Union-wide
Community-led
Inter- and Transdisciplinary Sessions
Disciplinary sessions

GM – Geomorphology

Programme Group Chair: Kristen Cook

MAL26-GM
Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal Lecture by Christopher D. Clark
Convener: Kristen Cook
MAL42-GM
GM Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture by Jana Eichel
Convener: Kristen Cook

GM1 – General Geomorphology

GM1.1 EDI

Plenary geomorphology division session and ECS award lecture. This session will consist of the Geomorphology Early Career Scientist Award winner’s lecture, talks from the GM OSPP winners, and additional invited talks.

Including GM Division Outstanding ECS Award Lecture
Convener: Kristen Cook | Co-conveners: Rachel Oien, Ronald Pöppl, A. Rita Carrasco, Filippo Brandolini
GM1.2 EDI | Poster session

This is a poster-only session that welcomes contributions about any topic related to geomorphology. If you do not find a GM session that is a good fit for your abstract, this is the place for you. We also particularly welcome contributions about the discipline of geomorphology in general, history of science analyses, interdisciplinary research, career pathways and opportunities, equality-diversity-inclusion (EDI) stories, educational and outreach topics.

Convener: Matteo Spagnolo | Co-conveners: Laure Guerit, Aayush SrivastavaECSECS, Philippe Steer

GM2 – Geomorphologists' tools and Methods

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officers: Philippe Steer, Aayush Srivastava

GM2.1 EDI

Our planet is shaped by a multitude of physical, chemical and biological processes. Most of these processes and their effect on the ground’s properties can be sensed by seismic instruments – as discrete events or continuous signatures. Seismic methods have been developed, adopted, and advanced to study those dynamics at or near the surface of the earth, with unprecedented detail, completeness, and resolution. The community of geophysicists interested in Earth surface dynamics and geomorphologists, glaciologists, hydrologists, volcanologists, geochemists, biologists or engineering geologists interested in using arising geophysical tools and techniques is progressively growing and collaboratively advancing the emerging scientific discipline Environmental Seismology.

If you are interested in contributing to or getting to know the latest methodological and theoretical developments, field and lab scale experimental outcomes, and the broad range of applications in geomorphology, glaciology, hydrology, meteorology, engineering geology, volcanology and natural hazards, then this session would be your choice. We anticipate a lively discussion about standing questions in Earth surface dynamics research and how seismic methods could help solving them. We will debate about community based research opportunities and are looking forward to bringing together transdisciplinary knowledge and mutual curiosity.

Topical keywords: erosion, transient, landslide, rockfall, debris flow, fracturing, stress, granular flow, rock mechanics, snow avalanche, calving, icequake, basal motion, subglacial, karst, bedload, flood, GLOF, early warning, coast, tsunami, eruption, tremor, turbidity current, groundwater, soil moisture, noise, dv/v, HVSR, fundamental frequency, polarization, array, DAS, infrasound, machine learning, classification, experiment, signal processing.

Solicited authors:
Laura Ermert
Co-organized by CR6/SM5
Convener: Josefine UmlauftECSECS | Co-conveners: Małgorzata ChmielECSECS, Janneke van GinkelECSECS, Fabian Lindner, Michael Dietze
GM2.2 EDI

3D data are becoming ubiquitous throughout geomorphology and geomorphometry, with the rapid expansion in the availability of high-resolution topographic data, such as from terrestrial or airborne LiDAR, and the collection of combined topographic and bathymetric data from rivers and coasts. These data take the form of high-density 3D point clouds or image stacks, which might be used to model a landscape, a sediment core, or a riverbed, for example. Using 3D data to extract meaningful geomorphic information involves challenges in data acquisition, storage, analysis, and computational processing, which requires the innovation of new techniques or algorithms to efficiently process and analyse large volumes of data.

We invite contributions from all disciplines, including geomorphology, planetary science, natural hazards, computer science, and Earth observation, focusing on but not limited to:

- Applications of Digital Elevation, Terrain, Surface Models and Point Clouds
- Utilization of high-resolution LiDAR, photogrammetry, and satellite data
- Innovations in automated surface analysis, machine learning, and algorithm development
- Morphometry of Earth and planetary surfaces, including studies of surface change
- Techniques for collecting and deriving geospatial data products
- Extraction and analysis of geomorphometric variables
- Mapping and morphometric analysis of landforms and landscapes
- Modeling natural hazards on terrestrial, marine and planetary surfaces
- Geomorphometry applications in urban planning and cultural heritage
- Methods for processing and/or segmenting 3D data

We particularly encourage interdisciplinary approaches and contributions that highlight professional and industrial applications, including software development and toolkits that facilitate the practical use of geomorphometric techniques. Join us to discuss the frontiers of geomorphometry and its applications across disciplines.

Solicited authors:
Bodo Bookhagen,Robert Houseago
Convener: Giulia Sofia | Co-conveners: David Mair, Mathilde LetardECSECS, Stuart Grieve, Massimiliano Alvioli
GM2.3 EDI | PICO

Sediment transport is a fundamental component of all geomorphic systems (including fluvial, aeolian, coastal, hillslopes and glacial), yet it is something that we still find surprisingly difficult both to monitor and to model. Robust data on where and how sediment transport occurs are needed to address outstanding research questions, including the spatial and temporal controls on critical shear stress, the influence of varying grain size distributions, and the impact of large magnitude events. Recent developments have provided a) new opportunities for measuring sediment transport in the field; and b) new ways to represent sediment transport in both physical laboratory models and in numerical models. These developments include (but are not limited to) the application of techniques such as seismic and acoustic monitoring, 3D imaging (e.g. CT and MRI scanning), deployment of sensors such as accelerometers, replication of field topography using 3D printing, use of luminescence as a sediment tracer, remote sensing of turbidity, discrete numerical modelling, and new statistical approaches.

In this session we welcome contributions from all areas of geomorphology that develop new methods for monitoring and modelling all types of sediment transport, or that showcase an application of such methods. Contributions from ECRs and underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged.

Co-organized by GI4
Convener: Rebecca Hodge | Co-conveners: Anshul YadavECSECS, Laure Guerit, Marijke de Vet, Shawn Chartrand
GM2.5 | PICO

Imaging the Earth’s surface and reconstructing its topography to study the landscape and (sub-) surface processes have strongly evolved during the past two decades, sometimes separately in different scientific disciplines of geosciences. New generations of satellites, Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), LiDAR systems, Structure-from-Motion (SfM) methods and deep learning approaches have made 2D, 3D and 4D (time series) data acquisitions easier, cheaper, and more precise. The spatial, temporal and spectral resolutions of the measurements cover wide ranges of scales, offering the opportunity to study the evolution of the ground surface from local to regional scale with unprecedented details. Coupled with the development of optimized workflows to digitize and process analogue data, such as historical aerial photographs, geoscientists now have various sets of tools to better understand our rapidly changing environments and distinguish the anthropogenic and natural causes of these changes.

However, challenges still exist at both methodological and application levels. How to properly acquire images and 3D data in harsh, remote or non-ideal environments? How to deal with complex camera distortions? How to process unknown, damaged and/or poorly overlapping digitized analogue photographs? How to properly assess the precision of these measurements and take these estimates into account in our results and interpretation? How to deal with heterogeneous time series? These questions exemplify situations commonly faced by geoscientists.

In the present session, we would like to gather contributions from a broad range of geoscience disciplines (geomorphology, glaciology, volcanology, hydrology, bio-geosciences, geology, soil sciences, etc.) to share our views and experience about the opportunities, limitations and challenges that modern 2D/3D/4D surface imaging offers, no matter the physical process or environment studied. Contributions can cover any aspects of surface imaging, from new methods, tools and processing workflows to precision assessments, time series constructions and specific applications in geosciences. We would like to especially emphasize contributions that cover 1) novel data acquisition and processing approaches (including image matching, camera distortion correction, complex signal/image and point cloud processing, and time series construction), 2) data acquisition in complex and fast-changing environments, and 3) innovative applications in geosciences.

Co-organized by BG9/CR6/GI6/SSS11
Convener: Benoît Smets | Co-conveners: Katharina AndersECSECS, Amaury Dehecq, Anette Eltner, Livia Piermattei
GM2.6 EDI

Over recent decades, geochronological techniques such as cosmogenic nuclides, thermochronology, radiocarbon and luminescence dating have improved in accuracy, precision and temporal range. Developments in geochronological methods, data treatment and landscape evolution models have provided new insights into the timing, rates and magnitude of earth surface processes. The combination of geochronological data from different techniques with numerical modeling has enormous potential for improving our understanding of landscape evolution.

This session includes studies ranging from erosion rates, sediment provenance, burial and transport times, bedrock exposure, surface uplift rates, cooling histories and landscape dynamics to technical developments and novel applications of key Quaternary geochronometers such as cosmogenic nuclides and luminescence. We welcome contributions that apply novel geochronological methods, that combine geochronological techniques with numerical modeling or landscape evolution analyses, and that highlight the latest developments and open questions in the application of geochronometers to landscape evolution problems.

Solicited authors:
Vincent Godard
Convener: Romano ClementucciECSECS | Co-conveners: Lingxiao GongECSECS, Gerald RaabECSECS, Zsófia Ruszkiczay-Rüdiger, Christoph Schmidt
GM2.7 EDI

Transport of sediments in geophysical flows occurs in mountainous, fluvial, estuarine, coastal, aeolian and other natural or man-made environments on Earth, while also shapes the surface of planets such as Mars, Titan, and Venus. Understanding the motion of sediments is still one of the most fundamental problems in hydrological and geophysical sciences. Such processes can vary across a wide range of scales - from the particle to the landscape - which can directly impact both the form (geomorphology) and, on Earth, the function (ecology and biology) of natural systems and the built infrastructure surrounding them. In particular, feedback between fluid and sediment transport as well as particle interactions including size sorting are a key processes in surface dynamics, finding a range of important applications, from hydraulic engineering and natural hazard mitigation to landscape evolution, geomorphology and river ecology.

A) particle-scale interactions and transport processes:
- mechanics of entrainment and disentrainment (fluvial and aeolian flows)
- momentum (turbulent impulses) and energy transfer between turbulent flows and particles
- upscaling and averaging techniques for stochastic transport processes
- granular flows in dry and submerged environments
- grain shape effects in granular flow and sediment transport
- interaction among grain sizes in poorly sorted mixtures, including particle segregation
- discrete element modelling of transport processes and upscaling into continuum frameworks
B) reach-scale sediment transport and geomorphic processes
- links between flow, particle transport, bedforms and stratigraphy
- derivation and solution of equations for multiphase flows (inc. fluvial and aeolian flows)
- shallow water hydro-sediment-morphodynamic processes
- highly unsteady and complex water-sediment or granular flows
- flash floods, debris flows and landslides due to extreme rainfall
C) large-scale landscape evolution, geohazards, and engineering applications
- natural and built dam failures and compound disasters
- coastal processes, e.g., long-shore and cross-shore sediment transport and the evolution of beach profile/shoreline
- reservoir operation schemes and corresponding fluvial processes
- design of hydraulic structures such as fish passages, dam spillways, also considering the impact of sediment
- dredging, maintenance and regulation for large rivers and navigational waterways

Solicited authors:
Thomas Pähtz,julien chauchat
Co-organized by GI4/NP3
Convener: Manousos Valyrakis | Co-conveners: Rui Miguel Ferreira, Lu JingECSECS, Xiuqi WangECSECS, Zhiguo He
CL5.1 EDI

The Quaternary Period (last 2.6 million years) is characterized by frequent and abrupt climate swings and rapid environmental change. Studying these changes requires accurate and precise dating methods that can be effectively applied to environmental archives. Different methods or a combination of various dating techniques can be used depending on the archive, time range, and research question. Varve counting and dendrochronology allow for the construction of high-resolution chronologies. In contrast, radiometric methods (radiocarbon, cosmogenic in-situ, U-Th) and luminescence dating provide independent anchors for chronologies that span longer timescales. We particularly welcome contributions that aim to (1) reduce, quantify, and express dating uncertainties in any dating method, including high-resolution radiocarbon approaches; (2) use established geochronological methods to answer new questions; (3) use new methods to address longstanding issues, or; (4) combine different chronometric techniques for improved results, including the analysis of chronological datasets with novel methods, e.g., Bayesian age-depth modeling. Applications may aim to understand long-term landscape evolution, quantify rates of geomorphological processes, or provide chronologies for records of climate change and anthropogenic effects on Earth's system.

Co-organized by BG5/GM2/SSP1/SSS3
Convener: Irka Hajdas | Co-conveners: Fernando Jimenez - Barredo, Negar Haghipour, Svenja Riedesel, Maurycy ŻarczyńskiECSECS
TS5.2 EDI

Earth's landscape is shaped by the dynamic interplay between tectonics, climate, and surface processes, further complicated by contrasting lithospheric structures in cratonic and orogenic settings. Thermochronology is essential for paleogeographic reconstructions, by enabling the quantification of cooling, exhumation, and weathering patterns across diverse geodynamic and physiographic contexts. Recent advancements in thermochronology have significantly broadened its applicability to provide insights into Earth-system processes across various geological settings and timescales. However, novel applications of thermochronometric techniques sometimes reveal limitations in our understanding of thermochronometric systems and flaws in their associated theoretical models.
We welcome contributions that (1) present theoretical and experimental work introducing new thermochronometers or improving our understanding of existing systems, (2) develop innovative approaches to quantify and model thermochronometric data, (3) integrate thermochronology with field observations, remote sensing, geomorphological techniques, isotopic methods, and numerical or analog modeling, and (4) apply thermochronology to constrain the timing, magnitude, and rates of processes such as relief evolution, deposition/erosion, source-to-sink systems, sediment provenance, weathering, faulting, hydrothermal processes, geothermal changes, and ore deposit formation.
By bringing together innovative methodological advancements and interdisciplinary applications, this session aims to foster discussions that will refine our understanding of Earth's surface and deep-time evolution, ultimately benefiting the broader Earth-science community.

Solicited authors:
Melanie Kranz-Bartz,Chiara Bazzucchi
Co-organized by GM2
Convener: Lingxiao GongECSECS | Co-conveners: Alejandro PiraquiveECSECS, Audrey Margirier, Santiago LeónECSECS, Nicolas Villamizar-EscalanteECSECS, Reinhard Wolff, Kristian DrivenesECSECS
AS4.20 EDI

The past years have seen a renaissance in applications of meteoric cosmogenic 10Be and the 10Be(meteoric)/9Be(stable) ratio in the terrestrial, oceanic, and helio-magneto-atmospheric realms. Terrestrial applications include quantifying soil residence times, dating of landforms such as moraines and sedimentary sections, soil mixing and transport, catchment-wide erosion, weathering and denudation rates as well as subglacial erosion. Marine applications include reconstructions of cosmogenic production rates, ocean water circulation, trace metal input and global paleo-weathering. Many of these applications rely on knowing the meteoric 10Be depositional flux, which is provided by marine and ice core/lake archives. Conversely, 10Be concentrations and the 10Be/9Be ratio are used to reconstruct changes in the meteoric 10Be depositional flux related to helio- and geomagnetic modulation of the cosmic ray flux. For a better quantitative understanding of these records, modelling-based approaches encompass atmospheric production and delivery models that include aerosol chemistry and transport models and state-of-the-art physics-based 10Be production functions.

This session invites a broad range of contributions surrounding meteoric 10Be, with the aim to bring together colleagues from these different communities to stimulate discussion and foster collaboration. The contributions may include, but are not limited to, the “model side” (e.g. construction of atmospheric production/delivery models, their downscaling, and inter-model comparison as well as comparison to observational data, systematics/laws of meteoric 10Be production and depositional flux, effects of geo- and heliomagnetic variations), and the “observational side”. This may include studies relying on either knowing the depositional flux, such as meteoric 10Be/9Be in terrestrial weathering and denudation, dating of landforms, or reconstructing the depositional flux from geomagnetic field observations or from terrestrial and marine archives, as well as oceanic applications.

Solicited authors:
Kai Deng,Eugene Rozanov
Co-organized by GM2
Convener: Hella Wittmann | Co-conveners: Kseniia GolubenkoECSECS, Lionel Siame, Laura Krone, Stepan Poluianov

GM3 – Geomorphology, climate, and hazards

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officers: Matteo Spagnolo, Laure Guerit

GM3.2 EDI

Mountains are iconic landmarks, impressive sides, water sources, and home to many people. In the high elevation and over-steepened topography of the high mountain ranges such as the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, and Rockies, to name a few, catastrophic hazards unfold from high elevations, and trigger often associated events on their long way downstream, amplifying the effects even further. These events can be widespread or start in very confined and localized places. Typically, they are triggered by earthquakes, severe storms, and/or a concatenation of events like rapid warming of high-elevation snowpack, rain on frozen ground, the failure of a moraine-dammed lake, avalanches or landslides triggering further mass mobilization and so forth. As global warming progresses and equilibrium altitude lines of glaciers and freezing zones in general move upslope, large areas become ice-free and uncover large amounts of now mobile materials that were frozen and stable before. These freshly exposed, often easily erodible materials add now to the overall thread. Their location at high elevations and with the altitude-associated potential energy make these materials even more prone to compounding events in the future.

We welcome contributions investigating in space and time:

- catastrophic mobilization of sediments and cascading events
- hazards associated with deposition and runout features
- concepts of compounding and cascading dynamics
- connectivity between hillslopes and river networks
- feedback loops of stabilizing and destabilizing processes on the slopes

We invite presentations that focus on observational, conceptual, methodological, or modeling approaches or a combination of those in all kinds of mountain environments and particularly encourage early career scientists to apply for this session.

