The present state of Earth and other rocky planets are an expression of dynamical and chemical processes occurring throughout their history. Plate tectonics is one of several planetary heat and mass transport regimes, and transitions into and out of this regime cannot be understood by looking at a single example. The rock-record, through geochemistry and magnetism, is used to interrogate changes in the tectono-thermal regime of Earth’s interior through time, while seismic imaging and gravity data, for instance, provide a snapshot of processes occurring in the contemporary mantle, crust and core. These classes of observations may be linked through geodynamic models, whose accuracy is underpinned by the physical properties (e.g., viscosity and density) of its constituent phases (minerals, melts and fluids). Information on the fundamental thermodynamic and physical behaviour of phases is subject to constant advance via experimental and ab-initio techniques.

This session aims to provide a holistic view of the dynamics, structure and composition of Earth, from core to atmosphere, and their evolution through time. We welcome contributions that address questions surrounding Earth’s major geological transformations and initial conditions that include, but are not limited to, study of the Hadean/Archean to better understand plate tectonic behaviour and transitions, magma ocean dynamics, oxidation of planetary interiors/atmospheres and the habitability of silicate worlds. Studies using a multidisciplinary approach are particularly encouraged.

The global-scale cycling of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, sulphur etc. controls the mass, composition and state of the outermost volatile layer of terrestrial planets over time, thereby controlling their habitability. These planetary volatile cycles involve the atmosphere, hydrosphere, crust, mantle and perhaps even core. On geological timescales, they are controlled by plate tectonics and mantle convection, but also by magmatism. Indeed, mantle melting is a key process that partitions (volatile) elements between the various planetary reservoirs. On Earth, for instance, ingassing and outgassing mainly occur at subduction zones, and major sites of volcanism (i.e., mid-ocean ridges and hotspots), respectively. Indeed, major volatile cycles are balanced to first order through ingassing and outgassing, particularly on plate-tectonic planets such as Earth. In planetary interiors, volatiles are partitioned into the existing minerals, or stabilize minor phases such as diamond or various hydrous phases in the mantle and crust, something that directly influences the spatial distribution of melt formation. Conversely, melt transport induces volatile exchanges between planetary reservoirs and favors outgassing. Understanding the complex dynamics (e.g., multi-phase flow) of melt/fluid segregation or accumulation is thus crucial for understanding global-scale volatile/material cycling. Further, melt retention as well as volatile content and speciation strongly and non-linearly affect rock properties such as viscosity, modal mineralogy, melting behavior, oxidation state, seismic velocity and attenuation, electrical conductivity and density.

In this session, we invite contributions from researchers in all disciplines of the Earth and Planetary Sciences that study volatile cycling and reservoir exchanges through fluid/melt percolation as well as magmatism from regional to global scales, and from short to long timescales. We also invite contributions such as, e.g., on the effects of volatiles on material properties, melt stabilization and planetary surface conditions, related observations or processes. Experimental, observational, modeling, and truly integrated multidisciplinary studies are highly welcome.

Processes responsible for formation and development of the early Earth (> 2500Ma) are not well understood and strongly debated, reflecting in part the poorly preserved, altered, and incomplete nature of the geological record from this time.
In this session we encourage the presentation of new approaches and models for the development of Earth's early crust and mantle and their methods of interaction. We encourage contributions from the study of the preserved rock archive as well as geodynamic models of crustal and mantle dynamics so as to better understand the genesis and evolution of continental crust and the stabilization of cratons.
We invite abstracts from a large range of disciplines including geodynamics, geology, geochemistry, and petrology but also studies of early atmosphere, biosphere and early life relevant to this period of Earth history.

Over fifty years since the acceptance of plate tectonic theory the driving forces behind plate motion and plate boundary formation and evolution remain incompletely understood. In addition to plate boundary forces, mantle plumes are often invoked as a trigger for processes such as continental rifting and break-up, subduction initiation, microcontinent formation, readjustments of the world-encircling mid-ocean ridge system, and topography evolution (called dynamic topography). Moreover, the arrival of mantle plume heads at the base of the lithosphere has been invoked as the mechanism behind abrupt, short-lived changes in plate speeds and azimuths, by means of the introduction of “plume-push” forces. However, the validity of this hypothesis has recently been put into question.

In this session, we aim to bring together researchers interested in the forces driving plate tectonics, with particular emphasis on plate-plume interactions and covering cover a range of techniques from data-driven approaches to numerical modelling or laboratory experiments We welcome studies that address the links between mantle dynamics, modern-style plate tectonics, whole-lithosphere behaviour and topography, through deep time as well as during the Archaen.

