|
|
New Format for the Annual IRIS Workshop |
||||||
Over 200 seismologists converged in Fish Camp, California for the Eleventh Annual IRIS workshop. With the seismological community buzzing over proposed new initiatives such as EarthScope/USArray, the Plate Boundary Observatory, the Advanced National Seismic System, the new PASSCAL instrument, and the next IRIS five-year proposal, it was a time both to review recent results and to plan our future. Accordingly, the workshop was structured not only with the traditional lecture and poster sessions, but also with a series of discussion groups specifically designed to explore new initiatives and to create a common vision for the future of IRIS. The new format was extremely successful in generating ideas for next IRIS 5-year proposal and in creating a consensus among the IRIS community on future initiatives. Upon arrival, each workshop participant discovered that they had been assigned to one of five discussion groups. Wednesday evening began with the traditional icebreaker, followed by dinner and a special reception where students and post-docs met each other and learned how they can participate in IRIS programs. Thursday morning, the workshop began with a lecture session on mountain building organized by Brad Hager. Brian Wernicke discussed the Sierra-Nevada Uplift, Roger Buck described visco-elastic interactions in normal faulting, and Leigh Royden broadened the presentations by outlining the visco-elastic interactions that occur during contraction. After a short break, the session concluded with presentation on the state of the lower crust by Brad Hager; and on crust-mantle interactions by Gene Humphreys.
Following lunch, the Chair of the IRIS Board of Directors, Anne Meltzer, introduced the five discussion group leaders: Art Lerner-Lam, Alan Levander, Jeffrey Park, Gary Pavlis, and Michael Wysession. The groups convened separately for coffee and desert, with their assignment: "Identify and rank the five most interesting scientific questions that seismology can address, and indicate those in which IRIS should play a role." In the afternoon, a poster session provided opportunity for informal discussions. The day concluded with an Ansel Adams lecture by Robert Woolard, dinner in the lodge, and brief presentations by the group leaders from the afternoon discussions. On Friday morning, Anne Meltzer summarized the results from the discussion groups (see box). There was remarkable similarity in both the views and priorities presented by each of independent discussion groups. Encouraged by the apparent consensus within the workshop, the groups were then tasked with the follow-up question: "How can we best attain our IRIS-related goals within the context and time-frame of our next 5-year proposal?" A series of lectures on the lower mantle organized by Michael Gurnis then began. Lianxing Wen spoke about the fine seismic structure of the lowermost mantle; Quentin Williams discussed the lowermost mantle and evidence for magma oceans and the source of hotspots; and Guy Masters spoke about the imaging of chemical and thermal anomalies. Following the break, Lars Stixrude discussed the role of mineral physics as the link between seismology and dynamics; and Igor Sidorin reconciled the seismic observations, models, and mineral physics for the base of the mantle. The lecture session convened promptly at noon as everyone grabbed boxed lunches and many headed off to hike through Yosemite National Park. Following dinner that evening, the discussion groups reconvened to develop specific recommendations for the next IRIS 5-year proposal.
On Saturday, the group leaders presented their final reports for the IRIS proposal. Once again, there was considerable consensus about the future role of IRIS and direction of our various programs. Many of the recommendations fell within the themes of increasing resolution, bandwidth, coverage, and stability. There were also calls for improvements in data accessibility; development of the new PASSCAL instrument; coordinated software development, promotion of new initiatives such as USArray and the Plate Boundary Initiative; expanded earthquake studies; and the use of the Consortium as an organizing structure for the seismological community and as representatives within Washington for the greater Geoscience community. Following the discussion group reports, a lecture session organized by Tom Jordon on the science of earthquakes began. Göran Ekström presented a talk on global seismicity; Greg Beroza discussed regional studies of earthquakes; Mark Zoback discussed local studies of earthquakes; and James Deterich gave a talk on laboratory studies of earthquakes. The session ended at noon. Following lunch, representatives from the National Science Foundation discussed the EarthScope proposal and answered questions from workshop participants. The workshop ended with a barbecue dinner and an astronomy presentation by Fresno State. We extend a special thanks to the workshop organizers John Vidale and Gene Humphreys, the session chairs, Brad Hager, Michael Gurnis, and Tom Jordon, and a special thanks to the discussion group leaders: Jeffrey Park, Art Lerner-Lam, Alan Levander, Gary Pavlis, and Michael Wysession. |
||||||
The
most interesting questions that seismology can address
|
|
|
