information at can be also found at http://www.pgi.waw.pl

Project division
Division 2. Quaternary, environmental and engineering geosciences
Also related to: Divisions 1, 3 and 4.

Short title of the project
Continental Shelves during the Last Glacial Cycle:  Knowledge and Applications
Full title of the project
Palaeoenvironmental evolution of Continental Shelves during the Last Glacial Cycle 

Proposed by
Prof. Francesco L. Chiocci and Prof. Allan R. Chivas

Mailing addresses, names, telephone, fax, e-mail
Francesco Latino Chiocci, Dipartimento Scienze della terra, Università di Roma “La Sapienza”, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Roma, Italy
phone 39 06 44585075 fax 39 06 44585080 e-mail francesco.chiocci@uniroma1.it
Allan R. Chivas, School of Geosciences, University of Wollongong NSW 2522, Australia.
Phone 61 2 42213263 fax 61 2 42214250 e-mail toschi@uow.edu.au

Scale of the project
Global

Brief outline of the project
(a) To compare and contrast the global development of continental shelves, particularly with respect to the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). This requires compilation of various styles of shelves (e.g. tidal/non-tidal, high/low energy, well-fed/sediment-starved, glaciated/non-glaciated). The definition of a common terminology and the development of methods to depict graphically LGM features on shelves.
(b) To understand the geometry and palaeogeography of shelves (and exposed shelves at/near the LGM), their incised or truncated river valleys; and the isolation and diversion of water masses as seaways narrowed or closed near the LGM.
(c) To understand the palaeoclimate and sea-surface palaeotemperatures near the LGM from key areas, in particular those in tropical areas, using combined trace-element and stable-isotope methods applied to corals, molluscs and foraminifers.
(d) To investigate the imprint of higher-frequency climatic events (e.g. Younger Dryas, Heinrich events) on continental shelves.
(e) The application of seismic methods to identify the palaeomorphology of shelf deposits and the testing of sequence-stratigraphic methods/models from more ancient materials to younger sediments.  The application of multibeam bathymetric mapping and regional digital terrain images to continental shelves.
(f) Investigation of the carbon budget of shelf deposition and exposure.
(g) To investigate other applied aspects (mineral deposits, geotechnical and engineering properties) and the cultural heritage of palaeoenvironmental changes of shelves (e.g. human, floral and faunal migrations across archipelagic and land bridges).
(h) An emphasis on research training in modern methods for shelf studies, by an integrated series of workshops delivered in developing countries, and by visits and research exchange with key laboratories (seismic interpretation, geochemical and isotopic laboratories, geotechnical facilities).
(i) Synthesis of results in publications throughout the life of the project and culminating in an edited monograph that incorporates reviews and advances in continental-shelf research.
 

Estimated duration of the project
5 years

Tentative work schedule
2001 : Initial organisational and field meeting in Hong Kong (directed by Wyss Yim, co-leader of the outgoing IGCP-396 Quaternary Shelves project); field visits to engineering and coring-technology and geotechnical facilities. This is a possible joint meeting with the 5th International Conference on the Palaeoenvironment of the Asia-Pacific Region (tentatively dated late October 2001) and will attract participants principally from China, South-east and North Asia and Australasia.
Election of office-bearers and establishment of Working Groups. At present we plan the formation of 3 working groups covering Physical Stratigraphy (e.g. Gilles Lericolais (France), Francisco Hernandez-Molina (Spain) and Francesco L. Chiocci (Italy)); Chemical Stratigraphy (e.g. Michael Gagan and Allan Chivas, Australia); and Applied Aspects i.e. resources, geotechnics and management (e.g. Wyss Yim (China) and Keith Tovey (UK)).
Establish an email listserver and webpage. This would proceed immediately upon approval of the new project, and build upon the excellent electronic communications established for IGCP-396 at East Anglia by Keith Tovey. We plan to adopt and expand another 396 innovation, that is, the addition of all ‘new project’ conference posters to the web-site. Furthermore, one of our principal objectives is the establishment of a major training strand (e.g. seismic interpretation, geotechnical testing, chemical and isotopic analyses, dating methods) and fullsome lecture-notes of such workshops will be progressively added to the website.
Presentation of first training courses including fibre-optic cable route surveys as a source of research information.
Preparation of first annual report
2002 : Symposium and field meeting in New Zealand (probably October; organised by Tim Naish, Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences); field trip to Wanganui to examine a remarkably long uplifted shelf sequence.
Laboratory work (chemical/isotopic) at University of Wollongong throughout the year with laboratory visits to Wollongong for participants en route to New Zealand.
Compilation of a list of project publications; solicit high-quality scientific papers (in advance of annual meeting) for publication in a special volume of an international scientific journal, from 2001 and 2002 meetings.
Review progress of Working Groups
Preparation of Second Annual Report
2003: Symposium and field meeting in Brazil  just before or after South American Quaternary meeting (probably May; in Niteroi or Sao Paulo coastal research station; organised by Alberto Figueiredo and Michel Michaelovitch de Mahiques).
Presentation of training courses
Continuation of laboratory work and laboratory training
Review progress of Working Groups
Preparation of Third Annual Report
2004: Symposium  just before or after the IGC Congress in Florence, Italy (September 2004) (Francesco L. Chiocci to co-ordinate). A special symposium at IGC with presentation of selected papers will be organised as well.
Planning and soliciting of multi-authored papers for a monograph that incorporates reviews and advances in the field of continental-shelf studies. The book would be edited to be a coherent and full statement on the subject, and not simply a compendium of contributed items. 
Preparation of the Fourth Annual report
2005: Final-year Symposium and field meeting.  Africa (either Egypt or South Africa, are the currently discussed possibilities).
Publication of all the posters presented in the five annual meetings in electronic format (CD).
Presentation of training courses
Publication of monograph on continental shelves
Preparation of Final Project Report

Results expected of the project
 (a) In theoretical sciences
1. Enhanced understanding of the features and styles of relict and modern shelf deposits (seismic signatures, geometries, chemical and isotopic signatures) in various environments (variable energy and tidal range, degree of sediment delivery, latitude).
2. Understanding the environmental conditions (i.e. wave-energy, extent of glaciers/coral reefs, type of vegetation, temperature of surface water, palaeohydrology) at the LGM and during the last sea-level rise.
3. Estimation of shelf carbon budgets and storage at the LGM compared to modern shelf environments including C-13 measurements in cores and seismic mapping of shelves affected by methane-related acoustic turbidity.  The results of this task will be a contribution to the co-IGCP project on Global Carbon.
(b) Applied sciences and technology
1. Mapping of continental shelves and shelf breaks as assistance to countries, particularly less-developed countries, in the perspective of submissions on shelf geometries for claims under the Law of the Sea Convention.
2. Second edition of the world map, and first editions of various national and regional maps, showing the extent and character of continental-shelf sediments (particularly at 20ka BP). Our project will be a primary data-gathering group that will liaise with INQUA Commissions including the Commission on Palaeo-climate to continue where the earlier CLIP (Climates of the Past) IUGS/UNESCO activity finished, and the Commission on Sea-level and Coastal Evolution.
3. Compilation of the geotechnical properties of shelf sediments, particularly of those materials previously exposed at the LGM. Application to coastal engineering and coastal management including offshore oil-platform installations and the sustainable utilization of shelves.
 (c) Benefits to society
1. Several of the above which bear on economic development and resources e.g. shelf mapping and communication/hydrocarbon exploitation.
2. Training of participants from less-developed countries by short-courses and in hands-on laboratory visits and analytical work (e.g. in seismic interpretation, geotechnical properties, and isotopic data). There is the opportunity for these participants to co-operate in a high-level scientific debate with low-cost and easy-to-perform data collection and compilation (i.e. shelf geomorphology and bathymetry)
3. Studies of the resource assessment and genesis of shallow marine placer deposits  and sand and gravel resources (in conjunction with INQUA’s Quaternary Economic Deposits Committee).
4. Definition of the cultural heritage of climatic/eustatic events. The exposed shelves are likely to have been colonised by human communities during palaeolithic time (because of the flatness of the area, proximity to the sea, resources availability); if material remains were inundated during sea-level rise, cultural remains can be found in most of the cultures (golden age, flooding events).

