International Geoscience Research Articles

유네스코 국제지구과학프로그램(IGCP)과 IGCP 한국위원회 활성화

이 논문은 유네스코 국제지구과학프로그램(IGCP)의 전반적인 소개와 IGCP 한국위원회의 활성화를 통해 국내 지구과학자들이 국제협력 네트워크 구축과 국제공동연구사업에 적극 참여함으로써 우리나라 지구과학기술의 글로벌 연구역량을 고도화하는데 목적이 있다. IGCP 프로그램은 유네스코가 국제지질연맹(International Union of Geological Sciences, IUGS)과 공동으로 지원하는 다학제적 국제협력연구 프로그램으로서 공동연구, 국제회의, 현장답사, 워크샵 등을 통해 자원고갈, 환경파괴, 자연재해 예방·방지, 기후변화 대응 등 지질학적인 문제를 해결하기 위한 선진국과 개발도상국간 지구과학자들의 네트워크 및 국제협력연구를 촉진한다. 이를 위해 IGCP는 사회에 대한 기여, 역량강화, 남북‧남남협력에 중점을 둔 지구과학자들이 글로벌 이슈와 관련된 지질자원, 지구환경변화, 지질재해, 수리지질, 지구역학 등 5개 지구과학분야에서의 국제공동연구를 지원한다. IGCP 프로그램은 1972년에 설립되어 2018년 현재 27개의 프로젝트에 105개국 4,485명이 참여하고 있으며, 이 중에 56%는 젊은 과학자(35세 미만), 32%는 여성과학자, 65%는 개발도상국 연구자로 구성되어 있다. 또한 IGCP 프로젝트에는 57개국에서 160여명의 연구책임자가 참여하고 있는데, 아시아국가 중 중국과 일본의 참여가 주를 이루고 있으며 특히 중국은 현재 수행 중인 27개의 프로젝트 중에 주요 사업책임자가 7인(26%)으로 다른 참여 국가(미국, 프랑스 3인; 영국, 칠레 2인; 일본, 호주 등 1인)에 비해 우위에 있는 반면에 우리나라는 단 한명도 없다. 우리나라 지구과학자들의 IGCP 프로그램의 주도적인 참여가 없는 이유는 IGCP 한국위원회 활동의 부재, IGCP 프로그램에 대한 인식 부족, 지구과학기술 커뮤니티의 무관심, 국제협력 전략 방안 제시 부족 등을 들 수 있다. IGCP 한국위원회의 활성화를 위해 위원회를 유관 학회, 연구기관, 산업계, 정부 부처 등으로 구성하여 재조직하고 사무국을 국내 유관기관에 설립하여 지구과학자들과의 체계적인 연계 및 중계역할을 해주는 중간매개체의 역할을 해야 한다. 이를 통해 국내의 다양한 유관 기관 및 전문가들이 IGCP 프로젝트에 적극적으로 참여하고 활동함으로써 국제 네트워크 구축 및 공동연구를 활성화 할 수 있다. 이러한 IGCP 활동은 앞으로 젊은 지구과학자들이 세계무대를 이끌어 갈 글로벌 과학자로서 역할을 하는데 기반이 될 것이다.

The International Earth Science Olympiad as a tool to enhance the profile and quality of earth science education

The International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) is a relatively new international science olympiad, having begun in 2007. Be-sides the usual written and practical tests, co-operative activities like the International Field Team Investigation (ITFI) and Earth System Project (ESP) are special and exclusive to IESO. Two problems that are unique to Earth Science education are the lack of visibility and the quality of teaching of Earth Science. In recent years, the International Geoscience Education Organisation has brought in sweeping changes in the way IESO testing is done. This paper summarises how IESO has contributed to enhanc-ing the profile and visibility and the quality of earth science education: Through national level entrance test and National Earth Science Olympiad; through publicity regarding the entrance test and related Olympiad activities; through workshops during and between IESO’s; through Mentors and Observers; through the International Team Field Investigation (ITFI) and Earth System Project (ESP); and through hosting IESO. However, efforts have to be made to further increase the impact of IESO on the quali-ty of Earth Science education by several means, including having more countries to participate in IESO.

