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Zooming In between Plates: deciphering the nature of the plate interface in subduction zones

Objective

"Subduction zones play a fundamental role in our daily life. Half of the world population lives on top or nearby one of them, in coastal areas repeatedly devastated by large earthquakes, tsunamis or volcanic eruptions. Giant earthquakes occurring on subduction zone mega-thrusts (Mw close to 9 or larger) are indeed amongst the deadliest natural hazards. During the last decade, very large earthquakes took many lives (Sumatra, Chile, Japan) and, according to the World Bank, over 200 billion € for the 2011 Japan earthquake.
These dramatic phenomena are fundamentally controlled by the mechanical coupling and global material transfer at and across subduction zone inter-plate boundaries, between the down-going subducting plate and the overriding plate. Stresses and energy release via earthquakes together with fluid-mediated mass transfer are indeed highly focused on the plate interface, where they interact on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales, both at short- (10e-4 yr) and longer time-scales (10e6 yr).
However, despite its social and economic impact, the nature, structure and properties of this plate interface are still largely unknown, calling for a thorough Zoom In between the Plates (ZIP). ZIP represents a real challenge for a new generation of geoscientists and requires innovative, high-end, cross-disciplinary scientific and technologic training to provide them with the skills and strength to tackle such problems, make major contributions, and undertake an academic or industrial career on managing geohazards. This scientific effort is mandatory for risk assessment, to enhance the reliability of early-warning systems and help reduce human loss and economic costs. Educational outreach in vulnerable countries is also crucial to explain the seismic, tectonic and tsunamic processes both to politics and populations."

Call for proposal

FP7-PEOPLE-2013-ITN
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Coordinator

UNIVERSITE PIERRE ET MARIE CURIE - PARIS 6
Address
Place Jussieu 4
75252 Paris
France

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Ouerdia Oumohand (Ms.)
EU contribution
€ 741 252,60

Participants (9)

FREIE UNIVERSITAET BERLIN
Germany
EU contribution
€ 238 568,88
Address
Kaiserswerther Strasse 16-18
14195 Berlin

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Anne Kloth (Ms.)
AGENCIA ESTATAL CONSEJO SUPERIOR DE INVESTIGACIONES CIENTIFICAS
Spain
EU contribution
€ 469 863,25
Address
Calle Serrano 117
28006 Madrid

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
María ángeles López Vázquez (Ms.)
CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
France
EU contribution
€ 528 397,30
Address
Rue Michel Ange 3
75794 Paris

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Louis Avigdor (Mr.)
UNIVERSITA DEGLI STUDI DI GENOVA
Italy
EU contribution
€ 257 337,95
Address
Via Balbi 5
16126 Genova

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Gabriella Lucchetti (Prof.)
HELMHOLTZ ZENTRUM POTSDAM DEUTSCHESGEOFORSCHUNGSZENTRUM GFZ
Germany
EU contribution
€ 238 568,88
Address
Telegrafenberg 17
14473 Potsdam

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Claas Schippmann (Mr.)
UNIVERSITAET BERN
Switzerland
EU contribution
€ 278 015,75
Address
Hochschulstrasse 6
3012 Bern

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Thomas Pettke (Dr.)
EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH
Switzerland
EU contribution
€ 506 299,20
Address
Raemistrasse 101
8092 Zuerich

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Sabine Schulze (Ms.)
CHRISTIAN-ALBRECHTS-UNIVERSITAET ZU KIEL
Germany
EU contribution
€ 238 568,88
Address
Olshausenstrasse 40
24118 Kiel

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Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Anja Uhlenbrok (Ms.)
ETHNIKO ASTEROSKOPEIO ATHINON
Greece
EU contribution
€ 238 568,88
Address
Lofos Nymfon
11810 Athina

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Activity type
Research Organisations
Administrative Contact
Kanaris Tsinganos (Prof.)