemical processes in the ocean are not well understood. This session aims to promote discussions on physical and bio-geochemical processes in the ocean, atmospheric variations, and their interactions in the Indian Ocean sector.
Since the discovery of Indian Ocean Dipole in1999, it has been recognized that the oceanic and atmospheric variations in the Indian Ocean do influence the global climate system thorough several teleconnection processes. In parallel to such the research activities, CLIVAR/IOGOOS Indian Ocean Panel has designed and is coordinating implementation of the Indian ocean observing system (IndOOS). RAMA (Research Moored Array for African?Asian?Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction) buoy observing array is a major component of IndOOS, which has been developing under multinational efforts, providing invaluable oceanic and meteorological data. In addition, an international activity of bio-geochemical research in the Indian Ocean (SIBER) is started recently. In order to advance our understanding of the Indian Ocean variability and to facilitate mutual interactions among the different research communities, we invite papers on and not limited to the variations in the ocean, atmosphere, and bio-geochemical processes in the Indian Ocean sector. We will also discuss possible future collaborative research activities among the communities.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID A-AS02

Convener LIN, I-I

Title Typhoon-Ocean Interaction in the Western North Pacific Ocean and Neighbouring Seas

Scope Western North Pacific Ocean and the neighbouring seas are among the world oceans where tropical cyclones (typhoons), both highest in number and intensity, are found. These typhoons impose direct threat to the half-billion people living near the Asian coasts. However, current typhoon intensity forecast skill is still poor and one of the identified major reasons for such a discrepancy is the lack of understanding on the complex interactions between ocean and typhoons. These complex physical and biogeochemical interactions include processes such as the role ocean currents and mesoscale ocean eddied play in typhoon's intensification, accurate characterisation of air-sea momentum and energy exchange between cyclone and ocean under extreme typhoon (and supertyphoon) wind conditions, as well as interactions between typhoon, wave, sea spray, and ocean. In summer 2010, a large field campaign (Impact of Typhoon On Pacific, ITOP) comprising aircrafts, research vessels, in situ ocean observational platforms, and satellite observations, was conducted in the western North Pacific ocean to explore the above-mentioned complex issues. This session welcomes submissions from both observational and modelling efforts and is not limited to specific ocean basins. Submissions under the broad discipline of cyclone-ocean physical and biogeochemical interactions are also very welcomed.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID A-AS03

Convener NAKAMURA, Hisashi

Title Frontiers of Atmospheric Science: Extratropical air-sea interaction and Earth climate

Scope The extratropical ocean has been considered to vary only in responding passively to remote forcing from tropical climate variability via atmospheric teleconnection. Recent studies have revealed, however, some active roles of the extratropical ocean in the climate system, including a tendency for a strong warm current as the Gulf Stream and Kuroshio to organize a convective cloud band and a tendency for an oceanic frontal zone with tight meridional temperature gradient to yield pronounced thermal anomalies through its latitudinal displacement and thereby change heat and moisture supplies into the atmosphere. In recognition of the climatic importance of these oceanic impacts, the conveners of this session organized a nation-wide project on the extratropical air-sea interaction in 2010. The project focuses on midlatitude oceanic frontal zones where heat and moisture supplies into the atmosphere are geographically concentrated and thus intense along warm currents, referring to them as "hot spots" in the climate system. Setting its primary target region over the western North Pacific, where the most pronounced "hot spot" over the globe forms under the East Asian monsoon, the project is developing comprehensive research activity, including air-sea interactions over the marginal seas (East China Sea, Seas of Japan and Okhotsk). The aim of this international session is to review and update rapidly expanding knowledge of particular aspects of air-sea interactions that characterize the climatic "hot spots" and to discuss future directions of extratropical climate study with invited overseas speakers. Contributing oral and poster presentations are welcomed.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID A-GE04

Convener SAITO, Hirotaka

Title Subsurface Mass Transport and Environmental Assessment

Scope This session covers the topics on mass transport, water and energy cycles in geoenvironment. Subjects related to laboratory and field measurements, theoretical analysis, and numerical modeling will be discussed. Presentations on geo-pollution, remediation, geological disposal of hazardous wastes, mass transport in vadose zone, soil-water monitoring, and environmental assessment are encouraged.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID A-CG05

Convener YAMASHIKI, Yosuke

Title Continental-Oceanic Mutual Interaction, Global-scale Material Circulation

Scope The main purpose of this session is to promote discussion on mutual interaction between Continental zone and Oceanic zone. The global-scale material (nutrients, pollutants including radioactive materials) circulation induced by River runoff through oceanic general circulation as major topic on Continental-Oceanic Interaction, where the ENSO / IOD influence into continental climate as major topics on Oceanic-Continental Interaction.

