Solid Earth Sciences Section

  The Solid Earth Sciences cover various research subjects, for instance, the structure and history of the Earth, earthquake and volcanoes, rocks and minerals, and recently extends to those of terrestrial planets.  Thus, our research methods include physical and chemical observations and geological surveys in a field, physical experiments and chemical analysis in a laboratory, and theoretical and numerical modeling, etc.  Furthermore, we handle a wide range of space and time, from atom to whole Earth for scale, femtoseconds to giga-years for time.  We have challenged to reveal the composition, state, and structure of the solid Earth consisting of the crust, mantle, and core, that is a snapshot of the evolution process of the Earth at the present time.  To understand and forecast the Earth’s evolution, it is important to study geological records left on the surface of the Earth, to analyze rocks that reflect and record the state of inner Earth of each geological era with petrological and geochemical methods, and to consider theoretical and numerical modeling with time. The Solid Earth Sciences Section comprises the researchers who conduct such studies.

The Solid Earth Sciences Section is also closely related to the research activities of other sections of JpGU. Investigation of rocks and stratums throughout the geological time is essential for understanding surface environmental changes, which is the main theme of the Human Geosciences Section.  In addition, resource exploration and mitigation of natural disasters are also issues that the two sections should work on together.  On the other hand, understanding the atmospheric and hydrospheric environments, which is the main theme of the Atmospheric and Hydrospheric Sciences Section, requires cooperation between the two sections to understand the transport and circulation of volatile components.  Furthermore, the origin of the Earth, the formation of the central core in the early Earth, and the relationship between Giant Impact and the formation of the Earth-Moon system are also essential for Solid Earth Sciences to view the Earth from multiple angles in cooperation with the Space and Planetary Sciences Section.

Finally, in the Solid Earth Sciences Section, we encourage to organize new academic groups called as focus groups.  The focus groups aim to promote session proposals as well as provide research opportunities and exchange scientific information over the barriers of the existing academic societies.  Furthermore, they are also expected to have a function as a window for international societies such as AGU, IUGG, EGU, AOGS, etc.  Currently, we have vigorously active five focus groups: Earth’s interior science, Hard rock drilling science, Thermochronology on Earth’s surface processes, Ocean floor Earth science, and Science of slow and fast earthquakes.