European Geosciences Union
Division on Geomorphology
President: Daniel Parsons (gm@egu.eu)
Deputy President: Giulia Sofia
(giulia.sofia@uconn.edu)
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 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 2020 Ralph Alger Bagnold Medal is awarded to Thomas J. Coulthard for establishing landscape evolution modelling as a robust approach to geomorphological investigation, changing how geomorphology is studied and communicated, and promoting open research.
The 2020 Division Outstanding Early Career Scientist Award is awarded to Georgina Bennett for careful field measurements and aligned earth observation; Georgina’s innovative approaches have unlocked new understanding of key controls on landslide mechanics and resultant landscape evolution.
Annegret Larsen (Wageningen University), Andrea Madella (University of Tübingen) and Michael Dietze (GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam) organized the Great Debate on “Slow science versus fast science” at this years EGU 2021. They know what they are talking when referring to the “increasing competition” and “short term contracts” in early career stages and share here their outcome of this well received debate – edited by Sabine Kraushaar. – GM Guest bloggers: Annegret Larsen (Wageningen University), Andrea Madella …
Written by Oliver Strimpel, University of Oxford; edited by Jan and Sabine What is it about rocks that determines whether they create features in the landscape? In the Sierras, why does the west side with its giant cliffs of glacially polished stone look so different from the gentler terrain of the east side despite having the same bedrock? How has the use of cosmogenic radionuclides revolutionized the field of geomorphology? Why do we see similar patterns in nature over scales …
– written by the GM ECS team: Andrea, Aayush, Annegret, Edwin, and Eric – – edited by Jan and Sabine – Here we are, at the beginning of #vEGU21, finalising our contributions, getting familiar with new platforms and interfaces, and preparing to make the most of this virtual conference, once again. This post is a joint communication by the GM Early Career Scientists representatives’ team and the Division President for Geomorphology to give you a glimpse of what has been …
Glacial geomorphological mapping comparison in 3D. a – Moraine ridge in the middle section of the Ahuriri River valley with surrounding area. b – Key landscape elements are shown in the accompanying sketch. (Credit: Tielidze et al., 2021). Geomorphological maps are a fundamental tool to represent landforms and understand how different morphological elements and agents shaped a natural landscape. They are also important as background information for many fields of research including ecology, forestry and of course, glaciology. In this …
The June issue of The Loupe is all about Oceans! With both World Oceans Day and the International Day of the Seafarer falling in June, we thought what better month to focus on the work of EGU researcher studying the Oceans. We spoke with Ocean Science Division Early Career Scientist Rep Meriel Bittner on how to get involved in the Division and learned about the reality of research onboard a research vessel for LGBTQIA+ people from guest blogger Huw Griffiths.
The Loupe also shares some vital information for scientists concerned about their work being misrepresented by policymakers, either accidentally or on purpose, from EGU’s Policy Officer Chloe Hill for the GeoPolicy blog, and features a call for new members to be nominated to the Equality Diversity and Inclusion Working Group.
In addition to the latest Journal Watch and GeoRoundup of June EGU journal highlights, this issue also highlights the opening of the call for EGU22 scientific session submissions, the deadline for which is 6 September 2021.