The Influence of Crustal Properties on Patterns of Quaternary Fluvial Stratigraphy in Eurasia

Compilation of empirical data on river-terrace sequences from across Eurasia during successive International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) projects revealed marked contrasts between the records from different crustal provinces, notably between the East European Platform (EEP) and the Caledonian/Variscan/Alpine provinces of western/central Europe. Well-developed terrace staircases, often indicative of hundreds of metres of Late Cenozoic uplift/fluvial incision, are preserved in many parts of the European continent, especially westward of the EEP. In contrast, rivers within the EEP have extensive sedimentary archives that are not preserved as terrace staircases; instead, they form sets of laterally accreted sediment packages, never more than a few tens of metres above or below modern river level. There are parallels in Asia, albeit that the crust of the Asian continent has a greater proportion of tectonically active zones, at one extreme, and stable platforms/cratons at the other. The observed patterns point strongly to the mobility of lower-crustal material within younger provinces, where the continental crust is significantly hotter, as a key part of the mechanism driving the progressive uplift that has led to valley incision and the formation of river terraces: a process of erosional isostasy with lower-crustal flow as a positive-feedback driver. The contrast between these different styles of fluvial-archive preservation is of considerable significance for Quaternary stratigraphy, as such archives provide important templates for the understanding of the terrestrial record.

Teaching of Geoscience in the context of basic education in Brazil

Brazil has a very large territory with a peculiar geological, pedologic, and climatic situation, with many natural resources, but also with situations of geological risk. The Geoscience knowledge needed to face these challenges can be learned at school. Official documents of Brazil and of the state of Sao Paulo were surveyedto determine the contents of Geoscience in the curriculum of basic education. It was observed that the topics of Geoscience in these documents are limited and separated into various disciplines: natural sciences and geography, in elementary education, and biology, geography, chemistry, and physics in high school. The documents propose an interdisciplinary approach. With references to international documents of the International Geoscience Education Organization, Earth System Education is proposed as a unifying theme for an interdisciplinary approach, and specific training on interdisciplinary work is suggested for teachers.

Educational challenges in the Portuguese UNESCO Global Geoparks: contributing for the implementation of the SDG 4

Abstract: With the approval in 2015 of the Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, and with the adoption by UNESCO of the new International Geoscience and Geoparks Program (IGGP), the UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGp) became an important UNESCO designation with the responsibility to fulfil the main principals and strategy of the Organization. By developing the four pillars of UNESCO: Education, Science, Culture and Communication and developing the UGGp activities in the framework of the referred Agenda and its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especial attention has been given to education. In fact, the definition of UGGp recognises the importance of education as a vital engine to promote a transformative change, lifelong learning opportunities for alland to foster quality inclusive education as expressed by SDG 4 “Quality Education”. The Portuguese UGGp in their own educational offer and in their joint educational activities, based in the targets of SDG 4, developed a set of several educational packages, along with the partnership based in the Educational Program “GEA – Mother Earth”. This aimed to involve school and local communities in a global vision that education is a key to the global integrated framework of the SDGs and plays a central role in a changing world. By demonstrating the educational challenges faced by the Portuguese UGGp in the field of education and their contribution for SDG 4, this paper can be considered an essay about the role of UGGp in this field. It seeks also to find some answers to some of the concerns raised nowadays: what type of education is required in the 21st century? How can UGGp through their educational offer contribute to adapt ourselves to change and to transform the world within which we live in? Can UGGp also contribute to the different dimensions of Sustainable Development through their educational programs and projects? These are some of the issues raised and inspired in the targets of SDG 4 that the UGGp seek to contribute through their educational initiatives.

Foreword to the Special Issue on the 2017 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

The papers included in this special issue were presented at the 2017 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS 2017)was held on July 23–28, 2017 at the Fort Worth Convention Center, Fort Worth, TX. The theme of the conference was “International Cooperation for Global Awareness.”

UNESCO Global Geoparks, Geotourism and Communication of the Earth Sciences: A Case Study in the Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark, France

