COMSTECH – QAU International Seminar on “Seismicity, Seismotectonic, Seismic Hazards Including Geological & Geophysical Aspects”

(An Activity under COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence)

March 11 – 12, 2021

COMSTECH Secretariat, Islamabad

Abstract

Program

Introduction

A natural hazard is a natural occurrence that may adversely affect humans, and animals or the environment. It is possible to classify natural hazard occurrences into two different categories: Geophysical/Geological, Meteorological or Climate, Hydrological, Biological and multiple hazards.

Geophysical/Geological hazards involves Avalanche, Earthquake, Coastal erosion, Landslide, Sinkhole and Volcanic eruption. Earthquakes occur along tectonic plates, which exists in the uppermost portion of the earth, when ample elastic strain energy is accumulated to drive the propagation of fractures along a fault. Around 500,000 earthquakes are expected to occur every year, observable with current instrumentation. Around 80% of the world’s earthquakes takes place in the 40,000-kilometer-long (25,000 mi), horseshoe-shaped region called the circum-Pacific seismic belt, known as the Pacific Ring of Fire. Minor earthquakes occur almost regularly across the world in areas such as California and Alaska in the U.S., Indonesia, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Mexico, Guatemala, Chile, Peru, Philippines, Portugal, and New Zealand. Major earthquakes often appear to occur along other plate boundaries, such as along the Himalayan Mountains. According to some studies, Seismologists/ Geologists/ Geophysicists are of the view, that global warming is one of the reasons for increased seismic activity. In addition, the equilibrium of pressure on Earth’s tectonic plates is disrupted by melting glaciers and increasing sea levels, thus causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of earthquakes.

Most of the Member States of the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) are in the world’s most Earthquake disaster-prone regions, and have suffered a large number of Earthquakes in the past. These earthquakes caused both human casualties and economic losses e.g. the 7.6 Mw  October  8, 2005  earthquake in parts of western Kashmir, Pakistan and 7.0 Mw October 30, 2020, in Izmir, Turkey, and Iran, brought  along  a  lot  of  misery  and  devastation. These earthquakes have raised the general awareness about earthquake related hazards, and efforts are underway towards an effective earthquake risk reduction program, especially in hazard prone areas of these countries. This challenging task facing the OIC countries must incorporate the existing expertise on earthquakes for integration into its natural hazards mitigation program.

Objectives

The “COMSTECH – QAU International Seminar on “Seismicity, Seismotectonic, Seismic Hazards Including Geological & Geophysical Aspects is a Joint Activity under the COMSTECH Consortium of Excellence.

The main aim of this seminar is to provide a forum and scientific discussion related to causes, consequences of, and responses to Earthquakes. This seminar will help bringing together relevant professionals from the OIC Member States to address the afore mentioned challenges.  Topics to be addressed are:

Thematic Areas

•   Ground Shaking

•   Soil Liquefaction

•   Human Impacts

•   Landslides and Tsunami

•   Earthquake Laboratories

•   Prediction and Preparedness

•   Earth System Physics

•   Geological /Geophysical Aspects

•   Computational Seismology

•   Civil Structures

•   Seismic Hazard

•   Virtual OIC Earthquake Seismology Group Formulation

Registration Process

Step 1: Open online registration form at https://forms.gle/EzJnDz3donSzD6Pv8

Step 2: Read instructions in the application form carefully and submit a properly filled form.

Step 3: Selected candidates will be notified through email; hence, applicants are required to check their emails regularly.

Distinguished Speakers

1. Prof. Dr. John Nabelek  (Professor, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University, USA)
2. Prof. Dr. Peter Clift (Charles T. McCord Endowed Professor, College of Science, Louisiana State University, USA)
3. Prof. Dr. Abdelkrim Aoudia (Head, Solid Earth Physics, Int.Centre of Theoretical Physics ICTP,Italy)
4. Prof. Dr. Mehdi Zare (Professor of Engineering Seismology, International Institute of Earthquake Engineering and Seismology, Tehran, Iran)
5. Dr. Masoud Mojarab (Senior Researcher, University of Tehran, School of Mining College of Engineering, Iran)
6. Dr. Tehseen Zafar (CAS-TWAS fellow, Institute. Of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences)
7. Mr. Kazim Mehdi (Ex-Director, Micro Seismic Network, Tarbela, WAPDA)
8. Mr. Sohail Kibria (Head, R &D and Geotechnical &Environment NESPAK)
9. Dr. Muhammad Ali (Director, Centre Earthquake Studies, NCP, QAU Campus, Islamabad)
10. Mr. Zahid Rafi (Director, Seismic Monitoring Centre, PMD, Islamabad)
11. Mr. Atif Nawaz (Senior Geosciences Advisor, Schlumberger)
12. Dr. Andrew Curtis (Chair of Mathematical Geosciences, University of Edinburg, UK)
13. Dr. W.Iqbal (Researcher, Institut für Planetologie, Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany)
14. Prof. Dr. MonaLisa (Professor, Department of Earth Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad)

Workshop Coordinator                                                                               

Muhammad Haris Akram                   

Programme Manager, COMSTECH                                                                    

Tel: +92-51-9220681-3                                                                                                       

Email: haris@comstech.org