We expect this session to include a diverse range of multi-disciplinary studies united by a common goal of understanding the dynamics of plate motions, mantle plumes, the plate-mantle system. and the influence on the evolution of the topography.

Geomorphic and geologic observations at the Earth's surface reflect the combined effects of erosional, tectonic, and deep-seated processes. Such surface observations therefore provide important constraints on mantle convection patterns and subduction dynamics through space and time, which compliment both studies of geophysical data and numerical simulation. However, using Earth's surface records to constrain deep-seated processes is complicated by (1) our as yet incomplete understanding of how mantle convection or subduction processes are manifest as surface forms and patterns, and (2) the effects of tectonic processes, spatio-temporal variations in climate, glacial isostatic adjustment, lithology, biota, and human alteration of landscapes and surface geology. We invite contributions that tackle these challenges and work toward identifying the surface expression of deep-Earth processes such as mantle convection, in different tectonic settings. We welcome studies that develop and apply a variety of approaches across temporal and spatial scales, including (but not limited to) geomorphic analysis, geophysics, thermochronometry, isotope and cosmogenic nuclide measurements, and numerical and analogue modeling of both surface and deep-Earth dynamics. We hope that this session will provide opportunities for presenters from all backgrounds, demographics, and all stages of their scientific career to engage in this exciting and emerging geological problem via a multidisciplinary approach.

During the Neoproterozoic, the last era of the Precambrian, major transformations occurred in the surficial layers of the Earth (atmosphere, oceans, biosphere and cryosphere) and possibly also in the Earth’s deep interior with rapid True Polar Wander and instabilities of the Earth’s magnetic field (crystallization of the inner core?). The paleogeography of the lithosphere, located at the interface between the surface and deep interior, is central to understanding the evolution of these transformations. In this session, we welcome multi-disciplinary contributions focused on late Precambrian and early Paleozoic paleogeographic reconstructions and their potential relationships with processes occurring in Earth’s surficial layers and deep interior.

Our understanding of the iron cores in Earth and other bodies is progressing rapidly thanks to cross-fertilization between a number of observational, theoretical and experimental disciplines.

Improved seismic observations continue to provide better images and prompt refinements in structural and geodynamic models. Mineral physics provides constraints for dynamic, structural, and thermodynamic models. Improved constraints on the core heat budget, paleomagnetic observations of long-term magnetic field variations, and high-resolution numerical simulations promote the exploration of new dynamo mechanisms. Geomagnetic observations from both ground and satellite, along with magneto-hydrodynamic experiments, provide additional insight to our ever expanding view of planetary cores.

This session welcomes contributions from all disciplines, as well as interdisciplinary efforts, on attempts to proceed towards an integrated, self-consistent picture of planetary core structure, dynamics and history, and to understand their overwhelming complexity.

The geological processes that we infer from observations of the Earth’s surface, together with the landscape features are direct consequences of the dynamic Earth, and in particular, of the interaction between tectonic plates. Seismological studies are key for unraveling the present structure and fabric of the lithosphere and the asthenosphere. However, interdisciplinary work is required to fully understand the underlying processes and how features such as anisotropies in the crust, lithospheric mantle or the asthenosphere evolved through time and how they are related. Here we want to gather those studies focusing on seismic anisotropy and deformation patterns that can successfully improve our knowledge of the processes, leading to the observed present geometries (of the crust and the upper mantle). The main goal of the session is to establish closer links between seismological observations and process-oriented modelling studies to demonstrate the potential of different methods, and to share ideas of how we can collaboratively study upper mantle structure, and how the present-day fabrics of the lithosphere relates to the contemporary deformation processes and ongoing dynamics within the asthenospheric mantle.
Contributions from studies employing seismic anisotropy observations, tomography and waveform modeling, geodetic data, numerical and analogue modelling are welcome.

The origin and evolution of the continental lithosphere is closely linked to changes in mantle dynamics through time, from its formation through melt depletion to multistage reworking and reorganisation related to interaction with melts formed both beneath and within it. Understanding this history is critical to constraining terrestrial dynamics, element cycles and metallogeny. We welcome contributions dealing with: (1) Reconstructions of the structure and composition of the lithospheric mantle, and the influence of plumes and subduction zones on root construction; (2) Interactions of plume- and subduction-derived melts and fluids with continental lithosphere, and the nature and development of metasomatic agents; (3) Source rocks, formation conditions (P-T-fO2) and evolution of mantle melts originating below or in the mantle lithosphere; (4) Deep source regions, melting processes and phase transformation in mantle plumes and their fluids; (5) Modes of melt migration and ascent, as constrained from numerical modelling and microstructures of natural mantle samples; (6) Role of mantle melts and fluids in the generation of hybrid and acid magmas.These topics can be illuminated using the geochemistry and fabric of mantle xenoliths and orogenic peridotites, mantle-derived melts and experimental simulations.