The following sequential results are expected

2001: Promulgation of the project’s objectives, and relevance to society, in national and international journals and magazines and via the website. Choice of key sites for further work (e.g. Black Sea, east coast of South America, Mediterranean Sea, Southeast Asian/Australasian epicontinental seaways). Assembly of small teams to focus on these areas. These areas may form the core of the subject matter for the monograph to be published in year 5, to be built upon year by year. Production of abstracts of first annual meeting. First training workshop and laboratory exchanges. Encouragement of participants to use the IGCP Project as a lever and as support for funding from national sources and in seeking access to non-confidential industrial data (e.g. cable or geotechnical surveys) especially in developing countries.
2002: Second annual meeting and abstract volume; all articles and posters to be available on the website. Production of a catalogue of shelf sites into types, and this information used to begin developing models of their genesis and to assist in expanding/applying/modifying classification to other areas.  Tentative definition of the amount of methane stored in deltas depending on climate and river size. Training workshops and laboratory visits continue.
2003: Third annual meeting. Training workshops and laboratory visits continue. Production of a special issue of a journal devoted to this shelf project.  Report on progress to be published in Episodes.
2004: Fourth annual meeting. Training workshops for this year to be integrated into the short courses on offer at the International Geological Congress (Florence). 
2005: Final meeting. Further training workshops as required. Publication of a monograph. Publication of all the posters presented in the five annual meetings in electronic format. Publication of summary of project outcomes in Episodes and other channels.

The present state of activities
IGCP-396 assembled a large team of researchers who work on the continental shelf. After four years, most members have met, exchanged views and realise the benefits of research collaboration. The gathering at the IGC in Rio was a watershed in this subject matter, even though it came late in IGCP-396’s life. The terminating project presented 47 posters from members as well as an oral session with five invited speakers and additional oral presentations in several other sessions.

During three business meetings in Rio, key opportunities and problems in shelf research were discussed. The principal description of our proposed successor project (Item 16 in this application) addresses these opportunities.

Participants
Argentina
Servico de Hidrografia Naval; Depto. Oceanografia
Centro de Geociencias Aplicadas; Facultad de Ingenieria - UNNE Chaco
Australia
Antarctic Division; Department of Science
Australian Oceanographic Data Centre (AODC)
Department of Geology; University of Newcastle
Australian Geological Survey  Organisation (AGSO)
Department of Earth Sciences;  Flinders University of South Australia
School of Geosciences;  University of Wollongong;
School of Geosciences; University of Sydney;
School of Applied Geology;  Curtin University of Technology; 
Department of Geology and Geophysics;  University of New England; 
Department of Applied Geology; University of Technology, Sydney;
Research School of Earth Sciences; The Australian National University,
Department of Geology; The Australian National University,
Division of Archaeology & Natural History;  Australian National University; 
Department of Geology & Geophysics;  University of Adelaide; 
Department of Geology; University of Tasmania
Bangladesh
Department of Geology & Mining;  University of Rajshahi; 
Department of Geography;  Jahangirnagar University; 
Department of Geography;  University of Rajshahi
Belgium
Department of Geology;  Stratigraphy and Sedimentology Division, Gent
Brazil
Institut Oceanografico; Universidade de Sao Paulo
Universitad Fluminense - Niteroi

Bulgaria
Department of Botany; Biological Faculty University of Sofia
Department of Hydrogeochemistry; Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Department of Marine Geology; Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Deaprtment of Sedimentology; Geological Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

Canada
Groupe de Recherche en Environnement; Universite du Quebec 
Centre for Marine Geology;  Dalhousie University
Geological Survey of Canada
Atlantic Geoscience Centre;  Bedford Institute of Oceanography
Department of Earth Sciences and Geography; Brock University; 
Department of Geology & Geological Engineering;  Universite Laval; 
Department of Geography & Geotop;  University of Montreal at Montreal; 

Chile
Facultad de Recursos del Mar;  Universidad de Antofagasta

China
Department of Geography; East China Normal University
South China Sea Institute of  Oceanology;  Academia Sinica
Institute of Oceanology;  Academia Sinica; 
Institute of Geology and Geophysics;  Chinese Academy of Sciences
Marine Geology Department; Tongji University 
Nanjing Institute of Geology &  Paleontology;  Academia Sinica
Guangzhou Marine Geological Analysis Center;  Guangzhou
First Institute of Oceanography;  SOA
College of Marine Geosciences;  Ocean University of Qingdao
Institute of Marine Geology;  MGMR
Department of Marine Geology;  Institute of Oceanology; 
Department of Geo- and Ocean Sciences;  Nanjing University
Institute of Marine Geology;  Qingdao
Tianjin Institute of Geology & Mineral Resources;  Tianjin
Qinghai Institute of Salt Lakes;  Academia Sinica
Department of Geology; Zhongshan University;
Second Institute of Oceanography;  State Oceanic Administration
State Pilot Lab of Coast & Island Exploitation; Nanjing University
Hong Kong
Department of Earth Sciences;  The University of Hong Kong
Geological Survey of Hong Kong
EGS (Asia) Limited
Fugro Geotechnical Services Limited
Lam Geotechnics Limited
Bachy Soletanche Limited
Gammon Construction Limited

China - Taiwan
Institute of Marine Geology and Chemistry;  National Sun Yat-sen University
Institute of Earth Sciences;  Academia Sinica
Institute of Oceanography; National Taiwan University
Department of Geology; National Taiwan University

Czech Republic
Czech Geological Survey;  Klarov 

Egypt
Department of Geology; Cairo University

Fiji
Department of Geography;  The University of the South Pacific

France
GeoSciences Marines; IFREMER - Centre du Brest
Centre de Sedimentologie et Paleontologie; Universite de Provence
Laboratoire de Geographie Physique;  CNRS

Germany
Department of Geography; University of Marburg
Baltic Sea Research Institute
Forschungsstelle fuer Archaeometrie; Heidelberger Akademie der Wissenschaften
Geographisches Institut;  Univesitaet zu Koln;
Geological Institute; University of Muenster
Bundesanstalt fur Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe
Institute of Biochemistry and Marine Chemistry, Hamburg University

India
National Institute of Oceanography; Dona Paula
Department of Ecological Studies;  School of Environmental Sciences
Geological Survey of India
Marine Geology and Geophyics Department; Cochin University of Science and Technology
Chemical Oceanography Division;  National Institute of Oceanography

Indonesia
Dept of Geotechnology; Indonesian Institute of Sciences

Iran
AZAD University

Ireland
Coastal Resources Centre;  University College Cork

Israel
Department of Geography;  Ben Ilan University
Ben Gurion University of the Negev
Institue for Nature Conservation Research; Tel Aviv University

