Subduction Zone Observatories Workshop

Earthscope Consortium Inc., Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The Subduction Zone Observatories (SZO) concept is a multidisciplinary facility and associated science program to study a significant portion of one or more of the circum-Pacific/Caribbean subduction zones as an integrated system. Subduction zones contain a rich diversity of tectonic processes operating at a wide range of temporal and spatial scales, from plate-scale over millions of years to grain-scale over microseconds. Subduction zones span continental to oceanic environments, and interact with biological processes and climate. Subduction zones are responsible for many of Earth's most extreme natural events including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis. These hazards coupled with increasing population density in these regions leads to an urgent need to understand how subduction zones work to better inform hazard assessment, mitigation, forecasting, and early warning. Emerging technologies, strong international partnerships, open access data, and the success of long-term community experiments supported by EarthScope and MARGINS/GeoPRISMS establish a strong foundation to investigate the entire subduction zone system from an integrated, multidisciplinary perspective and at multiple scales. A Subduction Zone Observatory workshop will provide a critical forum to build community consensus across a range of disciplines and constituencies, and an opportunity for early career scientists and senior graduate students to help shape a new transformative initiative. A systems approach to the study of subduction zone processes promotes integration across multiple disciplines, interagency and international collaboration and partnerships, technological innovation, early career development, education and training for graduate students including students from underrepresented groups, and improved hazard assessment.