2nd announcement and invitation to a multidisciplinary international volcanological congress to commemorate the 250^th anniversary of Volcán Jorullo’s birth in Michoacán, México.

Monogenetic volcanism in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and elsewhere: Geologic setting, environmental aspects, social impact, historical documentation, and risk mitigation.
September 27 - October 4, 2009
Morelia, Michoacán, México

Jorullo’s main cone from the South

Jorullo and its lava flows. Lithography by A. Bonpland in A. v. Humboldt’s “Vues des Cordilléres“(1810)

Organizing Committee:

Dr. Claus Siebe and Dr. Marie-Noelle Guilbaud Depto. de Vulcanología, Instituto de Geofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México Ciudad Universitaria 04510 Coyoacán México, D.F., México Tel.: (52)-55-56224146 Fax: (52)-55-55502486 e-mail: csiebe@geofisica.unam.mx, m.guilbaud@geofisica.unam.mx	Dr. Gerardo Bocco and Dra. Ma. Teresa Ramírez Centro de Investigaciones en Geografía Ambiental UNAM-Campus Morelia Antigua Carretera a Pátzcuaro 8701 Colonia Ex-Hacienda San José de la Huerta 58190 Morelia, Michoacán, México Tel.: 5623 2865 e-mail: gbocco@ciga.unam.mx, mtramirez@berkeley.edu
Dr. Victor Hugo Garduño Monroy UMSNH-IIM Departamento de Geología y Mineralogía Edif. “U”, C.U., 58066 Morelia, Michoacán, México Tel.: (52) 443-3223500 ext. 4019 e-mail: vgmonroy@zeus.umich.mx

Aim of the conference and venue

Jorullo volcano, a monogenetic alignement of scoria cones, was born on the 29^th of September, 1759 during Mexico’s Colonial period on the ground of a sugar-cane hacienda located in the present State of Michoacán in western central Mexico. The eruption lasted for almost 15 years and ended in 1774 leaving a wasteland of several km² covered mostly by lava flows and ash fallout. Hence, the 29^th of September 2009 will be the 250^th birthday of this volcano.
Almost 29 years after the end of Jorullo’s eruption, the German naturalist Alexander von Humboldt visited Jorullo in September of 1803 and subsequently described his observations at Jorullo in many of his works. At that time, the interior of the lava flows was still hot and numerous fumaroles could be observed emanating from their surface. Based on his observations at Jorullo, Humboldt became an advocate of the “theory of elevation” (Erhebungstheorie) which postulated that volcanoes grow like blisters from within, implying that molten rock rising to the surface would push previously existing rocks upward creating a carapace of older broken strata on top of the extruded hot magma body. This theory created much controversy among contemporaneous pioneers in the geological sciences and Jorullo’s name became familiar to 19^th century geologists. With the decline of the “Erhebungstheorie” came the decline of Jorullo’s international fame and little is known about this young volcano from a modern scientific perspective. The upcoming 250^th birthday of this volcano represents a unique opportunity to revive this historic eruption and its fatal consequences for nearby populations. A repeat of such an eruption on Mexican territory in present times would certainly have serious effects for life and property, and hence Mexico’s economy.
Discussion of results of recent geologic sudies will certainly fill a gap in our knowledge of this volcano and serve as an important scientific contribution to better understand monogenetic volcanism and related volcanic hazards in Mexico and elsewhere. Hence, the main goal of the conference is to bring together on the occasion of Jorullo’s 250^th birthday specialists in different fields of knowledge interested in the phenomenon of monogenetic volcanism.
The conference venue, the city of Morelia, is the capital of Michoacán, a State that contains the largest amount of scoria cones in Mexico and therefore provides an excellent stage for discussing monogenetic volcanism and related topics.

Morelia, capital of the state of Michoacán

Morelia (1920 m asl, ca. 610,000 inhabitants), founded by the Spanish in 1541 is the capital of the State of Michoacán and located on the Mexican high plateau, which is characterized by its mild climate. Although it has grown significantly over the past decades, it has retained much of its provincial flair.

The historical center is listed in UNESCO’s “Cultural Heritage of the World” due to its richness in civil and religious buildings dating from the XVI to the XIX centuries, which include the Clavijero Palace, Las Rosas Conservatory, Government Palace, San Nicolas College, the ex-convent of San Francisco (now the House of Crafts) and the many old and elegant houses surrounding the Arms Square, Las Rosas Garden, and Fray Antonio de San Miguel road. The imposing aqueduct frames the city with its 253 arches. The churches of San Francisco, San Agustin, La Compañía, El Carmen, La Merced, Las Rosas, Las Monjas, Capuchinas, and the Sanctuary of our Lady of Guadalupe, in their colonial splendor, are only rivaled by the cathedral in its magnificent baroque style. Modern hotels and convention facilities make Morelia an ideal city to hold congresses.