Italy
CNR - Istituto Geologia Marina, Bologna
CNR - Istituto Geomare Sud, Napoli
Dip. di Geologia e Geofisica, Università di Bari 
Dip. di Sc. della Terra, Univ. di Ancona
Dip. di Sc. Terra e Geol. Ambientali, Univ. di Bologna
Dip. Geologia e Geodesia, Università di Palermo
Dip. Scienze della Terra, Univ. di Roma La Sapienza
Dip. Scienze della Terra, Univ. Napoli Federico II
Dip.Territorio e Risorse, Università di Genova
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Univ. Firenze
Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra,Univ. di Cagliari
ENEA - C.R.A.M. S.Teresa, LA SPEZIA
Enea, Dip. Ambiente, Roma
Ist. Geodinamica e Sedimentologia, Univ. Urbino
Ist. Sc. Geologiche Ambientali e Marine, Trieste
Ist. Cent. Ricerca Applicata al Mare, Roma
Istituto di Scienze del Mare, Università di Ancona
Servizio Geologico d'Italia

Jamaica
Department of Geology;  The University of West Indies, Kingstone 

Japan
Institute of Geology & Paleontology;  Faculty of Science, Tohoku University, Sendai
Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences;  Kyushu University
Laboratory of Geography;  University of Ryukus
Institute for Hydrospheric-Atmospheric Sciences, Chikusa-ku
Department of Geosciences;  Osaka City University
Graduate School of Science & Technology; Niigata University
 

Location of main field activities
Potential sites derive from continental-shelf areas world-wide that provide a record of the variable environments of the last glacial cycle and, in particular, the Last Glacial Maximum. Key locations will be subject to team study with a strong sense of collaboration among representatives from several countries at each site, and aided by introductory work particularly during annual or regional on-site project meetings. Several teams are in place, following extensive discussions at the IGC in Rio (e.g. see sequential results for 2001).

Location of major laboratory research
During the life of IGCP-396, attempts were made, with only modest success, to involve participants from less-developed countries in aspects of technology transfer, upgrading of skills and opportunities to work in established laboratory facilities. A major difficulty lies in funding these activities, both for travel for visits and for the bench-costs of undertaking these analyses. We have come to realise that the bench-costs can be reduced or eliminated if visitors are able to prepare their samples, by simple methods, in their own countries, thereby saving time as well as money, prior to submitting to/visiting an established laboratory.
Accordingly, we plan to redouble our efforts in this regard, and announced at the closing IGCP-396 business meeting in Rio (August 2000) that several laboratories would act as hosts for a successor project, should it be approved. Several joint researches were immediately planned, and it is probable that analytical work will commence before a successor project is in place. Thus, samples from the continental shelves of Brazil and Argentina will be analysed for organic content, C-13 and N-15 shortly, in research involving participants from those countries who had not been previously able to fully participate in IGCP-396 due to lack of funds, for travel to its annual meetings. Applications for travel funds from national sources and exchange of personnel have been sought to support this endeavour.
The principal laboratories that have agreed to support such exchanges, particularly for work from developing countries are University of East Anglia, UK (geotechnics), University of Rome (seismic interpretation), IFREMER, Brest, France (data processing and seismic interpretation), University of Wollongong, Australia (chemical and isotopic analyses) and University of Hong Kong (field and laboratory testing of engineering properties of shelf deposits).
Thus laboratory work will be undertaken, at least at the preparatory level, in many countries listed in this application. However, the detailed geochronological and chemical analyses involving more expensive equipment will be largely performed in Europe, North America and Australasia. We have specifically identified some of those laboratories, at this early stage, and expect this list to grow as the project develops. 

Other considerations
Scientific Collaboration:  Members of current and past Quaternary-related IGCP projects (e.g. carbon cycle, karst, long rivers, dryland changes, and continental shelves) held a business meeting in Rio at the IGC to discuss collaboration.  The concept of the proposed new project on Continental Shelves during the LGM was presented and collaborative links established between the projects on carbon and rivers. Associate Professor Colin Murray-Wallace, leader of IGCP-437 (‘Coastal Environmental Change during Sea-level Highstands) was unable to be present in Rio, but has since endorsed the current proposal, and indeed provided advice during its preparation.  The importance of collaboration between these two projects (one on sea-level high-stands the other focussing on low-stands) is clear.  Note that Colin Murray-Wallace and Allan Chivas are colleagues at the same institution, and that their suggestion to merge project-mailing lists will provide a combined membership of nearly 600 scientists.
Our proposed project has collaborative links with INQUA’s Commissions on Sea-level Changes and Coastal Evolution; Palaeoclimate (maps at 20 ka), and its Committee on Quaternary Mineral Deposits.  The MARGINS project, coordinated from the USA, has plans to drill the continental margins of Papua New Guinea, Alaska and New Zealand sometime after 2002, and is anticipated to provide further opportunities for scientific collaboration.
The proposal has been prepared by Francesco Chiocci and Allan Chivas and enriched by the discussion held in Rio during three specially devoted IGCP-396 meetings. Specific contributions by Leonid Poliak (Ohio State University, USA), Gilles Lericolais (IFREMER, France), Wyss Yim (University of Hong Kong), Heiner Josenhans (Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Canada), Colin Murray-Wallace (University of Wollongong, Australia) and Natalia Patyk-Kara (Russian Academy of Sciences) are also part of the proposal.

Attachment 1: Full Description of the Proposed Project
OBJECTIVES
The aim of the project is the definition of the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the continental shelves, leading to their present morphology, stratigraphy and sedimentology. The geological approach to the environment and to its global changes is in fact based on a complete understanding of the long-term cyclicity of natural systems. On the continental margins the leading factor is undoubtedly the very rapid changes in sea level that brought it from -125m during the Last Glacial Maximum (~20ka b.p.) to its present position in little more than 10,000 years at an average rate of 1m/century. The project will therefore be focused especially on the Last Glacial Maximum (hereafter referred as LGM) and to the following sea-level rise. In fact the LGM is a key event in Pleistocene/Holocene environmental evolution, as it represents the main and latest extreme in sea-level and climatic trends at a global scale. The conditions at the LGM on continental shelves and their effects on coastal plains and continental slopes will thus be the "starting point" of the most recent and continuing environmental cycle.
 The project follows and originates from the experience of IGCP 396 "Continental Shelves in the Quaternary", that successfully brought together a large number of researchers (some 400 participants from 40 countries) to work and cross-correlate data among different shelves of the world. The focus of the new  proposed project was decided trough public and web discussion by IGCP-396 participants, with an intent to narrow the time-span and the topic to the most relevant and important themes that emerged from the previous IGCP  initiative. 
As LGM features are commonly quite easy to recognise (sharp lithologic contrast, first-order geomorphologic features) and well-known in most of the geological studies of continental shelves, the topic is affordable even with relatively low-cost technologies available in developing countries. Moreover, for most of the relict deposits on the shelf of the last glacial cycle, the time scale is fully encompassed within the range of a number of Quaternary dating methods, and much is within the radiocarbon time-scale. Given the focus of the topic, an effort will be made in defining a common terminology and in developing methods to depict LGM features on shelves, as the main interest will be in the comparison among different areas of the world (tidal/non tidal, high-energy/low-energy, low/high/intermediate latitudes, well-fed/starved, glaciated/non-glaciated shelves).  We will also seek evidence for the higher-frequency phenomena, including the Younger Dryas, and Heinrich events.
The continental shelves are, of course, the physiographic province most affected by sea-level fluctuation, that control exposure/submersion of wide areas. However the information on shelf behaviour during glaciation and deglaciation  will have particular relevance for the behavior of watercourses in adjoining plains and the position of sources feeding continental slopes. 
The following points are the main targets of the proposed project:

DEPTH OF THE EUSTATIC MINIMUM: According to published oxygen-isotope curves, the LGM is one of the lowest sea levels of the entire Quaternary, and thus has a very high potential for preservation and recognition in the sedimentary record, even with relatively unsophisticated prospecting technologies.
The definition of the maximum depth reached by erosion in the outer shelf/upper slope will give insights on different geological processes occurring at LGM. Relevant questions in this respect are the relationship between the position of the eustatic minimum and shelf edge, between sea level and the depth of erosion, the testing of the eustatic values given by oxygen isotope ratios.