The last twenty years have seen considerable developments in geotourism, a form of sustainable tourism. This has been also a period of significant development for UNESCO Global Geoparks (UGGps), on one hand with the creation of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme, and the other, in the number and diversity of UGGps recognised across the world. Geoparks have particular characteristics, such as a spatial engagement across an area, as well as the long-term commitment associated with this type of label. UGGps take a broad approach to geotourism, and seek to engage with all demographics, including “unsuspecting” geotourists. This is particularly relevant when considering that the Geopark profile has evolved since the introduction of the UNESCO label, and that a number UGGps are pre-existing tourist destinations and have diverse economies and strong growth. UGGps draw on professional, multidisciplinary teams that combine scientific knowledge, science communication, and outreach events to achieve effective heritage transmission through actions that target schools, the local population, and the general public. These are not traditional structures and do not have behavioural constraints imposed on them as experienced by some educational structures or museums. The present case study is an example of the type of innovation seen in UGGps, whereby novel solutions are employed in order to touch as wide a public as possible. The action presented is a winter outreach event for the general public in the Chablais UNESCO Global Geopark (France), that was developed in partnership with the Portes du Soleil association of 12 ski resorts. This consisted of an orienteering/treasure hunt game across one of the world’s largest ski domains, that included panels with anecdotes presenting different aspects of the Chablais geoheritage. It demonstrates that it is possible to engage with a sporting public that is seeking experiences and is not expecting to sacrifice time or exert effort to deepen knowledge or gain cultural insight. Interestingly, the study shows that careful event design, including concise language choice and a strict avoidance of technical vocabulary, results in the effective transmission of heritage information. The game participants were not geotourists, and yet displayed a good appetite for Earth science and cultural heritage knowledge. The study concluded that the sporting general public retained information about the geoheritage of the area, was open to participating in future Chablais UGGp events, and that they were interested in returning both to explore other aspects of the territory, and to visit in other seasons. The Chablais UGGp assessed the success and quality of the event and confirmed the relevance of a well-considered and layered geotourism strategy for territories with an UGGp label.

An Emerging Paradigm for the UNESCO Global Geoparks: The Ecosystem’s Health Provision

During the 38th General Conference of UNESCO, the Member States ratified the creation of the International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP) expressing governmental recognition of the importance of managing outstanding geological sites and landscapes in a holistic manner. In this context, the importance of human interactions with the natural environment to promote healthy lifestyles was primarily a response to the need to preserve and enhance the value of the UNESCO Global Geoparks as well as highlighting their usefulness for the sustainable development of local populations. The aim of this paper is to suggest an interdisciplinary approach to be applied to UNESCO Global Geoparks for a standardized survey and grading methodology that can be used to assess the ability to provide and promote healthy lifestyles, which is called the Ecosystem’s Health Provision Spectrum (EHPS) on an ecological scale. The suggested EHPS is in line with UNESCO’s priorities, in particular with the IGGP and its motto of “Geosciences in the Service of Society”. Therefore, the EHPS on an ecological scale will be another important tool for the UNESCO Global Geoparks, facilitating efficient management and promoting economic development, wellbeing and health.

地質科学国際研究計画(IGCP)と国際貢献(ぱれおんとエッセイ)

地質科学国際研究計画(IGCP)と国際貢献(ぱれおんとエッセイ)

Desecuritization as Displacement of Controversy: geopolitics, law and sovereign rights in the Arctic

By signing the Ilulissat Declaration of May 2008, the five littoral states of the Arctic Ocean pre-emptively desecuritized potential geopolitical controversies in the Arctic Ocean by confirming that international law and geo-science are the defining factors underlying the future delimitation. This happened in response to a rising securitization discourse fueled by commentators and the media in the wake of the 2007 Russian flag planting on the geographical North Pole seabed, which also triggered harder interstate rhetoric and dramatic headlines. This case, however, challenges some established conventions within securitization theory. It was state elites that initiated desecuritization and they did so by shifting issues in danger of being securitized from security to other techniques of government. Contrary to the democratic ethos of the theory, these shifts do not necessarily represent more democratic procedures. Instead, each of these techniques are populated by their own experts and technocrats operating according to logics of right (law) and accuracy (science). While shifting techniques of government might diminish the danger of securitized relations between states, the shift generates a displacement of controversy. Within international law we have seen controversy over its ontological foundations and within science we have seen controversy over standards of science. Each of these are amplified and take a particularly political significance when an issue is securitized via relocation to another technique. While the Ilulissat Declaration has been successful in minimizing the horizontal conflict potential between states it has simultaneously given way for vertical disputes between the signatory states on the one hand and the Indigenous peoples of the Arctic on the other.