We invite, in particular multidisciplinary, contributions which focus on the structure and evolution of the continental crust and upper mantle and on the nature of mantle discontinuities. The latter include, but are not limited to, the mid-lithosphere discontinuity (MLD), the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB), and the mantle transition zone, as imaged by various seismological techniques and interpreted within interdisciplinary approaches. Papers with focus on the structure of the crust and the nature of the Moho are also welcome. Methodologically, the contributions will include studies based on seismic, thermal, gravity, petrological, and/or electro-magnetic data interpretations.

Invited presentations by
Irina M. Artemieva (Augustus Love Medal Lecture) and
Shun-Ichiro Karato

The nature of Earth’s lithospheric mantle is largely constrained from the petrological and geochemical studies of xenoliths. They are complemented by studies of orogenic peridotites and ophiolites, which show the space relationships among various mantle rock kinds, missing in xenoliths. Mantle xenoliths from cratonic regions are distinctly different from those occurring in younger non-cratonic areas. Percolation of melts and fluids through the lithospheric mantle significantly modifies its petrological and geochemical features, which is recorded in mantle xenoliths brought to the surface by oceanic and continental volcanism. Basalts and other mantle-derived magmas provide us another opportunity to study the chemical and physical properties the mantle. These various kinds of information, when assembled together and coupled with experiments and geophysical data, enable the understanding of upper mantle dynamics.
This session’s research focus lies on mineralogical, petrological and geochemical studies of mantle xenoliths, orogenic and ophiolitic peridotites and other mantle derived rocks. We strongly encourage the contributions on petrology and geochemistry of mantle xenoliths and other mantle rocks, experimental studies, the examples and models of mantle processes and its evolution in space and time.

This session will cover applied and theoretical aspects of geophysical imaging, modelling and inversion using active- and passive-source seismic measurements as well as other geophysical techniques (e.g., gravity, magnetic and electromagnetic) to investigate properties of the Earth’s crust and uppermost mantle, and explore the processes involved. We invite contributions focused on methodological developments, theoretical aspects, and applications. Studies across the scales and disciplines are particularly welcome.

Among others, the session may cover the following topics:
- Active- and passive-source imaging using body- and surface-waves;
- Full waveform inversion developments and applications;
- Advancements and case studies in 2D and 3D imaging;
- Interferometry and Marchenko imaging;
- Seismic attenuation and anisotropy;
- Developments and applications of multi-scale and multi-parameter inversion; and,
- Joint inversion of seismic and complementary geophysical data.

Subduction drives plate tectonics, generating the major proportion of subaerial volcanism, releasing >90% seismic moment magnitude, forming continents, and recycling lithosphere. Numerical and laboratory modelling studies have successfully built our understanding of many aspects of the geodynamics of subduction zones. Detailed geochemical studies, investigating compositional variation within and between volcanic arcs, provide further insights into systematic chemical processes at the slab surface and within the mantle wedge, providing constraints on thermal structures and material transport within subduction zones. However, with different technical and methodological approaches, model set-ups, inputs and material properties, and in some cases conflicting conclusions between chemical and physical models, a consistent picture of the controlling parameters of subduction-zone processes has so far not emerged.

This session aims to follow subducting lithosphere on its journey from the surface down into the Earth's mantle, and to understand the driving processes for deformation and magmatism in the over-riding plate. We aim to address topics such as: subduction initiation and dynamics; changes in mineral breakdown processes at the slab surface; the formation and migration of fluids and melts at the slab surface; primary melt generation in the wedge; subduction-related magmatism; controls on the position and width of the volcanic arc; subduction-induced seismicity; mantle wedge processes; the fate of subducted crust, sediments and volatiles; the importance of subducting seamounts, LIPs, and ridges; links between near-surface processes and slab dynamics and with regional tectonic evolution; slab delamination and break-off; the effect of subduction on mantle flow; and imaging subduction zone processes.

With this session, we aim to form an integrated picture of the subduction process, and invite contributions from a wide range of disciplines, such as geodynamics, modelling, geochemistry, petrology, volcanology and seismology, to discuss subduction zone dynamics at all scales from the surface to the lower mantle, or in applications to natural laboratories.

