Outstanding ECS Lecture by Renelle Dubosq
The award recognizes Dr. Dubosq pioneering nanogeology research, advancing our understanding of plastic deformation in minerals using innovative 2D and 3D analytical techniques in tectonics and structural geology.

Stephan Mueller Medal Lecture by Heidrun Kopp.
The award recognizes Prof. Kopp innovative research and groundbreaking discoveries in convergent margin systems, large earthquake processes, active fault slip, magmatic arc systems and geohazards.

The TS Division meeting will provide essential updates on the current state of the Division and highlight recent developments within the Union.
This meeting holds particular significance as we will take the important step of formally approving and implementing the newly selected members of both the governance and awards committees. Additionally, the meeting will serve as an opportunity for the Early Career Scientists (ECS) group of our Division to present updates on their activities, initiatives, and future plans.
We strongly encourage all members to attend, as your involvement is crucial to the continued success of the TS Division. Your engagement helps ensure a dynamic and forward-thinking Division that meets the needs of our community.

Classic models predicting a depth that separates brittle deformation in the upper crust from a region below in which deformation is dominated by ductile processes have long been outdated. In fact, the deformation behavior of Earth’s lithosphere is more complex and brittle and ductile processes may interact throughout the lithosphere. In the rock record, brittle deformation may be expressed as features ranging from micro-fracturing of mineral grains up to seismic ruptures (e.g., pseudotachylytes) or large-scale faults, and ductile deformation is typically expressed as shear zones ranging from millimeter to kilometer scales. Factors known to determine whether strain is accommodated by brittle and/or ductile processes include, but are not limited to: material properties (e.g., grain size, composition), strain rate, strain incompatibilities, pressure-temperature conditions, the availability of fluids, and rock modification by metamorphic reactions.
The multitude of possible factors determining the deformation style in the lithosphere make a comprehensive understanding of the deformation behavior of Earth’s lithosphere challenging. In this session we aim to tackle the complex topic of lithospheric deformation by combining observations from natural rocks with those from experimental and numerical studies.

Fluid-rock interactions play a pivotal role in shaping crustal dynamics and influencing subsurface engineering processes. From the shallow sedimentary rocks down to the deep magmatic and metamorphic rocks, fluids govern aspects such as deformation localization, earthquake genesis, and the emergence of metamorphic reactions and rheological weakening. In most cases, there is a dynamic feedback between fluids, deformation and metamorphism at all scales. Fluids are critical not only for creating robust models of the solid Earth but also for advancing subsurface engineering endeavors like geothermal energy recovery, hydrogen storage and extraction as well as permanent carbon storage.
As we navigate through the ongoing energy transition, enhancing these interactions for maximum geo-resource efficacy is a vital priority. The legacy inscribed within rock records paints a vivid picture of intricate interplay between mineral reactions, fluid flow and deformation—testaments to the often-intense nature of fluid-rock interactions.
This session aims to draw the current picture of the advances and challenges, whether conceptual, methodological, or experimental when considering the role of fluid-rock interactions. We invite contributions that utilize an array of methodologies, ranging from natural observations, microstructural assessments, and geochemical analyses to rock mechanics, all intertwined with modelling techniques. This modelling can span from ab initio simulations to continuum scale simulations, ensuring a comprehensive exploration of fluid-rock/mineral interactions. Contributions that harness the power of artificial intelligence and its subsets are particularly encouraged.

Understanding the initiation and evolution of faults and fractures is a prerequisite to understanding the mechanics of the upper crust, and by extension better apprehending fundamental and engineering usage of the subsurface. Fault and fracture mechanics is a vastly studied topic, yet unsolved questions remain about the processes of fault initiation and propagation, about the role of fluid pressure on both neoformation and reactivation of faults and fracture, about the impact of dissolution or precipitation in the fault core, or about the stress build-up, transmission and attenuation in the crust.
This session aims at drawing the current picture of the advances and challenges in this topic, embracing the fault geomechanics, the development and application of paleopiezometry techniques in the upper crust, new insights about the feedback between fluid pressure and deformation, and the understanding of diffuse fracture network with respect to the deformation history. We welcome contributions focusing on, but not limited to, faults, fractures and/or (past and current) stress orientations and magnitudes in the crust, whether these contributions involve experimental approaches, numerical simulations, theoretical and conceptual modelling, and/or naturalistic case studies.

