European Geosciences Union
Division on Geomorphology
President: Daniel Parsons
(gm@egu.eu)
Deputy President: Kristen Cook
(klcook@gfz-potsdam.de)
Geomorphology is the scientific study of land-surface features and the dynamic processes that shape them. Besides focusing on the diverse physical landscapes of the Earth, geomorphologists also study surfaces of other planets. Understanding landform history and dynamics, and predicting future changes through a combination of field observations, physical experiments, and numerical modelling is at the heart of geomorphology. The division brings together research on processes that build topography trough e.g. the effects of tectonic forces as well as processes that modify the terrain such as weathering, erosion through running water, waves, glacial ice, wind and gravitational forces. Division members also study the impact of humans on geomorphological processes and investigate how geomorphological knowledge can be applied to solve problems of relevance to societies.
EGU CampFires bring together the geoscience community across the year in between our General Assemblies. We hope that this will meet the needs of the current pandemic but also help us in our transition to a greener future and ensure that EGU is able to better serve the needs of all scientists regardless of international mobility.
Landscapes Live is the Geomorphology Division's virtual webinar series focused on sharing exciting geomorphology research throughout the international scientific community.
The latest Summer 2021 Landscapes Live series is availale here:
Benjamin Keisling (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory) - Thursday the 13th of May 2021 at 2pm GMT (4pm CET):
“Past as prologue: how archives help us predict the fate of Earth’s ice sheets and the future of our discipline”
To regsiter: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYsfu2rqjIuH9Bj93AANLUyhcCumyydUx6B
Tamara Pico (University of California, Santa Cruz) - Thursday the 20th of May 2021 at 2pm GMT (4pm CET):
“In and out of the last ice age: Insights into the influence of glacial isostatic adjustment on landscape evolution in North America”
To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUqdOygrz4jG9F3wvnIOhVEMKoK2pbj_Pal
Seulgi Moon (University of California, Los Angeles) - Thursday the 27th of May 2021 at 2pm GMT (4pm CET):
“Topographic stress influence on fractures, surface processes, and landscape evolution”
To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIkc-qqpz0sGdfkGSKi1ax-IqcZBAQIFQP6
Giulia Sofia (University of Connecticut) - Thursday the 3rd of June 2021 at 2pm GMT (4pm CET):
“Digital Analysis and Terrain Mapping. The way forward in geomorphology”
To register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYuf-qtqTMjHNeNwqYfkdo9mZK0I7xOntlc
Jane L. Andersen (Aarhus University) - Thursday the 10th of June 2021 at 2pm GMT (4pm CET):
“Exploring erosion patterns beneath high-latitude ice sheets – case studies from Scandinavia and Greenland”
Laura Quick (University of Edinburgh) - Thursday the 17th of June 2021 at 2pm GMT (4pm CET):
“To Be Announced”
Anne Voigtländer (GFZ Potsdam) - Thursday the 24th of June 2021 at 2pm GMT (4pm CET):
“Optimal stress states for geomorphologists”
All previous talks through 2020 and Spring 2021 are available and can be view here: https://osur.univ-rennes1.fr/LandscapesLive/
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We are already planning additional talks later this spring. If you want to know more about this initiative, please get in touch: gm@egu.eu
EGU Geomorphology Division 2021 awardees:
We congratulate Jo Bullard, University of Loughborough for receiving the 2021 Ralph Alger Bagnold medal, and Louise Slater, University of Oxford for receiving the GM Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award. They will both receive their awards at the forthcoming General Assembly.
GM Division meeting 2021:
The slides of the GM Division meeting 2021 are online and can be downloaded here: https://www.egu.eu/gm/reports/
Dan Parsons elected new GM Division president until 2023:
Dan Parsons has been duly elected for a second term as Divison President. His nomination for President can be found here. See also his candidate interview is available on the the GM blog.
The 2022 Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal is awarded to Paola Passalacqua for innovative and impactful research on landscape dynamics through a rigorous mathematical approach, including using network theory to study delta systems, alongside outstanding community service.
The 2022 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Nicoletta Leonardi for contributions to a new understanding of the geomorphic evolution of coastal landscapes, and deconstructing the drivers of coastal change through development and application of novel modelling tools.
The 2021 Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal is awarded to Joanna E. Bullard for sustained innovative, perceptive, and productive studies of arid-land geomorphology, aeolian processes, and dust in the Earth system, alongside outstanding community leadership.
The 2021 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Louise J. Slater for recognition of outstanding contributions in the field at the interface of river geomorphology and hydrology; exploring the drivers of changing flood hazard and risk over time and space.
The 2021 Virtual Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (vOSPP) Award is awarded to Elisabeth Schönfeldt Detect Giant Landslides with Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN)
The 2021 Virtual Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (vOSPP) Award is awarded to Jingtao Lai Climatic controls on mountain glacier basal thermal regimes dictate spatial patterns of glacial erosion
The 2021 Virtual Outstanding Student and PhD candidate Presentation (vOSPP) Award is awarded to Maximillian Van Wyk de Vries Resolving pre-collapse slope motion of the February 2021 Chamoli rock-ice avalanche via feature tracking of optical satellite imagery and DEM differencing
A dynamic and engaging team can make a world of difference, and the EGU GM Division’s ECS team is thrilled to introduce its new members (and reintroduce the old!). Drawing from the past traditions and also making judicious adaptions to fit the present, the current team is formed to strengthen the organisation and the members and identify and expand the synergies that can have a positive impact on the important work we are all doing. Following GA meeting in Vienna …
Dear experts of sediment tracing, In addition to the tracing session that will be held during EGU on Monday 23 May in Vienna (in hybrid mode), together with Olivier Evrard (Univ. Paris-Saclay, in copy), we organise an additional International Tracing Day at the Univ. of Vienna on Sunday 22 May (just before EGU starts). After these long months of on-line activities, this will be the opportunity to discuss again in person about the challenges associated with sediment fingerprinting. (No hybrid …
The August issue of The Loupe explores how existing energy resources inform climate change mitigation. Scientists from the Environmental Defense Fund find that while hydrogen is certainly part of the solution to get to net zero, this fuel of the future may not be as clean as we think. Researcher in energy transition under climate change Jarmo Kikstra discusses the delicate intersections between social and natural sciences, and on World Biofuels Day we look at commercially available biofuels around the world and some new ones under development.
Also in this issue: the EGU Biodiversity Task Force’s seven recommendations to the EU Nature Restoration Law which will now be amended and either passed or rejected by the European Parliament and The Council of the European Union. Finally, apply by 12 September to the EGU Policy Pairing scheme to spend a week in Brussels with a Member of the European Parliament (MEP).