New conferece center at UNAM, campus Morelia

During the first two days (Sept. 27 and 28), the conference will be held at the Centro Cultural Universitario of the Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, a building located in the centre of town at walking distance from the main plaza, hotels, cathedral, and other old Colonial buildings. After the intra-meeting fieldtrip to Jorullo (Sept. 29), the conference will continue for the next two days (Sept. 30 and Oct. 1) at the new auditorium of the UNAM-Morelia campus, located on the old road to Pátzcuaro in the SW outskirts of Morelia. The conference will culminate with a farewell-dinner in the city of Uruapan after a two-day (Oct. 2 and 3) fieldtrip to Paricutin volcano. On Oct. 4 participants will return by bus to Morelia. Before and after the conference, fieldtrips to Jorullo will be offered.

Paricutín from the North

Jorullo’s northern cone from the main cone

Scientific sessions


1) Geologic and tectonic setting of monogenetic volcanism

Convenors:
Shane Cronin (Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand)
Greg A. Valentine (Department of Geology, SUNY Buffalo, U.S.A.)

The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt (TMVB) is an E-W trending zone located between 19o and 20o N latitude, extending ca. 1,000 km from the Pacific to the Gulf of Mexico. Its origin is related to the subduction of the Cocos Plate beneath the North American Plate. Some of its large strato-volcanoes such as Popocatépetl and Colima are famous worldwide for their great size, beauty, and recent volcanic activity. Much less known is the fact that most volcanoes comprising the TMVB are monogenetic scoria cones. Their total amount has never been counted exactly, but their number has been estimated to be well above 3,000. There is probably no other Neogene-Quaternary subduction-related magmatic arc in the world displaying such a large number of scoria cones and it can be said that in this respect the TMVB is a unique feature. Although scoria cones exist in the entire TMVB, they are not distributed in an even manner. Two areas show the highest concentrations of monogenetic volcanoes: The Sierra Chichinautzin, south of Mexico-City and the Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field. The only registered historic scoria cone eruptions on Mexican ground, Jorullo in 1759 and Paricutín in 1943 ocurred within the Michoacán-Guanajuato volcanic field. Individually, the monogenetic volcanoes forming the TMVB have small volumes, but collectively they cover a wide area and are probably more voluminous than the sum of composite volcanoes within the TMVB. Furthermore, it is desirable to know what kind of crustal materials are underneath this area and what kind of stress-regime favors such a high abundance of scoria cones in a continental magmatic arc setting. Investigations focused on the eruption mechanism/style, are also required in order to obtain an integrated picture that includes the source and crustal plumbing of these volcanoes.

Jorullo from the Southeast

2) Petrological and geochemical aspects

Convenors:
Dawnika L. Blatter (Diablo Valley College, California, U.S.A.)
Elisabeth Widom (Miami University Oxford, Ohio, U.S.A.)

Volcanic rocks in the TMVB are mostly andesites and dacites, but subordinate basalts also occur, especially associated to monogenetic scoria cones. Because the composition of basaltic lavas most closely resembles compositions of the ultramafic upper mantle (where most magmas are generated), their detailed study should reveal more information about this deep region below the Earth’s crust. In this context, several recent studies in selected areas of the TMVB have shown that the mantle underneath the TMVB is heterogeneous even on a small scale (< 2 km). The origin and tectonic significance of diverse coeval mafic magmas in subduction-zones is an interesting question that deserves to be pursued in this area. Questions related to the petrogenetic conditions that lead to the generation of magmas in the TMVB and their genetic relation to the subduction process will be addressed in this session.

3) Historical documentation, eyewitness accounts, and archaeological aspects: Tying the historic with the geologic record (tephra studies).

Convenors
Hans-Ulrich Schmincke (emeritus professor, GEOMAR, Universitaet Kiel, Germany)
Pedro Urquijo Torres (CIGA-UNAM, Campus Morelia)

Although located in a remote and isolated region of the vice-kingdom of New Spain, Jorullo’s eruption was witnessed from its very beginning and several reports describing different periods of the eruption have been encountered. Eyewitness accounts include those by the clergymen, colonial government officials, as well as those written by occasional visitors. Each of these reports is fragmental and biased, since they were written for different purposes by people of different backgrounds and in different languages. Meticulous analysis of the different reports and their comparison with results of detailed geologic observation in the field might allow to reconstruct the course of Jorullo’s eruption. The shear abundance of scoria cones in the TMVB and the high frequency of their formation in distinct areas (e.g. 1 cone / 1000 years in the Sierra Chichinautzin area) indicate that the probability of recurrence of such a type of eruption in Mexico is relatively high and therefore represents an underestimated hazard for this highly populated region.

