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Result page on ESC 2012 (European Seismological Commission): context, history, topics, industry areas (including oil and gas seismology), organizers, support and key participation figures.
Registered participants
758
scale above the expected corridor
Participating countries
85
geography wider than Europe
Abstracts submitted
656
strong scientific agenda
Summary and facts (short, to the point)
The 33rd General Assembly of the European Seismological Commission was held in Moscow from August 19 to 24, 2012 and became one of the most representative by geography of participants in the history of the ESC: preliminary registration statistics recorded 758 participants from 85 countries and 656 presented abstracts.
| Indicator | Waiting during the preparation period | Fact (registration) |
|---|---|---|
| Participants | 500-700 (of which about 200 are Russian scientists) | 758 |
| countries | broad international presence | 85 |
| Abstracts | high intensity of the program was expected | 656 |
The motto «Seismology without Borders» here is about practice: expansion of scientific cooperation, comparability of approaches, transfer of methods to applied circuits - from seismic hazard assessment to oil and gas and engineering geophysics.
Comparison with previous assemblies
| Assembly | Place and year | Participants | countries | Russian participation (persons) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-я | о. Crete (Hersonissos), 2008 | 550 | — | 27 |
| 32-я | Montpellier, 2010 | 739 | 63 | 32 (6th largest number) |
| 33-я | Moscow, 2012 | 758 | 85 | ≈200 |
History and mission of the ESC (ESC)
Seismology has a long tradition in Europe: more than 100 years ago, the first seismometers were installed in a number of regions, which initiated systematic research. The establishment of international structures (including the profile association of 1904, now known as the International Association for Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior) gave rise to sustained international cooperation.
In 1949, European scientists prepared a project for the creation of the European Union of Seismologists (the materials mention Ms. I. Lehmann, S. Charlier, J. P. Rothe and W. Wiesier), and since 1952 it has been functioning as the European Seismological Commission (ESC). The first ESC Assembly was held in 1952 in Stuttgart: it was attended by 47 scientists from 13 European countries; there were no representatives of the USSR among the participants at that time.
The mission of the ESC is to promote the development of seismology in European and Mediterranean countries (the area from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to the Urals and from the Arctic Ocean to North Africa) by supporting research, strengthening scientific cooperation and training young scientists.
Russia and the ESC: Participation and Roles
The USSR became a member of the ESC in 1956. In different years, the leading roles in the Commission were held by representatives of the USSR and Russia:
- E.F. Savarensky - President of the ESC (1968-1970)
- G.A. Sobolev - President of the ESC (1994-1998)
- N.V. Kondorskaya - member of the ESC Bureau (1976-1980)
- I.L. Nersesov - Member of the ESC Bureau (1984-1988)
The ESC General Assemblies were held twice in the USSR: in 1968 in Leningrad and in 1984 in Moscow. The decision to hold the 33rd Assembly in Moscow was taken by the ESC Council in September 2010.
Why Moscow (context of 2010 decision)
More than 26 years passed between the 1984 Moscow Assembly and the 2010 decision - a period of major changes in the country. At the same time, Russian seismologists were able to make a significant contribution to the maintenance and development of the observing system, to the understanding of the physics of the seismic process, and to the development of methods for predicting strong earthquakes.
The materials also emphasized the generational dimension: against the background of scientific and technological development, a new generation of young seismologists has formed, ready to take up the baton. In this sense, the 33rd Assembly was considered as a launching pad for further development of seismology in Russia.
«2012 is the year of the 60th anniversary of the formation of the ESC. This year is also the 150th anniversary of the birth of Academician B.B. Golitsyn - one of the founders of Russian seismology, theorist and inventor of the electrodynamic seismograph».
Scientific program: 10 thematic areas
The thematic structure of ESC 2012 captured the expansion of the discipline: from Earth structure and earthquake physics to data, AI and societal aspects.
- The internal structure of the Earth.
- Earthquake physics and related issues.
- Earthquake prediction.
- Features of natural and induced seismicity.
- Data collection and processing.
- Artificial intelligence in geophysical data analysis.
- Non-instrumental seismology.
- Seismic hazard and risk: deterministic and probabilistic approaches.
- Significant earthquakes in recent years.
- Seismology: societal aspects, education and socially oriented programs.
Work formats and application outline
- plenary lectures by leading scientists on the most topical issues;
- breakout sessions and symposia;
- poster presentations (poster presentations);
- exhibition of equipment and scientific literature on Earth sciences;
- school for young seismologists (in preparatory materials - on the basis of the profile service in Obninsk).
Special Symposium: «Seismology of Oil and Gas Fields»
At the 32nd Assembly (Montpellier, 2010), the special report «Seismology of Oil Fields» attracted notable interest. In preparation for ESC 2012, the intention to expand the direction and hold a specialized symposium was declared, so that production specialists would focus scientists on the current problems of exploration, development and field development, and seismologists would demonstrate the applicability of methods to oil and gas problems.
Applied discussion questions
- seismological support of fields and transportation systems;
- geophysical surveys at the survey stages and geo-environmental monitoring of OGC facilities;
- assessment of seismotectonic conditions, seismic zoning;
- application of GIS-technologies in the operation and development of oil and gas fields;
- Physical modeling of fracture formation in reservoir rocks for estimation of medium properties;
- Passive seismology (seismic noise without artificial sources) and engineering applications.
For subsoil use this direction is fundamental: seismology works as a circuit of managed uncertainty - from justification of engineering decisions to risk reduction at capital-intensive facilities.
Seismic hazard, risk and critical infrastructure
The achievements of modern seismology are of practical importance for assessing seismic hazard of territories and facilities of high responsibility: nuclear power engineering, chemical industry, main oil and gas pipelines - and, more broadly, for strengthening seismic safety.
Applied areas traditionally focus on earthquake early warning methods, as well as interaction with organizations responsible for public safety and prevention of accidents at industrial enterprises, including facilities of high geo-environmental hazard.
Organizers and support
The following organizers and supporting structures were noted in the submissions for ESC 2012.
Organizers
- European Seismological Commission (ESC)
- Department of Earth Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences
- Schmidt Institute of Physics of the Earth. O.Yu. Schmidt Institute of Earth Physics
- National Geophysical Committee
Support
- Russian Academy of Sciences
- Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on problems of seismology
- Federation Council Committee on Natural Resources and Environmental Protection
- International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG)
- Russian Geological Society (mentioned in news items)
Contacts of the technical secretariat (as published in the training materials): esc2012@onlinereg.ru, +7 (495) 726-51-35.
Chronology (reference points)
| Year/Date | Event | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| 1904 | Formation of an international association in the field of seismology | launch of institutional cooperation |
| 1952 | Launch of the ESC and the first Assembly (Stuttgart) | design of the European platform for interaction |
| 1956 | Accession of the USSR to the ESC | inclusion of the Russian school in the ESC framework |
| 1968 / 1984 | ESC Assemblies in the USSR (Leningrad; Moscow) | historical points of presence |
| 09.2010 | Decision on holding the 33rd Assembly in Moscow | return of the site to Moscow after 26+ years |
| 2008 / 2010 | 31st (Crete) and 32nd (Montpelier) Assemblies. | increasing representativeness and application outline |
| 19-24.08.2012 | ESC 2012 Moscow | 758 participants / 85 countries / 656 abstracts |
«...all-round expansion of the boundaries of seismology application in solving geological problems...fruitful discussions...new creative contacts...»
A bibliographic reference for one of the preparation materials: Geodynamics & Tectonophysics, 2011, Vol. 2, Issue 4, pp. 446-449, DOI: 10.5800/GT-2011-2-4-0057.