2nd Tsunami Field Symposium


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The Universities of Bari, Lecce (Italy) and Marburg (Germany) invite coastal researchers on behalf of the IGCP Project 497:
“Quaternary Land-Ocean Interactions: Driving Mechanisms and Coastal Responses” to the 2nd International Tsunami Field Symposium to be held in Ostuni (Brindisi, Italy) and in the Ionian Islands from Monday, 22 September to Saturday 28 September 2008. The symposium will be a multi-disciplinary international meeting for scientists interested in tsunami research.
Topics of this meeting will include:


(1) Tsunami generation and propagation
(2) Tsunami sediments and landforms
(3) Palaeo tsunami landfalls – historical and geoarchaeological aspects
(4) The role of tsunamis in coastal geomorphology and evolution
(5) Tsunami modelling
(6) Tsunami hazard, vulnerability and risk assessment
(7) Tsunami alert network
(8) Differentiation between tsunamis and other extreme events



Purpose


 

Scientific communications and posters will contribute to define a complete and detailed synthesis of latest advances in studies on tsunamis and their implications on the evolution and dynamics of coastal geomorphological systems.
Several field trips are incorporated into the programme of the symposium and give outstanding examples of tsunami imprint on the Mediterranean coasts. Research results, open questions and new approaches to palaeo-tsunami research are presented and discussed in the field.

Programme
 
The symposium is composed by one and a half days of scientific communications and a permanent poster session. Two and a half days will be devoted to field trips along the coast of southern Apulia where deposits and landforms attributed to historical tsunamis can be observed. The first day will introduce the participants to the main findings of tsunami impact on the Ionian coast, the second day to findings along the Adriatic coast.
Two more optional days will lead the participants to selected sites along the coasts of Akarnania (northwestern Greece) and Lefkada Island which belongs to the Ionian Islands (Greece). Here, geomorphological and sedimentlogical evidence of multiple late Holocene tsunami landfalls detected during the past years will be presented and discussed.
Travelling between southern Italy and northwestern Greece will be accomplished by overnight ferry between Bari or Brindisi (two nights) and Igoumenitsa. The trip also comprises a one-night stay at the Hotel Lefkas in Lefkada city.

Location and climate
 
Ostuni is located in the south easternmost part of Italy in the region of Puglia. It is about 800 km distant from Rome and about 65 km far from Bari, the capital of Puglia region, and 30 km distant from Brindisi, the capital of the district. The region of Puglia is one of most favourable holiday areas of Italy. Its coasts are studded by splendid beaches and astonishing landscapes made precious by the heritage of the numerous civilizations which traversed Puglia region during prehistoric and historic times.
The food is superb and represented by a regional diet composed of typical types of pasta (orecchiette and fischiaruli), vegetables, typical cheese, fish and meat. The region has a Mediterranean climate which is characterized by a dry and warm summer and a moderately rainy winter. Weather in September is quite warm; the maximum temperature in September is about 26 °C, the minimum about 18 °C. Rain is rare in this period and generally represented by short showers. The sea surface temperature at the end of September is of about 22 °C,
still suitable for swimming.
The optional Ionian Islands Field Trip will introduce the participants to outstanding geomorphological and sedimentological evidence of Holocene tsunami landfalls such as large washover fans, dislocated blocks, tsunamigenic deposits up to 15 m above present sea level, erosional unconformities, breakthrough channel to and tsunamigenic deposits in a near-coast limnic environment, etc. Moreover, selected geoarchaeological highlights and aspects of Holocene coastal changes will be presented. The trip comprises overnight ferry passages to Igoumenitsa/Greece and back and a one-night stay at the Hotel Lefkas in Lefkada city including a typically Greek dinner and authentic atmosphere in the historical center of Lefkada city. The area around Lefkada Island as well as the Sound of Lefkada is an upcoming destination for sail-tourism and is considered as insider tip.
 
Symposium Location
 
  The symposium will be held in Ostuni (Brindisi, Puglia,Italy). Ostuni is a very picturesque medieval town located approximately 30 minutes drive from Brindisi Airport which is connected to all main international airports of Italy. During the summer season, direct flights are also available from some European cities.
The railway station of Ostuni is connected to the main Italian cities by high-speed trains (Eurostar).
Bus services from Brindisi Airport and Ostuni railway station to the symposium site will be organized for the participants of the symposium.
The scientific communication will be held in the
Plaia Hotel (***) (visit the website: www.hotelplaia.it) along the seaside of Villanova few km far from the center of Ostuni.

Congress Organizer

G.D.S. Geo Data Service

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