About this Research Topic
In the next decade of Earth Science research, humanity will face unprecedented societal and scientific challenges, including climate change, the toll of natural disasters and the depletion in Earth resources. Facing these challenges will require an integrated understanding of the Earth system at all spatial and temporal scales, the harnessing of new technologies and methods, and the training of an intellectually and demographically diverse workforce.
A recent report by the National Academy of Sciences outlined a series of fundamental research questions for the next decade of scientific progress in Earth Science. These questions span the Earth system from the core to the clouds, from the deep past, through the present, to the future. We believe that Frontiers in Earth Science, as devoted to collecting and disseminating scientific knowledge from 19 Specialties within the Earth Science Field, is an appropriate platform to engage the wider international community on these first-order topics, many of which are of societal importance and impact the sustainability of our planet. We have built on the questions posed by the National Academy of Sciences by adding our own contributions:
1. How is Earth’s internal magnetic field generated?
2. When, why, and how did plate tectonics start?
3. How are critical elements distributed and cycled in the Earth?
4. What is an earthquake?
5. What drives volcanism?
6. What are the causes and consequences of topographic change?
7. How does the critical zone influence climate?
8. What does Earth’s past reveal about the dynamics of the climate system?
9. How is Earth’s water cycle changing?
10. How do biogeochemical cycles evolve?
11. How do geological processes influence biodiversity?
12. How can Earth science research reduce the risk and toll of geohazards?
13. How have human activity, starting with fire, altered Earth Systems?
14. How sustainable is Earth with the rapid addition of anthropogenic greenhouse gases?
15. How can Earth science help us in properly managing the available geo-resources?
16. How do the Earth’s inner envelopes physically and chemically interact?
With this regard, we encourage contributions to help define and address these fundamental challenges of the next decade to understand the Earth system, as well as visionary reviews that are broad and span the state-of-the-art and the future of our discipline.
Note: Each submission will be assessed carefully by the Topic Editors to make sure it falls within the scope of the Research Topic and its vision. In order to be considered for a manuscript submission, submit your abstract by the designated abstract deadline.
Reference: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. A Vision for NSF Earth Sciences 2020-2030: Earth in Time. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25761
A recent report by the National Academy of Sciences outlined a series of fundamental research questions for the next decade of scientific progress in Earth Science. These questions span the Earth system from the core to the clouds, from the deep past, through the present, to the future. We believe that Frontiers in Earth Science, as devoted to collecting and disseminating scientific knowledge from 19 Specialties within the Earth Science Field, is an appropriate platform to engage the wider international community on these first-order topics, many of which are of societal importance and impact the sustainability of our planet. We have built on the questions posed by the National Academy of Sciences by adding our own contributions:
1. How is Earth’s internal magnetic field generated?
2. When, why, and how did plate tectonics start?
3. How are critical elements distributed and cycled in the Earth?
4. What is an earthquake?
5. What drives volcanism?
6. What are the causes and consequences of topographic change?
7. How does the critical zone influence climate?
8. What does Earth’s past reveal about the dynamics of the climate system?
9. How is Earth’s water cycle changing?
10. How do biogeochemical cycles evolve?
11. How do geological processes influence biodiversity?
12. How can Earth science research reduce the risk and toll of geohazards?
13. How have human activity, starting with fire, altered Earth Systems?
14. How sustainable is Earth with the rapid addition of anthropogenic greenhouse gases?
15. How can Earth science help us in properly managing the available geo-resources?
16. How do the Earth’s inner envelopes physically and chemically interact?
With this regard, we encourage contributions to help define and address these fundamental challenges of the next decade to understand the Earth system, as well as visionary reviews that are broad and span the state-of-the-art and the future of our discipline.
Note: Each submission will be assessed carefully by the Topic Editors to make sure it falls within the scope of the Research Topic and its vision. In order to be considered for a manuscript submission, submit your abstract by the designated abstract deadline.
Reference: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2020. A Vision for NSF Earth Sciences 2020-2030: Earth in Time. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25761
Keywords: planet, magentism, volcanism, earthquake, critical zone, geohazards, human activity, tectonics, climate, hydrosphere
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