Solicited authors:
Ashim Sattar,Rebekah Harries
Co-organized by NH14
Convener: Basanta Raj Adhikari | Co-conveners: Christoff Andermann, Ankit Agarwal, Fiona ClubbECSECS
GM3.3 EDI | PICO

Flooding is one the deadliest and most costly natural hazards on the planet. Nearly one billion people are exposed to the risk of flooding in their lifetimes with about 300 million people impacted in any given year. As a result, flooding results in major impacts on both individuals and societies, with estimated costs of 60 billion (US$) annually.
There is a clear consensus that climate change is already causing increases in the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events, a trend that is expected to intensify in the coming decades. As a result, it is expected that there will be a further substantial rise in flood hazard in the coming decades, with societal exposure to this risk aggravated still further as a result of population growth and the encroachment of people and infrastructure onto floodplains.
However, climate change is not the only factor influencing the evolution of flood hazard. The carrying capacity of river and delta channels to convey storm runoff without inundating adjacent floodplains is also key, yet this conveyance capacity varies through time in response to changes in roughness and due to channel re-shaping by erosion and sedimentation. Other factors such as floodplain connectivity and, in lowland rivers and deltas, changes in sea level, are also of great importance.
This session invites contributions that explore the ways in which hydrological, geomorphological, and climatic drivers interact to determine flood hazard in rivers and deltas. We also welcome studies investigating how interventions such as flood barriers, managed floodplains and hard engineering are contributing to increases or reductions in flood risk. We especially encourage interdisciplinary studies involving experimental, modelling, and field-based approaches that are advancing methods and providing new insights into: (i) how the morphodynamic functioning of fluvial systems is driving changes in recent past, present, and future trajectories of flood hazards; (ii) the effects of human-induced perturbations on flood hazard and risk; (iii) climate related impacts on future trends in flood hazard; (iv) patterns, trends and drivers of flooding and morphological changes across present and historical records.

Solicited authors:
Alberto Montanari,Dongfeng Li
Co-organized by HS13
Convener: Andrea GasparottoECSECS | Co-conveners: Stephen Darby, Yinxue LiuECSECS, Daniel Parsons, Anya Leenman
GM3.7

Coastal areas are highly exposed to multiple natural and anthropic hazards. Ongoing global warming has triggered accelerated sea-level rise (SLR) and variation in terms of the intensity and frequency of extreme meteorological events. SLR, storms and tsunamis can generate temporary flooding and permanent submersion of the coastal areas, depending on the geomorphological and sedimentological (underwater and subaerial) features. Worldwide, low-lying coastal areas such as alluvial plains, deltas, and lagoons, are considered the most prone to be impacted by the expected increase in magnitude and frequency of the climate-driven processes (e.g., erosion, retreat, and flooding) with significant consequences on those ecosystems and human settlements. With the aim of identifying tailored adaptation activities and supporting the sustainable management of the coastal sectors, the scientific challenge is to assess the impacts of sea level variations on coastal natural and anthropic assets and to define potential coastal resilience over the next decades by the exploitation high-resolution datasets and advanced tools and technologies, which include remote sensing, machine learning, deep learning and computer vision methodologies. This session is devoted to collect contributions focussing on the expected global, regional, and local coastal modifications, the potential impacts of extreme meteorological and inundation events over time, as well as the socio-economic assets exposed to sea-level rise. Geomorphological studies on coastal dynamic and evolution by means of multidisciplinary methodologies and investigations as indicated are welcome:
a) modelling approaches for coastal risk assessment, b) influence of coastal dynamics on coastal infrastructures, c) multi-risk assessment of the coastal zone, d) the impact of erosion, flooding on natural environments, infrastructures, socioeconomic assets and heritage sites, e) application of innovative techniques of Artificial Intelligence (AI) for the analyses of data collected in coastal area, f) development of new techniques of remote survey and sensing for coastal environment.

Convener: Giuseppe Mastronuzzi | Co-conveners: Marco Anzidei, Aucelli Pietro, Angela RizzoECSECS, Gaia Mattei
GM3.8

Coastal areas are among the most dynamic elements of the physical landscape, strongly influenced by both short-term (e.g., catastrophic meteo-marine events, human impacts) and long-term (e.g., tectonics, climate change, volcanic activity) forcing factors. Therefore, the study of coastal proxies can offer a series of benchmarks for estimating processes and associated timescales.
Among the most studied processes in coastal areas are relative sea-level changes. Any landscape feature whose environment of formation is linked to a former sea level can be used as a sea level index point (SLIP). SLIPs can be of different types: geomorphological (e.g., marine terraces, shoreline angles), biological (e.g., coral reef terraces), sedimentary (e.g., beach deposits, saltmarshes or beach ridges).
Although there is a comprehensive understanding of the relative sea-level changes during the Holocene, our knowledge of such dynamics during past interglacials remains limited. This session invites the international sea-level community to present studies broadly related to Quaternary interglacials. We welcome contributions on new field or remote sensing data, synthesis and databases specifically related to sea-level changes (including geochronological methods). We also welcome contributions exploring other coastal processes at the same timescale, focussing on wave conditions, extreme coastal events, and coastal modelling.
This session falls under the purview of PALSEA-Next, a working group of the International Union for Quaternary Sciences (INQUA) and Past Global Changes (PAGES) and from the WARMCOASTS project, funded by the European Research Council under the EU Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme (grant agreement n. 802414).

Solicited authors:
Giovanni Scicchitano,Benjamin Horton,Adam Switzer
Co-organized by CL1.2, co-sponsored by PAGES
Convener: Ciro CerroneECSECS | Co-conveners: Giuseppe CorradoECSECS, Silas DeanECSECS, Ricardo Ramalho, Alessio Rovere
NH3.5 EDI

Alpine mass movements, rockfalls, rockslides and rock avalanches are among the primary hazards and drivers of landscape evolution in steep terrain. The physics of rock slope degradation and dynamics of failure and transport mechanisms define the hazards and possible mitigation strategies and enable retrodictions and predictions of events and controls.

This session aims to bring together state-of-the-art methods for predicting, assessing, quantifying, and protecting against rock slope hazards across spatial and temporal scales. We seek innovative contributions from investigators dealing with all stages of rock slope hazards, from weathering and/or damage accumulation, through detachment, transport and deposition, and finally to the development of protection and mitigation measures. In particular, we seek studies presenting new theoretical, numerical or probabilistic modelling approaches, novel data sets derived from laboratory, in situ, or remote sensing applications, and state-of-the-art approaches to social, structural, or natural protection measures. We especially encourage contributions from geomechanics/rock physics, geodynamics, geomorphology and tectonics to better understand how rockfall, rockslides and rock avalanches act across scales.

Innovative contributions dealing with mass movement predisposition, detachment, transport, and deposition are welcome on (i) insights from field observations and/or laboratory experiments; (ii) statistical methods and/or artificial intelligence to identify and mapped mass movements; (iii) new monitoring approaches (in-situ and remote sensing) applied at different spatial and temporal scales; (iv) models (from conceptual frameworks to theoretical and/or advanced numerical approaches) for the analysis and interpretation of the governing physical processes; (v) develop strategies applicable for hazard assessment, mitigation and protection. We also aim at triggering discussions on preparedness and risk reduction, and studies that integrate social, structural, or natural protection measures.

At EGU 2025, this session has its 20th edition. Since 2006, it builds a growing community and network at EGU and beyond for senior scientists as well as young researches.

Co-organized by GM3
Convener: Anne Voigtländer | Co-conveners: Axel Volkwein, Michael Krautblatter, Mylene Jacquemart
NH3.4 EDI | PICO

Slope instability phenomena – affecting diverse materials with a variety of mechanisms (e.g., earthslides, rockfalls, debris flows) – are recognised to be driven by weather patterns largely differing in terms of variables (precipitation, temperature, snow melting) and significant time span (from a few minutes up to several months). However, local modifications induced by human intervention, such as socio-economic-induced land use/cover changes, reduced soil management due to land abandonment, or the implementation and maintenance of Nature-Based Solutions, are recognised to play a key role in defining landslide hazard and risk. In turn, these local human-induced factors can be strongly influenced by weather dynamics. For instance, hydrological and thermal regimes regulate vegetation suitability, then land cover and, in turn, landslide hazard and risk.
A clear and robust evaluation of how ongoing and expected global warming and the resulting climate change can affect these factors and, hence, landslide risk represents a clear key need for practitioners, communities, and decision-makers.
This session aims to provide a discussion forum for studies concerning the analysis of the role of climate-related variables and slope-atmosphere interaction on landslide triggering, propagation, and activity and/or on the effectiveness of protection measures across different geographic contexts and scales. Test cases and investigations (by exploiting monitoring and modelling) to evaluate ongoing and future landslide activity are welcome. Furthermore, investigations focused on data-driven approaches (Machine Learning, AI), through which the variations induced by climate and environmental changes on triggering, dynamics, and hazard are analysed, are greatly welcome.

Co-organized by GM3
Convener: Gianvito Scaringi | Co-conveners: Séverine Bernardie, Stefano Luigi Gariano, Roberta Paranunzio, Alfredo Reder, Guido Rianna
NH3.2

Large mass movements in rock, debris, and ice in glacial masses, represent enormous risks. These complex systems are difficult to describe, investigate, monitor, and model. Hence a reliable model of these phenomena requires acquisition and analysis of all available data to support successive steps up to the management of Early Warning systems.
Large instabilities affect all materials (rock, weak rocks, debris, ice), from low to high altitudes, evolving as slow or fast complex mass movements. This and the complex dependency on forcing factors result in different types and degrees of hazard and risk. Some aspects of these instabilities are still understudied and debated, because of difficult characterization and few cases thoroughly studied. Regional and temporal distribution, relationships with controlling and triggering factors are poorly understood resulting in poor predictions of behavior and evolution under present and future climates. How will it change their state of activity under future climatic changes? How this will impact on existing structures and infrastructures? How can we improve our predictions? Relationships among geological and hydrological boundary conditions and displacements are associated with the evolution in space and time of thermo-hydro-mechanical controls as well as the properties of the unstable mass. Even for well-studied and active phenomena warning thresholds are mostly qualitative, based on semi-empirical approaches. Hence a multidisciplinary approach and robust monitoring data are needed. Many modeling approaches can be applied to evaluate instability and failure, considering triggerings, and failure propagation, leading to rapid mass movements. Nevertheless, these approaches are still phenomenological and have difficulty explaining the observed behavior. The impacts of such instabilities on structures represent a relevant risk and an opportunity in terms of investigations and quantitative measurements of the effects on tunnels, dams, and roads. The design of these structures and knowledge of their expected performance are fundamental.
We invite to present case studies, share views and data, discuss monitoring and modeling approaches and tools, to introduce new approaches for threshold definition, including advanced numerical modeling, Machine Learning for streamline and offline data analyses, development of monitoring tools, and dating or investigation techniques.

Co-organized by GM3
Convener: Giovanni Crosta | Co-conveners: Irene ManzellaECSECS, Christian Zangerl
NH3.16 EDI

Effective landslide risk reduction and response efforts require reliable detection, informed process understanding, and accurate prediction. Advances in data-driven landslide detection are accelerating post-event mapping and leading to a growing availability of multi-temporal landslide inventories. These datasets, in turn, are allowing researchers to obtain a deeper understanding of the causes and triggers that influence landslide activity from hillslope to regional scales. For example, in combination with hydroclimatic models, re-analysis products, and meteorological observations, such inventories are enabling improved quantification of dynamic hydro-meteorological conditions that trigger weather-related landslides. Similar efforts are revealing indicators of co-seismic landslide hazard and underlying causes of slope instability. These insights are being integrated into data-driven, predictive models that can inform hazard assessments, increase situational awareness, and aid warning.

This session aims to spur future research advances and operational application development by bringing together a wide range of perspectives from geomorphology, hydrology, meteorology, remote sensing, data science and beyond. We will additionally explore how artificial intelligence (AI) and other data-driven approaches can enhance traditional methodologies, offering new insights for landslide detection, process understanding, and prediction.

Topics may include:
• Detecting and mapping landslide activity with remote sensing data and/or point source terrestrial data
• Linking trends and variability in landslide activity to hydro-meteorological, geological, morphological, or other conditions to improve process understanding
• Development and testing of new methods and approaches, including statistical, machine learning, and AI-based approaches, to support landslide hazard assessment, prediction, and early warning

Solicited authors:
Thom Bogaard
Co-organized by GM3/HS13
Convener: Lisa LunaECSECS | Co-conveners: Sansar Raj MeenaECSECS, Luca Piciullo, Minu Treesa AbrahamECSECS, Luca Ciabatta, Oriol Monserrat, Yaser Peiro
NH3.6 EDI

Landslides can trigger catastrophic consequences, leading to loss of life and assets. In specific regions, landslides claim more lives than any other natural catastrophe. Anticipating these events proves to be a monumental challenge, encompassing scientific curiosity and vital societal implications, as it provides a means to safeguard lives and property.
This session revolves around methodologies and state-of-the-art approaches in landslide prediction, encompassing aspects like location, timing, magnitude, and the impact of single and multiple slope failures. It spans a range of landslide variations, from abrupt rockfalls to rapid debris flows, and slow-moving slides to sudden rock avalanches. The focus extends from local to global scales.

Contributions are encouraged in the following areas:

Exploring the theoretical facets of predicting natural hazards, with a specific emphasis on landslide prognosis. These submissions may delve into conceptual, mathematical, physical, statistical, numerical, and computational intricacies.
Presenting applied research, supported by real-world instances, that assesses the feasibility of predicting individual or multiple landslides and their defining characteristics, with specific reference to early warning systems and methods based on monitoring data and time series of physical quantities related to slope stability at different scales.
Evaluating the precision of landslide forecasts, comparing the effectiveness of diverse predictive models, demonstrating the integration of landslide predictions into operational systems, and probing the potential of emerging technologies.

Should the session yield fruitful results, noteworthy submissions may be consolidated into a special issue of an international journal.

Co-organized by GM3
Convener: Filippo Catani | Co-conveners: Ugur OzturkECSECS, Mateja Jemec Auflič, Anne-Laure ArgentinECSECS, Tolga Gorum
HS7.5 EDI

Extreme hydro-meteorological events drive many hydrologic and geomorphic hazards, such as floods, landslides and debris flows, which pose a significant threat to modern societies on a global scale. The continuous increase of population and urban settlements in hazard-prone areas in combination with evidence of changes in extreme weather events lead to a continuous increase in the risk associated with weather-induced hazards. To improve resilience and to design more effective mitigation strategies, we need to better understand the triggers of these hazards and the related aspects of vulnerability, risk, mitigation and societal response.
This session aims at gathering contributions dealing with various hydro-meteorological hazards that address the aspects of vulnerability analysis, risk estimation, impact assessment, mitigation policies and communication strategies. Specifically, we aim to collect contributions from academia, industry (e.g. insurance) and government agencies (e.g. civil protection) that will help identify the latest developments and ways forward for increasing the resilience of communities at local, regional and national scales, and proposals for improving the interaction between different entities and sciences.
Contributions focusing on, but not limited to, novel developments and findings on the following topics are particularly encouraged:
- Physical and social vulnerability analysis and impact assessment of hydro-meteorological hazards
- Advances in the estimation of socioeconomic risk from hydro-meteorological hazards
- Characteristics of weather and precipitation patterns leading to high-impact events
- Relationship between weather and precipitation patterns and socio-economic impacts
- Socio-hydrological studies of the interplay between hydro-meteorological hazards and societies
- Hazard mitigation procedures
- Strategies for increasing public awareness, preparedness, and self-protective response
- Impact-based forecast, warning systems, and rapid damage assessment.
- Insurance and reinsurance applications

Solicited authors:
Louise Slater
Co-organized by AS1/GM3/NH14
Convener: Elena CristianoECSECS | Co-conveners: Francesco Marra, Nadav Peleg, Efthymios Nikolopoulos, Giuliano Di Baldassarre
SSS9.1 EDI

Wildfires are a worldwide phenomenon with many environmental, social, and economic implications, which are expected to escalate as a consequence of climate change and land abandonment, management, and planning, further promoting land degradation and decreasing ecosystem services supply.
The current situation demands from the scientific community the study of wildfire effects on the ecosystems and the development of integrated tools for pre- and post-fire land management practices that reduce the vulnerability to wildfires and their impacts. However, this research urges the attention not only from researchers, but also from stakeholders and policy-makers all over the world, since basic resources such as raw materials, water, and soils as well as habitats are at stake.
This session aims at gathering researchers on the effects of wildfires on ecosystems, from wildfire prevention to post-fire mitigation. We kindly invite laboratory, field, and/or modelling studies involving the following topics:
i. prescribed and/or experimental fires;
ii. fire severity and burn severity;
iii. fire effects on vegetation, soil and water;
iv. post-fire hydrological and erosive response;
v. post-fire management and mitigation;
vi. socio-economic studies on pre- and post-fire land management;
vii. fire risk assessment and modelling.

Solicited authors:
Francis Rengers
Co-organized by GM3/NH14
Convener: Diana Vieira | Co-conveners: Antonio Girona-GarcíaECSECS, Martinho A S MartinsECSECS, Aristeidis KastridisECSECS, Dina JahanianfardECSECS
NH1.7 EDI

Nature-based solutions and eco-engineering interventions aim to work with natural processes to mitigate increased incidence in hydrometeorological extremes due to climate change. Examples of nature-based solutions include the addition of large wood or vegetation patches, floodplain reconnection, and the creation of blue-green urban infrastructures. The aims and design strategies for these interventions build on hydrological, biogeomorphic, and geochemical processes at multiple spatial and temporal scales including ecohydraulic interactions with vegetated canopy flows and large wood, sediment transport, and feedbacks with ecologic processes. Implementation and assessment frameworks for nature-based solutions are rapidly developing, with many challenges and open questions remaining. Therefore, an improved understanding of basic process-based function of nature-based solution designs and development of modelling strategies are urgently needed to ensure intervention efficacy meet the challenge of mitigating increasing extremes in a changing climate.

