1st EMSEV meeting Minutes

Uyeda (Chair) and Johnston (IASPEI/IAVCEI liaison member) reported on the writing of the initial proposal at the
Birmingham 1999 IUGG meeting and the Terms of Reference set up by IUGG in accepting this proposal. The need
for cross-interaction between different disciplines was identified as a fundamental purpose of the working group
since researchers in EM studies have very diverse backgrounds. The process of EMSEV creation appeared of
particular importance to several participants who were interested in the mechanics of creation, what such a
working group could, or could not try to do, what is its political power (none) and what is its purpose (mostly to
promote cooperation and collaboration).

Nageo (Secretary) and Uyeda reported on the EMSEV membership and our attempts to generate a membership
distribution that reflects the distribution of countries working in this field and not the numbers of people from
particular countries. We now have 34 members representing 14 countries. Nageo described some initial problems in
setting up the email system. The EMSEV mailing list is open to everybody who sends a request to Nagao for
inclusion. We now have 204 mailing list members. This system will become critically important for future EMSEV
activity. Uyeda outlined the level of support obtained so far: 1000$ (IASPEI, used for 3rd MEEMSV), 2000$ (IAGA)
and 1000$ (IAVCEI) for 2002. The latter two may be used for a local workshop in Manila (see below). Some similar
amount of support may be expected from these associations in 2003, but not much more.

Some recent publications related to the activity of EMSEV members include: "Seismo Electromagnetics-
Lithosphere-Atmosphere-Ionosphere Coupling" (Edited by M. Hayakawa and O. Molchanov), TERRAPUB., 477pp,
2002 "Recent Investigations of Electromagnetic Variations Related to Earthquakes" ( Edited by S. Uyeda and S.
Park), Special Issue, Journal of Geodynamics, 33, 4-5, 2002. "A Multi-Disciplinary Study of Volcanoes" (Edited by.
V. Spichak, T. Dixon and A.L. Martin), Special Iissue, J. Volcanology and Geotherm Res., 113, N 1, 2002.

Recently held meetings related to EMSEV with varied degrees were: "International Workshop on Earthquake
Precursors 2002", June 5 - 8, 2002, Taipei, Taiwan; a kick-off meeting of the new Taiwanese project "Research on
Seismo-EM Precursors of Earthquakes (iSTEP)". "16th EM Induction Workshop", IAGA Working Group 1.2, June
2002, Santa Fe, USA. URSI General Assembly, August, 2002, Maastricht, Holland 3rd MEEMSV Workshop, Sept. 3-
6, 2002, Moscow.

EGS/EUG/AGU (Nice), April 2003 (NH4.01"Seismic hazard evaluation, precursory phenomena and reliability of　
prediction" and NH4.02 "Seismo Electromagnetics and Related Phenomena.") http://www.copernicus.org/egsagueug
/index.html

IUGG (Sapporo), June 30-July 11, 2003, with many EMSEV related symposia as follows: U1 Forecasting,
prediction and predictability, U4 Geophysical risk and sustainability on a crowded planet, JSS01 Hagiwara Symp.
Monitoring and modeling of earthquake and volcanic processes for prediction, JSA 06 Seismo-, Volcano- and
tectono EM effects, JSA07 Regional crustal models based on seismic, EM, potential field, and geothermal studies,
JSA 10 EM imaging and monitoring of volcanoes and active faults, JWS01 Is short-term earthquake prediction
possible? GAI.09 Electrical and EM studies in geothermally active regions. HYPERLINK "http://www.jamstec.go.jp/
jamstec-e/iugg/index.html"

5-1) Manila Workshop The current level of support is low, but assisting developing country science is important.
So, we plan to hold small scale local Mtgs. as funding permits. The first one under planning is: "EMSEV Workshop for
Initiating Seismic/Volcanic EM Monitoring in Asian Countries", Date: Jan. 12-16, PHIVOLCS Building, Quezon City,
Philippines. PHIVOLCS is willing to support this meeting by rendering meeting venue and free accommodation.
Scientific objective: To introduce the recent progress in Seismic/Volcanic EM study to Asian scientists and to
discuss the feasibility and usefulness of initiating EM monitoring in their countries.

5-2) IUGG General Assembly Sapporo, June 30-July 11, 2003 This will be an important opportunity for our
activity because of many EMSEV related symposia and workshops. We plan to have a couple of EMSEV Mtgs there
even if we have one Mtg in Nice, April 2003.

5-3) IAVCEI General Assembly, Chile, 2004. We may plan some activity in association with IAVCEI General
Assembly, 2004. We need to generate proposal(s) by the end of Nov. 2002. We may even plan a next local workshop
in Latin America. EMSEV business meeting can be planned there, too.

