SubFac-SEIZE Workshop 2007

Workshop to Integrate Subduction Factory and Seismogenic Zone Studies in Central America

June 18-22, 2007, La Condesa Hotel
Heredia, Costa Rica

Over the past five years, a great number of studies have been carried across the Central American-Cocos convergent margin by US, German, and Central American science teams. Thus far, most studies have been conducted by single investigators or teams. The time is now to integrate such efforts to bear on a small number of fundamental problems. This workshop, which is the first Integration and Synthesis workshop for MARGINS and the German SFB574, will foster exchange of information, help develop consensus or debate on key issues, and aid in identifying additional scientific studies needed for significant breakthroughs.

Scope: This workshop, co-sponsored by MARGINS and the German SFB-574, will integrate offshore and onshore studies carried out in Central America over the past 5 years. This workshop will cover a wide array of topics that include A) the composition, age and structure of the diagenetic, metasomatic and metamorphic reactions within the subduction input (subducting plate and eroding forearc) and B) processes occurring within, structure of and output from the forearc, volcanic arc, backarc and mantle wedge.

Goals of the workshop will be to improve our understanding of:

Links between processes occurring in different parts of the subduction system, e.g. relationship between subduction input and output in the forearc and volcanic arc, material (especially volatile) fluxes through the system, how differences in subduction parameters (e.g. slab dip, crustal/lithospheric thickness) or mantle wedge structure/composition affect magma composition, the role of serpentine as a source of water in subduction zones, and the relationship between fluid release and seismic activity;

The processes that control the up- and down-dip limits of the seismogenic zone, geodetic vs. seismologic observations, silent slip events, fault zone permeability, seismic imaging, and hydrotectonic pulsing;

The temporal and spatial evolution of the subduction system;

The long- and short-term hazards related to the subduction zone, such as the origin and consequences of earthquakes, submarine and subaerial landslides/mass wasting, tsunamis and volcanic activity (eruptions and gas venting).

Conveners: Eli Silver (UC Santa Cruz , USA), Terry Plank (Boston University, USA), Kaj Hoernle (Christian-Albrechts University of Kiel & IFM-GEOMAR, Germany), Marino Protti (Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica), Guillermo Alvarado (Universidad de Costa Rica, Costa Rica), and Víctor González (Universidad Nacional, Costa Rica)

Applications due March 20, 2007 (CLOSED). A significant fraction of travel and accommodation expenses will be covered by a MARGINS-NSF award to U.S. and some foreign travelers, and by SFB574-DFG for their participants. Scientists from Central American countries are encouraged to apply. A number of spaces will be reserved for students and post-doc's.

Workshop Information