This session aims to form a broad range of cross-sector scholarship, including academic researchers, water managers, community stakeholders, and independent researchers. We invite you to submit abstracts broadly related to the following topics:
• Design of resilient nature-based solutions under a changing climate (floods versus droughts)
• Frameworks to evaluate nature-based solutions
• Modelling strategies of nature-based solutions: physical and numerical
• Field investigations of nature-based solutions including remote-sensing
• Implications of nature-based solutions on flow structures and sediment transport
• Ecological impacts and ecosystem services of nature-based solutions
• Management and maintenance of nature-based solutions
• Case studies of successful nature-based solution strategies including socio-economic aspects

Solicited authors:
Ana Mijic
Co-organized by BG8/GM3/HS13, co-sponsored by AGU
Convener: Isabella SchalkoECSECS | Co-conveners: Barry Hankin, Elizabeth FollettECSECS, Hannah ChampionECSECS

GM4 – Humans, life, and landscapes

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officer: Filippo Brandolini

GM4.2 EDI

The ongoing influence of humans on the Earth's surface presents significant challenges in understanding the feedback mechanisms between human activity and landscape evolution. On one hand, the increasing use of advanced analytical methods has highlighted the value of integrating geomorphological and archaeological approaches to study past human activities and landscape evolution. On the other hand, the scale of human impact on geomorphic systems today far exceeds that of any previous era, with a multitude of direct and indirect effects on the structure and function of these systems.
Since the formation of archaeological sites is closely linked to geomorphological processes, these sites offer valuable records for examining the interactions of fluvial, aeolian, and tectonic events across varying temporal and spatial scales. Such studies are crucial for unraveling the complex dynamics of landscape evolution and their implications for human societies. Furthermore, the role of humans as significant agents of geomorphic change—and the environmental feedbacks associated with these changes—becomes increasingly evident within the framework of the Anthropocene debate.
This joint session on humans and landscape evolution, spanning past, present, and future perspectives, provides a platform to showcase diverse studies. These include research that integrates geomorphological, sedimentological, and environmental proxies and indicators from archaeological sites, investigations that combine geological and archaeological methodologies to address interdisciplinary questions, and conceptual and quantitative approaches that examine the present and future effects of human activity across all geomorphological process domains, including aeolian, fluvial, cryospheric, coastal, and hillslope systems.

Solicited authors:
Pierre Antoine
Convener: Ronald Pöppl | Co-conveners: Yoav Ben DorECSECS, Annegret Larsen, Mae Goder-Goldberger, Jantiene Baartman, Ioannis OikonomouECSECS, Marco Cavalli
GM4.3 EDI | PICO

Human activity became a major player of global climatic and environmental change in the course of the late Quaternary, during the Anthropocene. Consequently, it is crucial to understand these changes through the study of former human-environmental interactions at different spatial and temporal scales. Documenting the diversity of human responses and adaptations to climate, landscapes, ecosystems, natural disasters and the changing natural resources availability in different regions of our planet, provides valuable opportunities to learn from the past. To do so, cross-disciplinary studies in Geoarchaeology offer a chance to better understand the archaeological records and landscapes in context of human culture and the hydroclimate-environment nexus over time. This session seeks related interdisciplinary papers and specific geoarchaeological case-studies that deploy various approaches and tools to address the reconstruction of former human-environmental interactions from the Palaeolithic period through the modern. Topics related to records of the Anthropocene from Earth and archaeological science perspectives are welcome. Furthermore, contributions may include (but are not limited to) insights about how people have coped with environmental disasters or abrupt changes in the past; defining sustainability thresholds for farming or resource exploitation; distinguishing the baseline natural and human contributions to environmental changes. Ultimately, we would like to understand how strategies of human resilience and innovation can inform our modern policies for addressing the challenges of the emerging Anthropocene, a time frame dominated by human modulation of surface geomorphological processes and hydroclimate.

Co-organized by SSS3
Convener: Guido Stefano Mariani | Co-conveners: Julia Meister, Mirijam ZickelECSECS, Kathleen Nicoll, Hans von Suchodoletz
GM4.5 EDI

Geodiversity encompasses all the natural abiotic elements of the Earth, such as the range of geological, geomorphological, hydrological, and pedological features and processes. Human societies have utilized these elements for thousands of years. It provides essential ecosystem services and benefits, offering spaces for societal development and goods essential for life. Geodiversity also plays a significant role in the historical and religious context and traditional practices of various communities.
'Geoheritage' refers to elements of geodiversity considered worthy of protection, offering insights into Earth's history. Understanding this history is vital for comprehending current climate and environmental changes and fostering climate-resilient societies. Geoheritage and geodiversity are important in a sustainable society, significantly contributing, e.g., through geotourism, to the attainment of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.
Several initiatives have been developed to promote geodiversity and geoheritage. For instance, in 2021, UNESCO endorsed the International Geodiversity Day, which has been celebrated globally on October 6th since 2022. Furthermore, the Zumaia Declaration of the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) in October 2022 emphasized the importance of promoting and preserving geoheritage and geodiversity for societal benefit.
In this context, the session aims to offer a comprehensive platform for studies on geodiversity and geoheritage, establishing an international hub for collaboration and raising awareness of their societal role. Focus areas includes:
• Methods and tools in geodiversity and geoheritage, such as assessments and mapping techniques.
• Geoconservation and geotourism management, with strategies for geoheritage site preservation and community involvement through citizen science projects.
• Geoheritage and education, highlighting experiences in innovative educational programs and the role of geoparks in disseminating geoscientific knowledge and increasing geoheritage awareness.
• The social and cultural links between geodiversity, geoheritage, and cultural identity.
• The interaction between geodiversity and biodiversity, emphasizing the role of abiotic components in ecosystem services.
The session is co-organised by the Geomorphosites Working Group of the International Association of Geomorphologists (IAG) and ProGEO, the International Association for the Conservation of Geological Heritage.

Solicited authors:
Mariacristina Prampolini
Co-sponsored by IAG
Convener: Vittoria VandelliECSECS | Co-conveners: Lesley Dunlop, Paula Naomi IraptaECSECS, Alicja NajwerECSECS, Márton PálECSECS
BG5.3 EDI

This session aims to bring together a diverse group of scientists who are interested in how life and planetary processes have co-evolved over geological time. This includes studies of how paleoenvironments have contributed to biological evolution and vice versa, linking fossil records to paleo-Earth processes and the influence of tectonic and magmatic processes on the evolution of climate and life. As an inherently multi-disciplinary subject, we aspire to better understand the complex coupling of biogeochemical cycles and life, the links between mass extinctions and their causal geological events, how fossil records shed light on ecosystem drivers over deep time, and how tectono-geomorphic processes impact biodiversity patterns at global or local scales. We aim to understand our planet and its biosphere through both observation- and modelling-based studies. We also invite contributions on general exoplanet-life co-evolution.

This session is co-organized by COST Action CA23150 - pan-EUROpean BIoGeodynamics network (EUROBIG)

Solicited authors:
Taras Gerya,Sean Willett
Co-organized by CL1.1/GD3/GM4/PS6, co-sponsored by pan-EUROpean BIoGeodynamics network (EUROBIG)
Convener: Julian RoggerECSECS | Co-conveners: Jack LongmanECSECS, Jun ShenECSECS, Yaquan ChangECSECS, Attila Balázs, Zhen XuECSECS, Fred BowyerECSECS

GM5 – Erosion, Sediments, Weathering, and Landscapes

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officer: Ronald Pöppl

GM5.1

Mountain belts are characterized by the fastest rates of physical erosion and chemical weathering around the world, making them one of the best places to observe sediment production (e.g. erosion, weathering) and transport processes. In these settings, varied processes such as rockfall, debris flow, hillslope failure, glacial and periglacial erosion, fluvial erosion, transport and deposition, and chemical weathering operate, often simultaneously, over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales.

As a result, tracking the interactions between denudation, climatic forcing, tectonic activity, vegetation and land use is complex. However, these feedbacks affect both long- and short-term natural surface processes, landscape development, and human interactions with the environment. Many of these processes also pose serious threats to the biosphere, mountain settlements and infrastructure. Therefore, understanding and quantifying rates of erosion, weathering, and deposition within mountain landscapes is a challenging, but crucial research topic in Earth surface processes.

We welcome contributions that (1) investigate the processes of production, mobilisation, transport, and deposition of sediment in mountain landscapes, (2) explore feedbacks between erosion and weathering due to natural and anthropogenic forcings, and (3) consider how these processes contribute to natural hazards specific to mountain landscapes. We invite presentations that employ observational, analytical or modeling approaches in mountain environments across a variety of temporal and spatial scales. We particularly encourage early career scientists to apply for this session.

Solicited authors:
Sheng Xu
Convener: Apolline MariottiECSECS | Co-conveners: Romano ClementucciECSECS, Coline HopquinECSECS
GM5.2 EDI

Landscapes are continuously shaped by tectonics and climate across geologic timescales and into the present day. Sedimentary archives therefore offer a unique window providing narratives for how geomorphic systems adapt to external forcings. However, bridging the gap between modern and ancient observations is not straightforward due to preservation, buffering and shredding of environmental signals, requiring integration of both short- and long-term records scattered in landscapes and stratigraphy across time. Likewise, natural hazards, such as floods and slope failures, mobilize large quantities of sediment in short timescales. Yet, their impact on sedimentary systems and landscape evolution can last from the event scale to millions of years. Understanding sediment generation by natural hazards, as well as the interactions between natural hazards and other source-to-sink processes, is important for predicting the response of planetary surfaces to past and future environmental change. This session aims to integrate insights across timescales and methods to understand the sensitivity of modern and ancient landscapes to natural hazards, climate change and tectonic perturbations. It is becoming increasingly clear that in order to unlock projections of landscape change in the future, we must integrate our analysis from source to sink, using insights from modern short-term landscape dynamics to understand stratigraphy, and using long-term geologic approaches to unlock projections of landscape change in the present and future.

Our session will value research which uses quantitative techniques drawing on sedimentology, geomorphology, stratigraphy, geochemistry and modeling and we welcome research on a wide range of hazards including landslides, rockfalls, rock avalanches, debris flows, volcanic eruptions, flooding, tsunamis, and climate warming-induced hazards like thawing permafrost and retreating glaciers. We seek submissions that explore the roles of climate, tectonics, and human impacts on natural hazards and sediment dynamics. We especially encourage studies investigating dynamic feedbacks among natural hazards, sediment routing systems, and human modification of the landscape. The ultimate goal of this session is to improve our understanding of the dynamics of past, present, and future geomorphic systems in response to changes in tectonic and climatic boundary conditions.

Solicited authors:
Saraswati Thapa
Co-organized by SSP3
Convener: Jonah McLeodECSECS | Co-conveners: Benjamin Campforts, Marine PrieurECSECS, Benjamin LehmannECSECS, Ziqiang ZhouECSECS, Coline AriagnoECSECS, Alex Whittaker
SSS3.1

Knowledge of the global distribution and character of soils is fundamental to our ability to effectively manage land resources and to interpret them as proxy archives in the evolution of landscapes. Such knowledge is obtained through systematic study of the spatiotemporal relationships of soils across the landscape and the mechanisms or processes responsible for their development. This session is dedicated to the advancement in our knowledge or understanding of emerging concepts in the fields of pedology, paleopedology, and/or soil geography. We welcome contributions from any geographic region, method of study, and conceptual approach. We particularly encourage submissions from ECS dedicated to fostering continued research in these fields.

Solicited authors:
H. Curtis Monger
Co-organized by GM5
Convener: Brad SionECSECS | Co-conveners: Lilit Pogosyan, Guido Stefano Mariani, Christopher BaishECSECS
SSS2.1 EDI

The long-standing scientific debate on whether human-derived land use change (i.e., deforestation, opening new agricultural areas, mining activities, urbanization, etc.) or climate change, which plays a pivotal role in causing soil erosion, regulating water resources, and altering hydrological cycles in Southern Hemisphere remains unresolved in the existing literature.
This session, therefore, will examine the interconnected impacts of land use practices and climate change on soil erosion and water conservation in various landscapes in the Southern Hemisphere. It will focus on the distinct difficulties and prospects for sustainable environmental management on the regional or catchment scale. We encourage research contributions on the topics - but not solely limited to - listed below discussing their impacts on soil erosion and water conservation:
• Impacts of agricultural expansion
• Evaluation of soil conservation strategies in agroecosystems considering climate change
• Deforestation and its potential rebounds
• Aspects potential impacts of mining activities
• New techniques, methods, and strategies of remote sensing, modeling, and monitoring for mitigation strategies.
By addressing the intricate interactions of processes mentioned above, this session welcomes to a broader extent scientists, particularly early career scientists with their novel studies.

Solicited authors:
Rónadh Cox
Co-organized by GM5/HS13
Convener: Aydogan AvciogluECSECS | Co-conveners: Rosalie Vandromme, Marcos Tassano, Vinícius B. P. ChagasECSECS
SSP3.8 EDI

Sedimentary archives can be found across diverse environments worldwide, allowing investigation and disentanglement of past environmental processes over different setting. However, one key limitation in the investigation of such records is deciphering the complexity of how the different forcings acting in a natural system are manifested in the environment and consequently propagated into the studied archives. Interpretations derived from any sedimentary archive thus depend on a our understanding of the surrounding natural system itself and its web of feedbacks, the investigated sedimentary record, and the utilized proxies. Such interpretations often call for the integration of different disciplines, the development of new tools for sampling, novel laboratory methodologies and modelling. These studies need to integrate both modern and recent observations as well as reconciling these with numerical models to improve our predictions of coastal evolution in the future. Combining vast datasets from remote sensing, habitat mapping, geophysical surveys, and in situ monitoring, with advanced analytics and numerical models, provides a holistic view of coastal evolution.

For this session we welcome any contribution that integrates sedimentological, geochemical, biological, and geochronological methods, as well as modelling approaches, novel laboratory experiments and monitoring, for the interpretation of sedimentary systems, with a special focus on mechanism-oriented interpretation. Contributions that either focus on the development and calibration of novel proxies, analytical approaches (either destructive or non-destructive) and data analysis (statistics, machine learning, AI), or present interesting case studies, are welcome as well.

Co-organized by BG5/CL1.2/GI6/GM5
Convener: Shlomy VainerECSECS | Co-conveners: Peter Clift, Daniela J. M. MüllerECSECS, Ido Sirota, Federica Foglini, Ina Neugebauer, Yoav Ben DorECSECS

GM6 – Planetary, Aeolian and Dryland Geomorphology

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officer: Aayush Srivastava

GM6.1 EDI

The Planetary Geomorphology session aims to bring together geomorphologists who study the Earth with those who work on other bodies such as Mars, Venus, Mercury, the Moon, icy satellites of the outer solar system, comets, and/or asteroids. Studies applicable to landscapes on any scale on any solid body are welcome. We particularly encourage those who use Earth analogues, laboratory/numerical simulation and/or big satellite datasets to submit their work. Considered processes could include aeolian, volcanic, tectonic, fluvial, glacial, periglacial, or "undetermined" ones. We especially welcome contributions from early-career scientists and geomorphologists who are new to planetary science.

Solicited authors:
Joe McNeil
Co-organized by PS1, co-sponsored by IAG
Convener: Lonneke RoelofsECSECS | Co-conveners: Stephen BroughECSECS, Tjalling de Haas, Frances E. G. ButcherECSECS
GM6.2

Currently drylands are home to >40% of the world’s population, and many prehistoric and historic cultures developed in these regions. Drylands are characterized by limited water resources and are highly sensitive towards both human activities and extreme events such as droughts and floods, which affects regional water balances and geomorphic processes. Due to currently intensified climatic and human pressure such processes strongly intensified during the last decades, affecting the living conditions of local populations including freshwater availability from groundwater resources and water quality. However, the functioning of these processes and their feedbacks are poorly understood. To build up reliable future scenarios to achieve sustainable development goals in the future these processes and feedbacks need to be addressed in an interdisciplinary manner on timescales ranging from the Quaternary until today, as well as in future climate scenarios.
This session pools contributions dealing with past to future hydrometeorological, environmental and geomorphological processes understanding in drylands across a broad geographical range since the Quaternary studied on varied spatial and temporal scales. Besides case studies on individual regions and review studies, cross-disciplinary, methodical and conceptual contributions are especially welcome in this session.

Co-organized by CL1.2/HS13/SSP1/SSS3
Convener: Hans von Suchodoletz | Co-conveners: Yves Tramblay, Janek WalkECSECS, Pedro AlencarECSECS, Joel RoskinECSECS
GM6.4 EDI

Aeolian processes act on planetary surfaces throughout the Solar System, yielding similar landforms and deposits across a wide range of spatial scales despite differences in climatic conditions, atmospheric and surface properties. This session explores such aeolian processes, landforms, and deposits - such as sand dunes and loess - with a focus on their roles in landscape dynamics and evolution, aiming at addressing the impacts of climate change on these landscapes and their evolution over time. We welcome abstracts covering research on wind-driven sediment production, transport, and accumulation, as well as landform and bedform development, along with the environmental and climate history such processes, landforms and deposits reveal.

The combination of terrestrial and extra-terrestrial experiments and observations, as well as analogue studies, provides the opportunities as well as challenges for improving, e.g., our fundamental theories and numerical models for better understanding of these aeolian environments. Innovations in instrumentation and experimental techniques continue to yield novel insights on Earth, while space missions and remote probes constantly deliver new and surprising evidence from aeolian environments on other planetary bodies. Contributions using diverse methods, including short- and long-term field experiments, dating, stratigraphic analysis, laboratory experiments, numerical simulations, and remote sensing dating, are, thus, especially encouraged.