Invited Lecturers ONDA Yuichi (University of Tsukuba)

Session ID H-GG01

Convener HARUYAMA, Shigeko

Title Global Land Project

Scope In this session, we propose the international study of analysis of the present relationship between human activities and earth surface, land cover change. Considering to the natural disaster, the evaluation of the land cover change with social structure, and zoning from the land cover change should be very important to construct of the regional planning in specific Asia and Pacific region.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID H-GM02

Convener SHIMAZU, Hiroshi

Title Geomorphology

Scope Interdisciplinary discussion on morphology, processes, development of landform, geomorphological hazards and their mitigation and relationships between geomorphic processes and other natural phenomena and human activities, are main subject of this session. Any topics with new findings and ideas are encouraged. All presentations and discussion of this session are made in English.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID H-SC03

Convener HIMIYAMA, Yukio

Title International Human Dimensions Programme

Scope To discuss the issues related with IHDP, namely global/regional environmental changes and large-scale hazards, their mechanisms, effects, problems and mitigation from broad perspectives of human geosphere sciences including earth sciences, geography, hazard studies and social sciences.

Invited Lecturers

AOGS Joint Sesson

Session ID H-DS04

Convener CHIGIRA, Masahiro

Title Landslides and related phenomena

Scope Landslides, slope failures, debris flows etc. have been occurring in various manners in many countries with heavy damage. We will report and discuss on their characteristics, mechanisms, monitoring, management, hazard evaluation etc. Papers from Asian countries, where many landslide hazards have been occurring, are welcome.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID H-DS05

Convener PETROVA, Elena

Title Natural hazard impact on technological systems and urban areas

Scope The last two years set a sad record in the number and scale of natural disasters and clearly demonstrated high vulnerability of the global economy to their impact. The most serious consequences have the so-called natural-technological disasters that have place when natural hazards trigger accidents and disasters at technological objects such as nuclear power plants, chemical plants or oil refineries and pipelines. One of the most large-scaled natural-technological disasters occurred on March 11, 2011 in Japan as a result of a massive 9.0-magnitude earthquake off the northeast coast of Honshu Island, that caused a more than 30-meter tsunami. A distinctive feature of natural-technological events, such as of the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, is their synergistic nature with a disaster impact on the technosphere, resulting in simultaneous occurrences of numerous technospheric accidents. Usually it is very difficult to deal with the consequences of such natural-technological accidents and disasters, because one has to cope not only with the primary aftermaths of the natural disaster, but also with the secondary effects of a number of technological accidents, which can be much more serious. These consequences are the more severe the higher are the population density and concentration of industrial facilities and infrastructure (especially hazardous objects) in disaster-affected areas. The main goal of this session is to summarize case studies of relationships between natural hazards and technological disasters and to encourage a discussion about tools and methods to prevent or minimize their consequences.

Invited Lecturers Elisabeth Krausmann (Joint Research Centre of the European Commission)
Anastasia Derbasova (Russian Academy of Sciences)
Elena Petrova (Moscow University)
MATSUSHIMA Hajime(Hokkaido University)
Ana Maria Cruz (Disaster Prevention Institute)

Session ID H-DS06

Convener INOUE, Hiroshi

Title Natural Hazards and Disaster Reduction in Asia, Africa, and the Pacific Rim

Scope Natural hazards such as earthquakes, tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, typhoons/cyclones, landslides and floods occur frequently and claim many human lives every year in the world.
In order to reduce fatalities caused by such disasters, collaboration of natural science, engineering, and human and social sciences, and learning experiences and lessons from other types of disasters, and from other countries are important.
This session offers such an international, multi-hazard, multi-disciplenary forum.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID H-TT07

Convener OGUCHI, Takashi

Title GIS

Scope This session discusses various methods which acquire, store, analyze and visualize spatial data, and presents the outcomes of empirical studies using GIS. The session also deals with applications of digital data and GIS to various fields. All presentations and discussion of this session are made in English.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID H-TT08