A relevant application of the depth of LGM erosional/depositional features is its use as an indicator of vertical movements within continental margins. As for coastal terraces, neotectonic trends can in fact be inferred if a given sea-level position (previous 120 ka highstand for coastal terraces, last 20ka lowstand for LGM features) can be geologically determined.

PALAEOGEOGRAPHY : During the last glacial cycle and in particular at the LGM, the amount of subaerially exposed continental shelf was considerably greater than at present, this datum being of great importance for climate and carbon cycle studies; the definition of the lowermost shoreline position on a regional base will give a precise definition of the maximum sea/land ratio.
In continental margins with complex morphology, the palaeogeography might have been very different, with strong effects on depositional processes. Water masses can have been isolated from the sea creating lakes (as for the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia or Black Sea, Europe), seaways may have been closed (as Messina, Italy) or narrowed thereby forcing currents to deeper passages (as Gibraltar, Spain/Morocco). Straits areas will thus be one of main areas of interest for the project.

PALAEOCLIMATE
The study of the condition of the shelf at the LGM is likely to give relevant information on past climate. Several important questions remain unanswered at present, including major aspects of the following topics:
PALAEO-RAINFALL/PALAEO-HYDROLOGY : During the Würm/Wisconsinian glacial time, continental shelves were exposed and scoured by rivers. Surprisingly, paleovalleys are found even offshore of some of today’s very small rivers, which are currently unable to incise valleys. Even more surprisingly their valleys do not extend down to the maximum depth reached by sea level, but stop at 70-80 m below present sea-level.  A palaeo-hydrological model is needed to explain such situations.
In some cases palaeo-valleys on the shelf are not tied to present-day water courses. This information is likely to be used to define relevant palaeo-hydrological features such as the positions of present submerged springs on the coast and different-than-today drainage patterns.
PALAEOCONDITIONS AT LOW LATITUDES: The tropical areas of the world are vital to understanding the evolution of the climate in the recent past, and by inference, the way climate is forced at any time. It is still much debated whether low-latitude sea-surface temperatures during glacial time were similar, marginally cooler or substantially cooler than those of today (although see recent work by Lea et al., 2000:  Science 289: 1719-1724). Our project will address this question at a number of locations using O-18 and trace-element data from corals, shells and foraminifers recovered by coring and dredging at water depths of ~125m.
Other key climatic questions relate to the presence/absence/reduced intensity of palaeomonsoons at the LGM, and seek to determine global climate, circulation and heat budgets/transfers different at this time.
PALAEOCONDITIONS AT HIGH LATITUDES: During the last glacial cycle a sizeable portion of high-latitude continental shelf was occupied by ice sheets. Knowledge of glaciation limits by morphological/sedimentological features is required for an estimate of the spatial and volumetric characteristics of shelf ice masses and accurate assessment of  sea-level change and sea/land ratio. Ice sheets on the shelf were inherently unstable, being controlled by sea level. Therefore shelf glaciation played a critical role in the dynamics of deglaciation. Presently the LGM glacial extents on the continental shelf are insufficiently understood, especially in northern Eurasia. New data from glaciated shelves will aid in determining the ice-sheet limits and the timing and patterns of the last deglaciation.
PALAEO WAVE CLIMATE: A very peculiar feature of the sediments deposited at the LGM is their two-dimensional (tabular) geometry, as opposed to the strong three-dimensionality of the transgressive and highstand deposits that are always related to point sources. Lowstand deltas at the shelf edge are very rare and if present, they are far thinner and are elongated parallel to the palaeo-coast than are present deltas, despite the lowering of rivers’ base-levels and exposure of the shelf at the LGM.
If the longshore redistribution of sediments were much more effective during glacial periods that during inter-glacials, such evidence may give information on palaeo-wave or longshore current energy.
PALAEOMORPHOLOGY/ Incision process: The deposits making-up the continental shelves are truncated at their top by an erosional unconformity thought to be formed by shelf exposure during the last glaciation. Actually the surface is extremely flat, much flatter than any subaerial errosional surface. In most of the cases, shoreface erosion during the ensuing transgression re-worked their surface but in places where palaeo-crust or backshore/shoreface deposits are found, a reconstruction of the palaeo-morphology can be possible, with an estimate of the amount of sediment eroded by ravine-forming processes. Such information can be used to estimate the amount of sand scraped from the shelf, transported shoreward during the later transgression and forming the core of present-day littoral wedges.

STRATIGRAPHY: As the LGM is a key moment in the sedimentary evolution of continental margins, a better definition of the depositional models for the Late Pleistocene can be attempted. Is it possible to define any peculiar feature strictly indicating the LGM or lowstand, discriminating among the latter and the deposits tied to the sea-level fall? Can sequence-stratigraphic models encompassing a three-fold (or four-fold, if forced regression is considered) development of depositional sequences be applied to the high-frequency, high-amplitude, asymmetric glacioeustatic cycles? Are sedimentary models that predict processes similar to those of the present-day correct? Is there any relevant and constant difference between these two eustatic settings that has to be considered? 

HERITAGE IN HUMAN CULTURE: Climatic- and eustatic-driven changes of the physical environment may have left deep traces on human culture. Shelf areas, that during lowstand were flat coastal plains suitable for human settlements, experienced dramatic changes because of glacioeustasy; as an example, during deglaciation an average rate of 1m/century of sea-level rise was reached, that may account for metre or metres per year of coastal retreat in low-gradient shelves. The constant rise in base level and the damming of the incised valleys by transgressive littoral barriers favoured river flooding and formation of coastal marshes and swamps. In key areas, as in the Black Sea where the Dardanelles and Bosphorus acted as a plug with respect to the Mediterranean water masses, catastrophic flooding of the continental shelf was inferred (Ryan et al., 1997). Saltwater poured through this spillway to refill the lake and submerged more than 100,000 km2 of its previously subaerially exposed continental shelf. If this drowning had occurred, it must have accelerated the dispersal of the Neolithic population into the interior of Europe at that time.
Possible migration routes and civilization trends (compartmentalisation of cultures during the Upper Palaeolithic for instance) may have a link with the palaeoenvironmental changes of the shelf. Episodes present troughout different cultures (as the golden age or the flood) may also be linked to such changes.

APPLICATIONS : The project is aimed at increasing the scientific knowledge of processes and features related to the LGM, through a comparison of different situations at a global scale. Several possible applications can be considered:
1) Collection of information relevant to define the Carbon Cycle and budget in the recent past as information on vegetation on exposed shelves, storage of methane in deltaic deposits during highstand, possible abrupt release of gas hydrates by large-scale mass failure at shelf edges during sea level fall/lowstand ; 2) The role of the tropical epicontinental seas and exposed large shelf areas during the LGM as controls on global climate (El Niño at the LGM, palaeomonsoons); 3) Changes in coastline orientation and closure of straits as controlling factors for coastal currents; 4) Neotectonics as vertical mobility of a segment of coast may be inferred by the depth of the LGM sea-level markers; 5) Hydrology indications as position of lowstand springs and drainage pattern, behaviour of water table; 6) Data for defining the long-term littoral sedimentary budget (possible definition of the present-day underfed beaches as relict features from last sea-level rise) 7) Palaeoanthropology  for land-bridges and archipelagoes formed during the LGM as routes for human migration, human environment at LGM, remains on cultural heritage of eustatic-driven environmental changes); 8) Lowstand shelf mineral resources (placer deposits of diamonds, tin, gold, sand and gravel); 9) Engineering Geology (engineering properties of shelf deposits); 10) Coastal Management (sustainable utilisation of shelves).

