The Permian Strata of Svalbard (Support for event)

Several international research groups have been independently working on various geological issues connected to the Permian Strata of Svalbard in recent years. "The Permian Strata of Svalbard" is an international, multidisciplinary workshop intended to br ing together these diverse scientists and students from around the world. Participants will explore and discuss recent research on the geological and environmental history recorded in the spectacular Permian bedrocks of Svalbard. The workshop will promote scientific collaboration and cooperation, foster the open sharing of data and knowledge, and encourage common publications. We will plan for greater cooperation in future research expeditions, which will result in higher quality research with reduced imp act on the sensitive environment of Svalbard. Permian sedimentary bedrocks record an exceptional time period in Earth history, known for fundamental climatic, oceanographic and environmental changes in a transitional period from global icehouse to greenh ouse conditions. These changes culminated in the end-Permian mass extinction event, during which about 96 % of the marine invertebrate species were wiped out, and other groups suffered substantial losses. An understanding of the response of the Earth syst em to such profound changes can influence our view of threats facing the planet today, because factors in Permian extinction scenarios are envisaged to affect the Earth in the near future (changes in sea-level, pH, salinity, sea-water chemistry and euxini a). A multidisciplinary approach combining stratigraphy, sedimentology, geochemistry, environmental proxies and palaeontology is required to understand this crucial interval of Earth history. These approaches are the subject of this workshop, which will bring together diverse groups that work across these fields, promoting international collaboration and high quality research with impact in the scientific and mainstream press, and on modern environmental policy.