Many new high quality and high resolution geophysical and geological data had been acquired in the past years that need to be updated, re-analysed and re-interpreted in the light of our present knowledge of the subductions processes. Moreover it is needed to better clarify the temporal and spatial evolution of those processes in order to much precise our geodynamic ideas of mountain building, sedimentary basins formation, subduction, the transition from oceanic to continental subductions (collision) or the reverse from collision to subduction...
Among other global places, the zone from Japan, Taiwan to the Philippines is a key area to study such subduction/collision transition due to the rapid convergence between Eurasian and Philippine Sea plates. There are geodynamic inversion of the east dipping Manila oceanic subduction, that evolves northward, first, into a Continental Subduction (so called collision) onshore Taiwan, then secondly, east of Taiwan, into the north dipping Ryukyu arc/continent subduction. Due to the so rapid Plates shortening rate (10cm.y-1), those active Oceanic to Continental Subductions processes in Taiwan creates 1/8 of the annual seismicity in the World !
There are other places in the World active or not, that should also be taken into careful consideration in order to reveal and lead us to better understand new tectonic processes (e.g.: Alpes, Pyrénées, Cascades and so on).
In this EGU session, we aim to discuss and update the existing geodynamic processes and state of the art of the oceanic to continental subductions processes after so numerous data that had been collected recently and all the works that had been done on this subject. Therefore this EGU Session should help us to much better understand the geodynamic of plate convergence, the role of oceanic crust and the transition between subduction and collision.

It is becoming increasingly apparent that continental rifting, breakup, and ocean spreading contain significant complexities not easily explained by standard models. Recent discoveries of the importance of obliquity during rifting and continental material far offshore, such as beneath Iceland, the Comoros, Kerguelen, Jan Mayen and Mauritius, challenges conventional tectonic models. The coincidence of many regions of anomalous intraplate- or on-ridge volcanism with continental material, often detected geochemically, hints at imminent breakthroughs in our geodynamic understanding of the ocean floor and rifting processes. New models for the complex dynamics of continental breakup, including precursory deformation and magmatism, the role of shearing, structural inheritance, the structure and meaning of magnetic anomalies, the structural variability at passive margins, the development of spreading centres and the difficult birth of new oceans are required. These models must account for the complex features that are observed, including hybrid crust, marginal ridges, rift axis migration, isolated blocks of heavily rotated lithosphere in the ocean, anomalous bathymetry, and the geochemistry of lavas.

In this session, we explore the formation, evolution, structure, composition and underlying mechanisms controlling the formation of complex oceanic regions and continental margins. We seek case histories from around the globe addressing different geoscience disciplines, such as marine geophysics, seismology, ocean drilling, geochemistry, plate kinematics, tectonics, structural geology, numerical and analogue modelling, sedimentology and geochronology. We particularly encourage cross-disciplinary presentations, thought-provoking studies that challenge conventions, and submissions from early career researchers.

Continental rifting is a complex process spanning from the inception of extension to continental rupture or the formation of a failed rift. This session aims at combining new data, concepts and techniques elucidating the structure and dynamics of rifts and rifted margins. We invite submissions highlighting the time-dependent evolution of processes such as: initiation and growth of faults and ductile shear zones, tectonic and sedimentary history, magma migration, storage and volcanism, lithospheric necking and rift strength loss, influence of the pre-rift lithospheric structure, rift kinematics and plate motion, mantle flow and dynamic topography, as well as break-up and the transition to sea-floor spreading.

We encourage contributions using multi-disciplinary and innovative methods from field geology, geochronology, geochemistry, petrology, seismology, geodesy, marine geophysics, plate reconstruction, or numerical or analogue modelling. Especially welcome are presentations that provide an integrated picture by combining results from active rifts, passive margins, failed rift arms or by bridging the temporal and spatial scales associated with rifting.

Withing this session, a specific segment will be dedicated to studies of rift tectonics in the The Afro-Arabian rift system (the basins of the Gulf of Suez, Gulf of Aqaba, Red Sea, Gulf of Aden, Afar depression and the surrounding regions or related areas). This system contains the world’s largest active continental rift and is the key locality for studying continental breakup processes. Natural phenomena such as basin formation, continental breakup, seismic and volcanic activity, and the formation of mineral resources in and around the three arms of the Afar triple junction highlights some of the key aspects of this complex rift system.

