Published by CSIRO on 4 July 2011

Decreasing autumn and winter rainfall over southern Australia has been attributed to a 50-year decrease in the average intensity of storms in the region – a trend which is forecast to continue for another 50 years.”Our recent work on climate model projections suggests a continuation of these trends over the next 50 years.”

In an address today to the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics conference in Melbourne, CSIRO climate scientist, Dr Jorgen Frederiksen, said these changes are due to reductions in the strength of the mid-latitude jet stream and changes in atmospheric temperatures. The jet stream comprises fast moving westerly winds in the upper atmosphere. [continue reading…]

• Can we better predict earthquakes and other natural disasters?
• Big tsunamis have hit Australia and the South Pacific in pre-history – could it happen again?
• Can we protect nuclear plants and other infrastructure?
• Can a city such as Christchurch be quake-proof?

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Till next Thursday, 7 July, Australia is hosting a conference earth scientists who will be providing the most up-to-date information on the Japanese tsunami, the safety of nuclear installations, the Christchurch earthquake, Cyclone Yasi, the ash clouds and more.

Earth on the Edge is the 25th General Assembly of the International Union of Geophysics and Geodesy (IUGG) and has attracted almost 4,000 delegates from around 100 countries.

Here are a just a few of the speakers and topics:

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Australian researchers have revealed a new pattern of ocean circulation which will change our understanding of marine events.

Research at the University of Melbourne and the Bureau of Meteorology has overturned conventional ideas of ocean circulation. [continue reading…]

Thin, flexible, cheaper solar cells that are printed rather than manufactured are where we’re heading with new technology patented by Melbourne researchers.

While other researchers have discovered that HIV can hide out in the brain, leading to increased understanding of the link between HIV infection and HIV dementia.

Both of these discoveries were selected for Fresh Science, a national competition that highlights the work of early-career researchers.

Also, a moody earth: extreme natural hazards, selling seawater, tsunamis in the Pacific and recent floods in Pakistan. These are some of the topics being discussed today at Earth on the Edge, an international earth sciences conference in Melbourne from today till Thursday 7 July. [continue reading…]

Published by CSIRO on 28 June 2011

The recent spate of major natural disasters in Japan, Chile, New Zealand, Australia and other parts of the world will be the talk of the town in Melbourne from tonight until 7 July at one of the world’s largest Earth science conferences.

Themed Earth on the Edge: Science for a Sustainable Planet, the 25th General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) will involve around 4000 scientists from 100 countries in detailed discussions about the human costs of natural disasters and how to mitigate them. [continue reading…]

From tomorrow, for nearly two weeks Australia is hosting a huge meeting of earth scientists – many of them flying directly from their work at recent hot spots.

They will be providing the most up-to-date information on the Japanese tsunami, the safety of nuclear installations, the Christchurch earthquake, Cyclone Yasi, the ash clouds and more. They will also be putting all of this in context and reveal the bigger picture about our planet in all its moods.

The conference is Earth on the Edge, the 25^th General Assembly of the International Union of Geophysics and Geodesy (IUGG), and it has attracted almost 4,000 delegates from around 100 countries. [continue reading…]

News Alert from CSIRO Media Centre

24 June 2011

One of the world’s largest meetings of earth scientists will commence next Tuesday in Melbourne.

Almost 4000 participants from about 100 countries will discuss recent natural disasters and the impact on human life and infrastructure.

Earth on the Edge: Science for a Sustainable Planet is the theme of the 25th General Assembly of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG), which will be held from 28 June to 7 July.

“The conference could hardly be held at a more crucial time for earth scientists,” says CSIRO’s Dr Tom Beer, President of the IUGG.

“We’ll examine the impact on society of the recent run of natural disasters – including the Japanese tsunami, Christchurch earthquake, Chilean volcano, and extreme weather in Australia. The fact that so many of the scientists attending the meeting have had to overcome such challenges to be here is a great testimony to their commitment to make the world a better and a safer place.” [continue reading…]

In 2011 Australia will hold one of the world’s largest meetings of earth scientists. They will explore all the physical aspects of our planet, from deep in the Earth’s core to our place in space.

Given recent natural disasters—such as the Pakistan floods, Black Saturday bushfires, Hurricane Katrina, the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami, 2010 Chile earthquake, Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano—the Earth seems ever more restless and destructive, and the impact on human life and infrastructure is increasingly heavy.

So it is important to understand how the Earth works—which means the 25^th General Assembly of the International Union of Geophysics and Geodesy in Melbourne from 28 June to 7 July 2011 will be a focus of attention, not only for the 3,000 delegates expected to attend, but for many others besides. [continue reading…]