Microstructures play a fundamental role in deciphering the rheology of the lithosphere and lithospheric tectonics. Microstructures and crystallographic textures are used to analyze the physical and chemical properties of geomaterials, while deformation microstructures (e.g., fabrics, textures, grain sizes, shapes, cracks, etc.) can be used to infer, identify, and quantify deformation, metamorphic, magmatic or diagenetic processes. Processes such as grain-size reduction, metamorphic reactions, crack growth, and the development of crystallographic preferred orientations modify the rheological properties of rocks and minerals, providing key information on the dynamics of small- to large-scale tectonic processes. In this session, we invite contributions that use microstructure and texture analyses from field observations, laboratory experiments, and numerical modelling at brittle and/or ductile conditions aiming to constrain deformation mechanisms.

The upscaling of laboratory results to regional geophysical observations is a fundamental challenge in geosciences. Earthquakes are inherently non-linear and multi-scale phenomena, with dynamics that are strongly dependent on the geometry and the physical properties of faults and their surrounding media. To investigate these complex processes, fault mechanisms are often scaled down in the laboratory to explore the physical and mechanical characteristics of earthquakes under controlled, yet realistic boundary conditions.
However, extrapolating these small-scale laboratory studies to large-scale geophysical observations remains a significant challenge. This is where numerical simulations become essential, serving as a bridge between scales and enhancing our understanding of fault mechanics. Together, laboratory experiments, numerical simulations, and geophysical observations are complementary and necessary to understand fault mechanisms across the different scales.
In this session, we aim to convene multidisciplinary contributions that address multiple aspects of earthquake mechanics combining laboratory, geophysical and numerical observations, including:

(i) the interaction between the fault zone and surrounding damage zone;
(ii) the thermo-hydro-mechanical processes associated with all the different stages of the seismic cycle;
(iii) bridging the gap between the different scales of fault deformation mechanisms.

We particularly encourage contributions with novel observations and innovative methodologies for studying earthquake faulting. Contributions from early career scientists are highly welcome.

Understanding the complex interplay between microstructural evolution and stress distribution during the viscous deformation of polycrystalline geological materials is pivotal for unravelling Earth's large-scale geodynamic processes. This session aims to synthesise insights across disciplines, merging research on the microstructural intricacies of materials like ice and olivine with advanced methodologies for quantifying stress in the lithosphere.


Join us to explore the impact of crystallographic preferred orientation (CPO), grain size, and dynamic recrystallization on the rheological behavior of Earth materials, alongside innovative techniques for stress analysis at various scales, from intragranular heterogeneity to plate boundary dynamics. We welcome contributions that employ numerical modelling, laboratory experiments, or observational studies that highlight the intersection of microstructural evolution and stress, emphasizing time-dependent processes, such as creep transients, and their role in viscous deformation.


This session aims to foster an inclusive, interdisciplinary dialogue, inviting researchers from all backgrounds to bridge scales and methodologies. We encourage participation from early career researchers to collectively advance our understanding of the stress-microstructure relationship and its implications for viscous deformations in the cryosphere, crust, and mantle.

Continental rifting is a complex process spanning from the inception of extension to continental rupture or the formation of a failed rift. This session aims at combining new data, concepts and techniques elucidating the structure and dynamics of rifts and rifted margins. We invite submissions highlighting the time-dependent evolution of processes such as: initiation and growth of faults and ductile shear zones, tectonic and sedimentary history, magma migration, storage and volcanism, lithospheric necking and rift strength loss, influence of the pre-rift lithospheric structure, rift kinematics and plate motion, mantle flow and dynamic topography, as well as break-up and the transition to sea-floor spreading. We encourage contributions using multi-disciplinary and innovative methods from field geology, geochronology, geochemistry, petrology, seismology, geodesy, marine geophysics, plate reconstruction, or numerical or analogue modelling. Special emphasis will be given to presentations that provide an integrated picture by combining results from active rifts, passive margins, failed rift arms or by bridging the temporal and spatial scales associated with rifting.

Ever since the inception of Wegener’s Continental Drift and ensuing plate tectonics, the Earth’s crust has been described using a bimodal classification: oceanic versus continental. However, after decades of advances in subsurface imaging, it is clear this is an over-simplification. The crust offshore may be hyperextended and/or extensively intruded continental crust, and continental microplates may be common.
Recent advances in geophysical imaging, dredging and drilling-based exploration have evidenced features like dykes, sills, and Seaward-Dipping Reflectors and tectonic structures such as folds, brittle faults, and shear zones, revealing details of large crustal transects offshore.
We welcome contributions from all fields of geoscience that relate to the extent of continental, oceanic, and hybrid crust beneath continental shelves and in the oceans. Contributions may be based on observations, numerical modelling or theory, and may derive from any part of the world. We also welcome contributions focusing on the long-term processes from orogenesis to rifting and transform faulting, and bring new perspectives to disputed areas.

