General Information

Large-scale Volcanism in the Arctic: The Role of the Mantle and Tectonics

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About the Meeting

The AGU Chapman Conference on “Large-scale Volcanism in the Arctic: The Role of the Mantle and Tectonics” will focus on the diversity of Arctic magmatism and tectonics from the Paleozoic to present-day. The program will focus on five themes including:

  • Theme I: pre-breakup and rifting;
  • Theme II: seafloor spreading;
  • Theme III: mantle-derived heterogeneity (including plumes and large-igneous provinces);
  • Theme IV: subduction related volcanism, and
  • Theme V: HALIP and environmental effects.

Iceland_Image_3_jpg.pngA 2-2.5 day post-conference field trip to selected sites around southern Iceland will also be linked to the program. The conference will aim to address major hypotheses about magmatism (and in particular volcanism) in the Arctic including: Can persistent Arctic mantle heterogeneity explain the complexity of the Arctic’s tectonic and volcanic evolution? How can volcanic events be used to test alternative tectonic models for the region? Can a single, unifying definition of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province (HALIP) be adequately constrained? The conference offers a unique opportunity to link the surface and deeper evolution of the region. Particular effort will be placed on refining our understanding of the Cretaceous-Paleocene High Arctic Large Igneous Province. The purpose of this meeting will be to gather specialists in Arctic magmatism and tectonics, together with marine geophysicists and seismologists with knowledge of the lithosphere and upper mantle structure and evolution from the Arctic or elsewhere. We invite abstracts that will cover a range of Arctic-specific magmatic and tectonic processes as well as research from other, analogous magmatic regions of the world. Students and early career presentations will feature prominently in the program.

Why now? – with a wealth of new data having been acquired, the Arctic community is now in a position to integrate, evaluate and develop a cross-community tectonic and magmatic model. The AGU Chapman conference is a timely forum that will bring together regional and discipline specific experts and encourage the next generation of Arctic scientists through knowledge transfer and multidisciplinary collaboration.