The First Seafloor Observatory Science Conference Successfully Held

The First Seafloor Observatory Science Conference Successfully Held

From Nov. 7^th to 9^th, The First Seafloor Observatory Science Conference was held successfully in Tongji University. The conference was co-hosted by Department of Earth Science of the National Natural Science Foundation of China, Science and Technology Division of Ministry of Education and Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality, and was organized by The Shanghai Ocean Science and Technology Research Center (establishing) and the State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology of Tongji University. Academician Pinxian Wang and Jilan Su, directors of the Conference Academic Committee and around 300 experts and scholars from 68 institutions around the world, 9 of which are overseas, attended the conference. They shared the latest achievements and experiences and discussed key issues concerning the country’s long-term seafloor observation and the implementation and strategies of construction of the observatory system, which should meet the country’s actual needs and suit real conditions of Chinese seas areas.   

“Short-term explorations into the deep sea can discover miracles, but cannot reveal the mechanism of deep sea process. Only by implementing long-term continuous observation can the variability of the ocean be truly revealed.” Academician Pinxian Wang said in the conference, with the discovery of deep sea and the development of seafloor observatory system, the relationship between human and ocean has stepped into a new phase, human need to get to know, to understand as well as to make use of the ocean from its interior. ” From his report Getting to Know the Ocean from its Interior, Mr. Wang points out that a new world is hidden to be discovered inside the grand ocean, and the establishment of observatories on the seabed to carry out in-situ observation is becoming the goal for the development of ocean science in the new century. Once long-term continuous observation into the ocean from its interior is achieved, the trend of the development is bound to be changed, and a new era when marine science and technology are closely integrated has come. To a certain extent, some regions like the United States, Canada, Japan and Europe are in a leading position, but seafloor observing is still a new area developed in the recent years. “Whether we can seize this opportunity to devote into this area with joint effort will decide if our country can catch up to the international forefront.”

Invited lectures were given by experts from University of Massachusetts (Boston), the Geological Survey of Canada, U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. MBARI Institute, Texas Agricultural and Mechanical University and other institutions, which gave a broad review of experiences and achievements in the construction of international seafloor observatory network. Experts from Tongji Univ., Ocean Univ. of China, Xiamen Univ., Second Institute of Oceanography of the State Oceanic Administration, China Polar Research Center and Taiwan Academia Sinica also gave summary reports on their achievements and progresses. Several professors from our State Key Laboratory of Marine Geology introduced related progresses of our researches including the operation of East China Sea Xiaoqushan Observatory which was established by the laboratory.    

The Seafloor Observatory Science Conference is held every two years, and the second conference will be held in Xiamen in 2014.