Theme A- Orogenic plateaus and plateau margins
Orogenic plateaus and their margins are integral parts of modern mountain ranges and offer unique opportunities to study feedbacks between tectonics and climate at the Earth’s surface. Complex interactions among a wide range of parameters may lead to rapid shifts in surface elevation and the growth, recycling, and destruction of lithosphere. These controlling factors, which include crustal deformation and basin growth, surface uplift and atmospheric circulation, precipitation and erosion, landscape and biological change, result in lateral plateau growth and its characteristic morpho-climatic domains: humid, high-relief margins that contrast with (semi-)arid, low-relief plateau interiors.

Theme B- Bridging records of tectonic and climatic forcings on the evolution of Central Asia: from Paleozoic origins to Cenozoic aridification
Central Asia witnessed profound changes in tectonic and climatic environments over its geologic past: Paleozoic to Mesozoic closures of deep oceans and the amalgamation of major tectonic blocks laying the groundwork for Cenozoic fault reactivations since the India/Asia collision. The Cenozoic rise of intracontinental mountain ranges such as the Tianshan was accompanied by the retreat of Paratethys and the onset of intracontinental aridification. Major efforts bridging tectonic, geomorphic and climatic records are underway to understand i) the tectonic origins of Central Asia and how these control its present-day landscape, ii) individual responses to climatic and tectonic forcings, and their contribution to erosion and sediment deposition patterns, iii) long-term interactions between climatic change and tectonic activity, iv) and the role of topographic barriers, inland seas and global climate change in shaping regional climate and the aridification of the continental interior.

Session Goals
The two primary goals of this session are: 1) creating a discussion forum on the complex interactions and feedbacks among climatic, surficial, and geodynamic processes that challenge the notion of comprehensive mechanisms for the formation of orogenic plateaus and their margins, as well as for the evolution of Central Asia since the Paleozoic; and 2) encouraging future collaborations that not only overcome spatio-temporal scales but also bridge observations across disciplines leading to a more holistic view of landscape evolution from an integrative tectonic, climatic and geomorphic perspective.

The polar regions of the Arctic and Antarctica face a similar problem with most areas covered by ice and/or sea water. But both polar regions attract international attention due to the ongoing climate change. While the Arctic realm hosts vast extended continental shelves bordering old land masses, one of the largest submarine Large Igneous Provinces (LIPs) -the Alpha-Mendeleev Ridge - of Mesozoic age, and the slowest mid-ocean spreading ridge (the Gakkel Ridge) on the globe; West Antarctica has been, tectonically, the active margin between the cratonic East Antarctica and the Pacific Ocean for ~500 Ma, recording several episodes of magmatism, fragmentation and continental growth. Both regions have a complex geological history and comprise crustal blocks of disparate tectonic origins. In this regard, applied and theoretical research in sedimentology, tectonics, geophysics, and geochemistry to investigate the tectonic evolution and dynamics of the polar regions is desired. This session provides a forum for discussions of a variety of problems linked to the Circum-Arctic geodynamics as well as evolution of West Antarctica, and aims to bring together a diversity of sub-disciplines including plate tectonics, mantle tomography, seismology, geodynamic modelling, igneous and structural geology, geophysical imaging, sedimentology, and geochemistry.

The Gondwana-Laurasia boundary was subjected to a complex geodynamic evolution between Late Paleozoic and Early Mesozoic, typified by multiple magmatic cycles developed under different tectonic and thermal regimes. A variety of mantle sources was involved in these tectonic, magmatic and metamorphic events, which induced significant modifications of the continental crust.
In the last decade, detailed studies in petrology, tectonics and stratigraphy have contributed on shedding light on the articulated evolution of this area, stimulating an intense debate about the overall Permo-Triassic geodynamic framework.
A multidisciplinary session is proposed to assess and discuss the recent advancements that contribute to draw an accurate geodynamic picture of this pivotal sector of the Pangea realm in the time span between the Variscan orogeny and the Late Triassic onset of rifting in the Central Atlantic-Alpine Tethys domain. Researches from a broad range of disciplines, such as (but not limited to) petrology/geochemistry, tectonics, geochronology, stratigraphy and basin analysis, are welcome.