Work Plan
The principal elements of the work plan are covered in the main body of the text. These include:
(a) The tentative work schedule (Item 9), including the establishment of three working groups (Note that IGCP-396 initially had up to 6 working groups, but that these quickly reduced to 3 or 4, all of which could be productive and were central to the aim of the project).
(b) The outline of the project (Item 7) which is effectively its aims.
(c) The major proposal (Item 16) which outlines the principal questions to be addressed.
(d) The emphasis on our workshop training plan. In addition to workshop presentations at annual or regional meetings, we have identified at least three project members who commonly travel widely and who have offered to maintain a set of teaching materials (e.g. slides, text handout) and present, at short notice, seminars/workshops of opportunity, particularly in less-developed countries.
(e) Our research-exchange plan, to provide key laboratories for analytical work/data interpretation and to actively make opportunities available for laboratory-based visits and training.
(f) Our publication strategy; namely, abstracts and posters from all meetings to be entered on the website; a major journal publication on contributions in 2002; a final monograph in 2005.
(g) Contribution to, and encouragement of national and global maps of shelf sediments, and shelf sediment-facies at 20ka.
 
 

Curricula Vitae of the Proposers

Francesco L. Chiocci 
- Born in Gubbio, Perugia, 22 August 1959
- Degree in Geology (110 with honours) and PhD in Earth Sciences at University of Rome "La Sapienza"
- From 1988 to 1993 researcher at National Research Council (CNR) Centre for Technical Geology,  Rome
- From 1993 to 1998 researcher at National Research Council (CNR) Centre for Quaternary and Environmental Evolution, Rome
- From 1998 Associate Professor at University of Rome "La Sapienza", teaching courses in  Littoral Dynamics, Marine Geology and General Geology.
- Member of the Italian Association for the Quaternary (AIQUA), Geological Society of Italy (SGI), International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS)

Research activity 
From 1993 to 1999 was secretary of CROP Project (joint venture among CNR-AGIP-ENEL for deep seismic crustal study).
In 1994 was in charge of seismostratigraphic analysis offshore Montalto di Castro nuclear plant to study active faulting and neotectonics of the area. The study was commissioned by the Minister of the Environment through the Italian Geological Survey.
Since 1994 co-ordinates a research group of about twenty researchers of the University of Rome and National Research Council to study present-day depositional processes on the sub aerial and marine basin of the Ombrone River (Tuscany).
In 1997-98 was in charge of an Italian-Spanish joint project (CNR-CSIC) aimed to study sedimentary record on continental margins.
Participated in 25 oceanographic cruises (about half of them as chief scientist) mainly in the Tyrrhenian Sea but also in the Red Sea, Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and Antarctica.
Presented a proposal to the European Community to use TOBI deep-sea vehicle to study instability on the flanks of Italian volcanic Islands (T.I.VOL.I. cruise).  The proposal was accepted and he was Chief Scientist on the cruise in September-October 1998 (http://gea.geo.uniroma1.it/tivoliweb/t1.html).
In 1998-2000 was National Representative and leader of the Sequence Stratigraphy Working Group of the International Geological Correlation Program (IGCP-396) "Continental Shelves in Quaternary."
Performed occasional review of scientific articles for Marine Geology, Sedimentology, Geological Society Sp. Pub., Il Quaternario, Bollettino and Memorie Società Geologica Italiana, Giornale di Geologia.
At present is Scientific Director of geological mapping (1:50.000) of marine areas of geological sheets 53 (Montalto di Castro), 354 (Tarquinia), 413 (Borgo Grappa). Is also member of the national commission for the definition of mapping procedures.
At present is responsible for a  three-year (2000-2002) National Project of the Institute for Geophysics and Volcanology to study instability on the flanks of Italian volcanic islands.
At present is in charge of seismic data acquisition and interpretation in a joint-project between University of Rome and Latium Government to search and exploit relict transgressive beaches for littoral artificial nourishment.

List of articles
Chiocci, F.L., Orlando,L., Tortora,P., 1991, Small-scale seismic stratigraphy and paleogeographical evolution of the continental shelf facing the SE Elba Island (northern Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy)  Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 61,  4,  506-526
Chiocci, F.L. and Clifton, H.E., 1991, Gravel-filled gutter cast  in nearshore facies - indicators of ancient shoreline trend; "From shoreline to abyss, contributions in marine geology honoring Francis Parker Shepard", Special Publication SEPM, 46, 67-76.
Chiocci, F.L. and Normark, W.R., 1991, Effect of sea-level variation on upper-slope depositional processes offshore of Tiber delta, Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy. Marine Geology, 104, 109-122.
Chiocci, F.L., 1994,Very High-resolution seismics as a tool for sequence stratigraphy applied to outcrop scale.- Examples from eastern Tyrrhenian margin Holocene/Pleistocene deposits  AAPG Bulletin, 78, 3, 378-395
Bellotti P., F.L. Chiocci , S. Milli, P. Tortora, P. Valeri, 1994 Sequence Stratigraphy and Depositional Setting of the Tiber Delta: integration of high-resolution seismics, well log and archaeological data. Journal of Sedimentary Research, B64, 3, 416-432
Chiocci F.L., Esu F., Tommasi P., Chiappa V, 1996, Stability of submarine slope of the Tiber River delta. in: Landslides - Glissements de terrain, K.Senneset (Ed.), Balkema, Rotterdam, 521-526
Chiocci F.L. and L. Orlando, 1996 Lowstand terraces on  Tyrrhenian Sea steep continental slopes,  Marine Geology, 134, 127-143
Chiocci F.L., Ercilla G. and Torres J. ,1997, Stratal architecture of Western Mediterranean Margins as the result of the stacking of Quaternary lowstand deposits below "glacio-eustatic fluctuation base-level. Sedimentary Geology,112 (3-4), 195-217
Ercilla, B. Alonso; J. Baraza; D. Casas; F.L. Chiocci; F. Estrada; M. Farràn; E. Gonthier; F. Pérez-Belzuz; C. Pirmez; M. Reeder; J. Torres; R. Urgeles (1998) New high-resolution data from the "braided system" of the Orinoco deep sea fan.  Marine Geology (146)1-4,243-250
Tommasi P., Chiocci F.L., Esu F. (1998) Geotechnical properties of Soft Clayey Sediments from the Submerged Tiber River Delta, Italy. Marine Georesources and Geotechnology, 16, 221-242
Chiocci F.L., 2000, Depositional response to Quaternary 4th order sea level falls on the northern Latium margin (Tyrrhenian Sea, Italy). In: D.Hunt and R. Gawthorpe (Eds),Sedimentary Responses to Forced Regressions, Special Publication of Geological Society of London,172, 271-289.