The Southeast Asian region, at the convergence of the Eurasia, Indian-Australia, and Pacific plates, is a crucial area for studying Earth's tectonics. This region is surrounded by subduction zones, where these significant plates are convergent from the west, south and east to form a complicated, curved-shape subduction system. This tectonic setting makes Southeast Asia an important natural laboratory for understanding the interactions between plates, subduction processes, and mantle convection. Ongoing oceanic subduction has built extensive volcanic arcs characterized by active volcanoes and complex surface structures, contributing to the region’s high seismic and magmatic activity. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding the subsurface structure, from the shallow crust to the deep mantle, particularly beneath ocean basins, as well as the impact of subducted materials on island arc and intraplate magmatic activities. An integrated approach combining geology, geochemistry, geophysics, and numerical modelling is essential for further understanding Southeast Asia's dynamic processes and the influence of past and present tectonic interactions on the region’s geology and climate.

Orogens, either accretionary or collisional in type, represent an outstanding place to investigate deformational and surface processes and the way these processes interact. On a short-time scale, the pattern of deformation and erosion illuminates crustal mechanics and its relation to seismicity, the influence of climate-driven erosion, as well as the influence of fluid flow. On longer-time scales, the structure and dynamics of orogenic belts provides pathways to a more mechanistic understanding of rock deformation from micro- to orogen-scale.
The reliable appraisal of the diversity of geomorphic, structural, magmatic, metamorphic and sedimentary processes at work during orogeny as well as the 3D-4D conceptual and numerical modeling of the evolution of orogens require a multisource approach encompassing field geology, geomorphology, geophysics, petrology and geochemistry as well as advanced laboratory techniques. In order to constrain the timing, sequence, duration, rates of strain localization in the crust and orogenic growth, determining the age and longevity of structures - folds and thrusts in fold-and-thrust belts and foreland basins and ductile shear zones in the deeper crust - is key. Adding to the petrochronological toolbox applied to metamorphic minerals from the ductile realm, recent advances in K–Ar illite and U–Pb calcite geochronology applied to fault zones and mesoscale brittle structures have allowed for deeper insights into the upper crust mechanics.
This session aims at bridging the gap between spatial - from shallow depth to lithospheric scale- and temporal -short-term vs long-term- scales for a better understanding of mountain building and to provide a forum for all disciplines concerned with orogenic wedges to meet and discuss their views. We welcome contributions reporting topical works on mountain belts including seismology, rheology and mechanics, structural geology, dating deformation, thermochronology, geomorphology, thermicity or fluid rock-interactions. We encourage integrated studies highlighting the respective role of plate tectonics, crust-mantle interactions and surface processes in shaping the architecture of the continental crust. Analogue or numerical modeling work as well as regional case studies are welcome. Furthermore, applied studies aiming at linking structure development and crustal dynamics with hydrogeology and generation of carbon-free energy resources such as geothermal energy or natural H2 are also encouraged.

Tectonics in the Alpine-Mediterranean region has been studied intensively for almost two centuries, starting with field observations and increasingly accompanied by geochemical analyses, seismicity and geohazard studies, geophysical imaging, geodesy and geodynamic modelling. Significant progress has been made in understanding the tectonic processes in the region. The area has been the breeding ground for new concepts such as subduction, nappe tectonics or exhumation of ultra-high pressure metamorphic rocks. Due to its considerable complexity, the area has been and continues to be a test bed for new imaging and geodynamic modelling techniques. However, important questions regarding the driving forces, the three-dimensional lithospheric stress field, seismic coupling, and magma ascent remain unanswered. The session will serve as an interdisciplinary platform to present recent results and new concepts, as well as to highlight open questions and methodological challenges, covering a time span evolution of the Mediterranean tectonism from the Permian to present. We invite contributions from relevant fields that help to quantify geodynamic drivers of past and present plate kinematics and lithospheric deformation. Presentations on the results from different perspectives, including field geology (tectonics, stratigraphy, petrology), geochronology, thermochronology, geochemistry, geophysics (paleomagnetism, seismicity, seismic imaging, seismic anisotropy, gravity), and modelling (both numerical and analogue) are welcome.

