by Leif Karlstrom (University of Oregon), Kristin Morell (University of California, Santa Barbara), Carolina Muñoz-Saez (University of Nevada, Reno), Donna Shillington (Northern Arizona University)
May 31, 2022
A path forward collaborative efforts focused on the Chilean Subduction Zone
From May 9-11, a workshop was held at Termas El Corazón, near Santiago, Chile to identify key science priorities needed to holistically understand Chilean subduction zone geohazards, explore possible future collaborations between US-Chilean scientific communities on subduction zone science, and to gain input from Chilean scientists on the draft SZ4D implementation plan. Over 60 scientists attended from universities and institutes across Chile; a significant portion of the attendees (20%) were graduate students and early career scientists. Ten US scientists attended to represent the US SZ4D initiative. An early-career symposium was held on the first afternoon of the workshop to promote networking between scientists from different institutions. The main workshop included plenary talks that summarized current work on the Chilean subduction zone and associated geohazards by universities and government agencies in Chile and Argentina, introductions from funding agencies in the US and Chile (NSF and ANID), and an overview of the SZ4D RCN and Draft Implementation Plan. The bulk of the meeting comprised breakout and plenary discussions, organized according to the three themes that have defined SZ4D activities: Faulting and Earthquake Cycles, Magmatic Drivers of Eruption, and Landscapes and Seascapes. Discussion focused on defining outstanding questions regarding subduction hazards in Chile. High-priority instrumentation and activities needed to address those questions were identified, including training, synergy with government and public stakeholders, and modeling,and they were placed in the context of presently ongoing research activities. Finally, attendees discussed how the science questions could be addressed in different segments of the Chilean subduction zone. The meeting also included lightning talks, posters and thunder talks by Chilean scientists to showcase ongoing science and ideas for future science. Discussions were substantive and lively, and identified many overlapping scientific questions and activities with the US SZ4D Draft Implementation Report. Most participants expressed enthusiasm for future collaborative community efforts focused on the Chilean subduction zone. A report describing the outcomes of the workshop in greater detail is available on the workshop webpage.
