IDL Seminars 2010

O Instituto Dom Luiz, Laboratório Associado, organiza um ciclo de Conferências sobre Modelação do Sistema Terrestre “IDL Seminars 2010”, convidando todos os interessados, investigadores, alunos e público em geral, a participar e a promover ampla divulgação da iniciativa.

A próxima conferência realiza-se no dia 20 de Maio de 2010, pelas 11.00 horas, no anfiteatro 6.2.53 do Edifício C6 da Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa:

“The evolution of Alpine/Himalayan type orogens: role of lithospheric/crustal buckling?”

Jean-Pierre Burg

Geologisches Institut, ETH Zürich

This lecture advocates the role of lithospheric folding in mountain building processes. Geophysical arguments are summarized before geological evidence, taken from the Himalayas, is presented and discussed in the light of analogue and numerical modelling. Lithospheric folds are finally ascribed a major role in the preparation of strain localization into crustal-scale thrusts and in the organization of Asian topography, including the deformation of river paths.

Jean-Pierre Burg has been full Professor (ETH/University of Zurich) at the Institute of Geology of the ETH Zurich since September 1, 1993. Prof. Burg was born on April 25, 1953 in Meknès, Morocco and is of French nationality. He received a scholarship from the British Council enabling him to study as a graduate student at the Imperial College in London from October 1975 to July 1976. From 1979 to 1983 he did scientific research at the French CNRS. His dissertation was honored with great distinction by the USTL Montpellier in May 1983. In November 1983 he assumed a post as research fellow at Melbourne University. In March 1986 he was appointed Research Director at the CNRS Center for Geology and Geophysics in Montpellier, a post he held until he was called to the ETH. Prof. Burg has many editorial responsibilities. He has been chief editor of "Geodinamica Acta" and "Geologie de la France" and is now one of the Chief Editors of "TECTONOPHYSICS".

Conferência no Instituto Geofísico de Lisboa

Instituto Geofísico do Infante D. Luís

Conferência

22 de Abril de 2010 - Sala 6.2.53 - 11.00 -12.00 horas


The Challenge of Climate Change - Professor Sir Brian Hoskins*

Climate varies on all time-scales and this natural variability provides a challenge to the detection of any possible change due to human activity and to the prediction of future changes. 19th century science provides the basis for confidence that such changes can be expected and many independent sources of data support that they are occurring. Complex climate models run on supercomputers aid in this attribution and give projections for future climate based on specified scenarios of human activity. However most impacts of climate change will depend on extreme regional weather changes and events for which the current predictive power is poor though much progress is achievable.

Probability predictions for future climate change have provided the basis for global emission mitigation scenarios that have been used to produce UK targets that have now been enshrined in its law. The changes in human activity and the development and applications of the technology required to meet such targets are possible but very challenging.

*Professor Sir Brian Hoskins is a Royal Society Research Professor and member of the new Committee on Climate Change. He shares his time between the Grantham Institute for Climate Change at Imperial College and Reading University, where he is Professor of Meteorology and was a head of department for six years. Sir Brian is recognised as one of the world's leading weather and climate scientists.