The Neoproterozoic Era is known for rapid continental scale movements manifested by at least two major supercontinent assemblies: Rodinia and Gondwana. It is believed that the early-middle Proterozoic continental fragments grew to form Rodinia by a series of collisions at ~1000 Ma and broke up in stages from 1000 to 520 Ma. Before Rodinia had completely broken up, some of its segments had already begun to form Gondwana, which assembled completely by ~500 Ma.
The Neoproterozoic Era sandwiched between the Grenvillian and Pan-African orogenic activities, experienced dramatic changes in the global environment and the development and fragmentation of supercontinents. Significant crustal readjustments from Rodinia to Gondwana during the Neoproterozioc era (1000-542 Ma) have been reported. This interval of rapid plate configuration changes is often considered an important factor for the preceding biological changes. Therefore, it’s crucial to understand the paleogeographic distribution of cratons during the Neoproterozoic Era to understand the dawn of complex life. Despite significant developments, a major gap in our understanding exists between the breakup of Rodinia and the assembly of Gondwana.
This session invites Earth scientists to explore and investigate the 1100-500 million years ago interval to illuminate the intricate dynamics of this transformative era.

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

This session seeks to provide an integrated understanding of subduction zone processes, combining insights from global subduction zones with a detailed focus on the western margin of South America, one of the Earth's most significant subduction systems. While advancing a broad framework for the initiation, evolution, and dynamics of subduction zones globally, this session will also highlight distinctive features of the South American margin, such as its accretionary orogen, occurrences of flat-slab subduction, and its history of major seismic events. This presents an opportunity to examine a variety of processes, such as the generation and migration of volatiles and melts, seismic activity, magmatism, and crustal deformation.

We invite contributions from disciplines including geodynamics, geochemistry, petrology, volcanology, seismology, and geophysics to discuss subduction zone dynamics at all scales from the surface to the lower mantle, and in applications to natural laboratories, especially in relation to the Andes. With its broad focus, this session aims to foster interactions across traditional disciplinary boundaries.

The Variscan orogeny, a mountain-building event that spanned a staggering more than 100 million years (c. 400-270 million years ago), has left its mark on structures stretching across Europe, North Africa, and even the Appalachian mountains of North America. This ancient event was shaped by the collision of two enormous landmasses—Laurussia and Gondwana—whose coastlines and boundaries were anything but straightforward. These irregular edges, formed when the Rheic and Paleo-Tethys oceans opened, played a crucial role in the way the continents converged. As the continents came together, the uneven boundaries triggered a wide variety of geological processes over different places and times. These processes included the subduction of oceanic crust, the extension of the upper continental plate, large-scale indentation of the crust, and the twisting and bending of mountain chains. Recent research, using tools like detrital zircon dating, geophysical studies, and tracking the pressure-temperature-time-deformation (P-T-t-D) history of rocks, has helped scientists get a clearer picture of the complex events that occurred during this time. To truly understand the paleogeography and geodynamics of the Variscan orogeny, scientists need to combine data from many different fields. We encourage contributions from all kinds of research, whether it’s looking at the structure of the Earth’s crust and mantle, the conditions under which mountain-building occurred, or how magma and metamorphic processes played a role. Studies from both sides of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic are welcome, helping us develop an exciting new perspective on this ancient and influential orogenic system.

Mid-oceanic ridges (MORs) provide the unique opportunity to study two of the three plate boundaries: divergent plate boundaries along and across the ridge axis and tectonically dominated movements (e.g., transform faults). Our understanding of the active processes building and modifying the oceanic lithosphere has increased over the past 20 years due to advances in deep-sea research technologies and analytical and numerical modeling techniques. Increasingly, the processes inferred from the present oceanic lithosphere are also transferred into those operating in the Proterozoic and Archean. Yet, the relative role of magmatic, tectonic, and hydrothermal processes and their interaction in the formation and accretion of the oceanic lithosphere at the ridge, especially at slow and ultra-slow spreading ridges and along transform faults, remains poorly constrained. Transform faults and their extension into fracture zones have previously been considered as relatively cold and magmatically inactive; however, evidence for magmatism has recently emerged. The complex network of faults associated provide ideal pathways for hydrothermal percolation into the Earth’s lithosphere and may therefore play a significant role in the chemical and the thermal budget of the planet, as well as in the chemical exchange with the ocean (e.g., nutrients). Yet, little is known about fluid circulation in the lithosphere in these ultraslow settings.
This session objective is to favor scientific exchange across all disciplines and to share recent knowledge acquired along mid-oceanic ridge axes, transform faults, and fracture zones. We particularly welcome studies using modern deep-sea high-resolution techniques. The session also welcome contributions dealing with recent discoveries in hydrothermal systems, and which integrate geophysical, geochemical, petrological and geological data with numerical modeling tools.