6-1) IGOS Geohazards initiative. V. Tramutoli (Univ. of Basilicata, Italy) outlined a new UNESCO initiative for
investigation of geohazards (earthquakes, eruptions, landslides, ground motion, etc) using a broad range of
investigative techniques. The role of EMSEV appears limited in such an initiative since individual investigators would
be proposing projects for funding and EMSEV could not take on this role. Its only role can be to provide a forum for
discussion of results, not collection of them.

V. Spichak (Geoelectromagnetic Research Institute, Troisk) offered to create an international center for EM
modeling and interpretation of data measured in volcanic areas (first, free of charge) in his institute (GEMRI) and
asked EMSEV to sponsor this activity in order for Dr. Spichak to get internal funding. If funding is obtained,
EMSEV could think in the future about further promotion to get the necessary funding to support data bases and
distribution of interpretation results. Discussion of this proposal followed the lines that the initiative of GEMRI was
welcome but it seemed outside the primary purpose of EMSEV to take on a role of raising funds. What would we do
if other groups requested similar sponsorship? Rather, since the prime purpose of EMSEV is to provide
coordination and collaboration, taking on such a position would undermine our purpose and this would be unwise.

6-3) Sub-Working Group on Short-Term Precursors. O. A. Molchanov (Institute of Physics of the Earth, Moscow)
proposed forming a sub-group for analysis of multi-parameter data that might indicate precursive behavior.
However, while deriving independent constraints on the earthquake failure process from a broad range of
geophysical data is important for determining the believability of the different data and understanding of the
process, it seemed unnecessary to make such an organizational structure in EMSEV, which might, contrary to its
intention, result in disciplinary separation rather than close interdisciplinary collaboration. Such work could better be
achieved with the current simple structure.

6-4) New Journal devoted to EM phenomena. Since many authors of papers on EM are having difficulty getting
published in current international journals and in some cases have papers rejected by editors before being sent out
for review, Molchanov (IPE, Moscow) proposed creation of a new journal devoted to EM phenomena associated with
earthquakes and volcanoes. Discussion of this proposal took the direction that, although biased views of some
editors are seriously deplorable, a new journal would probably not be a good idea since it would further isolate the
field. Rather it seemed better to fight for acceptance in existing international journals by improving of the quality of
the science together with integration of other geophysical data to support the reality of data and conclusions.

Zlotnicki (IAGA-liaison member) emphasized the importance of multi-disciplinarily measurements and multi-team
approaches to generate better cross-correlation of results, better evaluation of noise and ultimately more
convincing EM signals. In this research area field work consists of two parts; the first focuses on obtaining
knowledge of the EM structure through 3D EM imaging, and the second focuses on temporal changes to this
structure using continuous monitoring of this structure with multi-disciplinary techniques in a wide spectrum of
frequency. This includes ground-based electric, magnetic and EM techniques and satellite based techniques such as
may soon be obtained from EM satellite platforms, such as DEMETER.

Others pointed out that careful data processing of long term data together with convincing signal to noise analysis
is needed to convince the scientific community at large that abnormal variations are or are not associated with
earthquakes or eruptions. During the 3rd MEEMSV meeting in Moscow (Sept. 2002) several presentations focused
on processing of combined EM and deformation data with a cross-comparison of results and implications.

Identification of the physics of EM phenomena is crucial. A consensus of participants agreed that further
laboratory experiments should be promoted. At present there are relatively few and these experiments are of
fundamental importance to the field. For example, only one presentation on laboratory measurements (J. Hao,
China Seismological Bureau) was made during the 3rd MEEMSV meeting. The role of fluids in the rupture and
eruption processes is of fundamental importance. Furthermore electrokinetic effects are often suspected to be one
of the primary physical mechanisms generating EM signals.

There were suggestions that we should 1) focus on international, multi-disciplinary experiments at a few selected
sites, where all the skills of different teams to perform 3D tomography, data acquisition and analysis, relevant
laboratory experiments, physics analysis, and modelling can be applied, and 2) make efforts to enlist the cooperation
of other geophysical disciplines (i.e. seismology, ground deformation, geochemistry, hydrology ..) in order to produce
better understanding and integration of the results and a more efficient analysis of phenomena related to
earthquakes and volcanic events. Meeting adjourned at 18:00, with a final remark of Uyeda that the Meeting was
useful in clarifying the purpose of the nature of EMSEV and in deliberating our future activity. It was a satisfying
start of a working group, which is composed of members with varied backgrounds working on a new, yet un-
established scientific discipline.