GLOBAL GEOPARKS NETWORK AND THE NEW UNESCO GLOBAL GEOPARKS PROGRAMME

The Geopark concept was introduced at late 90’s aiming to protect and promote Earth heritage sites through the sustainable local development of territories containing abiotic nature of significant value. The Global Geoparks Network (GGN) established in 2004 operates as an international platform of cooperation among Geoparks around the world The GGN includes 120 Geoparks in 33 countries working to protect Geological heritage and promote local sustainable development. The 38th UNESCO General Conference (November 2015) ratified the statutes of the new International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme and the UNESCO Global Geoparks Operational Guidelines, introducing the brand UNESCO Global Geopark as a label of excellence for areas that meet the criteria set by the above mentioned guidelines. In doing so, it has legally endorsed the new UNESCO label of “UNESCO Global Geopark" and the endorsement of all the existing 120 Global Geoparks to become UNESCO Global Geoparks with immediate effect.The UNESCO Global Geopark branding could strongly contribute to raising EarthHeritage sites visibility in the world and in high-quality public outreach onsustainable development linked to issues on geodiversity, the environment,geohazards, climate change and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Remote Sensing Code Library [Software and Data Sets

Forward progress in remote sensing science and technology relies on the free exchange of results and ideas as well as the dissemination of remotely sensed data acquired by ground-based, airborne, and spaceborne sensors. An important ingredient is the family of computer codes and algorithms used by scientists and engineers to analyze data, model and calibrate sensors, and associate sensor output with the physical parameters of the observed scenes. Scientific journals and meetings—such as IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing and the IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing symposia—play an important role in facilitating the exchange of scientific information, but their domains do not encompass computer codes. For the most part, remote sensing computer codes remain hidden from public view. The Remote Sensing Code Library (RSCL) is an IEEE Geoscience and Remote Sensing Society initiative to establish a large family of remote sensing computer codes—contributed by members of the remote sensing community and their host institutions—for use by other members of the community not only to verify and extend published results but to also reduce the duplication of time and effort invested in the development of these codes.

Special Issue on the 2016 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

Special Issue on the 2016 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

Integrated stratigraphic, geochemical, and paleontological late Ediacaran to early Cambrian records from southwestern Mongolia: Comment

Global correlation of sedimentary rock successions requires an integrated approach that uses all fossil-based and alternative (lithostratigraphic, geochemical, paleomagnetic, geochronologic, sequence stratigraphic) data (e.g., Van Couvering and Berggren, 1977). Proposed global correlations and their role in interpreting Earth and biotic history require a thorough examination of the utility and temporal resolution allowed by each correlation technique in comparison to the others. The article by Smith et al. (2016) is a welcome contribution to understanding the Upper Ediacaran(?)‒Lower Cambrian succession of the Zavkhan terrane in the Khasagt-Khairkhan Range of southwestern Mongolia. Their work complements earlier syntheses on the Zavkhan terrane completed by Soviet-Mongolian teams (e.g., Voronin et al., 1982; Esakova and Zhegallo, 1996) and under International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) Project 303, “Late Precambrian−Cambrian Event Stratigraphy” (Brasier et al., 1996a; see associated papers in Geological Magazine , v. 133, no. 4).

Fforest Fawr Geopark—a UNESCO Global Geopark distinguished by its geological, industrial and cultural heritage

The creation of the European Geoparks Network in 2000 was followed by the establishment of the Global Geoparks Network in 2004, incorporating the European Geoparks Network. On November 17, 2015, UNESCO sanctioned the creation of a new designation, the UNESCO Global Geoparks, as part of UNESCO’s new International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP). This is the first initiative of its kind to be established by UNESCO for 40 years and is the result of effective networking among geoparks and their partners aiming to achieve significant progress in geo-conservation, geotourism, environmental education and sustainable local development.Geoparks are located primarily in rural areas which are both remote and underdeveloped or which have experienced economic decline. In order to become a UNESCO Global Geopark, a geopark must demonstrate that it has a significant geological heritage, has well defined boundaries and is large enough to support a sustainable strategy for economic development based upon that heritage. In addition to its geology, a geopark should also make use of sites of archaeological, ecological, historical or cultural significance as these are often linked to the underlying geology. The ultimate objective of a UNESCO Global Geopark is to use the designation as a vehicle to engage communities in protecting these assets in ways which contribute to the economic development of their territory.The Fforest Fawr Geopark, the first geopark in Wales, became a member of the European and Global Geoparks Networks in 2005 and a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2015. The geopark was established in the western area of the Brecon Beacons National Park because that area has a strong identity in terms of its geology and Welsh industrial and cultural heritage. In addition, while the eastern area of the National Park was a more popular tourist destination, the area designated as the geopark was less well known, more remote in character, and economically less prosperous.The geopark’s approximately 480 million year geological heritage provides a resource for developing geotourism and for educational activities. Nearly 11,500 years of human activity created a cultural landscape in which ancient monuments contrast with the relicts of industrial activity. With the coming of the Industrial Revolution the geological resources of Fforest Fawr were systematically exploited for over 200 years to supply South Wales’s expanding metal industry. During this time mining, quarrying and brick making contributed to wealth creation and South Wales was a major player in the new industrial age which changed the world. The area of Fforest Fawr Geopark, with its close association to the South Wales Coalfield played a significant role in global industrial history.In addition, the rich culture of the geopark’s early inhabitants comes to life in myths and legends and some of Europe’s oldest stories and myths are associated with the area of Fforest Fawr Geopark.