The Alps are an orogen that offers an exceptional natural laboratory to study the evolution of mountain-building processes from short- to long-term and small- to large-scales, including the evolution of plate margins from rifting to subduction, inheritance from previous orogenic cycles, ophiolite emplacement, collision and (ultra)high-pressure rock exhumation, and upper-plate and foreland basin evolution.

Advances in a variety of geophysical, geochronological, geochemical and geological fields provide a rich and growing set of constraints on the crust-lithosphere and mantle structure, tectonics and geodynamics of the entire mountain belt.

We invite contributions from different and multi-disciplinary perspectives ranging from the Earth’s surface to the mantle, and based on geology (tectonics, petrology, stratigraphy, geo- and thermochronology, geochemistry, paleomagnetism and geomorphology), geophysics (seismotectonics, seismic tomography and anisotropy) and geodesy and modelling (numerical and analogue). The aim is for contributions to provide new insights and observations on the record of subduction/exhumation/collision; pre-Alpine orogenic stages; the influence of structural and palaeogeographic configuration; plate/mantle dynamics relationships; coupling between deep and surface processes.

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.

This session explores the mechanisms driving seismicity and deformation across diverse tectonic settings. In subduction zones, which account for approximately 90% of global seismic moment release, we examine the processes governing megathrust behavior, intermediate-depth and deep-focus earthquakes, and the role of fluids in faulting. In intracontinental regions, particularly Southeastern Europe, the interaction between the Adriatic/Dinarides collision and Aegean extension gives rise to complex faulting patterns and significant seismic hazards, although deformation rates are more distributed.
We welcome interdisciplinary studies that integrate seismological, geodetic, geological, and modeling approaches to address key questions, including: i) What controls seismicity patterns and fault behavior across different tectonic environments? ii) How do fluids, stress interactions, and regional geodynamics influence deformation processes? iii)How can multi-scale observations—from high-resolution geophysics to paleoseismology—better constrain active fault characteristics and seismic hazard assessments?
By bridging insights from different tectonic settings, this session aims to advance our understanding of earthquake generation and the factors shaping seismic hazard worldwide.

Tectonic faults accommodate plate motion through various styles of seismic and aseismic slip spanning a wide range of spatiotemporal scales. Understanding the mechanics and interplay between seismic rupture and aseismic slip is central to seismotectonics as it determines the seismic potential of faults. In particular, unraveling the underlying physics controlling these deformation styles bears a great deal in earthquake hazard mitigation, especially in highly urbanized regions. We invite contributions from observational, experimental, geological, and theoretical studies that explore the diversity and interplay among seismic and aseismic slip phenomena in various tectonic settings, including the following questions: (1) How does the nature of creeping faults change with the style of faulting, fluids, loading rate, and other factors? (2) Are different slip behaviors well separated in space, or can the same fault areas experience different failure modes? (3) Is there a systematic spatial or temporal relation between different types of slip?

New observations about earthquakes keep accumulating that contribute to unveil every time a bit more our understanding of earthquake processes and related earthquake cycle. Methods have significantly improved in geophysics, in geodesy, and in paleoseismology-geomorphology. Hence, on one hand the number of earthquakes with well-documented rupture process and deformation pattern has increased significantly. Similarly, the number of studies documenting long time series of past earthquakes, including quantification of past deformation has also increased. On the other hand, the modeling communities, both numerical and analogue, which are working on rupture dynamics and/or earthquake cycle are also making significant progresses. Thus, this session is the opportunity to bring together these different contributions to foster further collaboration between the different groups focusing all on the same objective of integrating earthquake processes into the earthquake cycle and crustal deformation framework. Hence, in this session we welcome contributions documenting earthquake ruptures and crustal deformation processes, both for ancient events or recent events, from seismological, geodetic, or paleoseismological perspective. Contributions documenting deformation during pre-, post-, or interseismic periods, which are highly relevant to earthquake cycle understanding, are also very welcomed. Finally, we seek for any contribution looking at the earthquake cycle from the modeling perspective, especially including approaches integrating data and modeling.

