We would like to inform about two geomorphological sessions during Regional Conference of the International Geographical Union (http://www.igu2014.org/) which will be held in Krakow (Poland), August 18-22, 2014:
1. Geomorphological hazards in different morphoclimatic zones � magnitude and frequency. Conveners: Zofia Rączkowska (Poland), Piotr Migon (Poland), Zbigniew Zwoliński (Poland)
Magnitude and frequency of geomorphological hazards are related to climate. In the recent past geomorphologists reported changes in relief which could be recognized as extreme and hazardous in nature. Their occurrence indicates changes of climate, probably not only in local or regional scale but also in global one. The session focused on magnitude and frequency of geomorphological hazards in different morphoclimatic zones, from polar to tropic one and in different environment from mountains to lowlands. It deals with high-energy geomorphological processes like landslide, debris flows, snow and rock avalanches, floods and flash floods, storms, earthquakes etc., which used to form hazards. Of interest are contributions demonstrating hazardous aspect of other geomorphological processes, impact of geomorphological hazards on landform and human activity. The contributions will range from traditional field techniques, conventional data collection, use of remote sensing, Geographical Information System, computer aided technique to advance geostatistical and dynamic modelling. Selected papers of the session will be considered for publication in the relevant international journals.
Major Topics include:
1. Geomorphological hazards nature, frequency and magnitude.
2. Climate-induced versus man-induced geomorphological hazards.
3. Methods and methodology of recognition and prediction of geomorphological hazards.
4. Risk related to geomorphological hazards in different climatic zones.
2. Geomorphometry of landforms in different landscape zones. Conveners: Zbigniew Zwoliński (Poland), Francis Harvey (USA)
Supply of various amounts of solar radiation to the terrestrial Earth's surface from the North Pole to the South Pole causes diversified reactions of geomorphological and hydrological processes shaping the surface of the Earth. On a diverse supply of solar radiation shall be imposed in addition to its seasonal variability throughout the year. As a result of the repeated delivery of radiation in daily, seasonal, annual, multi-year and even longer cycles and the corresponding dominant, secondary and extreme processes produces in the globe a distinctive belt system matching separate landscape zones. In view of the permanent recurrence of the same or similar geomorphological and hydrological processes in similar spatial and temporal scales, is indeed a relief type well enough formed to be grasped by geomorphometric parameterization? Can individual landscape zones be classified with geomorphometric parameters? Whether the geomorphometric analysis describing the different landforms and types of relief is sufficiently exhaustive to replace or perhaps even exclude morphogenetic approach in landscape analysis? Can, therefore, geomorphometric class ranges be formulated for landforms, relief types, morphoclimatic zones and finally, for landscape zones? Today, Geographic Information Systems and Science, digital data with the increasing resolution coming among others from terrestrial and airborne laser scanning and satellite imageries, more and better algorithms describing the Earth’s surface, automatization of big data calculations, progressing methodology of geomorphometric analyses, all these favourable circumstances to take up the approach of quantitative classification of the surface of the Earth, which so far has not been worked out satisfactorily. Finding regularities and quantitative-statistical characteristics of the Earth landforms represented by landscapes would offer new opportunities in the geographical considerations and discussions on the influence of climatic changes on the shaping of terrestrial Earth. Selected papers will be published in significant geomorphological and/or geographic information journals.
Send your abstract before January 15, 2014.
Please visit conference's Website http://www.igu2014.org/ and register your abstract.