Solicited authors:
Zhiwei Xu,Chloe Daudon
Convener: Melanie A. StammlerECSECS | Co-conveners: Pei ZhangECSECS, Daniel HölblingECSECS, Andreas Baas, Anu Kaakinen, David A. VazECSECS, Shuangwen Yi
CL4.14 EDI | PICO

The interactions between aerosols, climate, weather, and society are among the large uncertainties of current atmospheric research. Mineral dust is an important natural source of aerosol with significant implications on radiation, cloud microphysics, atmospheric chemistry, and the carbon cycle via the fertilization of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Together with other light-absorbing particles, dust impacts snow and ice albedo and can accelerate glacier melt. In addition, properties of dust deposited in sediments and ice cores are important (paleo-)climate indicators.

This interdivisional session -- building bridges between the EGU divisions AS, CL, CR, SSP, BG and GM -- had its first edition in 2004 and it is open to contributions dealing with:

(1) measurements of all aspects of the dust cycle (emission, transport, deposition, size distribution, particle characteristics) with in situ and remote sensing techniques,
(2) numerical simulations of dust on global, regional, and local scales,
(3) meteorological conditions for dust storms, dust transport and deposition,
(4) interactions of dust with clouds and radiation,
(5) influence of dust on atmospheric chemistry,
(6) fertilization of ecosystems through dust deposition,
(7) interactions with the cryosphere, including also aerosols other than dust,
(8) any study using dust as a (paleo-)climate indicator, including sediment archives in loess, ice cores, lake sediments, ocean sediments and dunes,
(9) impacts of dust on climate and climate change, and associated feedbacks and uncertainties,
(10) implications of dust for health, transport, energy systems, agriculture, infrastructure, etc.

We especially encourage the submission of papers that integrate different disciplines and/or address the modelling of past, present, and future climates.

We are delighted to announce that in the 22nd edition of the dust session, Dr Patricia Castellanos (NASA) will provide a solicited talk about her work on airborne observations of dust.

Solicited authors:
Patricia Castellanos
Co-organized by AS3/BG1/CR5/GM6
Convener: Jan-Berend Stuut | Co-conveners: Claire Ryder, Clarissa BaldoECSECS, Martina Klose
PS1.4 EDI

This session welcomes all studies on Mars science and exploration. With many active missions, Mars research is as active as ever, and new data come in on a daily basis. The aim of this session is to bring together disciplines as various as geology, geomorphology, geophysics, and atmospheric science. We look forward to receiving contributions covering both past and present processes, either pure Mars science or comparative planetology (including fieldwork on terrestrial analogues), as well as modeling approaches and laboratory experiments (or any combination of those). New results on Mars science obtained from recent in situ and orbital measurements are particularly encouraged, as well as studies related to upcoming missions and campaigns (ExoMars, Mars Sample Return).

Co-organized by GM6/GMPV7
Convener: Ernst Hauber | Co-conveners: Ana-Catalina Plesa, Adrien BroquetECSECS, Barbara De Toffoli, Bart Root
PS2.5 EDI

The icy moons of our Solar System are prime targets for the search for extraterrestrial life. Moons such as Saturn's Enceladus and Jupiter's Europa are considered potential habitats because of their subglacial water oceans, which are in direct contact with the rocks below. Titan is one of the most complex environments in the solar system, a complexity expressed in a triad of manifestations: in the photochemically intense and seasonally varying atmosphere; in the unique hydrocarbon lakes and oceans, the dunes and other geomorphological features; and in the astrobiologically intriguing subsurface water ocean.

To assess the habitability and sample the oceans of these moons, several approaches are being discussed, including water plume surveys on Europa and Enceladus, as well as developing key technologies to penetrate the ice and even study the ocean itself with autonomous underwater vehicles, if the ice is thin enough. Moreover, a key aspect of habitability is linked with the geological processes acting on these moons. The Dragonfly mission, currently under preparation, will explore Titan's surface and atmosphere and will provide important insight for possible processes acting in other icy moons.

The main questions that this session aims to address are the following:
- What can we learn from analogue studies on Earth?
- What are the properties of the ice shell and how do they evolve?
- How novel observations and planned missions to these bodies contribute to furthering our understanding?
- What measurements should be conducted by future missions?

The goal of this multidisciplinary session is to bring together scientists from different fields, including planetary sciences and the cryosphere community, to discuss the current status and next steps in the remote and in-situ exploration of the icy moons of our solar system. We welcome contributions from analogue studies, on the results of current and past missions, planned missions, mission concepts, lessons learned from other missions, and more. Contributions bridging the cryosphere-icy moons communities are of particular interest to this session.

Solicited authors:
Cyril Mergny
Co-organized by CR7/GM6
Convener: Ana-Catalina Plesa | Co-conveners: Tina Rückriemen-Bez, Panayotis Lavvas, Marc S. BoxbergECSECS, Tommi Koskinen, Conor Nixon, Anezina Solomonidou

GM7 – Tectonic, Volcanic, and Regional Geomorphology

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officer: Philippe Steer

GM7.1 EDI

The coupling between tectonics, climate and surface processes governs the dynamics of mountain belts and basins. However, the amplitude of these couplings and their impact on mountain building are not well understood. Quantitative constraints are therefore needed to quantify these interactions. They can be provided by geomorphic and sedimentary records including longitudinal river profiles, fluvial and marine terraces, landslides, downstream fining trends, growth strata, sediment provenance, sequence stratigraphy, and changing depositional environments. In addition, such interactions may be explored by geodetic analyses (e.g., GPS, UAV and satellite images analyses) as well as with innovative geo-informatic approaches. Indeed, the increasing integration of geochronological methods for quantifying erosion rates and source-to-sink sediment transfer with landscape evolution, stratigraphic, climatic, and tectonic models allows us to advance our understanding of the interactions between surface processes, climate and tectonic deformation.
We invite contributions that use geomorphic, geochronologic and/or sedimentary records to understand tectonic deformation, climate histories, and surface processes, and welcome studies that address their interactions and couplings at a range of spatial and temporal scales. We invite contributions that address the role of surface processes in modulating rates of deformation and tectonic style, or of tectonics modulating the response of landscapes to climate change. We encourage coupled catchment-basin studies that take advantage of numerical/physical modelling, geochemical tools for quantifying rates of surface processes (cosmogenic nuclides, low-temperature thermochronology, luminescence dating) and high resolution digital topographic and subsurface data.

Solicited authors:
Jingtao Lai,Loraine Gourbet
Co-organized by TS4
Convener: Audrey Margirier | Co-conveners: Emma Lodes, Richard OttECSECS, Etienne Large
TS4.2 EDI

The links between crustal deformation, mantle dynamics, and climate-driven surface processes have long been recognized as main drivers for the evolution of orogens and sedimentary basins. Yet, the feedback mechanisms between erosion, sediment transportation and deposition, crustal tectonics and mantle dynamics, including magmatism, remain elusive. Understanding the complex interplay between tectonic and surface processes requires an interdisciplinary approach. Quantifying the uplift and erosion rates in orogens and subsidence and sedimentation rates in basins, and separating distinct crustal, deep mantle, and climatic forcings are among the most challenging objectives, because they all act on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. Understanding such a dynamic system requires observational data from field studies, geophysical and well data analysis, thermochronological studies as well as analogue and numerical modelling techniques.
We invite contributions investigating orogenesis and sedimentary basin evolution and their connection to (climate-driven) surface processes, and crustal and mantle dynamics. We encourage contributions using multi-disciplinary and innovative methods addressing the coupling between tectonics and surface processes.

Solicited authors:
Thomas Gernon
Co-organized by GD4/GM7/SSP3
Convener: Sebastian G. WolfECSECS | Co-conveners: Yanyan Wang, Attila Balázs, Zoltán Erdős
TS5.1 EDI | PICO

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.

Solicited authors:
Francesca Funiciello
Co-organized by GD10/GM7/SSP1
Convener: Thorben SchöfischECSECS | Co-conveners: Betti HegyiECSECS, Pauline GayrinECSECS, Ágnes KirályECSECS, Riccardo ReitanoECSECS
TS3.1

A crucial aspect of seismotectonic studies is accurately identifying active faults and reconstructing their geometry, kinematics, and deformation rates using geological, seismological, and geodetic data to the fullest extent possible within the current deformation field. This task is challenging, often complicated by the scarcity of clear evidence or quantitative data, both at the near-surface and at seismogenic depths. Developing a reliable seismotectonic model is, therefore, subject to uncertainties stemming from data limitations and errors, which can hinder the precise characterization of fault geometry, kinematics, and associated stress and deformation fields.
To overcome these challenges, it has become essential to integrate various methodologies both cutting-edge in their technologies and complementary in their resolution scales, depth, and dimensions (from 3D to 4D). The multidisciplinary nature of seismotectonics, which synthesises structural-geological, morphological, seismological, geophysical, remote-sensing, and geodetic data alongside numerical and analogue modelling, offers a comprehensive approach to identifying active tectonic signals. Additionally, the increasing availability of big data and the application of deep learning techniques in geosciences present a unique opportunity to bridge data gaps and improve the accuracy and reliability of seismotectonic models.
This session invites studies focused on the following themes: i) field-based geological and structural surveys of active faults, including those in volcanic regions; ii) classical and innovative multiscale and multidisciplinary approaches in geology, seismology, and geophysics; iii) the development and analysis of new or updated seismological, geophysical, and field- or remotely-collected datasets; iv) fault imaging, tectonic setting definitions, and the creation of 3D seismotectonic models; v) numerical and analogue modelling; vi) studies that explore the alignment or discrepancies between known fault characteristics, seismotectonic models, and seismic events; vii) novel insights aimed at advancing seismotectonic modelling.
Our goal is to stimulate significant scientific interest and debate on advancing our understanding of active faulting, aiming to produce robust seismotectonic models. We particularly encourage submissions that combine classical and innovative methodologies, including big data, deep learning, and other forms of artificial intelligence.

Solicited authors:
Alik Ismail-Zadeh
Co-organized by GM7, co-sponsored by ILP
Convener: Fabio Luca BonaliECSECS | Co-conveners: Rita De NardisECSECS, Vanja KastelicECSECS, Debora Presti, Victor Alania
TS3.5 EDI

The Eastern Mediterranean is a region of active deformation driven by the complex interaction of three major tectonic plates: the African, Arabian, and Eurasian plates. Its Cenozoic geodynamic evolution is characterized by processes such as subduction, collision, strike-slip faulting, crustal block extrusion, and slab deformation. This session aims to explore key aspects of Eastern Mediterranean geodynamics:
Active Structures and Mechanisms: What are the primary geodynamic mechanisms shaping the region’s key active structures, and how do they operate?
Surface Deformation and Earthquake Dynamics: How is deformation accommodated across different temporal and spatial scales? How do individual earthquakes contribute to the long-term kinematics of faults? What role do deep-seated processes play in surface deformation?
Geodynamic Evolution: How has the Cenozoic geodynamic history shaped the current tectonic activity in the region?
We invite contributions from a variety of disciplines, including but not limited to: neotectonics, seismology, tectonic geodesy (e.g., GNSS, InSAR), paleoseismology, tectonic geomorphology, remote sensing, structural geology, and geodynamic modeling. We strongly encourage submissions from early career researchers to foster new perspectives and ideas in the field.

Solicited authors:
Philippe Vernant
Co-organized by GM7
Convener: Sezim Ezgi GuvercinECSECS | Co-conveners: Taylan Sançar, James Hollingsworth, Sinan Akciz, Timothy M. Kusky

GM8 – Coastal and Submarine Geomorphology

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officer: A. Rita Carrasco

GM8.1 EDI

Underwater landscapes, from shallow coastal zones to deep ocean, are shaped by a complex interplay of geologic, biologic, oceanographic and anthropogenic processes. These dynamic interactions create diverse landforms that reveal valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms driving their formation. Understanding these processes, which operate across varying spatial and temporal scales, is essential for assessing offshore geohazards and ensuring the sustainable management of marine environments.
This interdisciplinary session explores the causes and consequences of processes shaping submarine landforms and seafloor evolution. Topics include erosional and depositional dynamics, marine bioconstructions, gravitational driven and current-induced sediment transport, submarine landslides, active deformation, volcanic activity, faulting and folding, and emphasis is given to subseafloor fluid migration and venting at the seafloor. Contributions may address marine or lacustrine environments across all physiographic regions, including coastal zones, marginal seas, continental shelves and slopes, oceanic plateaus, abyssal hills, mid-ocean ridges and accretionary wedges. We welcome studies that integrate diverse approaches, such as satellite-derived and hydroacoustic seabed characterizations, visual and ROV-based observations, seismic imaging and sedimentary, geochemical, and/or geological sampling. Such interdisciplinary studies provide exciting opportunities to advance quantitative geomorphology, extend it offshore, and deepen our understanding of the processes shaping submarine landscapes.

Co-organized by OS4/SSP3, co-sponsored by ILP and IAG
Convener: Jacob Geersen | Co-conveners: Alessandra Savini, Sebastian Krastel, Aaron Micallef, Ariadna CanariECSECS, Giulia Matilde Ferrante, George Papatheodorou
GM8.3

Understanding the natural and physical processes that govern river deltas, estuaries, and coastal environments is crucial for developing effective management and climate adaptation strategies. Both anthropogenic activities and climate change exert significant influence over these processes, altering them across various temporal and spatial scales. To ensure long-term sustainability of these landscapes, it is essential to understand how these evolving processes interact at the system-wide level.
Managing these environments is challenging due to the complex feedback between physical, biological, biogeochemical, and human-driven processes, all of which drive morphodynamic adjustments to natural and anthropogenic changes in relative mean sea level, sediment supply rates, and hydrodynamic forces such as waves and tides. Quantifying these ongoing changes and predicting future shifts is crucial not only for advancing our understanding of how these systems function but also for enabling effective climate adaptation planning, including the implementation of nature-based solutions.

This session aims to promote the necessary collaborative, cross-disciplinary efforts by bringing together a wide range of scientific communities focused on the study of fluvial, tidal estuarine, and coastal landscapes. This includes, but is not limited to, research on hydrodynamics, hydrology, sediment properties and dynamics, geomorphology, bio-morphodynamics, ecology, biogeochemistry, the impacts of climate change and global sea-level rise, and their implications for management and restoration. We particularly encourage contributions from those engaged in inter- and trans-disciplinary projects within the coastal zone, working at the intersection of different scientific fields, as well as those operating at the interface of science and policy.
We invite presenters to share recent scientific advancements in understanding the fluvial-to-marine transition zone through innovative theories, field studies, data-driven approaches, remote sensing analyses, geological reconstructions, laboratory experiments, and numerical modeling, applied to coastal environments on Earth and potentially on other planets. Additionally, we welcome studies focused on the adaptation, restoration, and management of coastal environments in response to projected climate changes.

Co-organized by HS13
Convener: Jana CoxECSECS | Co-conveners: Anne BaarECSECS, Lisanne BraatECSECS
GM8.4

Extreme waves pose a significant threat to coastal areas and the communities residing there, with potentially devastating global impacts. This session will explore extreme wave phenomena, focusing on two of the most relevant: tsunamis, high-energy seismic waves generated by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides, and medicanes (Mediterranean Hurricanes), tropical-like cyclones forming in the Mediterranean, increasingly frequent and intense due to climate change. Through the analysis of recent scientific studies, predictive models, remote sensing data, and case studies of past events, speakers will provide an overview of the formation mechanisms of these phenomena, monitoring methodologies, and risk mitigation strategies for coastal populations. Furthermore, artificial intelligence and deep learning methods may represent an important topic to address for coastal monitoring. A combined use of these techniques allows obtaining an exhaustive framework for the geomorphological evidence related to extreme waves. The session will also cover the impact of extreme waves on marine ecosystems and infrastructure. The goal is to promote greater awareness and resilience in the face of extreme events within the context of ongoing climate and geological changes.

Solicited authors:
Rónadh Cox
Convener: Giovanni Scicchitano | Co-conveners: Stefano Devoto, Giovanni ScardinoECSECS, Stefano Furlani
GM8.7 EDI

Assessing the multi-temporal coastal evolution in different morpho-dynamic contexts is a challenge of high scientific value in climate change studies. Considering that global sea level will rise over the next millennia with a magnitude depending on the warming level, it is fundamental to foresee the effects on the coastal areas around the world.
In this context, examining past climate changes is essential for generating possible future scenarios and determining the extent of human influence on these shifts up to the present-day. Although millennial changes in coastal landscapes were primarily driven by relative sea-level variations resulting from global, regional, and local forces (i.e. tectonics, isostasy, volcanism), and surface processes (i.e. erosion, transport, and sedimentation), human activity also played a significant role in shaping these changes.
Consequently, the collection of paleo-sea level and paleo-environmental records is crucial to shed new light on the impacts of past climate changes on modern populations and the effects of surface processes at the social level. These results can also be supported by the ongoing technological progresses that allow marine scientists to collect large volumes of data and the fast development of new Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning tools applied to data analysis.
This session that comes for the collaboration between INQUA-ONSEA project and Coastal Geoarchaeology IAG – Working group wants to face these very topical issues by welcoming contributions on recent advancements on Quaternary coastal paleo-landscape reconstructions from the onshore to the offshore, as well as studies on regional and local coastal modification that followed relative sea-level changes or extreme events in historical and recent times. The main topics are:
• From field data to modelling approaches for paleo-landscape reconstruction;
• Past to future Sea-level changes and coastal responses;
• New technologies and AI in marine and coastal studies;
• Response of past and modern urbanized coastal sectors against quick to sudden sea-flooding by extreme wave events (e.g. tsunamis, tropical cyclones, etc.)
• New perspectives for Geoarchaeological studies of coastal areas;
• Recent and past climatic influence on coastal modification;
• Analyzing coastal landscapes from backshore to offshore.