Allan R Chivas
- Born in Sydney, Australia, 14 May 1950.
- BSc with First Class Honours (1972), PhD (1977), University of Sydney.
- 1977-78:  Visiting Scientist, US Geological Survey, Menlo Park.
- 1978-79:  Research Fellow, Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques, Nancy, France.
- 1979-1995:  Research Fellow to Senior Fellow; Group Leader, Environmental Geochemistry, Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University.
- 1995 -  :  Professor of Geosciences, University of Wollongong (Head of School, 1995-1999).
Research Interests
Low-temperature geochemistry - Chemical, C-14, Cl-36 and stable-isotope studies of the formation and evolution of modern and ancient lake basins, coral reefs, near-shore and deep-sea sediments, weathering profiles and laterites.  Chemical hydrology, palaeoceanography and atmospheric chemistry.  Geochemistry and isotopic studies of mineral deposits.
Conference Convener (selection)
1986 Session F3 on "Isotopes in palaeoenvironments and dating" of the 12th International Sedimentological Congress, Canberra.
1990  Symposium 6, "The first few metres: isotope geochemistry at the Earth's surface", 7th Int. Conf. Geochronology, Cosmochronology and Isotope Geology, Canberra.  Also member of general and program committees and co-convenor of field-trip committee.
1993  1st Australian and New Zealand Meeting on Quaternary Dating (Canberra - Co-convener with R. Grün)
1994 Symposium 7, "Paleoclimate reconstruction using isotopic tracers - the continental record of paleoclimate", 8th Int. Conf. Geochronology, Cosmochronology and Isotope Geology, Berkeley, California.
1997  Climates of the Past (UNESCO/IUGS) meeting, Cairns/Atherton/Townsville.
International Committees
1991-1993  Organizing Committee, 6th International Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Conference (Canberra/Sydney)
1992-1993  Organizing Committee, 6th International Paleolimnology Conference/inter-INQUA Conference (Canberra)
1993-1995  Australian representative; Sedimentary and Geochemical Processes Panel, (CanAus alternate member); Ocean Drilling Program.
1994-1999 Steering Committee, CLIP (Climates of the Past) project of the International Union of Geological Sciences and UNESCO; from 1997, chairman of the project.
1996-2000 Leader, Working Group on Dating within IGCP-396 project on Continental Shelves in the Quaternary.
1999-   Treasurer, International Union for Quaternary Research (INQUA).
1999-  Secretary, INQUA Committee on Quaternary Economic Deposits.
National Committees (selection)
1980-1986  Geological Society of Australia, Commonwealth Territories' Division.  Treasurer 1980-83;  Vice-Chairman 1984; Chairman 1985-1986.
1993-1996  National Committee for Quaternary Research, Australian Academy of Science.
1993-1997  Consortium for Ocean Geosciences (COGS) of Australian Universities.
1995- Accelerator Mass Spectrometry Specialist Committee, Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering.  (chairman since 1998)
Editor (selection)
(e) Six special issues for Chemical Geology; Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology ;  J. Paleolimnology; AGU monograph.
(f) At various times, member of the editorial advisory boards of Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology; International Journal of Salt Lake Research; Quaternary Geochronology; AGSO Australian Journal of Geology and Geophysics.
 

Membership of Learned Societies 
 International Quaternary Association
The American Geophysical Union
The Geochemical Society
Geological Society of America
Geological Society of Australia
Australasian Quaternary Association
Australian  Marine Sciences
Association
Australian Coral Reef Society
Cushman Foundation
Society of Economic Geologists
 Major Relevant Research Projects (selection)
Environmental geochemistry of the Great Barrier Reef.  Salt Lakes and evaporites in Australia.  Saline Lakes and fjords in Antarctica.   Quaternary marine palaeoclimate around Australia.  Quaternary record of the Gulf of Carpentaria.

Publications
123 publications in international journals, those below are a selection relevant to the proposed IGCP Project.
1985 Torgersen, T. and Chivas, A.R.  Terrestrial organic carbon in marine sediment:  a preliminary balance for a mangrove environment derived from _13C.  Chem. Geol. 52: 379-390.
1985 Chivas, A.R., De Deckker, P. and Shelley, J.M.G.  Strontium content of ostracods indicates lacustrine palaeosalinity.  Nature, 316: 251-253.
1986 Chivas, A.R., Chappell, J., Polach, H., Pillans, B. and Flood, P.  Radiocarbon evidence for the timing and rate of island development, beach-rock formation and phosphatization at Lady Elliot Island, Queensland, Australia.  Marine Geol., 69: 273-287.
1986 Chivas, A.R., De Deckker, P. and Shelley, J.M.G.  Magnesium content of non-marine ostracods:  a new palaeosalinometer and palaeothermometer.  Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 54: 43-61.
1988 De Deckker, P., Chivas, A.R., Shelley, J.M.G. and Torgersen, T.  Ostracod shell chemistry:  a new palaeoenvironmental indicator applied to a trangressive/regressive record from the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia.  Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol., 66: 231-241.
1988 De Deckker, P., Chivas, A.R. and Shelley, J.M.G.  Paleoenvironment of the Messinian Mediterranean "Lago Mare" from strontium and magnesium in ostracode shells.  Palaios, 3: 352-358.
1990 Chivas, A.R., Torgersen, T. and Polach, H.A.  Growth rates and Holocene development of stromatolites from Shark Bay, Western Australia. Aust. J. Earth Sci., 37: 113-121.
1990 Gagan, M.K., Chivas, A.R. and Herczeg, A.L.  Shelf-wide erosion, deposition and suspended sediment transport during Cyclone Winifred, central Great Barrier Reef, Australia.  J. Sediment. Petrol., 60: 456-470.
1992 Vengosh, A., Starinsky, A., Kolodny, Y., Chivas, A.R. and Raab, M.  Boron isotope variations during fractional evaporation of sea water:  new constraints on the marine vs. nonmarine debate.  Geology, 20: 799-802.
1994 Gagan, M.K., Chivas, A.R. and Isdale, P.J.  High-resolution isotopic records from corals using ocean temperature and mass-spawning chronometers. Earth Planet. Sci. Lett., 121: 549-558.
1995 Gagan, M.K. and Chivas, A.R.  Oxygen isotopes in western Australian coral reveal Pinatubo aerosol-induced cooling in the Western Pacific Warm Pool.  Geophysical Research Letters,  22: 1069-1072.
1996 Gagan, M.K., Chivas, A.R. and Isdale, P.J.  Timing coral-based climatic histories using 13C enrichments driven by synchronized spawning.  Geology, 24: 1009-1012.
2000 Chivas, A.R. et al.  Sea-level and environmental changes since the Last Interglacial in the Gulf of Carpentaria, Australia:  An overview. Quaternary International (in press).
 
 

General aims of the project for the non-specialist
The project aims to define the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the continental shelves, particularly leading into and since the Last Glacial Maximum.  This will include the processes that have produced  the present morphology, stratigraphy and sedimentology.  The project is timely as continental shelves are under increasing pressure of exploitation and require basic scientific understanding followed by better management.  Shelf areas are being assessed world-wide, particularly up to 2004, when the Law-of-the-Sea convention on continental margins comes into effect.

Objectives and measurable outputs
The project will synthesise data from continental shelves world-wide and develop a common terminology for their description and depiction on maps and atlases at global and regional scales.  On a more fundamental scale, the geometry of shelves, their past sea-surface temperatures, and carbon budgets will be assessed on a regional basis by research teams, using both simple and technologically advanced methods.  Applied aspects include the study of palaeomonsoons, palaeohydrology, engineering and geotechnical assessment, and the palaeoanthropological implications of past archipelagic and land bridges.
A key plank of the proposal is an emphasis on research training in modern methods of shelf study by an integrated series of workshops and by research exchanges to advanced facilities and laboratories.
The principal physical outputs include an electronic database of all materials/posters contributed to the project, training workshop manuals, numerous papers in scientific journals, a special volume of contributed papers in 2003, an edited monograph in 2005, and contributions to shelf maps at world, regional and national scales.