In this context, it is worth learning more about the types of precursory activity, and especially the style of activity that might initiate such an eruption. For example, during how much time does precursory activity announce the actual beginning of the eruption and therefore how much time is left for the nearby inhabitants to take mitigation actions? Does the eruption start with phreatomagmatic activity and the emplacement of lethal surges as hinted in some eyewitness accounts? Answers to these questions are of importance to civil protection authorities dedicated to the mitigation of volcanic hazards.

4) Environmental, biological, and policy aspects: The Geopark initiative.

Convenors
Arturo Garrido Pérez (Instituto Nacional de Ecología, SEMARNAT)
Alejandro Torres García (Reserva de la Biósfera Zicuirán-Infiernillo, Michoacán)

Scientists at UNAM and Universidad Michoacana together with interested citizens and public officials of the State of Michoacán have launched an initiative that should eventually lead to the declaration of Jorullo as a Geopark. This initiative is taking place under the umbrella of an UNESCO program geared towards the management and protection of the world’s natural and cultural heritage (http://www.unesco.org/science/earthsciences/geoparks/geoparks.htm). In addition, community-based land-use planning processes in Jorullo’s surrounding areas have been developed during the last five years with the support of several government agencies. The venue provides the opportunity to report on results of such participatory processes in this region and elsewhere, that shed light on how rural producers manage their natural resources in regions of recent monogenetic volcanism. .

Lake Pátzcuaro

5) Volcanic hazards, risk mitigation, and social vulnerability

Convenors
Jan Lindsay (University of Auckland, New Zealand)
Chuck Connor (University of South Florida, Tampa, U.S.A.)

Volcanic hazards can affect millions of people, and their reliable evaluation is a primary ingredient for emergency management, land use planning, and other risk mitigation strategies. We are still far from having a complete volcanic hazard and risk assessment for the most dangerous volcanoes in the TMVB and the Michoacán region is is not an exception. This is due partly to the intrinsic complexity and variability of volcanic processes and partly to the fact that a full volcanic risk analysis requires a multidisciplinary approach, including a wide variety of experts such as volcanologists, physicists, engineers, geographers, economists, doctors, sociologists, planners, communicators, educators, etc. A complete approach is necessary to evaluate the vulnerability of exposed infrastructure, facilities, and property, the impact of eruptions on human beings, costs vs. benefits of proposed mitigation measures, and the level of “acceptable risk” for society. In addition, educational programs are needed to improve the “risk perception” of the people living around volcanoes, and improved ways to communicate hazard and risk to local communities, mass media, and local authorities. A multi-expert community (preferably established before periods of crisis) is needed to minimize volcanic hazard and risk in the TMVB and the Jorullo region. In particular, tephrochronology studies are needed in order to establish recurrence intervals for monogenetic eruptions in this part of the TMVB.
Furthermore, determination of eryptive styles and duration and chronology of eruptions are necessary to establish areas most likely to be affected. Once endangered areas are established, sociological investigations are required to evaluate vulnerability of peasant communities to volcanic hazards and to analyze the extent to which this type of hazard is recognized as a relevant factor at the community level.
Members from the scientific community and all actors involved (e.g. governmental authorities and the inhabitants) in the different fields are encouraged to participate in this session in order to ensure the safety of all concerned.

6) The Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt and subduction zone volcanism: Diversity of volcanic styles

Convenors:
Valentin Troll (Uppsala University, Sweden)
James Gardner (Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, U.S.A.)

Subduction zone volcanic systems comprise the source region where magma is generated, the storage reservoirs where it ponds and evolves, the feeder conduits and the edifice from which a fraction of the original magma eventually erupts and finally the eruptions and eruptive products that are seen at the surface. The assessment of the eruptive behaviour of volcanoes is largely dependent on the interplay of the processes and physical parameters that influence magmas on their journey from the source to surface. In all but a few cases, the compositions and physical state of magmas change as they ascend through the lithosphere in response to differentiation processes such as fractional crystallisation, decompression, degassing, crustal contamination and mixing with other magmas. Recognising that the melt phase, the crystalline cargo and the distribution of bubbles and volatile elements in volcanic rocks represent an aggregate of these multistage differentiation events, we can apply modern in-situ textural and chemical analytical techniques to unravel the evolutionary history of magmas and the volcanoes they make up. This session therefore seeks to bring together researchers from across the fields of petrology, volcanology and volcano monitoring to summarise the current state of knowledge and discuss future avenues for multi-disciplinary research approaches to understanding composite-, strato- and caldera-volcanoes in subduction zone settings.