Solicited authors:
Alessia Sorrentino
Convener: Gaia Mattei | Co-conveners: Aucelli Pietro, Teresa Bardají, Claudia CaporizzoECSECS, Matthieu Giaime
OS2.4 EDI

Global coastal zones are of high ecological and societal values. As the dynamic interface between land, sea, and air, they are heavily impacted by a combination of climate-driven environmental change and human interventions. Approaches to sustainably manage the coastal zone increasingly seek to provide co-benefits of risk mitigation, climate regulation, preserving biodiversity, and supporting coastal community resilience. These require scientific evidence and discourse that integrates across disciplines.

This session invites multi- and inter-disciplinary contributions focusing on coastal processes, their dynamic interactions, and their role in exchanges across coastal interfaces (e.g. land-sea, air-sea, …) under a changing climate and changing human activities. We welcome observational, modelling and theoretical studies reporting on processes linked to coastal hydrodynamics, coastal biogeochemistry, coastal ecology, or coastal sediment dynamics and geomorphology. Studies may span the wide range of spatial and temporal scales characteristic of existing and projected change in coastal seascapes and landscapes from the inner shelf shoreward to beaches and dunes, estuaries, intertidal flats, saltmarshes and coastal wetlands. We encourage the submission of holistic Earth system studies that explore the role of the coastal zone for coastal seas’ dynamics including exchanges across coastal interfaces (e.g. land-sea, air-sea, …) under the impact of climate change and human activities. We also encourage studies that focus on impacts of coastal management approaches on coastal processes and dynamics, spanning engineered, hybrid, and nature-based options related to changing activities such as coastal protection, tourism, shipping, fisheries and aquaculture, and the expansion of renewable energies and other coastal infrastructure.

Co-organized by BG8/GM8
Convener: Laurent Amoudry | Co-conveners: Kaja GentschECSECS, Markus Meier, Maren Voss

GM9 – Glacial, Periglacial, and Cold Regions Geomorphology

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officer: Matteo Spagnolo

GM9.1 EDI

Mountain glaciers serve as crucial indicators of both past and present climate changes, making them essential to the study of mountainous regions. They play a significant role in water resource management, supporting human populations, agriculture, hydropower, and ecosystems, and also contribute to sea-level changes. The complexity of the interactions between glaciers, topography, and climate, however, poses challenges for making correlations on regional and hemispherical scales. This complexity is compounded by the increasing specialisation within the scientific community, where research often focuses on specific aspects or selected mountain regions.
The primary aim of this session is to bridge these gaps by stimulating discussion and promoting integrated research efforts on mountain glaciers. We invite contributions on various aspects of mountain glaciers and glaciations, such as (a) glacial landforms and glacier reconstructions, (b) dating techniques and glacier chronologies, (c) glaciology and palaeoclimatic interpretations, and (d) impacts on ecosystems and human societies. We especially encourage studies that address regional and hemispheric connections, issues, and advances.
The temporal scope of the session will cover Early Pleistocene glaciations through to the Last Glacial Maximum, and Holocene/modern glaciers. This session aims to foster ongoing collaborative research on mountain glaciations, providing a platform for the exchange of ideas and expertise among researchers from diverse locations and methodological backgrounds.

Solicited authors:
Irene Schimmelpfennig
Convener: Rachel Oien | Co-conveners: Danni Pearce, Giovanni Monegato, Jürgen Reitner, Stefan Winkler
GM9.3 EDI

Present-day glacial and periglacial processes in cold regions, i.e. arctic and alpine environments, provide modern analogues to processes and climatic changes that took place during the Pleistocene, including gradual retreat or collapse of ice sheets and mountain glaciers, thawing and shrinking of lowland permafrost and the location and evolution of rock glaciers. Current geomorphological and glaciological changes in mid-latitude mountain ranges could also serve as a proxy for future changes in high-latitude regions within a context of climate change. Examples are speed-up or disintegration of creeping permafrost features or the relictification of rock glaciers. Rock glaciers are highly relevant in various fields of research, such as geomorphology, hydrology, geohazards, paleo-permafrost and climate impact studies. Despite their significance, their complex interactions with environmental variables and the impact of climate change on their evolution remain incompletely understood.

For our session we invite contributions that either:
1. investigate present-day glacial and/or periglacial landforms, sediments and processes to describe the current state, to reconstruct past environmental conditions and to predict future scenarios in cold regions; or
2. have a Quaternary focus and aim at enhancing our understanding of past glacial, periglacial and paraglacial processes, also through the application of dating techniques; or
3. discuss innovative methodologies and interdisciplinary approaches, aiming to improve the understanding of past and/or present processes and to assess future rock glacier evolution.

Case studies that use a multi-disciplinary approach (e.g. ranging from observations to modelling, from geophysical to remote sensing methodologies, from site-specific to regional studies in diverse geographic regions of the World) and/or that highlight the interaction between the glacial, periglacial and paraglacial cryospheric components in cold regions are particularly welcome.

Solicited authors:
Helen Dulfer
Convener: Jenna SutherlandECSECS | Co-conveners: Lea HartlECSECS, Cécile PelletECSECS, Diego CusicanquiECSECS, Sven Lukas, Isabelle Gärtner-Roer, Andreas Kellerer-Pirklbauer
GM9.4 EDI

Glaciers cover roughly 10 percent of the Earth’s surface and help shape landscapes and relief in high latitude regions and many mountain ranges. Subglacial processes, such as sliding, create material that shapes the landscape. Debris that falls upon the ice, or is entrained it in, is advected down glacier to where it melts out, creating moraines. Existing sediment below the glacier can be mobilized by pressurized subglacial water and is then transported in proglacial rivers or deposited in lakes or fjords. Global glacial retreat is increasingly producing new ice-free areas in various geomorphological settings, from high-mountain valleys to coastal lowlands. The associated losses include decreased provision of meltwater in summer, decreased reflection and cooling, and in some cases increased natural hazards resulting from paraglacial geomorphic processes. However, there may be advantages, such as carbon storage in the vegetation, soil development and enlargement of pasture lands in now-exposed glacial sediments. An integrated, multi-disciplinary projection of the future properties and value of deglaciated valleys remains elusive but is necessary as we prepare for an uncertain future under climate change.

This session aims to improve understanding of glacier dynamics, surface processes, soil and plant development in glacial and deglaciating environments, and their interactions. We therefore invite contributions using experiments, modeling, laboratory, field observations and archives or remote sensing methods, or a combination thereof, that evaluate glacial processes, surface processes, soil development, ecological processes and their feedbacks. We welcome submissions that address these processes across a wide range of timescales, from sub-daily to multi-millennial, including those focused on these dynamics during past climate variations. Additionally, we are interested in studies that are focused on diverse glaciated environments from small alpine glaciers to ice sheets, improve methodology, are multidisciplinary or from previously understudied mountain regions – including in the global south. Research that addresses the changes that occur as climate warms and how these processes interact with other aspects of the Earth system, including glacier dynamics, is of particular interest for this session.

Solicited authors:
Alan Aitken,Anais Zimmer
Co-organized by CR4
Convener: Jingtao LaiECSECS | Co-conveners: Jean-Christophe Clement, Jean-Christophe Clement, Michele Freppaz, Arnaud Temme, Jana EichelECSECS, Audrey Margirier, Ian DelaneyECSECS
CR1.4 EDI

The evolution of glaciers, ice caps, and ice sheets can have a profound impact on the Earth system. During the Quaternary, ice sheet growth and decay resulted in the fluctuation of sea levels, alteration of global air and ocean circulation patterns, sculpting of the landscape, and reorganisation of continental drainage. Landforms and sediments provide important information about the dimensions, distribution, and dynamics of past ice sheets. This record can be used to understand ice dynamics, reconstruct climate, and refine our understanding of the future response of ice masses to variations in climate. The glacial geological record is also often seen through the prism of the modern day processes at work on Earth. The aim of this session is to bring together researchers focused on reconstructing past glaciations and understanding glacial processes at all spatial scales and from all parts of the world. We welcome studies of all relevant aspects, for example (i) glacial landforms and sediments, (ii) glacial reconstructions and chronologies, (iii) glaciologic and climatic interpretations, and (iv) numerical modelling. While the focus of the session will be Quaternary glaciations, studies from any geological period are encouraged to fully address the diversity of the topic.

Solicited authors:
Lorna Linch
Co-organized by GM9
Convener: Benjamin BoyesECSECS | Co-conveners: Daniel Le Heron, Rosie ArcherECSECS, Helen DulferECSECS, Martin Margold, Paulina Mejías OsorioECSECS, Ricarda WohlschläglECSECS
CR6.7 EDI | PICO

This interdisciplinary session brings together modellers and observationalists to present results and exchange knowledge and experience in the use of data assimilation in the cryospheric sciences such as inverse methods, geostatistics and machine learning. In numerous research fields it is now possible to not only deduce static features of a physical system but also to retrieve information on transient processes between different states or even regime shifts. In the cryospheric sciences a large potential for future developments lies at the intersection of observations and models with the aim to improve prognostic capabilities in space and time. Compared to other geoscientific disciplines like meteorology or oceanography, where techniques such as data assimilation have been well established for decades, in the cryospheric sciences only the foundation has been laid for the use of these techniques, one reason often being the sparsity of observations. We invite contributions from a wide range of methodological backgrounds - from satellite observations to deep-looking geophysical methods and advancements in numerical techniques - and research topics including permafrost, sea ice and snow to glaciers and ice sheets, covering static system characterisation as well as transient processes.

Co-organized by GM9
Convener: Irena Vankova | Co-conveners: Elisa Mantelli, Julien BodartECSECS, Olaf Eisen
CR6.2 EDI | PICO

Earth’s cryosphere demonstrates itself in many shapes and forms, but we use similar geophysical and in-situ methods to study its wide spectrum: from ice-sheets and glaciers, to firn and snow, sea ice, permafrost, and en-glacial and subglacial environments.
In this session, we welcome contributions related to all methods in cryospheric measurements, including: advances in radioglaciology, active and passive seismology, geoelectrics, acoustic sounding, fibre-optic sensing, GNSS reflectometry, signal attenuation, and time delay techniques, cosmic ray neutron sensing, ROV and drone applications, and electromagnetic methods. Contributions can include field applications, new approaches in geophysical or in-situ survey techniques, or theoretical advances in data analysis processing or inversion. Case studies from all parts of the cryosphere, including snow and firn, alpine glaciers, ice sheets, glacial and periglacial environments, alpine and arctic permafrost as well as rock glaciers, or sea ice, are highly welcome.
This session will give you an opportunity to step out of your research focus of a single cryosphere type and to share experiences in the application, processing, analysis, and interpretation of different geophysical and in-situ techniques in these highly complex environments. This session has been running for over a decade and always produces lively and informative discussion. We have a successful history of PICO and other short-style presentations - submit here if you want a guaranteed short oral!

Solicited authors:
Alexander Raphael Groos
Co-organized by EMRP3/GI5/GM9
Convener: Jonas K. LimbrockECSECS | Co-conveners: Franziska KochECSECS, Polona Itkin, Saskia EppingerECSECS, Falk M. OraschewskiECSECS

GM10 – Riverine Geomorphology

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officer: Laure Guerit

GM10.1 EDI

Fluvial systems cover much of the Earth’s surface; they convey water, sediments, and essential nutrients from the uplands to the sea, intermittently transferring these materials from the river channel to the adjacent floodplain. The routing of sediment and water through the channel network initiates complex process-form interactions as the river bed and banks adjust to changes in flow conditions. Despite their ubiquity, little is known about the landform-driven morphodynamic interactions taking place within the channel that ultimately determine patterns of sedimentation and changes of channel form. Furthermore, an understanding of how these process-form interactions scale with the size of the fluvial system is also currently lacking. Recent technological and methodological advances now afford us the opportunity to study and to quantify these process-form interactions in detail across a range of spatial and temporal scales.
This session aims to bring together interdisciplinary researchers working across field, experimental, and numerical modelling approaches who are advancing methods and providing new insights into: (i) sediment transport and morphodynamic functioning of fluvial systems, (ii) evaluating morphological change at variable spatial and temporal scales, such as at event vs. seasonal scales, and (iii) investigating the sedimentology of these river systems. We particularly welcome applications which investigate the morphodynamic response of fluvial systems in all types and sizes and we would specifically like to encourage submissions from early career researchers and students.

Convener: Eliisa Lotsari | Co-conveners: Joshua Ahmed, László Bertalan, Sumit Das
GM10.3 EDI

The United Nations has designated the 2020s as the decade of ecosystem restoration. Streams, rivers and their catchments are amongst the most threatened habitats globally, impacted by a cascade of pressures, including direct modification, catchment landuse changes, and climate change. Anthropogenic modifications and structures, including critical infrastructure such as dams, levees, and river training structures, when introduced into dynamic river environments, modify hydromorphological processes and impact the rivers’ resilience to a changing climate. To inform river management, we urgently require a thorough understanding of geomorphological, hydrological and ecological processes and their interactions with anthropogenic infrastructure. Restoration of riverscapes and their catchments is becoming increasingly important to dampen the effects of altered hydroclimatic regimes, yet more challenging to restore a moving target with altered flow and sediment regimes. Therefore, this session provides a platform to showcase research that integrates field studies, experimental work, numerical modeling, and hybrid approaches with the goal of improving our ability to model, assess, and manage geomorphological, hydrological and ecological change across multiple scales. We hope to initiate discussion among an interdisciplinary group of researchers of how to take into account a changing climatic baseline in future river restoration and evaluation of restoration success.

Solicited authors:
Thanos Papanicolaou
Convener: Gordon Gilja | Co-conveners: Lina Polvi Sjöberg, Richard MasonECSECS, Ana Margarida Bento, Manish Pandey, Alan Puttock, Zhixian Cao
HS1.2.4 EDI

Water is our planet’s most vital resource, and the primary agent in some of the biggest hazards facing society and nature. Recent extreme heat and flood events underline the significance of water both as a threat and as an increasingly volatile resource.
The accurate and timely measurement of streamflow is therefore more critical than ever to enable the management of water for ecology, for people and industry, for flood risk management and for understanding changes to the hydrological regime. Despite this, effective monitoring networks remain scarce, under-resourced, and often under threat on a global scale. Even where they exist, in-situ observational networks are increasingly inadequate when faced with extreme conditions, and lack the precision and spatial coverage to fully represent crucial aspects of the hydrological cycle.

This session aims to tackle this problem by inviting presentations that demonstrate new and improved methods and approaches to streamflow monitoring, including:
1) Innovative methodologies for measuring/modelling/estimating river stream flows;
2) Real-time acquisition of hydrological variables;
3) UAS and satellite remote sensing techniques for hydrological & morphological monitoring;
4) Measurement in extreme conditions associated with the changing climate;
5) Measurement of sudden-onset extreme flows associated with catastrophic events;
6) Strategies to quantify and describe hydro-morphological evolution of rivers;
7) New methods to cope with data-scarce environments;
8) Inter-comparison of innovative & classical models and approaches;
9) Evolution and refinement of existing methods;
10) Guidelines and standards for hydro-morphological streamflow monitoring;
11) Quantification of uncertainties;
12) Development of expert networks to advance methods.

Contributions are welcome with an emphasis on innovation, efficiency, operator safety, and meeting the growing challenges associated with the changing climate, and with natural and anthropogenically driven disasters such as dam failures and flash floods.

Additionally, presentations will be welcomed which explore options for greater collaboration in advancing riverflow methods and which link innovative research to operational monitoring.

Co-organized by GM10
Convener: Nick Everard | Co-conveners: Monica Coppo Frias, Peter Bauer-Gottwein, Anette Eltner, Almudena García-García
HS9.6 EDI | PICO

The transfer of sediments and associated contaminants plays an important role in catchment ecosystems as they directly influence water quality, habitat conditions, and biogeochemical cycles. Contaminants may include heavy metals, pesticides, nutrients, radionuclides, and various organic, as well as organometallic compounds. The environmental risk posed by sediment-bound contaminants is largely determined by the sources and rate at which sediments are delivered to surface water bodies, the residence time in catchments, lakes, and river systems, as well as biogeochemical transformation processes. However, the dynamics of sediment and contaminant redistribution is highly variable in space and time due to the complex non-linear processes involved. This session thus focuses on sources, transport pathways, storage and re-mobilization, and travel times of sediments and contaminants across temporal and spatial scales, as well as their impact on catchment and freshwater ecosystems.

This session particularly addresses the following issues:
- Delivery rates of sediments and contaminants from various sources (i.e. agriculture, urban areas, mining, industry or natural areas);
- Transport, retention and remobilization of sediments and contaminants in catchments and river reaches;
- Modelling of sediment and contaminant transport on various temporal and spatial scales;
- Biogeochemical controls on contaminant transport and transformation;
- Studies on sedimentary processes and morphodynamics, particularly sediment budgets;
- Linkages between catchment systems and lakes, including reservoirs;
- Analysis of sediment archives to appraise landscape scale variations in sediment and contaminant yield over medium to long time-scales;
- Impacts of sediments and contaminants on floodplain, riparian, hyporheic and other in-stream ecosystems;
- Response of sediment and contaminant dynamics in catchments, lakes and rivers to changing boundary conditions and human actions;
- Assessing human impact on landforms and geomorphological processes in sediment and contaminant transport.

