EGU Blogs

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HS
Hydrological Sciences

Hybrid field courses – a teaching format beyond emergency solution?

October 21, 2020
Hybrid field courses – a teaching format beyond emergency solution?

Conducting field courses in times of a pandemic can be challenging. In our case, we had to cancel a planned field trip in economic geography that would have taken 19 students and two advisors to the Valle Maira in the Italian province of Cuneo in the Piemont. We had planned to spend 10 days in this region to develop ideas for sustainable development of peripheral mountain regions. Students would h ...[Read More]

TS
Tectonics and Structural Geology

Features from the Field: Angular Unconformities

October 21, 2020
Features from the Field: Angular Unconformities

An angular unconformity is an erosional surface that truncates older, tilted sedimentary layers and that is overlain by younger layers, oriented parallel to the unconformity. The discovery and interpretation of angular unconformities, like the famous Hutton’s unconformity at Siccar Point, Scotland, marked a paradigm shift in the geological theories of the 18th century. At that time, the theo ...[Read More]

SM
Seismology

Volcano-seismology in North Korea

October 20, 2020
Volcano-seismology in North Korea

For any field-based seismologist, there is nothing more satisfying than standing in a remote location, laptop in hand finalising the installation of a new broadband seismic station. In 2013 this feeling was amplified as we deployed the first, and still the only broadband seismic array in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK, the formal name for North Korea). That it took almost two year ...[Read More]

ST
Solar-Terrestrial Sciences

Filmmakers get creative with the sounds of satellite data

October 19, 2020
Filmmakers get creative with the sounds of satellite data

One of the major motivations behind research into solar-terrestrial physics is the potential consequences of space weather on our technologically dependent society. Given this risk, recognised by many governments around the world, it is a little concerning that a sizable fraction of the public have never even heard of the term “space weather” – for example a recent public dialogue in the UK showed ...[Read More]

SSP
Stratigraphy, Sedimentology and Palaeontology

Tips for presenting a Webinar

October 19, 2020
Tips for presenting a Webinar

While many of us are experienced in giving presentations before a variety of audiences, for some, the switch to a remote presentation format can be daunting. With this in mind, and based on our experiences at sedsonline.com I have put together the following tips for our community – these are in no way exhaustive, but I do hope that you find them useful and I welcome any feedback or comments. Happy ...[Read More]

CR
Cryospheric Sciences

Women of Cryo II: Dr Lu Li

October 16, 2020
Women of Cryo II: Dr Lu Li

Women make up 50.8% of the worlds population, yet fewer than 30% of the world’s researchers are women. Of this percentage, BAME (Black Asia and Minority Ethnic) comprise around 5%, with less than 1% represented in geoscience faculty positions. The divide between women in the population and women in STEM needs to be addressed. Through a series of blog posts we hope to raise the voice of women in th ...[Read More]

CL
Climate: Past, Present & Future

The ocean floor is sinking under the weight of sea level rise

October 16, 2020
The ocean floor is sinking under the weight of sea level rise

Sea level rise is one of most dreadful consequences of anthropogenic (caused by humans) global warming. It is estimated that the loss of coastal infrastructure alone would cost the global economy more than 1 trillion dollars per year by 2100 [1]. This number is based on climate models, but these are only as good as our current understanding of the sea level rise. Therefore, researchers are monitor ...[Read More]

GD
Geodynamics

The Sassy Scientist – Join the Club?

October 16, 2020
The Sassy Scientist – Join the Club?

With his dazzling wit, charm and handsome moustache, Groucho has an engagements calendar that would make the most sparkly socialite jealous. He therefore asks: Should you ever turn down an invited presentation? Dear Groucho, If being dead since 1977 isn’t enough to get you out of an awkward invited spot, I recommend you follow your own advice: I refuse to join any club that would have me as ...[Read More]

SM
Seismology

Earthquake of the month: Bransfield Basin – Antarctica M 5.4

October 15, 2020
Earthquake of the month: Bransfield Basin – Antarctica M 5.4

As well as August, September was not highlighted by a large event (> M 7). The TOP 3 strongest earthquakes which occurred during this month correspond to a strike-slip earthquake in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (M 6.9), an interplate EQ in central-north Chile (M 6.8), and another EQ in a different segment of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (M 6.7). Furthermore, the largest event in Europe occurred on Septembe ...[Read More]

NP
Nonlinear Processes in Geosciences

Can we connect the exceptional floods in France and Italy associated with the storm Alex to climate change?

October 14, 2020

The first days of October were marked by an extreme weather event: storm Alex, a cyclone of Atlantic origin, caused massive showers and thunderstorms over Provence, the Alps, Piedmont and Liguria. In these regions, numerous historical records of precipitation were broken causing the flooding of several streams and rivers in which many people lost their lives. Economic damage was also significant a ...[Read More]