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.

We are looking for studies that investigate how tectonic plates move, how this movement is accommodated in deformation zones, and how elastic strain builds up and is released along faults and in subduction zones. These studies should use space geodetic data and sea floor geodetic measurements in combination with observations like seismicity, geological slip rates and rakes, sea-level, and gravity. How can the observed elastic strain buildup best be used to infer the likelihood of future earthquakes? How persistent are fault asperities over multiple earthquake cycles? Are fault slip rates from paleoseismology identical to those from geodetic data? What portion of plate motion results in earthquakes, and where does the rest go? How fast are mountains currently rising? How well can we constrain the stresses that drive the observed deformation? How much do the nearly constant velocities of plates vary during the earthquake cycle, and does this influence the definition of Earth's reference frame?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

Cratons, the oldest and most stable parts of Earth's lithosphere, have withstood billions of years of tectonic activity. However, some cratonic lithosphere can become unstable under certain conditions, leading to profound geological changes. Understanding the processes that drive cratonic stability and instability is essential for deciphering the complex interactions between the deep mantle, lithosphere, and surface processes. These mechanisms play a critical role in the evolution of mountain ranges, magmatism, change in surface topography, with even potential implications for climate. Despite their importance, the triggers behind cratonic destabilization, including mechanical and compositional variations, deep mantle dynamics, and long-term surface effects, remain areas of active debate. In this session, we invite contributions that investigate the causes, effects, and observational evidence related to cratonic stability and instability over time. Topics may include, but are not limited to geological, geophysical and geochemical signatures, numerical modeling, and case studies of cratonic regions undergoing or having experienced significant transformations. We aim to bring together these diverse perspectives to enhance our understanding of how cratonic regions evolve over time, linking deep processes with surface phenomena and broader tectonic and environmental changes.

The first half of Earth’s history (Hadean to Paleoproterozoic) laid the foundations for the planet we know today. But how and why it differed and how and why it evolved remain enduring questions.
In this session, we encourage the presentation of new approaches that improve our understanding on the formation, structure, and evolution of the early Earth ranging from the mantle and lithosphere to the atmosphere, oceans and biosphere, and interactions between these reservoirs.
This session aims to bring together scientists from a large range of disciplines to provide an interdisciplinary and comprehensive overview of the field. This includes, but is not limited to, fields such as early mantle dynamics, the formation, evolution and destruction of the early crust and lithosphere, early surface environments and the evolution of the early biosphere, mineral deposits, and how possible tectonic regimes impacted across the early Earth system.

It is becoming clear that Wilson Cycle processes including rifting, drifting, inversion, and orogenesis are more complex than standard models suggest. In this session, we explore new understandings of Wilson Cycle processes, including the onset of extensional reactivation/rifting, breakup, ocean drifting, margin inversion, subduction initiation, and orogenesis. In rifted margins, oceans, subduction zones, and orogens, observations and models showcase the significance of inherited geological structures, lithospheric rheology, time-dependence, surface processes, magmatism, obliquity, and geometry in processes of rifting, drifting, and extensional reactivation. However, our understanding of the role and interaction of these factors remains far from complete. Unexpected observations such as continental material far offshore (e.g., at the Rio Grande Rise), wide-magmatic rifted margins (e.g., the Laxmi Basin), extensive subsidence and sedimentation during rift-basin inversion (e.g., in the Pannonian basin), and thermal imprinting from continental rifting affecting subsequent orogenesis (e.g., in the Pyrenees) continue to challenge conventional models and exemplify the need for further work on Wilson Cycle processes.

This session will bring together new observations, models, and ideas to help understand the complex factors influencing extensional reactivation, rifting, and drifting during the Wilson Cycle. Works investigating time-dependence, inheritance, plate kinematics, strain localisation, magmatism, obliquity, interior plate deformation, driving forces, sedimentation, surface processes, lithospheric/crustal structure, and the interaction/feedback between processes controlling the Wilson Cycle are therefore welcomed to this session.

Contributions from any geoscience discipline, including but not limited to geophysics, marine geosciences, seismology, ocean drilling, geochemistry, petrology, plate kinematics, tectonics, sedimentology, field and structural geology, numerical and analogue modelling, or thermo/geochronology etc., are sought. We particularly encourage cross-disciplinarity, innovative studies, spanning different spatio-temporal scales, and thought-provoking ideas that challenge conventions from any and all researchers, especially including students.