Geosciences in the Service of Society
Several of the more applied aspects of the proposed project relate to societal concerns, particularly those that bear on engineering aspects of shelf sediments (shelf mapping for management, geotechnics; laying of submarine optical cables), as do the development of mineral resources (sand, gravel and marine placer deposits of diamonds, tin, gold and other heavy mineral sands).
The characterisation of continental shelves is of prime importance to the convention on the Law of the Sea, and in this regard our research training programs will be of substantial significance to marine geologists, particularly in less developed countries.
There is another aspect to the human dimension on shelves, and it lies in their previous occupation during partial exposure at or near the Last Glacial Maximum.  Our project will seek to interpret and integrate aspects of the human heritage of shelves as occupation sites and as corridors for migration.
 

To participants of IGCP 464

Dear Participants
        The IGCP Scientific Board, at its meeting of 5-9 February 2001 in
Paris, approved the application to establish a new project, 464
"Continental Shelves during the Last Glacial Cycle: Knowledge and
Application", which follows the now completed project 396 on
"Continental Shelves in the Quaternary". The official notification has
just been received, giving Project 464 an "excellent" evaluation, and
providing "medium" level of funding for the first two years as seems
usual for new projects.

We would like to thank those individual scientists who provided written
support for the project, which was an essential ingredient in the
approval of the proposal. More than 120 emails and letters from some 25
countries, including several from groups of scientists, were ultimately
delivered to Paris, indeed somewhat overwhelming the UNESCO secretariat.

We thought to communicate to participants with a series of numbered
newsletters that can be retained electronically or printed and filed,
and which will also be retained on an IGCP464 web page. If you wish to
be deleted from the newsletter mailing list or if you want someone to be
included, send a message to francesco.chiocci@uniroma1.it

FIRST ANNUAL CONFERENCE (ASIAN VENUE)
IGCP-464's first annual conference will be held in Hong Kong on 25-28
October 2001, and will be organised by Wyss Yim (University of Hong
Kong). A full circular will be posted in earliest May, but we can
declare the dates now, so that intending participants can apply for
travel funds from their host/national organisations.

There are some funds available to assist a limited number of
participants from less developed countries who present a paper at the
meeting. Such persons should contact the co-leaders with information
about the nature of the contribution they wish to make to the meeting.

The meeting will integrate the following features:

A high proportion of poster presentations and those papers to be
presented orally, will still be accompanied by a poster.

These posters will be transferred electronically to be available on the
IGCP464 website, as soon as possible after the meeting (format detail
will be supplied later). Posters that are not prepared electronically
will be photographed digitally and transferred to the web page.

A short abstract (of one A4 page) of each presented paper will be used
to construct a booklet of abstract for the meeting.

Excursions to shelf engineering technology facilities and sites within
Hong Kong will be held on Friday 26 October. We are also negotiating for
a possible longer pre-conference excursion in/near Guangzhou.

ASSOCIATED MEETINGS
There are two other meetings that are temporally and topically related
to the IGCP 464 annual meeting, that potential delegates may wish to
consider attending:
A. First International Meeting on both Sea Level Changes and Coastal
Evolution (INQUA) and Neotectonics (INQUA). In Taiwan, 17-24 October
2001 (see www.pog.su.se/sea)
B. Fifth International Conference on the Cenozoic Evolution of the
Asia-Pacific Environment. Hong Kong, 29 October - 1 November, 2001.
(first circular available by Email from wwsyim@hku.hk)

MEMBERSHIP OF IGCP464
If you have received this newsletter by Email, we obiouvsly have your
Email address! Those members who receive the newsletter by conventional
mail are requested to inform the project co-leaders of their Email
address if they have one. Persons without Email access are requested to
so indicate to the co-leaders, who also wish to expand the mailing list
to countries and areas not commonly served by Email.

We further wish to expand the mailing list to all the researchers
working on shelf-related topics (also archaeologists, biologists,
engineers) so we are asking you to disseminate the newsletter or to send
us addresses of other possible participants.

ESTABLISHMENT OF PROJECT 464 WEBSITE
The establishment of a website is under way and will include:
- the text of the original proposal, including aims, proposed venues for
subsequent annual meetings, proposed working groups, initial membership
list (the latter since expanded), etc.
- a continuously updated membership list
- newsletters
- posters presented at annual meetings
- a news and exchange column, to permit exchange of information and views.

IGCP464 CO-SPONSORED WORKSHOP
7-10 January 2002 Hong Kong. IAS/SEPM "Environmental Sedimentology on
Continental Shelves". Please contact Wyss Yim (wwsyim@hku.hk) for
further information.
 
 

Looking forward to some exciting collaboration, ciao and goodday mate
 
 

1. Conference Introduction 
The newly approved IGCP project 464 (http://www.uniroma1/igcp464.html) starts its activity this year with the first annual conference. 

The aim of the project is the definition of the palaeoenvironmental evolution of the continental shelves, leading to their present morphology, stratigraphy and sedimentology. The geological approach to the environment and to its global changes is in fact based on a complete understanding of the long-term cyclicity of natural systems. On the continental margins the leading factor is undoubtedly the very rapid changes in sea level that brought it from ca. -125m during the Last Glacial Maximum (ca. 20ka BP) to its present position in little more than 10,000 years at an average rate of 1m/century. The project will therefore be focused especially on the Last Glacial Maximum and to the following sea-level rise. In fact the LGM is a key event in Pleistocene/Holocene evolution, as it represents the main and latest extreme in sea-level and climatic trends at a global scale. The conditions at the LGM on continental shelves and their effects on coastal plains and continental slopes will thus be the "starting point" of the most recent and continuing environmental cycle. 

All researchers interested in the evolution of the continental shelves, the processes that led to their present form and applications of this knowledge are welcome to participate.

The Conference will be held in Hong Kong, where during the last decade impressive infrastructural engineering works have been carried out on shelf areas.  The Conference will be organized by Associate Prof. Wyss Yim who successfully led the former shelf project 396 (http://www2.env.uea.ac.uk/gmmc/igcpmain.html) and who has been among the most enthusiastic supporters in preparing a follow-up proposal.

2. Sponsors
The Croucher Foundation
The Dr Stephen S.F. Hui Trust Fund (decision pending)
UNESCO/International Union of Geological Sciences
Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
Supporting  bodies ?
INQUA Commission on Sea-level Changes & Coastal Evolution
INQUA Committee on Economic Deposits
Shelf Carbon Working Group, INQUA Commission on Global Carbon

3. Conference Themes 
In the conference, academic exchange and discussion will be focused on the following scientific aspects: 
(1) Depth of eustatic minimum: position of sea level at LGM, similarities and differences among tidal/non tidal, high/low wave energy, tropical/temperate/periglacial, …
(2) Paleogeography: formation of continental land-bridges, narrowing or closure of straits and seaways, changes to littoral dynamics, sea/land ratio, etc.
(3) Paleoclimate: indications on paleo-rainfall/paleohydrology (i.e. why river courses did not cut incised valleys down to the LGM depth?), paleo-wave climate (i.e. why lowstand deposits are more redistributed along the coast than transgressive and highstand deposits), paleoconditions on high- and low-latitude shelves (i.e. water temperature and coral reefs, paleomonsoon, de-glaciation patterns), paleo-morphology (i.e. shelf morphology evolution during sea level fall, lowstand and rise)
(4) Stratigraphy: possible definition of a sea-level fall/lowstand limit, application of sequence-stratigraphic concepts to the last eustatic cycle, is the actualism applicable to continental shelf study?
(5) Heritage on human culture: witnesses of environmental changes and shelf narrowing on human pre-history (disappearance of flat coastal areas suitable for cultural/population transmigrations, constant flooding situation, abrupt sea-level rise in enclosed basins such as the Black Sea)
(6) Applications: Carbon Cycle, control on global climate, coastline changes controlling sediment re-distribution, neotectonics, hydrogeological indications, long-term littoral budget, shelf mineral resources, engineering geology, coastal management.