Teacher training workshops in India – A report

The International Geoscience Education Organisation organized three Teacher Training Workshops in Goa, Mangaluru and Bengaluru during July 2-5, July 7-10 and July 12-15, 2015 jointly with the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, St. Aloysius College (Autonomous) and the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology. These were organised as a pilot project to test the impact of such an approach in an Indian setting.

Teacher Training Workshops in India – A Report

The International Geoscience Education Organisation organized three Teacher Training Workshops in Goa, Mangaluru and Bengaluru during July 2-5, July 7-10 and July 12-15, 2015 jointly with the National Centre for Antarctic and Ocean Research, St. Aloysius College (Autonomous) and the Karnataka State Council for Science and Technology. These were organised as a pilot project to test the impact of such an approach in an Indian setting.

Early–Middle Paleozoic ecosystem evolution and revolution (Part 2 of 2): an introduction

Papers included in this special issue have been derived and developed mostly from contributions presented at the 5th Annual Meeting of the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) Project 591, held jointly with the 5th International Symposium on the Silurian System, sponsored by the International Subcommission on Silurian Stratigraphy (ISSS). The joint meeting was hosted by the Institut national de la recherche scientifique – Eau Terre Environnement (INRS–ETE) in Quebec City, Canada, including 3 days of scientific sessions, a pre-conference field excursion to the Gaspe Peninsula, a mid-conference excursion to the vicinity of Quebec City, and a post-conference excursion to Anticosti Island, Quebec. The goals of IGCP 591 and the joint meeting with ISSS were outlined in the first volume of this two-volume series (Jin and Melchin 2016). The papers in this volume cover a range of topics in Early–Middle Paleozoic paleontology, stratigraphy, and geochemistry. Microfossils, particularly conodonts, …

Early–Middle Paleozoic ecosystem evolution and revolution (Part 1 of 2): an introduction

Papers included in this special issue have been derived and developed mostly from contributions presented at the 5th Annual Meeting of the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP) Project 591, held jointly with the 5th International Symposium on the Silurian System sponsored by the International Subcommission on Silurian Stratigraphy (ISSS). The joint meeting was hosted by the Institut national de la recherche scientifique – Eau Terre Environnement (INRS–ETE) in Quebec City, Canada, including 3 days of scientific sessions, a pre-conference field excursion to the Gaspe Peninsula, a mid-conference excursion to the vicinity of Quebec City, and a post-conference excursion to Anticosti Island, Quebec. Built on the tremendous success and momentum gathered by its two predecessors, the IGCP Project 410 (The Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event, 1997–2002; Webby et al. 2004) and Project 503 (Ordovician Palaeogeography and Palaeoclimate, 2004– 2009; Harper et al. 2011), the current IGCP Project 591 (The Early to Middle Paleozoic Revolution) aims to enrich our knowledge about the geological interval from the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE) to the expansion of the terrestrial ecosystems in the Devonian. After the Cambrian Explosion that saw the origin of nearly all animal phyla, the GOBE was marked by an exponential increase in diversity in terms of ordinal, superfamilial, and familial taxonomic units. Life evolution from the Early Ordovician to the Early Devonian, the key geological interval targeted by IGCP 591, was associated with a large number of significant paleoenvironmental events in Earth history, leading to global ecosystem revolutions, …

Foreword to the Special Issue on the 2015 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium

The papers in this special section were presented at the 2015 International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS 2015)was held on July 26 through 31, 2015 at the Milano Congressi Center in Milano, Italy. The main theme of the conference was Remote Sensing: Understanding the Earth for a Safer World.