Co-organized by GM10/SSS7
Convener: Ivan LizagaECSECS | Co-conveners: Marcel van der Perk, Laura StutenbeckerECSECS, Yuri Jaques da Silva

GM11 – Education and Outreach Sessions (EOS)

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officer: Kristen Cook

EOS2.6 EDI

In the face of climate change, Africa is more than ever in need of climate services, scientific infrastructure and skilled people who are trained in providing solutions for their countries in how best deal with the adverse impacts of climate change. Over the past years, European governments and funding agencies have invested in climate change research and capacity building in various regions of Africa. However, these initiatives, mostly work independently and do not seek for synergies or collaborations.
This session aims to bring these capacity building initiatives together, provide them a stage to present themselves and a platform for networking, finding synergies and collaborations. We invite initiatives of any kind to present their work related to climate change capacity development in Africa. This also includes climate change-related topics such as, floods, droughts, natural hazards, land degradation, and so on. We welcome the full-variety of capacity building initiatives, including small-scale teaching or workshops (online or on site), co-development of research or monitoring infrastructure, master programmes, doctoral programmes, training of local communities or single research projects that include a capacity development component.
After getting an insight in the full bandwidth of capacity development initiatives in this session, we aim to follow-up with a splinter meeting in which the foundation of a European-African Network for Capacity Development in climate change Adaptation research in Africa (NetCDA) will be discussed. The NetCDA network should provide the basis for future exchange, sharing best practices and finding collaborations between various initiatives and institutions. We invite all session participants and other interested climate scientists from both continents to attend this splinter meeting. More details of the timing and location of this splinter meeting will follow.

Solicited authors:
Cheikh Mbow
Co-organized by CL3.1/GM11/SSS12
Convener: Renee van DongenECSECS | Co-conveners: Michael Thiel, Arona Diedhiou, Bastien Dieppois, Alexandra BellECSECS
EOS4.3 EDI

Geoethics is essential for addressing global crises such as climate change, ecological degradation, and resource overexploitation. The integration of ethical principles at the heart of geoscience allows us to make more sustainable, equitable, and informed decisions.
Geoscientists play a key role in providing accurate and unbiased data to policymakers, and in helping to ensure that decisions reflect the full range of environmental, social, and economic impacts. Their responsibility however extends beyond the sole providing of information: They can actively engage with policymakers and the public to tackle critical challenges, including climate change, ocean degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution and the conflicts driven by fossil fuel dependency.
Despite increasing advocacy for transformative solutions, global efforts remain insufficient to address the climate and ecological crises. As global warming nears the 1.5°C threshold (WMO), the primary obstacle to climate action is not as much a lack of awareness, than resistance and denial from powerful vested interests. In the meantime, many institutions, including universities and research centres, tend to reinforce the status quo instead of driving necessary change.
In such a scenario, what role can geoscientists assume in order to facilitate urgent transformations?
Geoethics provides a crucial framework for guiding geoscientific practices toward responsible, scientifically-sound and sustainable actions.
Through geo-education, effective communication, and the integration of ethical perspectives, geoscientists can build trust, enhance transparency, and engage communities. They can empower citizens with knowledge about the complexities of climate and ocean change, which is essential for fostering collective action and meaningful progress. Some geoscientists decide to engage in collective action themselves, for instance by pressuring research institutes to reduce their environmental impact, or by using civil disobedience to denounce harmful projects and actors.
By cultivating a culture of ethical responsibility, geoscientists can help mitigate harm, enhance resilience and promote long-term sustainability. Geoethics urges the geoscientific community to transcend technical solutions and advocate for radical, justice-driven transformations that meet the urgency of the climate and ecological crises.
This session seeks to inspire dialogue, showcase innovative practices and explore the evolving role of geoscience in cultural, policymaking, and societal change.

Co-organized by ERE1/GM11/OS5/SSS12, co-sponsored by IAPG
Convener: Silvia Peppoloni | Co-conveners: David Crookall, Elodie DuyckECSECS, Giuseppe Di Capua, Paolo ColomboECSECS, Svitlana Krakovska, Agata Sangianantoni
EOS4.8 EDI

Sitting under a tree, you feel the spark of an idea, and suddenly everything falls into place. The following days and tests confirm: you have made a magnificent discovery — so the classical story of scientific genius goes…

But science as a human activity is error-prone, and might be more adequately described as "trial and error", or as a process of successful "tinkering" (Knorr, 1979). Thus we want to turn the story around, and ask you to share 1) those ideas that seemed magnificent but turned out not to be, and 2) the errors, bugs, and mistakes in your work that made the scientific road bumpy. What ideas were torn down or did not work, and what concepts survived in the ashes or were robust despite errors? We explicitly solicit Blunders, Unexpected Glitches, and Surprises (BUGS) from modeling and field or lab experiments and from all disciplines of the Geosciences.

Handling mistakes and setbacks is a key skill of scientists. Yet, we publish only those parts of our research that did work. That is also because a study may have better chances to be accepted for publication in the scientific literature if it confirms an accepted theory or if it reaches a positive result (publication bias). Conversely, the cases that fail in their test of a new method or idea often end up in a drawer (which is why publication bias is also sometimes called the "file drawer effect"). This is potentially a waste of time and resources within our community as other scientists may set about testing the same idea or model setup without being aware of previous failed attempts.

In the spirit of open science, we want to bring the BUGS out of the drawers and into the spotlight. In a friendly atmosphere, we will learn from each others' mistakes, understand the impact of errors and abandoned paths onto our work, and generate new insights for our science or scientific practice.

Here are some ideas for contributions that we would love to see:
- Ideas that sounded good at first, but turned out to not work.
- Results that presented themselves as great in the first place but turned out to be caused by a bug or measurement error.
- Errors and slip-ups that resulted in insights.
- Failed experiments and negative results.
- Obstacles and dead ends you found and would like to warn others about.

--
Knorr, Karin D. “Tinkering toward Success: Prelude to a Theory of Scientific Practice.” Theory and Society 8, no. 3 (1979): 347–76.

Solicited authors:
Jan Seibert
Co-organized by BG0/EMRP1/ESSI4/GD10/GI1/GI6/GM11/GMVP1/PS0/SM2/SSS11/ST4
Convener: Ulrike ProskeECSECS | Co-conveners: Laetitia Le Pourhiet, Daniel KlotzECSECS, Nobuaki Fuji, Jonas PyschikECSECS
EOS5.4 EDI

The session aims to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between educators, academic institutions, and science communicators to enhance Earth Science education at the upper secondary level. Earth Science is a compulsory topic in several European upper secondary school curricula and a critical subject for understanding global challenges, but often lacks prominence in secondary education activities. This evidence is confirmed by the decreasing number of students enrolled in earth science degrees at university level. This session will showcase projects, teaching strategies, and educational resources designed to engage students and increase the relevance of Earth Science in the classroom. Presentations will highlight successful initiatives from teachers, schools, universities, and outreach programs, offering a platform for discussing best practices and challenges. Participants are invited to share their experiences and ideas to create a stronger network of support for Earth Science education.

Solicited authors:
Pete Loader
Co-organized by GM11
Convener: Teresita Gravina | Co-conveners: Nuno Pimentel, Joana Rodrigues
EOS2.2 EDI | PICO

Fieldwork is essential in geoscience, it provides direct and practical experiences, produces valuable data, validates hypotheses, contextualizes findings, encourages discovery, and helps to understand and eventually solve real-world challenges faced by everyone. Fieldwork is the foundation upon which a significant part of geoscience research and understanding is built. This session is dedicated to exploring the broad range of fieldwork-related topics for education and research that can be as diverse as the fieldwork itself. Topics evolve around novel methods for conducting, teaching and planning fieldwork in a safe and welcoming manner, best practises for managing field teams, addressing sigmatised subjects (personal hygiene, safety equipment) as well as working with local communities and utilizing and sharing existing infrastructure and expertise both inside and outside of institutions. This session provides a safe space to exchange ideas on more inclusive fieldwork practices and strategies.

Co-organized by CR8/GM11/PS0
Convener: Florina Roana SchalamonECSECS | Co-conveners: Marjolein GeversECSECS, Maria Ansine Jensen, Simon ClarkECSECS, Shreya Arora
EOS1.1 EDI

Science communication includes the efforts of natural, physical and social scientists, communications professionals, and teams that communicate the process and values of science and scientific findings to non-specialist audiences outside of formal educational settings. The goals of science communication can include enhanced dialogue, understanding, awareness, enthusiasm, improving decision making, or influencing behaviors. Channels can include in-person interaction, online, social media, mass media, or other methods. This session invites presentations by individuals and teams on science communication practice, research, and reflection, addressing questions like:

What kind of communication efforts are you engaging in and how you are doing it?
How is social science informing understandings of audiences, strategies, or effects?
What are lessons learned from long-term communication efforts?

This session invites you to share your work and join a community of practice to inform and advance the effective communication of earth and space science.

Solicited authors:
Oliver Strimpel
Including Katia and Maurice Krafft Award Lecture
Co-organized by CR8/GM11/HS13/OS5/PS0/SSS1
Convener: Solmaz MohadjerECSECS | Co-conveners: Francesco Avanzi, Roberta Bellini, Usha Harris, Inka KochECSECS
EOS1.6 EDI | PICO

All science has uncertainty. Global challenges such as the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change illustrate that an effective dialogue between science and society requires clear communication of uncertainty. Responsible science communication conveys the challenges of managing uncertainty that is inherent in data, models and predictions, facilitating the society to understand the contexts where uncertainty emerges and enabling active participation in discussions. This session invites presentations by individuals and teams on communicating scientific uncertainty to non-expert audiences, addressing topics such as:

(1) Innovative and practical tools (e.g. from social or statistical research) for communicating uncertainty
(2) Pitfalls, challenges and solutions to communicating uncertainty with non-experts
(3) Communicating uncertainty in risk and crisis situations (e.g., natural hazards, climate change, public health crises)

Examples of research fitting into the categories above include a) new, creative ways to visualize different aspects of uncertainty, b) new frameworks to communicate the level of confidence associated with research, c) testing the effectiveness of existing tools and frameworks, such as the categories of “confidence” used in expert reports (e.g., IPCC), or d) research addressing the challenges of communicating high-uncertainty high-impact events.

This session encourages you to share your work and join a community of practice to inform and advance the effective communication of uncertainty in earth and space science.

Co-organized by AS6/CL3.2/CL5/CR8/GM11/OS5/PS0/SSS1
Convener: Peter Dietrich | Co-conveners: Solmaz MohadjerECSECS, Michael Pelzer, Max SchneiderECSECS, Sebastian G. Mutz
EOS1.3 EDI

Games have the power to ignite imaginations and place you in someone else’s shoes or situation, often forcing you into making decisions from perspectives other than your own. This makes them powerful tools for communication, through use in outreach, disseminating research, in education and teaching at all levels, and as a method to train the public, practitioners, and decision-makers in order to build environmental resilience.

Games can also inspire innovative and fun approaches to learning. Gamification and game-based approaches add an extra spark of engagement and interaction with a topic. Gaming technology (e.g. virtual reality) can transport and immerse people into new worlds providing fascinating and otherwise impossible experiences for learners.

In this session we welcome contributions from anyone who has used games, gaming technology, and/or game-based approaches in their research, their teaching, or public engagement activities.

Visit www.games4geoscience.wordpress.com to learn more about the session.

Co-organized by GM11
Convener: Christopher Skinner | Co-conveners: Rolf Hut, Elizabeth Lewis, Lisa Gallagher, Maria Elena Orduna AlegriaECSECS
EOS1.2 EDI

Modern-day challenges such as climate change, pollution, desertification, natural hazards, and species extinction demand urgent solutions. While science is often at the forefront of addressing these issues, art has traditionally been seen primarily as a source of entertainment. However, a growing community of artists and scientists is coming together to address these pressing concerns. Art, with its ability to evoke emotion, serves as a powerful tool for cognitive learning and delivering messages that reignite a sense of beauty and responsibility for the planet. Collaborations between scientists and artists are becoming essential in engaging people more deeply with environmental issues and promoting sustainable lifestyles. These interdisciplinary partnerships offer a unique way to communicate complex scientific topics to non-experts—particularly in areas like climate change, where public understanding can be fragmented or confused. Both scientific and artistic communities share a common interest and responsibility in raising awareness of planetary boundaries and the fragility of Earth's ecosystems. While traditional educational methods have addressed these challenges, science-art collaborations create new pathways for research and dialogue, offering a human and emotional context through artistic expression. This session aims to explore these interdisciplinary conversations through lectures, academic posters, and visual art displays. By symbiotically blending STEM and the arts, we hope to foster discussions on how these disciplines can collaborate to explore, communicate, and respond to the societal, economic, political, and environmental issues we face—ultimately driving more effective communication and action.

Co-organized by GM11
Convener: Michael Lazar | Co-conveners: Tiziana Lanza, George Sand França, Stefania Amici, Elizabeth CaseECSECS
EOS3.1 EDI

Following the success of previous years, this session will explore reasons for the under-representation of different groups (gender identities, sexual orientations, racial and cultural backgrounds, abilities, religions, nationality or geography, socioeconomic status, ages, career stages, etc.) by welcoming debate among scientists, decision-makers and policy analysts in the geosciences.

The session will focus on both obstacles that contribute to under-representation and on best practices and innovative ideas to remove those obstacles. Contributions are solicited on the following topics:

- Role models to inspire and further motivate others (life experience and/or their contributions to promote equality)
- Imbalanced representation, preferably supported by data, for awards, medals, grants, high-level positions, invited talks and papers
- Perceived and real barriers to inclusion (personally, institutionally, culturally)
- Recommendations for new and innovative strategies to identify and overcome barriers
- Gender Equality Plans (GEP) in European host institutions: the good, the bad, and the ugly
- Best practices and strategies to move beyond barriers, including:
• successful mentoring programmes;
• networks that work;
• specific funding schemes;
• examples of host institutions initiatives;

Report on situations that you may have experienced in light of recent socio-political changes.

This session is co-organised with the support of the European Research Council (ERC).

Co-organized by AS6/BG0/GD11/GM11/OS5/PS0/SSS12, co-sponsored by AGU and JpGU
Convener: Claudia Jesus-Rydin | Co-conveners: Stefanie Kaboth-BahrECSECS, Alberto Montanari, Hori, S. Rie, Billy Williams
EOS4.1 EDI

Evidence-based policymaking aims to ground public policies in the best available research and data, ensuring that decisions are informed by robust evidence rather than by ideology, assumptions, or political considerations. To support and inform policy, stakeholders need to engage in a way that addresses needs and develops solutions. To ensure this engagement is effective, it is important to identify the most effective formats for engagement to ensure re-searchers contributions enrich and strengthen local, national or international policy.
This session aims to show how research activities and outputs may impact society and policy beyond the academic world. It will highlight stories of success and failure from scientists who have engaged in policy or other activities that made critical societal impacts – either on an international, European, national, or local level – across different geoscience disciplines. Equally important, the session will also present the role of those working from within political institutions who have facilitated successful science-society-policy-dialogues. It will also aim to examine the various challenges that researchers face when engaging on the science-society-policy interface and various strategies that others have taken to manage and overcome them.

This session is relevant for researchers, policymakers, and those working on the interface from all career levels and science disciplines and will provide space for follow-up questions and a discussion with the participants at the session and at a splinter meeting during EGU25 week.

Co-organized by GM11/OS5/SSS12
Convener: Marie Heidenreich | Co-conveners: Maria Vittoria GargiuloECSECS, Aoife Braiden, David Gallego-Torres, Georg Sebastian Voelker
EOS4.6 EDI

Science’s “open era” is here (to stay?). Data and software repositories make it possible to share and collectively develop tools and resources. Diamond open-access publishing and pre-print servers are breaking barriers to knowledge exchange. Free virtual meetings make science more accessible to those interested in listening, or speaking.

The benefits for the community are clear—better communication and more collaboration foster scientific advancement. It is therefore surprising that the vast majority of data-, tool-, and knowledge-sharing initiatives rely on the community and the community alone, without financial support from funding bodies and more often than not lacking the recognition they deserve.

We aim to bring together individuals and teams who have, in any way, served the wider geoscience community through knowledge, data, or tool creation and/or distribution. Such efforts include—but are not limited to—online learning platforms, transdisciplinary databases, open-access software and publishing.

Ultimately, this session seeks to:
1. Be a space for sharing, advertising, discussing, and recognising the value of existing resources and initiatives
2. Discuss the challenges faced by those behind them (i.e., lack of funding and institutional support) and possible strategies to eliminate these
3. Inspire new efforts, initiatives, and projects

Co-organized by AS6/CR8/GD11/GM11
Convener: Fabio Crameri | Co-convener: Lucia Perez-DiazECSECS
SC 1.8 EDI

Scientists have now been sounding the alarm about the climate and ecological crisis for decades. Each new report further outlines the necessity to radically change course, to rapidly reduce CO2 emissions and more generally human impacts on the environment if we are to avoid disastrous consequences on societies and ecosystems. Yet, these warnings have invariably been met with insufficient responses, political inertia, or worse active denial or institutionalised efforts to delay action. Meanwhile, a strong climate movement has emerged, led primarily by young activists demanding immediate climate action to ensure a liveable planet and a just future for all. A growing number of scientists and academics have also been starting to contemplate which roles they could most effectively take on in these movements, either from joining or providing external.

The growing interest and associated curiosity towards these movements from the scientific community was confirmed by the large attendance to EGU24’s events about academic activism. At the same time, many academics are unsure about where to start, how and where to find like-minded colleagues and grass-root organisations, or how to set up campaigns and actions to push for change at their institutions and beyond. This short course aims at bridging this gap by providing first-hand experience and practical tools to academics eager to organise within or outside their institution, and/or mobilise fellow colleagues to join climate actions. Equally important, the course will touch on relevant aspects of mental health: From the perspective of climate anxiety, to difficult-to-navigate dynamics within the movement, to a more general activist fatigue.