The broad scale tectonics of the Eastern Mediterranean is dominated by the interaction of the Nubian and Arabian plates with the Eurasian plate. This complex tectonic frame exhibits almost all types of plate boundary conditions such as continental collision and extension, oceanic subduction, and continental transform. The evolution and present deformation are constrained by diverse geological, geophysical, and geodetic observations and have been explained by different hypotheses, such as (a) tectonic escape system caused by the post-collisional convergence of Eurasian and Arabian plates creating forces at its boundaries with gravitational potential differences of the Anatolian high plateau (b) asthenospheric flow dragging the circular flow of lithosphere from the Levant to Anatolia in the east and the Aegean in the west, (c) slab pull of the Hellenic subduction, (d) mantle upwelling underneath Afar and with the large-scale flow associated with a whole mantle, Tethyan convection cell, (e) or combinations of these mechanisms for the Eastern Mediterranean. Naturally, this tectonic setting generates frequent earthquakes with large magnitudes (M > 7), forming a natural laboratory on understanding the crustal deformation, and crust-mantle interactions for various disciplines of active tectonics.

Multidisciplinary studies, especially within the last three decades, have made significant contributions to our understanding of the processes on the crustal deformation, and interaction of the mantle with the crustal processes of this region. With this session, we aim to bring together the recent findings of these studies, thus we welcome/invite contributions from a wide range of disciplines including, but not limited to, neotectonics, seismology, tectonic geodesy (e.g. GNSS, InSAR), palaeoseismology, tectonic geomorphology, remote sensing, structural geology and geodynamic modelling, which geographically cover the Eastern Mediterranean region, including Anatolia-Aegean Block, Caucasus, Iran, Middle East and Greece.

The mountain ranges of the Pamir, Tian Shan, and the Himalaya-Tibetan orogen form the most prominent morphological features in central Asia. Much of this morphology results from uplift related to the Cenozoic India-Asia collision. However, this is built upon a complex pre-Cenozoic history of ocean closures (Proto- and Paleo-Tethys, Paleo-Asian), terrane accretions and the related reorganization of Asia's southern margin. This long-lasting history of consecutive accretionary events left behind a complex mosaic of high- and low-strain domains, magmatic arcs, allochthonous blocks (terranes) and intervening suture zones. A significant challenge is to correlate and date those domains, which are often used as large-scale structural markers for quantifying large structural offsets. Quantifying pre-collisional topography and crustal thickness is crucial. Both the pre-Cenozoic history and the timing and kinematics of young deformation must be well-constrained in order to reconstruct the orogenic evolution in time and space and to understand how pre-existing structures influenced Cenozoic deformation. To promote discussion on this topic, we invite contributions from geoscientists who are working on various aspects of the geologic evolution of Central Asia, including structural geology, geochemistry, sedimentology, detrital studies, as well as geophysical or modeling studies.

The Tethyan orogenic belt is one of the largest and most prominent collisional zones on Earth. The belt ranges from the Mediterranean in the west to Papua New Guinea in the east. It results from the subduction and closure of multiple basins of the Tethys Ocean and the subsequent collision of the African, Arabian and Indian continental plates with Eurasia. Its long-lasting geological record of the opening and closure of oceanic basins, the accretion of arcs and microcontinents, the complex interactions of major and smaller plates, and the presence of subduction zones at different evolutionary stages, has progressively grown as a comprehensive test site to investigate fundamental plate tectonics and geodynamic processes with multiple disciplines. Advances in a variety of fields provide a rich and growing set of constraints on the crust-lithosphere and mantle structure and their physical and chemical characteristics, as well as the tectonics and geodynamic evolution of the Tethyan orogenic belt.

We welcome contributions presenting new insights and observations derived from different perspectives, including geology (tectonics, stratigraphy, petrology, geochronology, geochemistry, and geomorphology), geophysics (seismicity, seismic imaging, seismic anisotropy, gravity), geodesy (GPS, InSAR), modelling (numerical and analogue), natural hazards (earthquakes, volcanism). In particular, we encourage the submission of trans-disciplinary studies, which integrate observations across a range of spatial and temporal scales to further our understanding of plate tectonics as a planetary process of fundamental importance.

Many regions of the Earth, from crust to core, exhibit anisotropic fabrics which can reveal much about geodynamic processes in the subsurface. These fabrics can exist at a variety of scales, from crystallographic orientations to regional structure alignments. In the past few decades, a tremendous body of multidisciplinary research has been dedicated to characterizing anisotropy in the solid Earth and understanding its geodynamical implications. This has included work in fields such as: (1) geophysics, to make in situ observations and construct models of anisotropic properties at a range of depths; (2) mineral physics, to explain the cause of some of these observations; and (3) numerical modelling, to relate the inferred fabrics to regional stress and flow regimes and, thus, geodynamic processes in the Earth. The study of anisotropy in the Solid Earth encompasses topics so diverse that it often appears fragmented according to regions of interest, e.g., the upper or lower crust, oceanic lithosphere, continental lithosphere, cratons, subduction zones, D'', or the inner core. The aim of this session is to bring together scientists working on different aspects of anisotropy to provide a comprehensive overview of the field. We encourage contributions from all disciplines of the earth sciences (including mineral physics, seismology, magnetotellurics, geodynamic modelling) focused on anisotropy at all scales and depths within the Earth.