Accurate modelling of subsurface structures and properties such as stress are crucial for a wide range of topics, from plate tectonics and geohazards to mass transport and engineering applications. Conventional and emerging applications such as geothermal energy, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS), hydrogen or gas storage or disposal of nuclear waste are pivotal for a low-emission society, with their efficacy heavily reliant on knowledge of the subsurface geometry and stress state. The difficulty in measuring the stress state and constraining subsurface structures though requires advances in modelling algorithms and inversion methods, as well as the development of concepts, experiments, and new measuring techniques. Presentations in this session will cover new approaches to the construction of detailed geological models and stress state understanding.
Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Advances in stress orientation and magnitude estimation
- New methodologies for 3D structural and geomechanical modelling, including deterministic, stochastic, and hybrid approaches
- Case studies highlighting the application of 3D structural modelling and stress state estimation
- Integration of geophysical and geological data in model-based inversion for improved subsurface characterization
- Advances in computational efficiency and uncertainty quantification in inversion techniques
- Innovative use of machine learning and AI in enhancing both geological models and inversion results
- Insights into the governing mechanics of seismotectonic processes
This session brings together geoscientists, modellers, and computational experts to discuss the latest advancements and challenges, offering insights into the future direction of characterizing the present subsurface stress state and 3D structural geological modelling.

Fluid-rock interactions have a fundamental impact on the formation of ore minerals within ore deposits across a wide range of scales, particularly those of high economic value such as porphyry Cu-Au systems, orogenic Au deposits, volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits, and alkaline and carbonatite REE-HFSE systems. Fluid-rock interaction also facilitates mobilization of metallic materials from the source zone to the deposit, leaving a significant footprint that aids in understanding how these metals are transported and concentrated to feed the deposit. At the nano- and microscales, these processes can be recorded by the formation of natural patterns in rocks, such as the dendritic patterns, banding patterns, crack patterns, mineralogical replacement, growth or deformation patterns. The regularity of these patterns elucidates the physio-chemical environment during fluid-rock interactions. At the meso- to macroscale, fluid-rock interactions are documented in alteration zones within rocks, where chemical reactions are evidenced by the distribution and character of mineral replacement, overgrowth, and hydrothermal alteration. These phenomena petrologically reflect the processes of elemental transfer and exchange during fluid-rock interactions that contribute to the formation of ore deposits. Such natural observations enable thermodynamic and dynamic simulations of the fluid-rock interaction processes associated with metal mobilization and responsible for ore formation, deepening our understanding of underlying mechanisms. Moreover, recent advances in machine-learning-assisted analytical techniques have significantly improved our ability to uncover hidden physiochemical relationships during spatial-temporal evolution of metal source rocks, ore minerals and deposit formation.
In this session, we invite multidisciplinary contributions that investigate fluid-rock interactions associated with ore formation and metal mobilization, using field work, microstructural and petrographic analyses, geochemistry and machine-learning techniques, thermodynamic modeling and numerical modeling.

Faults and fractures are critical components of geological reservoirs, exerting significant control over the physical and mechanical properties of subsurface formations. Their influence on fluid behaviour and fluid-rock interactions plays a crucial role in the success and safety of geoenergy applications, including geothermal energy, carbon capture and storage (CCS), and subsurface energy and waste storage.

Recent advancements in field observations, monitoring technologies, and laboratory experiments have deepened our understanding of how faults and fractures impact deformation processes, rock failure, and fault/fracture (re-)activation. These discontinuities act as conduits or barriers for fluid flow, transport and heat flow, leading to complex interactions that can either enhance or impair reservoir performance. Of particular concern are the changes in the thermo-hydro-mechanical-chemical (THMC) properties due to hydraulic stimulation and fluid circulation within faulted and fractured zones, which can alter transmissibility and influence the stability of these structures.

Understanding these dynamics is crucial for predicting and mitigating risks associated with induced seismicity, leakage, and other subsurface hazards. Furthermore, insights gained from these studies are essential for improving the accuracy of numerical models, which are used to predict fault behaviour at reservoir scales and guide the design and management of geoenergy projects.