Convener TAKAHASHI, Yukihiro

Title Scope of climatic research by remote-sensing in Asia

Scope SE-Asia is one of the most important region that determines global climate change and known as one the most thunderstorm-active area. Remote-seising methodologies take significant roles in that area since the construction of ground-based networks are still under development. Adding to large sized remote-sensing satellite, micro-satellite with a weight of 100 kg or less are extensively developed these years, which can be applied to climate monitoring. Also ground-based lightning networks, which have been constructed in SE-Asia, will enable us to know the realtime activity of thunderstorms. Here we discuss the scope of new research methodology using such new remote-sensing techniques, as well as the latest result of Asian climate research.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID H-CG09

Convener MOGREN, Saad

Title Nature human interactions in Geosciences researches

Scope Human geosciences are multi disciplinary sciences concerned with nature human interactions on the Earth surface and with the issues related to them, such as natural hazards, urban and rural environment, land, water, mineral and energy resources. They are systematically studied by integrating field surveys and or monitoring, data analyses and modelling. The geoscience disciplines broadly related to this category are Geography, Geomorphology, Engineering Geology, Sedimentology, Natural Disaster, Disaster Prevention, Resources, Energy, etc. Human Geosciences are of ever increasing importance due to their variable nature, great impact on human society as well as for a genuine requirement to seek scientific solutions for geological issues arising from the man and nature interactions. Some such latest examples are: The Al Ays earthquake swarm in Saudi Arabia in April 2009 that prompted evacuation of 40000 people from the vicinity of an emerging volcano on the Red Sea coast Japan earthquake tsunami nuclear disaster in March 2011, Nepal earthquake of September 2011 causing landslides that wiped out villages in remote region of the Himalayas. Scope of study encompassed by Human Geosciences is clearly enormous from polar warming to arsenic problem in groundwater, geogenic toxicants and exposure pathways, mobilization and transport mechanisms by both natural processes and human activities, disaster prevention, forensic medical geology, exposure pathways, controls on bioavailability, analytical techniques, creating educational materials for geology and human health etc. Research contributions are invited for both oral and poster sessions on various aspects of human geosciences where one is to find an integration of field surveys, data monitoring and analysis, modelling and practical solutions. It is expected that the JpGU Session on Human Geosciences will attract scientific contributions reporting advances in most of these areas.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID S-SS01

Convener HIRATA, Naoshi

Title Global Collaborative Earthquake Predictability Research

Scope Recent earthquake predictability studies emphasize the importance of testing forecast models. Several nations are currently operating or developing regional centers for such tests, and the findings may yield a better understanding of the models' basic features and particular physical aspects. A special focus of this session will be experiments in Japan and multi-national collaborations.

Invited Lecturers Danijel Schorlemmer (Southern California Earthquake Center and GFZ German Research Center for Geoscience)
Masha Liukis (Southern California Earthquake Center)
Chung-Han Chan (National Taiwan University)

Session ID S-IT02

Convener YOSHINO, Takashi

Title Structure, mineral physics and dynamics of mantle

Scope Interdisciplinary approach can lead to a better understanding of dynamics and evolution of the Earth's deep interior. We invite submissions of recent results in theoretical and experimental studies on mineral physics, geodynamics of deep mantle, and any relevant field from researchers in many countries. Integration of such results is also welcome.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID S-TT03

Convener OKUMA, Shigeo

Title Airborne surveys and monitoring of the Earth

Scope Airborne surveys are useful to better understand the whole and/or the detailed structures of the Earth and their variations. They can be implemented from a traditional manned and newly-developed unmanned aircraft to efficiently map very large or remote areas with difficult access. We invite studies on instrumentation, processing, modeling or inversion and applications of airborne surveys.

Invited Lecturers Robert Supper(GBA)
Uwe Meyer(BGR)

Session ID S-CG04

Convener TAMURA, Yoshihiko

Title Creation and Destruction of Continental Crust by Plate Tectonics

Scope Continental crust today is mostly generated by arc magmatism above subduction zones, but also at hot-spots and rifts. Today, there are approximately 7 billion cubic kilometers of continental crust (Cogley, 1984) and it is often assumed that continental crust volume has been growing over Earth history. However, it is clear from truncations of ancient orogenic belts and the presence of >4.0 Ga zircons that much Precambrian continental crust has been destroyed, mostly by tectonic erosion at subduction zones. Moreover, lower crust foundering and decratonization might also be important destroyers of continental crust. At present, creation and destruction of continental crust is either in balance or more crust is being destroyed than created; the uncertainty comes from unknown deep losses of continental crust at collision zones and due to lower crustal foundering. This session seeks to understand how continental crust is produced and destroyed today and the recent geologic past? We ask this question to a broad range of geologists, geophysicists, geochemists and petrologists who are interested in crustal evolution.

