Integrated Approaches to Rock Deformation: Observations, Experiments, and Models

Our first-order understanding of rock deformation is limited by our ability to observe and interpret natural phenomena or their relict signatures in the rocks. However, such observations allow us to define fundamental hypotheses that can be tested, in particular, by way of experiments and models, ultimately yielding deeper insights into rock deformation in nature. For example, both seismic and post-seismic deformation can be documented geodetically, but the remote nature of the data and their dramatic spatial and temporal variations, do not resolve the specific processes responsible. Deformation experiments under controlled conditions can narrow down the possibilities, while numerical modeling serves to extrapolate these results back to natural conditions. Thus, a fully integrated approach to rock deformation, one combining observation, interpretation, experimentation, and finally, physical or numerical modeling, is the key to furthering our understanding of the deformation behavior of complex Earth and planetary systems.

The 2018 Gordon Research Conference on Rock Deformation will present cutting-edge research that spans a wide range of methodologies, materials, over a variety of spatial and temporal scales, with an eye on developing this integrated perspective on rock deformation. Presentations will cover brittle and ductile deformation, from microstructures to mantle rheology, with applications to earthquake mechanics, geodynamics, geohazards, geoengineering, and more. The conference will draw together international experts at the forefronts of their fields, both early-career and senior investigators, enabling the free exchange of ideas. The collegial and open atmosphere of the Gordon Research Conference, combining programmed sessions and discussions, as well as opportunities for informal gatherings in the afternoons, evenings and during meals, provides a forum for scientists from different disciplines to brainstorm together, while developing new cross-disciplinary collaborations in a range of research areas.

The Gordon Research Seminar (GRS), to be held immediately before the Conference, will be tightly integrated into the Gordon Research Conference, ensuring the continuous flow of content and discussions.