The goal of this session is to reconcile short-time/small-scale and long-time/large-scale observations, including geodynamic processes such as subduction, collision, rifting or mantle lithosphere interactions. Despite the remarkable advances in experimental rock mechanics, the implications of rock-mechanics data for large temporal and spatial scale tectonic processes are still not straightforward, since the latter are strongly controlled by local lithological stratification of the lithosphere, its thermal structure, fluid content, tectonic heritage, metamorphic reactions and deformation rates.

Mineral reactions have mechanical effects that may result in the development of pressure variations and thus are critical for interpreting microstructural and mineral composition observations. Such effects may fundamentally influence element transport properties and rheological behavior.
Here, we encourage presentations focused on the interplay between metamorphic processes and deformation on all scales, on the rheological behavior of crustal and mantle rocks and time scales of metamorphic reactions in order to discuss
(1) how and when up to GPa-level differential stress and pressure variations can be built and maintained at geological timescales and modelling of such systems,
(2) deviations from lithostatic pressure during metamorphism: fact or fiction?,
(3) the impact of deviations from lithostatic pressure on geodynamic reconstructions.
(4) the effect of porous fluid and partial melting on the long-term strength.
We therefore invite the researchers from different domains (rock mechanics, petrographic observations, geodynamic and thermo-mechanical modelling) to share their views on the way forward for improving our knowledge of the long-term rheology and chemo-thermo-mechanical behavior of the lithosphere and mantle.

The dynamics and evolution of Earth’s interior are controlled by a spectrum of processes covering a wide range of length (i.e. from kilometers down toa few ångströms) and time scales (i.e. from billions of years down to picoseconds). Key planetary processes as plate tectonics, mantle convection, and the growth of the inner core are in many ways governed by the underlying transport properties, deformation mechanisms, and the crystal chemistry of the rock.

Coupling these multi-scale processes remains one of the fundamental challenges in the Geosciences. It requires the ability to translate physics from one scale to another (upscaling and downscaling), yet countless complexities and feed-backs play out between them. Ideally, the relationships between crystal chemistry, microstructures, and deformation mechanisms should be incorporated in models of large-scale phenomena such as shear zones, plate boundaries, and mantle convection.

In this session, we invite contributions on multi-scale geodynamics from observations, experiments, and modelling. Topics may include, but are not restricted to, atomistic simulations, solid-state deformation experiments, (micro-)structural analysis of minerals and rocks, and dynamic modelling of Earth’s interior. Ultimately, we aim to create new paths for future research concerning multi-scale dynamics of planetary interiors.

Metamorphic minerals are silent witnesses to tectonic processes, and their changes through geological time. New approaches in chemical and isotope micro-analysis, geochronology provide exciting new avenues to make these minerals 'talk'—to read their record of deformation, reaction and fluid flow, and use it to study our dynamic lithosphere. The insights obtained through such research provide ways to examine the foundations of long-standing concepts in petrology and tectonics, as well as challenge and shift paradigms in these fields.

This session will highlight integrated metamorphic petrology, with application to tectonics and development of collisional orogens, cratons and subduction zones. We welcome contributions, from petrology, (petro-)chronology, to trace-element and isotope geochemistry. Through these diverse insights, the session will provide an exciting overview of current research on metamorphic and metasomatic processes, as well as the avenues for future innovation.

Invited speakers: Freya George (Johns Hopkins University), Emily Peterman (Bowdoin College)

Geological and geophysical data sets are in essence the result of physical processes governing the Earth’s evolution. Such data sets are widely varied and range from the internal structure of the Earth, plate kinematics, composition of geomaterials, estimation of physical conditions, dating of key geological events, thermal state of the Earth to more shallow processes such as natural and “engineered” reservoir dynamics and waste sequestration in the subsurface.

Combining such data with process-based numerical models is required for our understanding of the dynamical Earth. Process-based models are powerful tools to predict the evolution of complex natural systems resolving the feedback among various physical processes. Integrating high-quality data into numerical simulations leads to a constructive workflow to further constrain the key parameters within the models. Innovative inversion strategies, linking forward dynamic models with observables, is therefore an important research topic that will improve our knowledge of the governing physical parameters.