Invited Lecturers Susan M. DeBari (Western Washington University)
KODAIRA Shuichi (IFREE, JAMSTEC)
Robert J. Stern (University of Texas)
TATSUMI Yoshiyuki (IFREE, JAMSTEC)
Katherine Kelley (University of Rhode Island)

Session ID S-CG05

Convener UR REHMAN, Hafiz

Title Convergent boundary dynamics: collision, subduction, crustal growth and deformation

Scope This session is aimed at considering the processes involved with the subducting slabs and along the collision boundaries. The multi-disciplinary approach will be applied to extract the preserved records from the subducting slabs and collision boundaries via structural, geophysical, petrologic, geochemical and experimental studies. Topics in this session include links between oceanward accretion and landward erosion, metamorphism and deformation, relationship between hydration and dehydration along the subduction channels, cycling of continental crust, element mobility and fluid role, formation and exhumation of granulites, blueschist and UHP/UHT metamorphic rocks.
The session also aims at exchanging ideas among geoscientists applying different approaches on problems related to subducting slabs, collision boundaries and related processes. New works with novel or interdisciplinary techniques to the related theme are especially welcomed.

Invited Lecturers

EGU Joint Sesson

Session ID S-CG06

Convener ABU-ALAM, Tamer

Title Tectonic Evolution of the Gondwana Collision

Scope This session aims to draw the tectonic evolution of the orogenies that were formed due to the collision between East- and West-Gondwana (Pan-African, Brasiliano, Adelaidean and Beardmore orogenies). The collision between East- and West-Gondwana was associated by closure of several major Neoproterozoic oceans (Kroner & Stern, 2004). These are the Mozambique Ocean between East Gondwana (Australia, Antarctica, southern India) and West Gondwana (Africa, South America), the Adamastor Ocean between Africa and South America, the Damara Ocean between the Kalahari and Congo cratons, and the Trans-Sahara Ocean between the West African Craton and a poorly known pre-Pan-African terrane in north-central Africa (Klerkx & Deutsch, 1977; Toteu et al., 1990; Black & Liegeois, 1993) variously known as the Nile or Sahara Craton. This session will discuss any rock type which was formed or deformed during the collision. As well as it will discuss the structural elements those were formed during the collision.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID B-AO01

Convener KOBAYASHI, Kensei

Title Astrobiology: Origins, Evolution, Distribution of Life

Scope Astrobiology is a new interdisciplinary science field that intends to address the origins, evolution, distribution and destiny of life on Earth and elsewhere in the universe. In this session, every topic of Astrobiology will be discussed, including cosmic evolution, primitive Earth environments and origins of life, coevolution of life and Earth, life in extreme environments, etc.

Invited Lecturers

EGU Joint Sesson

Session ID B-PO02

Convener KITAZATO, Hiroshi

Title Biocalcification and the geochemistry of proxies

Scope In order to reconstruct the Earth climate system, marine paleoclimatologists resort to transfer functions or geochemical proxies, which are produced or affected by organisms. The relationships used for reconstructions are generally based on field calibrations or derived from laboratory experiments. The danger of these so called empirical relationships is that they maybe valid only within the restricted parameter space of their calibration. Application of proxy relationships to very different environmental settings (e.g. high vs. low latitude or glacial vs. interglacial) requires a mechanistic understanding of these relationships. Much progress can be expected by a better understanding of the biocalcification mechanisms and the incorporation of proxy signals.
In this session we invite contributions related to the biocalcification, calibration and validation of marine proxies.

Invited Lecturers Jelle Bijma (AWI)
Lennart J. de Nooijer (Univ. Utrecht)

Session ID M-IS01

Convener KATAOKA, Ryuho

Title From the Universe to Genomes: Histories of the Galaxy, Sun, Earth, and Life

Scope How geomagnetic activities, solar activities, and cosmic rays and cosmic dust associated with supernovae and molecular clouds, etc. affect the evolution histories of life and the Earth during 4.6 billion years via the ozone layer destruction, global glaciation, and mass extinctions etc? The scope of this session is to open the interdisciplinary field to investigate such research subjects. We discuss how to decode the histories of the Earth and life as a detector to decode the histories of the galaxy and the Sun. For example, we discuss the new methodologies to investigate the cosmic dust nucleosynthesis from marine sediments, to investigate the paleosolar spectrum from the information of the paleoatmosphere, and to investigate cosmic ray variations from the isotope analysis of tree rings and ice cores.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID M-IS02

