INHIGEO Symposium in Prague, 2005: History of Geophysics; History of Geology in Bohemia, Moravia, and Central and Eastern Europe; Early Mining in Bohemia
Preliminary Information
The INHIGEO Symposium for 2005 will be held in Prague and Mikulov, Czech Republic, from 2 July to 12 July, with an interesting and varied programme of field excursions. According to preliminary planning, the meeting will consist of three parts (A, B and C). Please see the map attached herewith.
Symposium Topics and Communications
Along with the customary INHIGEO topics in the history of geoscience, there will be an emphasis on topics in the history of geophysics. At present, discussions are taking place among the Symposium Local Organizing Committee (LOC) members and representatives of the Geophysical Institute of the Academy of Sciences, Prague, concerning the appropriate presentation of both early and modern Czech geophysics and visits to major geophysical observatories.
Since the field excursions will necessarily give attention to general Czech geology, with visits to mining localities such as Kutná Hora, papers on the history of geology and mining in Eastern Europe are also invited.
The Symposium will be opened by three invited papers: Professor Richard Howarth, Dr Gregory Good, and Dr Axel Plesinger, who have kindly accepted our invitations to present papers in the fields of the histories of mathematical geology, geomagnetism, and seismology respectively.
Other contributions are invited in the form of lectures (30-minute oral presentations), shorter papers (oral, 15 minutes), or posters.
The final programme will be determined according to the nature of the communications submitted.
(A) Pre-Symposium Programme: 2 days
2-day excursion to northwest and west Bohemia
2 July (Saturday)–3 July (Sunday)
Objectives:
The environmental impact of the brown opencast mining will be observed. Visit to Karlovy Vary (Carsbad) Spa. Visit to the carbon dioxide mineral water geyser (73˚ C), issuing from deep granite formations, the basin being filled with Holocene sedge-bog and diatomaceous deposits, which generate dry CO2 exhalations. Visit to the Skalna seismic station and nearby moffetes. The Komorní Hurka National Nature Reserve (a Quaternary volcano). (This is a site where an exploratory shaft was driven at the beginning of the nineteenth century to try to resolve the controversy between the Neptunists and Plutonists.)
Itinerary:
Prague–Most–Karlovy Vary Spa–Skalná-Teplá Monastery (overnight)
Františkovy Lázne Spa–Komorní Hurka (Chamber Hill) volcano–Pilsen–Prague
(B) Symposium Programme: 8 days, with five excursions
4–11 July
4 July (Monday) (Prague)
Registration (will be specified in the First Circular)
Opening addresses
Lecture presentations
5 July (Tuesday) (Prague)
Lecture and poster presentations
Afternoon visit to the Geophysical Institute and its departments
6 July (Wednesday)
1-day excursion to northwest and north Bohemia
Itinerary:
Prague–Lovosice–Milesovka Hill–Uštěk–Ceská Lípa–Kokorínské Udolí–Mělník–Prague
Programme: Tertiary volcanoes of the Central Bohemian Massif; visit to the Meteorological Milešovka station; ‘Rock Towns’ in the sandstones of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin; visits to historic north Bohemian towns.
7 July (Thursday)
Half-day excursion in the Prague area.
Objectives:
Visit to ‘Barrande Rock’: the first protected geological feature of Central Europe; stratigraphy of Lower Devonian. Visit to the Barrande fossil collections (if accessible due to ongoing Museum reconstructions)
8 July (Friday)
One-day excursion to Kutná Hora
Objectives:
The coastal facies of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin; Kutná Hora (a UNESCO-listed town, founded in the Middle Ages owing to the rich silver ore deposits discovered in the vicinity); visits to the Mining Museum; viewing of exhibition (specially prepared for the Symposium) of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century manuscript mining maps; visit to a medieval mine, an original alchemical laboratory, and the famous local charnel house.
Itinerary:
Prague–Kank–Kutná Hora–Prague
9 July (Saturday)
Travel from Prague to Mikulov
Objectives:
Visit to famous Moravian karst caves; navigation of the hidden River Punkva; visit to the Macocha Cavern; arrival at Mikulov
Itinerary:
Prague–Brno–Moravian karst region–Mikulov (south Moravia)
10 July (Sunday) (Mikulov)
Morning: paper presentations
Afternoon: visit to the Lednice Park National Reserve
Evening: Farewell Dinner in a Mikulov wine cellar
11 July 11 (Monday)
Transportation back to Prague, travelling through southern Moravia and southeast Bohemia.
Objectives:
Visit to Podyjí, the smallest Czech National Park (natural curiosities); visits to the beautiful Gothic and Renaissance towns of Znojmo, Telč, and Tábor.
Itinerary:
Mikulov–Znojmo–Podyjí National Park–Vranov–Telc–Tábor–Prague
End of Symposium.
(C) Post-Symposium Programme
12 July (Tuesday)
One-day excursion in the Bohemian karst region
Objectives:
Stratigraphy of the Silurian and Devonian formations of the ‘Barrandian Region’; holostratotype of the Silurian/Devonian boundary; visit to a Silurian volcano; karstic caves. and localities with petrified flora and fauna.
Itinerary:
Prague–Beroun–Bohemian karst region–Beroun
Accompanying Persons’ Programme, visiting the sights of Prague
An accompanying persons’ programme will be organized if there is sufficient demand, especially on the days of the paper and poster presentations. More detailed information will be issued in subsequent circulars. Or advice to would-be tourists will be provided by the LOC on arrival.
The Symposium Fee, which is expected to be about US$ 380–400 (at 2003 prices), will cover all the costs of the Symposium services and materials, including coffee-break refreshments, two meals (the opening lunch and closing dinner). The fee will also cover the transportation costs, the expenses connected with the five excursions during the Symposium (see Part B, 3–11 July 3), and the costs of the Symposium Proceedings. (The proceedings will be published in cooperation with the Czech geophysical journal Studia Geophysica et Geodaetica).
The Symposium Fee will be specified more precisely in the subsequent circulars. The costs of the pre-Symposium and post-Symposium excursions are expected to be covered by the excursion participants. The prices will be calculated and announced in subsequent circulars.
Accommodation and meals
The expenses associated with accommodation and daily meals are to be covered by the participants. The LOC is ready to provide information on the accommodation in Prague for participants requesting such assistance. At present, discussions between the LOC and the Prague Accommodation Bureau are proceeding, to examine the possibilities of participants obtaining lodging at moderate prices.
The LOC, Prague, will maintain correspondence about the Czech Symposium with the INHIGEO Members who send in the following questionnaire, duly completed.
The next LOC information will be distributed in Spring, 2004
Contact address for the LOC
Dr Jan T. Kozák,
Geophysical Institute,
Czech Academy of Sciences,
Bocní II, c.p. 1401,
141 31 Prague 4,
Czech Republic.
Email: kozak@ig.cas.cz
Tel:.+ 420 267 103 018
Fax: +420 272 761 549
Questionnaire for Czech Symposium, 2005
Please complete the following questionnaire, sign it, and send it to the LOC, Prague.
(1) I intend to take part in the 2005 Prague INHIGEO Symposium Yes No
Number of accompanying persons: ________
(2) I shall probably take part in the 2005 Prague INHIGEO Symposium Yes No
Number of accompanying persons: ________
(3) I wish to present a paper orally 30 mins 15 mins
(4) I wish to present a paper, either orally (15 min.) or as a poster
(5) I wish to present a poster paper
(6) I wish/I do not wish the LOC to supply me with information on accommodation possibilities during the Symposium.
The LOC is ready to answer your questions. Please specify your questions and special requirements here:
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