The complexity of geological systems arises from their multi-physics nature, as they combine hydrological, thermal, chemical and mechanical processes (e.g. thermo-mechanical convection). Multi-physics couplings are prone to nonlinear interactions ultimately leading to spontaneous localisation of flow and deformation. Understanding the couplings among those processes therefore requires the development of appropriate tools to capture spontaneous localisation and represents a challenging though essential research direction.

We invite contributions from the following two complementary themes:

#1 Computational advances associated with
- alternative spatial and/or temporal discretisation for existing forward/inverse models
- scalable HPC implementations of new and existing methodologies (GPUs / multi-core)
- solver and preconditioner developments
- AI / Machine learning-based approaches
- code and methodology comparisons (“benchmarks”)
- open source implementations for the community

#2 Physics advances associated with
- development of partial differential equations to describe geological processes
- inversion strategies and adjoint-based modelling
- numerical model validation through comparison with observables (data)
- scientific discovery enabled by 2D and 3D modelling
- utilisation of coupled models to explore nonlinear interactions

Geologic processes are generally too slow, too rare, or too deep to be observed in-situ and to be monitored with a resolution high enough to understand their dynamics. Analogue experiments and numerical simulation have thus become an integral part of the Earth explorer's toolbox to select, formulate, and test hypotheses on the origin and evolution of geological phenomena.

To foster synergy between the rather independently evolving experimentalists and modellers we provide a multi-disciplinary platform to discuss research on tectonics, structural geology, rock mechanics, geodynamics, volcanology, geomorphology, and sedimentology.

We therefore invite contributions demonstrating the state-of-the-art in analogue and numerical / analytical modelling on a variety of spatial and temporal scales, varying from earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions to sedimentary processes, plate tectonics and landscape evolution. We especially welcome those presentations that discuss model strengths and weaknesses, challenge the existing limits, or compare/combine the different modelling techniques to realistically simulate and better understand the Earth's behaviour.

Gravity and magnetic field data contribute to a wide range of geo-scientific research, from imaging the structure of the earth and geodynamic processes (e.g. mass transport phenomena or deformation processes) to near surface investigations. The session is dedicated to contributions related to spatial and temporal variations of the Earth gravity and magnetic field at all scales. Contributions to modern potential field research are welcome, including instrumental issues, data processing techniques, interpretation methods, innovative applications of the results and data collected by modern satellite missions (e.g. GOCE, GRACE, Swarm), potential theory, as well as case histories.

Growth and decay of ice sheets and glaciers reshape the solid Earth via isostasy and erosion. In turn, the shape of the bed exerts a fundamental control on ice dynamics as well as the position of the grounding line—the location where ice starts to float. Additionally, this behaviour is affected by large spatial variations in rheological properties of the Earth's subsurface. These properties govern the timescale and strength of feedbacks between ice-sheet change and solid Earth deformation, and hence must be accounted for, e.g., when considering the future evolution of the Polar Ice Sheets. This session invites contributions discussing geodetic, geological and geophysical observations (such as deformation fields and past sea-level indicators), analyses, and modelling of the coupling of the Solid Earth and glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) and/or addressing the Earth properties from seismological, gravity, magnetic and heat-flow studies. We welcome contributions related to both polar regions and previously glaciated areas. We also welcome contributions highlighting the effect of GIA on tectonical processes and petroleum reservoirs, and the GIA contribution in natural hazard assessments.

Invited Speaker: Harriet Lau, University of California, Berkeley, USA

The evolution of the large ice sheets and the Earth’s rheology control the process of glacial isostatic adjustment, while bedrock topography and geothermal heat flux have strong feedbacks on ice sheet dynamics. For changing climates, this interplay exerts a fundamental control on the global and regional sea level and, in turn, influences ice sheet stability.

In this session, we focus on feedback mechanisms between climate relevant components, such as ice sheets, ice shelves, solid Earth, oceans and atmosphere (e.g., as in the German Climate modelling initiative PalMod). We invite global, regional and conceptual studies that consider reconstructions of the past and/or estimates of future ice sheet evolution in fields related to the climate system dynamics of glacial processes (the cryosphere, geosphere, oceanography, climatology, geodesy and geomorphology). In particular, we welcome studies of recent and paleo observations (geodetic, geological, geophysical), coupled numerical modelling and strategies, data-constrained model calibration and data assimilation.