ICDP Science Workshop: Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides (COSC)

Geologists and geophysicists working on the younger orogens, particularly Himalaya-Tibet and the Alps, are joining Caledonian colleagues in Scandinavia in late June to debate the processes involved in collisional orogeny. The COSC workshop will concentrate on the underthrusting of continents and resulting generation of high grade allochthons, with emplacement of eclogites and granulite facies migmatites with leucogranites hundreds of kilometres onto adjacent platforms. The meeting will compare and contrast the Caledonian analogue with Himalaya – Tibet. In Scandinavia, we plan to drill key-sites in the Caledonides from the base of the hot allochthon, through the underlying nappes with their inverted metamorphism, and deep into the underlying basement.
The COSC workshop will be held from 21^st-25^th June in Åre, Sweden, in the central Scandes. The mountain Åreskutan is the classical locality for thrust emplacement of vast allochthons in the Caledonides, as described by Törnebohm in 1888. We will examine some of the field evidence and discuss the plans for drilling two 2.5 km deep drillholes. The experience and knowledge of colleagues working in on-going orogens will contribute to the detailed planning of COSC science.
The Swedish Research Council is funding the purchase of a mobile scientific drilling rig capable of coring to 2.5-3.0 km, on the understanding that drillholes to this depth are essential for a better understanding of the country´s geology, including its mineral deposits, groundwater circulation patterns, geothermal energy and the potential need for CO₂ sequestration.
Members of the international scientific community who are interested in contributing to the workshop are invited to send an application with their name, institution, contact details and brief summary of their relevant expertise and intended contribution to Henning Lorenz (henning.lorenz (at) geo.uu.se). The deadline for applications is the 31^st May 2010. We already have 60-70 participants, but a few more would be welcome. Preference for participation will be given to those from ICDP member countries. The preliminary workshop programme is available at http://www.sddp.se/COSC-workshop.