Convener HOBARA, Yasuhide

Title Atmospheric Electricity

Scope All aspects of research area on Atmospheric Electricity will be discussed in this session, including global circuit, ion and fair weather electricity, thunderstorm electrification, lightning physics, lightning and meteorology, electrical effects of thunderstorms on the middle and upper atmosphere, lightning protection, seismo-electromagnetics, terrestrial electromagnetic environment and so on.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID M-IS03

Convener GROISMAN, Pavel

Title Changes in Northern Asia and the Arctic: Their feedbacks to the Globe

Scope The Northern Eurasia Earth Science Partnership Initiative (NEESPI) was launched as an interdisciplinary program of internationally-supported Earth science research addressing large-scale and long-term manifestations of climate, environmental, and socioeconomic changes (focusing on Northern Eurasia) that affect the rate of global change through atmosphere-biosphere-cryosphere interactions and through strong biogeophysical and biogeochemical couplings. Monsoon Asia Integrated Regional Study (MAIRS) embraces regional Earth System studies in Southern and Central Asia. Dry Land Area of extratropical Eurasia is a region of mutual interests of both these mega-projects. NEESPI and MAIRS research teams welcome a broad spectrum of participants and do not restrict their gatherings to the research team members. The particular focus of this year Session will be on the studies of the early career scientists associated with (or are interested to join) these mega-projects. The goal of the proposed Session is to bring together scientists who conduct their studies in the region to share their findings, to discuss the yet unresolved problems, and to establish fruitful collaboration within a broad range of the disciplines and research groups. We invite presentations on the biogeochemical cycles, the surface energy budget and water cycle, climate and terrestrial ecosystems interactions (land cover and land use, atmospheric aerosols, soil, and, in particular, dry land and weather extreme changes that affect and are being affected by climate and ecosystems changes), human dimension that includes, in addition to regional impact studies of environmental changes, the feedback studies of societal and land use changes on regional and global environment and climate, and tools to address the Northern Asia and the Arctic studies (paleoclimatic reconstructions, present and past field campaigns, remote sensing, and modeling).

Invited Lecturers Sergey Zimov (RAS North-East Science Station at Cherskiy)
MACHIDA Toshinobu(NIES)
Zhen Lin (IGSNRR,CAS)
Tsogtbaatar Jamsran (Inst.Geoecology, MAS)
Larry Hinzman (U. Alaska-Fairbanks)

Session ID M-IS04

Convener OHTANI, Eiji

Title Deep Carbon Cycle

Scope Carbon is a vital element in the earth and the other planets. This session covers deep carbon reservoir and flaxes, Nature of deep life, energy, environment, and climate. We encourage contributions from broad fields of earth and planetary science including biology at extreme conditions.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID M-SD05

Convener SUZUKI, Makoto

Title Earth and planetary sciences using small satellites

Scope This session covers scientific small satellite programs under proposal, development, and operational stage in all subjects, for earth, near-earth, and planetary observation from earth orbit. It covers all subjects related to small satellite programs; mission proposal, instrument/satellite system studies, development status, international relations, and piggybacks programs including ISS.

Invited Lecturers

Session ID M-TT06

Convener MINAMOTO, Yasuhiro

Title 100Years of Geomagnetic Observations at KAKIOKA - Contributions to Centennial Progress of Geophysics

Scope Kakioka Magnetic Observatory has the 100th anniversary of the foundation in January 1913. They have supplied high quality data of the geomagnetic field with taking cutting-edge technology. Kakioka is a rare station that covers nine solar cycles and valuable station in Asia and Pacific areas where few magnetic observatories have been operated.
Precise observations of geomagnetic filed have contributed to the progress geophysics. In order to meet real-time demands such as monitoring disturbances in magnetosphere or ionosphere, quasi real-time data exchanges have been carried out in the framework of International Real-time Magnetic Observatory Network (INTERMAGNET), which includes Kakioka Magnetic Observatory.
Meanwhile, circumstances surrounding the geomagnetic observations have changed. Magnetic field observations in space by satellites and in polar region and ocean by unmanned equipments have been taken. However, the number of magnetic observatory is much smaller than that in the International Geophysical Year, 1957-1958.
In this session, we look back the 100 years history of Kakioka Magnetic Observatory and discuss the role of geomagnetic observations on ground for next 100 years.

Invited Lecturers Jeffrey Love (U.S. Geological Survey)
Jean Rasson (Institut Royal Meteorologique de Belgique)
Mandea Mioara (IAGA Secretary General)
UTADA Hisashi (The University of Tokyo )
YUMOTO Kiyohumi (Kyushu University )