Frontiers of Mathematical Geosciences: new approaches to understand the natural world

It is widely recognized that the degree of development of a science is given by the transition from a mainly descriptive stage to a more quantitative stage. In this transition, qualitative interpretations (conceptual models) are complemented with quantification (numerical models, both, deterministic and stochastic). This has been the main task of mathematical geoscientists during the last forty years: to establish new frontiers and new challenges in the study and understanding of the natural world.

Our planet, our living place, is a finite space which suffers of increasingly worrying stresses caused by anthropic activities. The latter has implied an increase in the complexity of the problems faced by the geoscientists. The solutions of those problems require a common effort for pushing the frontiers of quantification in geosciences further: to establish new models, to develop new paradigms, to think of new transferences of methodologies from other areas of science, and to expand the number of applications.

There is a need for increasing the understanding of how the natural world works and only the synergy between classical geosciences and mathematics can provide the methodological tools to tackle the complex problems in modern geosciences. Because of all of this, new frontiers in the knowledge of the natural word appear as key words of the conference title in order to motivate geoscientists and mathematicians in pursuing this common task.

The Geological Survey of Spain (Instituto Geológico y Minero de España – IGME) considers IAMG 2013 would be an excellent opportunity for colleagues from countries all over the world to interchange knowledge and experience. IAGM 2013 will also provide a platform for key specialists in the Geological field to share their strategic vision of the current state of Mathematical Geosciences, and the direction this field may take in the upcoming years.

The North American Mathematical Science Institutes propose that 2013 be a year of Mathematics of Planet Earth - MPE2013 – interpreted as broadly as possible (please consult www.mpe2013.org for further information). The IAMG Madrid 2013 Organizing Committee would like to participate in this special event.

Earth is a planet with dynamic processes in the mantle, oceans and atmosphere creating climate, causing natural disasters, and influencing fundamental aspects of life and life-supporting systems. In addition to these natural processes, humans have developed systems of great complexity, including economic and financial systems; the World Wide Web; frameworks for resource management, transportation, and energy production and utilization; health care delivery; and social organizations. Human activity has increased to the point where it influences the global climate, impacts the ability of the planet to feed itself and threatens the stability of these systems. Issues such as climate change, sustainability, man-made disasters, control of diseases and epidemics, management of resources, and global integration have come to the fore.

Mathematics plays a key role in these and many other processes affecting Planet Earth, both as a fundamental discipline and as an essential component of multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary research.

Mathematics of Planet Earth 2013 will focus mathematical research in these fields, provide a platform to showcase the essential relevance of mathematics to planetary problems, coalesce activities currently dispersed among institutions, and create a context for mathematical and interdisciplinary developments that will be necessary in order to address a myriad of issues and meet global challenges in the future.