Status and By-Laws

 Adopted at JTC Business Meeting on July 14, 2009 in Novosibirsk, Russia

Status

The Tsunami Commission is jointly sponsored by IASPEI, IAPSO and IAVCEI. It was established at the 12th General Assembly of IUGG in Helsinki, Finland in 1960 to promote the exchange of scientific and technical information about tsunamis among nations concerned with the tsunami hazard. Since then, the Commission has held Tsunami Symposia, both as part of IUGG General Assemblies and independently in alternate years. 

Scope

• The Tsunami Commission is an international group of scientists concerned with various aspects of tsunamis, including an improved understanding of the dynamics of generation, propagation and coastal runup and the consequences to society of the tsunami hazard.

• Tsunamis are generated by various submarine processes such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and submarine landslides, so that research is necessarily interdisciplinary, requiring studies that include the fields of seismology, volcanology, marine geology and geophysics, and hydrodynamics.

• Tsunami research can take the form of theoretical studies, numerical and physical modeling, and field observations acquired in the deep ocean, in offshore waters and along coastlines. Research on past tsunamis includes the identification of tsunami evidence in geological records or historical documents, and efforts to reduce the hazard include tsunami risk evaluation, countermeasures, public education, and other mitigation programs.

Activities

• Hold International Tsunami Symposium (ITS) every two years. When IUGG GA is held, ITS will be a part of IUGG sessions. At the years between IUGG meetings, ITS may be held independently, or jointly with one of IASPEI, IAVCEI or IAPSO meetings. Advertise, organize and program the ITS or tsunami sessions at the above meeting.

• The selected papers presented at the ITS (or IUGG Tsunami Session) have been published as proceeding volumes. Call for papers, edit (review process) and publish the papers.

• In case of tsunami events, organize and dispatch International Tsunami Survey Team (ITST) and exchange information.

• Form working groups as needed to promote research activity or support outreach of research results.

• Daily communication is made through Tsunami Bulletin Board (TBB), hosted by ITIC.

Membership

• Nomination of new members must be submitted to the JTC chair prior to the commission meeting from other member of the same country. 

• If there is no member from the same country, members of another country can nominate a new member for another country. 

• The nominee is expected to be present at the meeting to be approved. 

• A member who misses three consecutive business meetings will lose the member status.

Officers

• Officers will be elected every 4 years (at the IUGG GAs). Officers cannot stay in the same position for more than two terms (eight years).

- IASPEI : no more than two periods (8 years).

- IAVCEI : normally serve for periods not exceeding four years.

- IAPSO: no explicit rule.

• Nomination of Officers: Nomination committee will submit a slate of candidates prior to the business meeting where the election is made. 

• Nomination Committee for Officers after 2011: Bernard (JTC chair 1987-1995), Gusiakov (JTC chair 1995-2003), Satake (JTC chair 2003-2011).

*** End of By-laws***