We invite contributions from researchers who are exploring the role of faults and fractures in subsurface systems, particularly those involved in applied or interdisciplinary studies related to low-carbon technologies. We are particularly interested in research that bridges the gap between laboratory-scale measurements and field-scale processes, and that employs a diverse range of methods, including but not limited to outcrop studies, in-situ experiments and monitoring, subsurface data analysis, and laboratory investigations. Interdisciplinary approaches that integrate geological, geophysical, and engineering perspectives are especially welcome.

The session aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the impact of faults and fractures on subsurface energy systems, showcasing innovative methods for their characterisation and management.

Geodynamic and tectonic processes are the key engines in shaping the structural, thermal and petrological configuration of the crust and lithosphere. In the course, they constantly modify the thermal, hydraulic and mechanical properties of the rock record, ultimately leading to a heterogenous endowment of (often co-located) subsurface resources.
Supporting the transition to sustainable low-carbon economies at scale poses significant challenges and opportunities for the global geoscience community. An integrated and interdisciplinary understanding of the subsurface processes that can provide access to alternative energy supplies and critical raw materials is lacking, as are unifying science-backed exploration strategies and resource assessment workflows.
This session aims to improve our scientific understanding of the pathways and interdependencies that lead to the concentration of economic quantities of energy carriers or noble gases, mineral resources, and sufficient geothermal gradients. Further, it also focuses on providing input for exploration decision-making, the engineering of access strategies to the policy makers as well as for the strategic planning of collaborative research initiatives.
In particular, we invite studies on observational data analysis, instrumentation, numerical modeling, laboratory experiments, and geological engineering, with an emphasis on integrated approaches/datasets which address the geological history of such systems as well as their spatial characteristics for sub-topics such as:
- Geothermal systems: key challenges in successfully exploiting geothermal energy are related to observational gaps in lithological heterogeneities and tectonic (fault) structures and sweet-spotting zones of sufficient permeability for fluid extraction.
- Geological (white/natural) hydrogen and helium resources: potential of source rocks, conversion kinetics, migration and possible accumulation processes through geological time, along with detection, characterisation, and quantification of sources, fluxes, shallow subsurface interactions and surface leakage of hydrogen (H2) and Helium (He).
- Ore deposits: To meet the growing global demand for metal resources, new methods are required to discover new ore deposits and assess the spatio-temporal and geodynamic characteristics of favourable conditions to generate metallogenic deposits, transport pathways, and host sequences.

Performing research in Earth System Science is increasingly challenged by the escalating volumes and complexity of data, requiring sophisticated workflow methodologies for efficient processing and data reuse. The complexity of computational systems, such as distributed and high-performance heterogeneous computing environments, further increases the need for advanced orchestration capabilities to perform and reproduce simulations effectively. On the same line, the emergence and integration of data-driven models, next to the traditional compute-driven ones, introduces additional challenges in terms of workflow management. This session delves into the latest advances in workflow concepts and techniques essential to address these challenges taking into account the different aspects linked with High-Performance Computing (HPC), Data Processing and Analytics, and Artificial Intelligence (AI).

In the session, we will explore the importance of the FAIR (Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability) principles and provenance in ensuring data accessibility, transparency, and trustworthiness. We will also address the balance between reproducibility and security, addressing potential workflow vulnerabilities while preserving research integrity.

Attention will be given to workflows in federated infrastructures and their role in scalable data analysis. We will discuss cutting-edge techniques for modeling and data analysis, highlighting how these workflows can manage otherwise unmanageable data volumes and complexities, as well as best practices and progress from various initiatives and challenging use cases (e.g., Digital Twins of the Earth and the Ocean).

We will gain insights into FAIR Digital Objects, (meta)data standards, linked-data approaches, virtual research environments, and Open Science principles. The aim is to improve data management practices in a data-intensive world.
On these topics, we invite contributions from researchers illustrating their approach to scalable workflows as well as data and computational experts presenting current approaches offered and developed by IT infrastructure providers enabling cutting edge research in Earth System Science.

This special session explores how modern research in tectonics and structural geology addresses critical societal challenges. Invited speakers will present their insights across several crucial topics: sustainable energy exploration, including hydrogen and helium resources; assessment and mitigation of geological hazards; effective communication of complex geological concepts; challenges for early-career researchers; state-of-the-art of the publication's system, and the vital role of structural geology in climate change solutions. By bringing together these diverse yet interconnected perspectives, the session aims to foster discussions about how the expanding influence of structural geology and tectonics can help in solving major societal challenges. Our goal is to survey innovative research directions while highlighting how our field increasingly bridges fundamental science and practical solutions for society's most pressing problems.