As this is the first meeting of the IGCP 464, the following organizational aspects will be included in two business meetings:
(1) establishment of office bearers
(2) establishment of working groups
(3) definition of national/regional correspondents
(4) definition of achievable intermediate goals

4. Conference format
The IGCP464 conferences will emphasize poster presentation as a tool to exchange information among participants as it is possible that some researchers from hosting countries will attend only one meeting. To avoid the loss of this valuable information, selected posters from each meeting will be retained on the IGCP464 web page. Therefore, ALL PRESENTERS, INCLUDING THOSE FOR ORAL PRESENTATIONS, WILL BE REQUESTED TO PRODUCE A POSTER. The poster should be prepared as Corel Draw or Word file saving them as HTML. Posters not prepared electronically may be photographed and inserted in the web page as raster files of low resolution. The HTML files should be recorded on floppy disk (if possible) or in CD ROM and given to the organizers at the conference.

5. Abstract submission
An abstract of minimum one, maximum two pages should be submitted by 1st September, 2001. The abstract must be sent to Wyss Yim via electronic mail as MSWord (or RTF) file with the following format:
(1) Layout: A4 paper (210mm x 297mm), left and right margins 3.8 cm, top and bottom margins 4.8 cm, line spacing 14 pt
(2) Font: Times New Roman, (but the Title size 12; affiliation, bibliogrpaphy and captions size 9)
(3) Title: Centred capital, bold font size 12
(4) Authors: Centred, not capital font size 10
(5) Affiliations: Centred not capital font size 9
(6) Text: justified to the left; new paragraph indent 0.5 cm font size 10
(7) Bibliography cited in the abstract: (Yim, 2000, Yim and Tovey, 2001, Yim et al., 2002) font size 10
(8) Bibliography list: Author Surname, Author Initials, (year)..…title…. , …..journal… , …vol…. , ….pages…
(9) Figures (if necessary) and tables: with captions (fontsize 8) should be left-right centred and of legible quality.

Those abstracts not sent by Email, should be prepared according to the above described format and sent via regular mail (1 hard copy paper plus floppy disk version) to Dr Wyss Yim, Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China to arrive by the deadline of 1st September, 2001.

6. Language
The language used at the conference is English.

7. Presentation
(1) Oral: 15-20 minutes, plus 5 minutes of discussion. The conference room is equipped with a multimedia projector, a 35-mm slide projector and an overhead projector. Please inform Wyss Yim if you have any additional requirements.

(2) Poster:  For each poster, two floor-standing boards of 1m (width) x 2m (height) are available. The text should be concise and informative. Illustrations should be of good quality and clearly labelled. Attendance of the presenting author is required at the scheduled time for questions and discussions.

8. Financial Assistance
There are limited project funds available to partially support attendance by some participants from developing countries.  Preference will be given to younger scientists who present a paper at the conference.  Persons wishing to receive such support should approach Francesco L. Chiocci or Allan Chivas with information about the nature of the contribution they wish to make at the meeting.  An early submission of the intended abstract will assist in reaching a decision concerning financial assistance.

Some countries have a national IGCP fund to support attendance at IGCP conferences by their scientists and graduate students.  Intending delegates should ascertain if their national IGCP Committee distributes travel grants.

9. Registration fee and payment
The conference registration fee is HK$1,000 (US$130).  This fee covers the cost of the abstract volume, lunches, refreshments, reception, conference dinner and the 1-day field excursion. For accompanying spouse the registration fee is HK$800 (US$105).

Payment should be made by overseas bankdraft either in the Hong Kong currency or US dollars payable to ‘The University of Hong Kong’ and send to Wyss Yim to arrive by 1st September 2001. After this deadline, the registration fee is HK$1,150 (US$150) and HK$900 (US$115) for accompanying spouses.

10. Accommodation
Participants requiring accommodation will either be housed in the University Guest House or a nearby hotel in twin bedded double rooms. Both are located within walking distance of the university campus. Cost is in the region of HK$400-500 per room per day (single or double occupancy). Before booking your accommodation with us please check to see if economical air fare-hotel packages are available in your country. If available, please ask to stay at the Century Harbour Hotel located in the Western District of Hong Kong Island as this is within walking distance of the university campus. If you would like to share the room you are booking through us or wish to have a single room please indicate this in your registration form. 

11. Timetable
1st September, 2001: Early registration and Abstracts deadline 
10th October, 2001:  Second Circular (final program) will be sent

12. Field excursion
A full-day field excursion to Lantau Island is planned. This will include a ferry trip from Hong Kong Island to Lantau Island, a visit to the Po Lin Monastery and a study of the drowned and partially drowned landslide deposits in Tai O Bay.
 

13. Schedule

Wednesday 24 October    Arrival in Hong Kong and registration   Welcoming Reception

Thursday 25 October     MORNING: Opening; Initial business meeting 
                                   (outline of the scope of the project, potential working 
                                    groups, goals, training programs) 
                                   AFTERNOON: Oral and Poster Sessions 

Friday 26 October           ALL DAY: Field excursion to Lantau Island 

Saturday 27 October     MORNING and AFTERNOON: Oral and Poster Sessions
                                   NIGHT: Conference dinner

Sunday 28 October       MORNING Business Session (establishment of working groups, 
                                  achievable goals for the forthcoming year, networking,
                                  establishment of scientific co-operation for research projects,
                                  training, etc.) 

14. General Information on Hong Kong
(1) No visa is required for entry for the majority of countries. If in doubt please contact the Chinese Embassy in your own country for further details. If a letter of invitation is needed please contact Wyss Yim.
(2) General information on the Hong Kong SAR can be found at http://webserv1.discoverhongkong.com and http://asiatravel.com/hkinfo.html.
(3) In October the average temperature is 25°C and the average rainfall is 144.8 mm. Typhoons are generally rare.
(4) The electrical supply is 220V, 50Hz AC.

 15.  Related Conference
Participants may be interested in attending a related conference in Hong Kong immediately following the IGCP464 Conference. The 5th International Conference on the Cenozoic Evolution of the Asia-Pacific Environment (CEAPE) will be held at the University of Hong Kong on 29th October to 1st November, 2001. If you would like to attend this conference please contact Wyss Yim for a second circular as soon as possible.

16. Contacts
Associate Prof. Wyss Yim
Department of Earth Sciences, The University of Hong Kong
Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China; Fax: +852 2517 6912, Email: wwsyim@hku.hk

Prof. Allan R. Chivas
School of Geosciences, University of Wollongong 
NSW 2522, Australia; Fax: +61 2 4221 5703, Email: toschi@uow.edu.au

Prof. Francesco L. Chiocci
Dipartimento Scienze della Terra, Universita’ di Roma "La Sapienza"
P. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy; Fax: +39 06 4458 5080, Email: francesco.chiocci@uniroma1.it
 

To contact IGCP464
email: francesco.chiocci@uniroma1.it
Dip. Scienze della Terra, Univ. "La Sapienza", P. Aldo Moro 5, 00185, Roma, Italy