The course will be divided into 3 parts:
1. A starters part, with a short introduction on possible roles for academics in the climate movement, followed by presentations from experienced organisers about setting up a campaign at your own university, mobilising colleagues and organising events
2. A group work part, where participants will choose one proposed case as an example for the organisation of a campaign or event, and discuss it as a group, based on the input part and their own knowledge
3. A debriefing part, where some of the groups will present their work to the rest of the participants. Potential critical aspects related to organisational roadblocks, internal group dynamics, or repercussions that might come with certain forms of activism will be discussed

Co-organized by CL3.2/GM11/GM12/NH12
Convener: Karsten Haustein | Co-conveners: Marthe WensECSECS, Sylvain Kuppel

GM12 – Short Courses

Sub-Programme Group Scientific Officer: Rachel Oien

SC 1.1 EDI

Are you unsure about how to bring order in the extensive program of the General Assembly? Are you wondering how to tackle this week of science? Are you curious about what EGU and the General Assembly have to offer? Then this is the short course for you!

During this course, we will provide you with tips and tricks on how to handle this large conference and how to make the most out of your week at this year's General Assembly. We'll explain the EGU structure, the difference between EGU and the General Assembly, we will dive into the program groups and we will introduce some key persons that help the Union function.

This is a useful short course for first-time attendees, those who have previously only joined us online, and those who haven’t been to Vienna for a while!

Co-organized by CR8/GM12/OS5
Convener: Daniel EvansECSECS | Co-conveners: Simon ClarkECSECS, Rachel Oien, Giulia ConsumaECSECS
SC 1.2 EDI

The European Geosciences Union (EGU) is the largest Geosciences Union in Europe, largely run by volunteers. Conferences, journals, policy making and scientific communication are all important parts of EGU.

Whatever your closest link with EGU, would you like to get more involved?

Perhaps you are interested in running events, being a representative or being part of a committee. In this short course, we will provide an overview of all the activities of EGU, which are much more than just the General Assembly. We will give practical tips on how to get involved, who to contact and where to find specific information if you want to organise events, become an editor or nominate yourself for Division President. From blog writing to organising networking events, there’s something for everyone.

Co-organized by GM12
Convener: Daniel EvansECSECS | Co-conveners: Simon ClarkECSECS, Giulia ConsumaECSECS
SC 1.3 EDI

LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, plus; or LGBT for short) geoscientists likely have to face more obstacles throughout their career than their cisgender/heterosexual colleagues. These barriers can take many forms, e.g., inflexible bureaucratic limits on name/gender marker, changes on documentation, a lack of training for cruise/field leaders on LGBT topics, a lack of support for transgender and gender non-conforming people on field trips and research cruises, and safety and medical considerations LGBT people must account for when travelling for either field work/cruises or when moving countries for a new position. These obstacles can be made smaller and overcome; with awareness and understanding by colleagues and initiatives, LGBT academics can thrive and contribute to research.

In this short course, our invited speakers will discuss some of these topics and share their stories about the barriers they are dealing with or have overcome. We will also discuss policy developments over the recent years at institutions in different European and non-European countries, and on EGU General Assembly level, with a focus on future challenges and improvements to come.

Co-organized by GM12
Convener: Bene AschennellerECSECS | Co-conveners: Felix MüllerECSECS, Hannah Sophia DaviesECSECS, Anita Di Chiara
SC 1.8 EDI

Scientists have now been sounding the alarm about the climate and ecological crisis for decades. Each new report further outlines the necessity to radically change course, to rapidly reduce CO2 emissions and more generally human impacts on the environment if we are to avoid disastrous consequences on societies and ecosystems. Yet, these warnings have invariably been met with insufficient responses, political inertia, or worse active denial or institutionalised efforts to delay action. Meanwhile, a strong climate movement has emerged, led primarily by young activists demanding immediate climate action to ensure a liveable planet and a just future for all. A growing number of scientists and academics have also been starting to contemplate which roles they could most effectively take on in these movements, either from joining or providing external.

The growing interest and associated curiosity towards these movements from the scientific community was confirmed by the large attendance to EGU24’s events about academic activism. At the same time, many academics are unsure about where to start, how and where to find like-minded colleagues and grass-root organisations, or how to set up campaigns and actions to push for change at their institutions and beyond. This short course aims at bridging this gap by providing first-hand experience and practical tools to academics eager to organise within or outside their institution, and/or mobilise fellow colleagues to join climate actions. Equally important, the course will touch on relevant aspects of mental health: From the perspective of climate anxiety, to difficult-to-navigate dynamics within the movement, to a more general activist fatigue.

The course will be divided into 3 parts:
1. A starters part, with a short introduction on possible roles for academics in the climate movement, followed by presentations from experienced organisers about setting up a campaign at your own university, mobilising colleagues and organising events
2. A group work part, where participants will choose one proposed case as an example for the organisation of a campaign or event, and discuss it as a group, based on the input part and their own knowledge
3. A debriefing part, where some of the groups will present their work to the rest of the participants. Potential critical aspects related to organisational roadblocks, internal group dynamics, or repercussions that might come with certain forms of activism will be discussed

Co-organized by CL3.2/GM11/GM12/NH12
Convener: Karsten Haustein | Co-conveners: Marthe WensECSECS, Sylvain Kuppel
SC 1.9

In this short course we will address the increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in geoscientific research, guiding participants through the various stages of the research process where AI tools can be effectively implemented, however with responsibility. We will explore freely available AI tools that can be used for data analysis, model development, and research publication. Additionally, the course aims to provoke reflections on the ethical implications of AI use, addressing concerns such as data bias, transparency, and the potential for misuse. Participants will engage in interactive discussions to explore what constitutes responsible and acceptable use of AI in geoscientific research, aiming to establish a set of best practices for integrating AI into scientific workflows.

Co-organized by EOS4/AS6/ESSI1/GM12/OS5
Convener: Edoardo MartiniECSECS | Co-convener: Fernanda DI Alzira Oliveira MatosECSECS
SC 2.12

Crafting and publishing papers is a crucial part of science communication, but it can be challenging. Whether you are working on your first draft, or perfecting your tenth, there can still be uncertainties about good writing and the publishing process. This course aims to provide early career scientists with straightforward guidelines for effectively communicating their research and, consequently, enhancing their prospects of successful publication. In this short course you will have the opportunity to meet editors of internationally renowned journals in the field of geoscience, hydrology and biogeoscience. After a short introduction of the editors, we will explore various facets of scientific writing and publishing, such as:
• How to start and improve an efficient writing process?
• What are the duties, roles and rights of editors, authors and reviewers?
• How to choose a suitable journal for your manuscript and what is important for early career authors?
• How to address reviewers' comments?
In this short course, there will be an opportunity to have an open discussion about how to make your manuscript ready for submission and navigate the peer-reviewing process. Together with the editors from different journals, we will explore other aspects, complementary to writing a paper, such as preparing the cover letters, choosing a suitable journal and understanding your rights as an author.
If you like to learn what is required to become a good peer-reviewer join the short course: Meet the Editors (3): How to peer-review - Fundamentals & EGU’s model. Both short courses can be attended independently.

Co-organized by GM12/OS5
Convener: Julia Schroeder | Co-conveners: Christina Anna OrieschnigECSECS, Silvia PobladorECSECS, Faranak TootoonchiECSECS
SC 2.13 EDI

Peer-reviewing is the heart of quality control when it comes to publishing our scientific results. It is almost exclusively based on voluntary service by the scientific community itself. Yet peer-reviewers are currently the most limited human resource in scientific publishing. Insights about the peer-reviewing process are essential for the successful publication of your manuscript (if you are interested in more details, see also the short course “Meet the Editors (1 & 2): How to write, revise and publish your manuscript”), but the prospect of reviewing scientific manuscripts can appear daunting, especially to early career scientists. Open questions regarding the general role as reviewer, expectations by the journal editors, the degree of detail and pitfalls, but also ethical responsibilities may lead to doubts. This short course offers the opportunity to meet editors of internationally renowned journals – among others, from EGU journals – to get answers to those questions and to eliminate the doubts for one’s eligibility/aptitude as a reviewer:
• How is the peer-review process organized? How do editors search for and select reviewers?
• What are (and are not!) the duties and roles of reviewers?
• What are the ethical responsibilities as reviewer? How do I deal with conflict of interests?
• What are the benefits of voluntary peer-reviewing?
• Tips for my first review: What to focus on and how to structure?
• What are the dos and don’ts for appropriate peer-reviewing?
• What help can I get during the peer-review process?
Subsequently, the EGU peer-review model is presented as well as the details that are specific to the EGU journals. This includes the advantages of the EGU’s interactive open access publishing with multi-stage open peer review, as compared to traditional journals with closed peer review. Participants will have the opportunity to indicate their interest in the next edition of the EGU Peer Review Training (Fall 2025), where hands-on experience will be provided including reviewing preprints on EGUsphere, to complement the theory learned in the course. Participants who successfully complete the full training will be added to the reviewer data base for the EGU journals, so that they are visible to the journal editors and can efficiently contribute to the dissemination of high-quality science.

Co-organized by GM12/OS5
Convener: Janek WalkECSECS | Co-conveners: Eduardo Queiroz Alves, Rachel Oien, Barbara Ervens, Melissa Reidy
SC 2.1 EDI

Building a successful academic career is challenging. Doing so while also raising a family can push you to your limits. Many early- and mid-career scientists grapple with balancing family life and academic responsibilities. The fear-of-missing-out dualism between family and academia causes an inner conflict and feeling of injustice and inadequateness. Families often find themselves confronted with what feels like a personal problem when, in reality, it is a shared societal issue. Modern families come in diverse forms, including dual-career parents, single parents, same-sex parents, and various shared parenting arrangements. The academic world must recognize and adapt to this reality, aligning with broader themes of inclusion, participation, and diversity.

It is crucial to find support and confidence in moving forward as an individual while remaining aligned with your personal values and goals. As a community, we need to openly discuss parenting in academia so that we can demand and develop sustainable solutions that benefit everyone, rather than repeatedly fighting private battles to follow the academic career dream. Parenthood can also shift your priorities, which may lead you to consider leaving academia altogether.

This short course provides a platform that allows an honest exchange on diverse experiences and continue the discussion from previous EGU General Assemblies on this topic. It will:
1. Provide insight into how being a parent impacts everyday academic life.
2. Present scientific studies on parenting in academia and explore the varying cultural and societal experiences.
3. Highlight personal experiences made by a panel of current and previous academic parents.
4. Conclude with an open discussion addressing public discourse on equal parenting and work-life balance.
This course is intended for scientists considering starting a family, current academic parents seeking to connect, and faculty staff responsible for supporting parenting employees.

Co-organized by GM12/OS5
Convener: Johanna KerchECSECS | Co-conveners: Rebekka Steffen, Gerald RaabECSECS, Bart Root, Katrin Löer
SC 2.10 EDI

The European Research Council (ERC) is a leading funding body at European level. It aims to support excellent investigator-driven frontier research across all fields of science. The ERC offers various outstanding funding opportunities, including grant budgets for individual scientists of up to €3.5 million. ERC calls are open to researchers around the world: all nationalities of applicants are welcome for projects carried out at a host institution in European Union member states or/and associated countries. At this session, the main features of ERC funding will be presented, including the recent changes implemented in the work programme concerning the evaluation process. Furthermore, two invited speakers, a current ERC grantee and a former member of the evaluation panel, will provide different perspectives of their experience with the ERC evaluation.

Co-organized by GM12/OS5
Convener: David Gallego-Torres | Co-conveners: Claudia Jesus-Rydin, Eystein Jansen
SC 3.4 EDI

This two-unit short course aims at introducing conference participants to the basic concepts of geodiversity, geoheritage and geoconservation.
Geodiversity (the overall abiotic elements, their values and connections of the Earth) and geoheritage studies are multidisciplinary, drawing from all sides of geosciences and extending them into the humanities, geoarchaeology, spatial planning, territorial and risk management, economics, tourism, or culture using integrated and interdisciplinary research approaches. During the last three decades, geodiversity and geoheritage research experienced a considerable growth that confirm both scientific and public relevance of these topics as the science branch is in a close connection with the UN Sustainable Development Goals
In this course, the basic definitions of geodiversity, geoheritage and geoconservation and their connections to various science subjects and everyday life are explored by experienced researchers and Early Career Scientists with a range of backgrounds. We will cover the following subjects:
1. Introduction: Geodiversity and geoheritage: A multidisciplinary approach to valuing, conserving and managing abiotic nature
2. Principles and conceptual aspects of geodiversity research
3. How to assess geodiversity and why is it important?
Break
4. Geosite conservation: principles and management objectives
5. Geoheritage evaluation and managing conservation to disseminate geoscientific knowledge
6. Geotourism promotion of geoheritage – good practices

Our aim is to introduce participants to the basic concepts of this relatively young science field. Participants in the course will not only receive comprehensive theoretical knowledge but will also be actively engaged in practical activities. They will have the opportunity to apply various methodologies for geosite and geodiversity assessment, enhancing both their understanding and hands-on experience in the field. Participants will also have the chance to explore geoheritage through virtual field trips. At the end of the course a Q+A will provide the audience with a chance to interact with the panel. The course is aimed particularly at early career scientists, but anyone with an interest in geoheritage will find it useful. Attendees are invited to share and discuss their ideas, initiatives and plans that involve geoscientific heritage identification, evaluation, management or conservation throughout the whole course.

Co-organized by GM12
Convener: Alicja NajwerECSECS | Co-conveners: Márton PálECSECS, Vittoria VandelliECSECS, Lesley Dunlop
SC 3.2 EDI

Geoscience communication often involves conveying complex concepts to diverse audiences across cultural and linguistic boundaries.

This short course is designed to equip you with the skills needed to communicate science effectively across cultures, focusing on the unique challenges geoscientists face in this context.

Through real-world examples drawn from personal and peers’ experiences, along with interactive exercises, we will explore how cultural perspectives shape the understanding of geoscientific data and how to tailor messages to approach different audiences.

You’ll learn practical communication strategies for addressing cultural differences in interpreting scientific concepts, translating complex geoscientific data into culturally relevant messages, and overcoming language barriers.
The ultimate aim is to tackle inequalities and promote Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) in science outreach.

The short course will conclude with an open debate and Q&A. Bring your experience, have your say!
The way of doing outreach has radically changed in the last decades, and scientists can now take advantage of many channels and resources to tailor and deliver their message to the public: to name a few, scientists can do outreach through social media, by writing blogs, recording podcasts, or organising community events.
This short course aims to give practical examples of different outreach activities, providing tips and suggestions from personal and peers’ experiences to start and manage an outreach project. Specific attention will be paid to the current challenges of science communication, which will encompass the theme of credibility and reliability of the information, the role of communication in provoking a response to critical global issues, and how to tackle inequities and promote EDI in outreach, among others.
The last part of the course will be devoted to an open debate on specific hot topics regarding outreach. Have your say!

Co-organized by EOS1/GM12
Convener: Christina Anna OrieschnigECSECS | Co-conveners: Silvia De AngeliECSECS, Marius SchlaakECSECS, Giulia ConsumaECSECS, Shalenys Bedoya-ValesttECSECS
SC 2.11 EDI

The scientific communication landscape in the digital era is rapidly becoming all about effectively delivering ideas in brief. As scientific conferences move from longer physical meetings to more condensed hybrid formats, not only are short presentations necessary for pitching yourself to senior scientists or your next entrepreneurial venture to Venture Capitalists, but also for promoting your research. The opportunities of networking rarely reveal themselves, unless you are able to tell a brief, informative, and compelling story about you and your research.
It is truly an art to engage people through these short presentations and ignite a fire in their hearts, which will burn long enough for them to remember you and reach out to you later about relevant opportunities. While practice makes perfect is the mantra for delivering power-packed short presentations, there are several tricks to make your content stand out and set yourself apart from the crowd.
In this hybrid format course, we will bring together ideas and tips from years of sci-comm experience to provide you a one stop shop with the tricks of the trade. Finally, a hands-on exercise where participants will receive structured feedback on all aspects of their talk will help solidify the learning outcomes. The learning objectives of this short course are as follows:
Structuring a killer elevator pitch – learning from 1/2/3-min examples
3 minute
2019 Monash 3MT Winner - Beatrice Chiew, Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
Three Minute Thesis (3MT) 2013 QUT winner - Megan Pozzi
Knowing your audience – harnessing the power of tailored openings/closings
Captivating delivery – leveraging body language to your advantage
TED Talk: How to speak so that people want to listen: https://youtu.be/eIho2S0ZahI
Harnessing creativity - choosing the right medium
Enunciating to engage – communicating across borders
Effectively practising your pitch – making the best of your time + confidence (maybe also acting training - presentations are performances)
Early career and underrepresented scientists are particularly encouraged to participate as they can gain the most from the learning outcomes of this short course.

Co-organized by GM12/OS5
Convener: Antara DasguptaECSECS | Co-conveners: Hannah Cloke, Hazel Gibson, Simon ClarkECSECS
SC 3.10 EDI

Discover the basics of Geodesy and geodetic data! Geodetic data, from GNSS to gravity measurements, play a crucial role in various Earth sciences, including hydrology, glaciology, geodynamics, oceanography, and seismology. Curious about what these data can (and cannot) tell us? This short course offers a crash course in core geodetic concepts, giving you the insights you need to better understand the advantages and limitations of geodetic data. While you won’t become a full-fledged geodesist by the end, you’ll walk away with a clearer picture of how to use these datasets across various fields. Led by scientists from the Geodesy division, this course is open to all, whether you frequently work with geodetic data or are simply curious about what geodesists do. Expect lively discussions and practical insights. For all geodesists, get the chance to learn what non-geodesists need when working with geodetic data!

