The upcoming year (2025) promises to be rich in scientific activities and collaborative initiatives within the LithoMar Task Force. Our planned efforts span from field-based investigations to lab analysis and international dissemination. Key activities include:
New oceanographic expeditions:
- In the Arctic Ocean, targeting cold-seep environments, with a focus on fluid-related processes and associated seafloor morphologies.
- In the Mediterranean Sea, specifically in the Sicily Channel, to explore submarine volcanic areas and investigate their geomorphic and geodynamic expressions.
Laboratory-based research:
- Multibeam bathymetric data processing from past campaigns in the Southern Ocean (Emerald Fracture Zone) and the Pacific Ocean, focusing on seamounts and guyots.
- Numerical modelling aimed at developing automated tools for the detection of critical seafloor landforms, with potential applications for geohazard assessment.
Fieldwork in shallow-water environments, including offshore Mt. Etna (Italy), to study the influence of active tectonic and volcanic dynamics on shallow seafloor features within a complex geodynamic context.
Throughout these activities, LithoMar will promote synergic and multidisciplinary approaches, integrating diverse methodologies and working across multiple spatial and temporal scales. Special emphasis will be placed on the investigation of guyots, due to their key role in reconstructing paleo-sea level changes and understanding long-term seafloor evolution.
Scientific dissemination will continue through active participation in international and national conferences. At least one dedicated session will be organized at EGU 2025, with additional sessions considered at other major congresses.
LithoMar remains committed to fostering collaboration and engagement, particularly among early-career researchers, through its research and outreach efforts.
LITHOMAR 