This 60-minute short course is part of a quintet of introductory 101 courses on Geodesy, Geodynamics, Geology, Seismology, and Tectonic Modelling. All courses are led by experts who aim to make complex Earth science concepts accessible to non-experts.

Co-organized by CR8/GD11/GM12/HS11
Convener: Rebekka Steffen | Co-conveners: Öykü KoçECSECS, Eva Boergens, Benedikt Soja, Thomas Knudsen
SC 3.11 EDI

This short course aims to introduce non-geologists to the geological, petrological, and morphological principles that are used by geologists to study system earth.

The data available to geologists is often minimal, incomplete, and only partly representative for the geological history of our planet. To overcome these challenges, geologists need to learn the necessary observational skills, field, and analytical techniques needed to acquire and interpret the data, in addition to developing a logical way of thinking.

In this course we cover the following subjects:
1) Introduction to the principles of geology.
2) Geochronology and isotope geochemistry.
3) Structural geology and deformation.
4) Landscape morphology as tectonic constraints.
5) Q&A!

Our aim is not to make you the next specialist in geology, but we will try and make you aware of the challenges a geologist faces when they go out into the field or work in the lab. We will also address currently used methodologies for the collection of geological data, to give other earth scientists a feel for the capabilities and limitations of geological research.

This 60-minute short course is part of a quintet of introductory 101 courses on Geodynamics, Seismology, Tectonics, and Geodesy. All courses are led by experts who aim to make complex Earth science concepts accessible to non-experts.

Co-organized by GD11/GM12
Convener: Richard WesselsECSECS | Co-convener: Veronica PeverelliECSECS
SC 3.3 EDI

Transdisciplinary research offers a powerful approach to tackling complex challenges in natural hazards and risk management, but it also presents unique challenges, particularly for early career scientists and practitioners. This short course is specifically designed to equip early career participants with practical tools and strategies for effectively engaging in and contributing to transdisciplinary projects. By focusing on the cross-fertilisation of hard and social sciences, the course will provide actionable insights into how to communicate across disciplines, deliver impactful research, and find common ground for collaboration. Participants will engage in hands-on activities and discussions, drawing from the experiences of leading projects such as The HuT (https://thehut-nexus.eu), PARATUS (https://www.paratus-project.eu), MYRIAD (https://www.myriadproject.eu), and DIRECTED (https://directedproject.eu). Attendees are also welcome to join the scientific session and splinter meeting that are part of this unified path, allowing them to choose between engaging in the entire programme or specific parts according to their interests.

Co-organized by GM12/NH12/OS5
Convener: Maria Vittoria GargiuloECSECS | Co-conveners: Gaetano PecoraroECSECS, Janne ParviainenECSECS
SC 3.17 EDI

Code is read far more often than it's written, yet some still believe that complex, unreadable code equates to a better algorithm. In reality, the opposite is true. Writing code that not only works but is also clear, maintainable, and easy to modify can significantly reduce the cognitive load of coding, freeing up more time for scientific research. This short course introduces essential programming practices, from simple yet powerful techniques like effective naming, to more advanced topics such as unit testing, version control, and managing virtual environments. Through real-life examples, we will explore how to transform code from convoluted to comprehensible.

Co-organized by ESSI3/GM12/NH12
Convener: Karolina Stanisławska | Co-convener: Haraldur Ólafsson
SC 3.16 EDI

Software plays a pivotal role in various scientific disciplines. Research software may include source code files, algorithms, computational workflows, and executables. It refers mainly to code meant to produce data, less so, for example, plotting scripts one might create to analyze this data. An example of research software in our field are computational models of the environment. Models can aid pivotal decision-making by quantifying the outcomes of different scenarios, e.g., varying emission scenarios. How can we ensure the robustness and longevity of such research software? This short course teaches the concept of sustainable research software. Sustainable research software is easy to update and extend. It will be easier to maintain and extend that software with new ideas and stay in sync with the most recent scientific findings. This maintainability should also be possible for researchers who did not originally develop the code, which will ultimately lead to more reproducible science.

This short course will delve into sustainable research software development principles and practices. The topics include:
- Properties and metrics of sustainable research software
- Writing clear, modular, reusable code that adheres to coding standards and best practices of sustainable research software (e.g., documentation, unit testing, FAIR for research software).
- Using simple code quality metrics to develop high-quality code
- Documenting your code using platforms like Sphinx for Python

We will apply these principles to a case study of a reprogrammed version of the global WaterGAP Hydrological Model (https://github.com/HydrologyFrankfurt/ReWaterGAP). We will showcase its current state in a GitHub environment along with example source code. The model is written in Python but is also accessible to non-python users. The principles demonstrated apply to all coding languages and platforms.

This course is intended for early-career researchers who create and use research models and software. Basic programming or software development experience is required. The course has limited seats available on a first-come-first-served basis.

Co-organized by ESSI3/GD11/GM12
Convener: Emmanuel Nyenah | Co-conveners: Robert ReineckeECSECS, Victoria Bauer
SC 3.18 EDI

Python is one of the fastest growing programming languages and has moved to the forefront in the earth system sciences (ESS), due to its usability, the applicability to a range of different data sources and, last but not least, the development of a considerable number of ESS-friendly and ESS-specific packages.

This interactive Python course is aimed at ESS researchers who are interested in adding a new programming language to their repertoire. Except for some understanding of fundamental programming concepts (e.g. loops, conditions, functions etc.), this course presumes no previous knowledge of and experience in Python programming.

The goal of this course is to give the participants an introduction to the Python fundamentals and an overview of a selection of the most widely-used packages in ESS. The applicability of those packages ranges from (simple to advanced) number crunching (e.g. Numpy), to data analysis (e.g. Xarray, Pandas) to data visualization (e.g. Matplotlib).

The course will be grouped into different sections, based on topics discussed, packages introduced and field of application. Furthermore, each section will have an introduction to the main concepts e.g. fundamentals of a specific package and an interactive problem-set part.

This course welcomes active participation in terms of both on-site/virtual discussion and coding. To achieve this goal, the i) course curriculum and material will be provided in the form of Jupyter Notebooks ii) where the participants will have the opportunity to code up the iii) solutions to multiple problem sets and iv) have a pre-written working solution readily available. In these interactive sections of the course, participants are invited to try out the newly acquired skills and code up potentially different working solutions.

We very much encourage everyone who is interested in career development, data analysis and learning a new programming language to join our course.

Co-organized by AS6/ESSI3/GM12
Convener: Philipp Aglas-LeitnerECSECS | Co-conveners: Bidyut Bikash Goswami, Lukas Brunner, Emma TubbeECSECS
SC 3.7 EDI

Visualisation of scientific data is an integral part of scientific understanding and communication. Scientists have to make decisions about the most effective way to communicate their results every day. How do we best visualise the data to understand it ourselves? How do we best visualise our results to communicate with others? Common pitfalls can be overcrowding, overcomplicated or suboptimal plot types, or inaccessible colour schemes. Scientists may also get overwhelmed by the graphics requirements of different publishers, for presentations, posters, etc. This short course is designed to help scientists improve their data visualisation skills so that the research outputs would be more accessible within their own scientific community and reach a wider audience.
Topics discussed include:
- golden rules of DataViz;
- choosing the most appropriate plot type and designing a good DataViz;
- graphical elements, fonts and layout;
- colour schemes, accessibility and inclusiveness;
- creativity vs simplicity – finding the right balance;
- figures for scientific journals (graphical requirements, rights and permissions);
- tools for effective data visualisation.
This course is co-organized by the Young Hydrologic Society (YHS), enabling networking and skill enhancement of early career researchers worldwide. Our goal is to help you make your figures more accessible to a wider audience, informative and beautiful. If you feel your graphs could be improved, we welcome you to join this short course.

Co-organized by EOS1/AS6/ESSI4/GM12/HS11
Convener: Paola MazzoglioECSECS | Co-conveners: Edoardo MartiniECSECS, Roshanak TootoonchiECSECS, Epari Ritesh PatroECSECS, Xinyang FanECSECS
SC 1.5

Global challenges, such as climate change and natural hazards, are becoming increasingly complex and interdependent, and solutions have to be global in scope and based on a firm scientific understanding of the challenges we face. At the same time, Science and technology are playing an increasingly important role in a complex geopolitical landscape. In this difficult setting, scientific collaboration can not only be used to help address global challenges but also to foster international relations and build bridges across geopolitical divisions. Science diplomacy is a broad term used both to describe the various roles that science and researchers play in bridging geopolitical gaps and finding solutions to international issues, and also the study of how science intertwines with diplomacy in pursuing these goals


During this Short Course, experts will introduce key science diplomacy concepts and outline the skills that are required to effectively engage in science diplomacy. They will also provide practical insights on how researchers can actively participate in science diplomacy, explore real-life examples of science diplomacy, and highlight resources where participants can learn more about science diplomacy moving forward.

This Short Course is of interest to researchers from all disciplines and career levels.

Co-organized by EOS4/GM12/OS5
Convener: Lene Topp | Co-conveners: Chloe Hill, João Bettencourt
SC 4.1

Assessing the spatial heterogeneity of environmental variables is a challenging problem in real applications when numerical approaches are needed. This is made more difficult by the complexity of Natural Phenomena, which are characterized by (Chiles and Delfiner, 2012):
- being unknown: their knowledge is often incomplete, derived from limited and sparse samples;
- dimensionality: they can be represented in two- or three-dimensional domains;
- complexity: deterministic interpolators (i.e., Inverse Distance Weighted) may fail in providing exhaustive spatial distribution models, as they do not consider uncertainty;
- uniqueness: invoking a probabilistic approach, they can be assumed as a realization of a random process and described by regionalized variables.
Geostatistics provides optimal solutions to this issue, offering tools to accurately predict values and uncertainty in unknown locations while accounting for the spatial correlation of samples.

The course will address theoretical and practical methods for evaluating data heterogeneity in computational domains, exploiting the interplay between geometry processing, geostatistics, and stochastic approaches. It will be mainly split into 4 parts, as follows:
- Theoretical Overview: Introduction to Random Function Theory and Measures of Spatial Variability
- Modeling Spatial Dependence: An automatic solution to detect both isotropic and anisotropic spatial correlation structures
- The role of Unstructured Meshes: Exploration of flexible, robust, and adaptive geometric modeling, coupled with stochastic simulation algorithms
- Filling the Mesh: Developing a compact and tangible spatial model, that incorporates all alternative realizations, statistics, and uncertainty

The course will offer a comprehensive understanding of key steps to create a spatial predictive model with geostatistics. We will also promote MUSE (Modeling Uncertainty as a Support for Environments) (Miola et al., STAG2022) as an innovative and user-friendly open-source software, that implements the entire methodology. Tips on how to use MUSE will be provided, along with explanations of its structure and executable commands. Impactful examples will be used to show the effectiveness of geostatistical modeling with MUSE and the flexibility to use it in different scenarios, varying from geology to geochemistry.

The course is designed for everyone interested in geostatistics and spatial distribution models, regardless of their prior experience.

Solicited authors:
Marianna Miola,Marino Zuccolini,Simone Pittaluga,Daniela Cabiddu
Co-organized by ESSI1/GM12/NP9
Convener: Marianna MiolaECSECS | Co-convener: Marino Zuccolini
SC 4.3 EDI

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is a noninvasive method to detect biodiversity in a variety of environments that has many exciting applications for geosciences. In this short course, we introduce eDNA metabarcoding to a geoscience audience and present potential research applications.

Co-organized by BG6/ESSI4/GM12
Convener: Gabrielle VanceECSECS | Co-conveners: Chiara BazzucchiECSECS, Riccardo ReitanoECSECS
SC 4.5

Database documentation and sharing is a crucial part of the scientific process, and more scientists are choosing to share their data on centralised data repositories. These repositories have the advantage of guaranteeing immutability (i.e., the data cannot change), which is not so amenable to developing living databases (e.g., in continuous citizen science initiatives). At the same time, citizen science initiatives are becoming more and more popular in various fields of science, from natural hazards to hydrology, ecology and agronomy.

In this context, distributed databases offer an innovative approach to both data sharing and evolution. These systems have the distinct advantage of becoming more resilient and available as more users access the same data, and as distributed systems, contrarily to decentralised ones, do not use blockchain technology, they are orders of magnitude more efficient in data storage as well as completely free to use. Distributed databases can also mirror exising data, so that scientists can keep working in their preferred Excel, OpenOffice, or other software while automatically syncing database changes to the distributed web in real time.

This workshop will present the general concepts behind distributed, peer-to-peer systems. Attendees will then be guided through an interactive activity on Constellation, a scientific software for distributed databases, learning how to both create their own databases as well as access and use others' data from the network. Potential applications include citizen science projects for hydrological data collection, invasive species monitoring, or community participation in managing natural hazards such as floods.

Co-organized by EOS4/ESSI2/GM12/HS11
Convener: Julien Malard-AdamECSECS | Co-conveners: Ankit Agarwal, Wietske Medema, Joel HarmsECSECS, Johanna DippleECSECS
SC 4.2

3D data are more and more available and used in earth sciences for a large variety of purposes (glacial changes, forestry, erosion in rivers, changes of land use, sediment transport, landslides, etc). A large variety of methods are now available to acquire such data on the field (terrestrial or airborne LiDAR, photogrammetry from drones or cameras). Our team has developed two plugins freely available in CloudCompare to process point clouds: 3DMASC (Letard et al, 2023) for general purpose classification, and G3Point (Steer et al, 2023) for grain segmentation and features extraction. In this short course, participants will learn how to efficiently use 3DMASC to classify fluvial environments (typically vegetation, rock and sediments) and then apply G3Point on sediments to segment grains and extract their geometries (size, orientation). Workshop material: TLS data set acquired along a fluvial reach (small bedrock gorges and an alluvial bar) provided to the participants.

Co-organized by GM12
Convener: Paul Leroy | Co-convener: Laure Guerit
SC 4.9 EDI

The ongoing atmospheric warming has a huge effect on the components of terrestrial cryosphere. Therefore, there is a great need to have operational monitoring networks to understand the impacts and long-term changes of the cryosphere. Global Observing Monitoring Systems recognize three major Essential Climate Variables in permafrost, which are permafrost temperature, active layer thickness and rock glacier velocity. The monitoring of these parameters is covered by groups of Global Terrestrial Network – Permafrost (GTN-P) and Rock Glacier Inventories and Kinematics (RGIK), which will collaborate on the Short Course organisation. Our aim is to provide the participants: a) general background on GTN-P and RGIK activities b) The latest updates and demonstration of new version of GTN-P database c) Current development of RGIK database and monitoring standards

Solicited authors:
Anna Irrgang,Tillmann Lübker,Cécile Pellet,Sebastian Laboor,Sebastián Vivero
Co-organized by ESSI3/GM12, co-sponsored by IPA
Convener: Filip Hrbáček | Co-conveners: Cécile PelletECSECS, Anna IrrgangECSECS
SC 4.15

OpenStreetMap (OSM) is probably the widest and most known crowdsourced database of geospatial information. Its data have the potential to be harnessed to address a variety of scientific and policy questions, from urban planning to demographic studies, environmental monitoring, energy simulations and many others.
Understanding the structure and the variety of content in OSM can enable researchers and policymakers to use it as a relevant dataset for their specific objectives.
Moreover, familiarity with tools and services for filtering and extracting data per geographic area or topic can empower users to tailor OSM data to meet their unique needs. Additionally, learning to contribute new data to OSM enriches the database and fosters a collaborative environment that supports ongoing geospatial research and community engagement both for researchers themselves and also in interactions with stakeholders and citizens. By actively participating in the OSM community, geoscientists can ensure that the data remains current and relevant, ultimately enhancing the impact of their work in addressing pressing environmental and societal challenges.
The short course will begin with an introduction to the concepts and content of OpenStreetMap, followed by a brief review of services and tools for filtering, extracting, and downloading data. Participants will engage in hands-on activities to contribute new data directly, along with hints and tips on how to understand and evaluate the pros and cons of its open and collaborative foundational principles.

Co-organized by ESSI3/GM12
Convener: Alessandro Sarretta | Co-conveners: Laurens Jozef Nicolaas OostwegelECSECS, Marco Minghini
SC 4.17 EDI

WEkEO offers a single access point to all of the environmental data provided by the Copernicus programme, as well as additional data from its four partner organisations. While data access is the first step for research based on EO data, the challenges of handling data soon become overwhelming with the increasing volume of Earth Observation data available. To cope with this challenge and to tame the Big Earth Data, WEkEO offers a cloud-based processing service for Earth Observation data coming from the Copernicus programme and beyond.
This course will explain new trends and developments in accessing, analysing and visualizing earth observation data by introducing concepts around serverless processing, parallel processing of big data and data cube generation in the cloud.
The session will begin with a theoretical introduction to cloud-based big data processing and data cube generation, followed by a demonstration how the participants can utilize these concepts within the WEkEO environment using its tools. Participants will have the opportunity to apply the concepts and tools in multi-disciplinary environmental use cases bringing together different kinds of satellite data and earth observation products as data cubes in the cloud.
The course will start with a beginner-level introduction and demonstration before introducing more advanced functionalities of the WEkEO services. Prior knowledge of satellite data analysis/Python programming would be an advantage but is not a prerequisite. Comprehensive training material will be provided during the course to ensure that participants with varying degree of knowledge of data processing can follow and participate.

Co-organized by ESSI2/GM12
Convener: Anna-Lena Erdmann | Co-convener: Ben Loveday