Plenary talks

Hans-Ulrich Schmincke (Professor emeritus, GEOMAR, Universitaet Kiel, Germany):
Evolution of the Jorullo volcanic chain based on fragmentary historic documents and the tephra record

Izumi Yokoyama (Professor emeritus, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan):
Some geophysical characteristics of monogenetic volcanism: Jorullo and Paricutin

Preliminary program

	Sunday, Sept. 27: Registration and ice-breaker party at Centro Cultural Universitario, Av. Madero No. 350. Monday, Sept. 28: Opening ceremony and start of conference. Sessions 1 and 2. Tuesday, Sept. 29: Intra-meeting fieldtrip to Jorullo and birthday celebration activities at the Municipality of La Huacana and Mata de Platano. Wednesday, Sept. 30: Conference continues at New Auditorium, Campus UNAM. Sessions 3 and 4. Thursday, Oct. 1: Conference continues at the New Auditorium Campus UNAM and closing ceremony. Sessions 5 and 6. Friday, Oct. 2: Fieldtrip Paricutin. Morning: Drive from Morelia to Angahuan and hike from Angahuan to ruin of church destroyed by lava flow. Afternoon: Visit new church at San Juan Nuevo. Night at Uruapan. Saturday, Oct. 3: Horse-ride to summit of Paricutin (all day). Night: Farewell party at Hotel Pie de la Sierra. Sunday, Oct. 4: Return to Morelia (bus-station and airport). Post-conference fieldtrip to Jorullo will depart from Uruapan and head directly to Jorullo.	Ruin of church, old San Juan
		New church, San Juan Nuevo
		Paricutín’s crater

Oral and poster presentations

Posters

Each poster slot will have the following dimensions:
90 cm width x 120 cm height.

Oral presentations

Oral presentations will be 15 minutes plus 5 minutes for discussion.
In every conference room will be a laptop for video projection.
Electronic presentations will be possible in Power Point, PDF, Acrobat.

Abstract format

Manuscripts should be submitted together with the registration form.
Text must be send in MS Word and formatted with wide margins and single spacing.
Margins:
Top: 2.54 cm = 1 inch
Bottom, left and right: 1.09 cm = .75 Inches

We ask for a:
- Complete title of the paper (first line) bold, Times 18 pt. is required (at the center of the page).

- Author´s name (second line). Times 12 pt. left alignement.

- Third line: affiliation and e-mail (corresponding author must be clearly identified by an asterisk) Times 10 pt. left alignement

- Abstract: Please provide a concise abstract (not exceeding 400 words) in English and aligned.


Please send abstract to: csiebe@geofisica.unam.mx and to: lgodinez@unam.mx

Registration and field excurtions

Registration and accommodation
For more information contact Lourdes Godínez:
lgodinez@unam.mx

Financial assistance
We are seeking for additional funds to assist graduate students and young scientists, especially from other Latin American countries.

Important dates

15.06.2009 Deadline for early registration and abstract submission

Conference Registration Fee

For participants and students, the conference fee includes conference materials, ice-breaker party, coffee-breaks, transportation and lunch-boxes during fieldtrips to Jorullo and Paricutin, horse-rental, lodging (two nights) in Uruapan and farewell party.

For accompanying person, the conference fee includes ice-breaker party, transportation and lunch-boxes during fieldtrips to Jorullo and Paricutin, horse-rental, lodging (two nights) in Uruapan and farewell party.

Hotel and food costs in Morelia are not included.

Payment

Outside Mexico

Payment must be by bank transfer in US currency to:
Account Name: Maria de Lourdes Godinez-Calderon
Account number: 5946687910
Bank: City Bank Banamex USA
Address of Bank: 2029 Century Park East, 42nd floor Los Angeles, CA 90067 USA
ABA 122233645
SWIFT CALCUS6L

In Mexico

Account Name: Primatours, S. A. de C. V.
Account number: 1359394-3
Bank: IXE Banco S. A.
CLABE: 032180000135939439

All payments must be made in US dollars.
Please send a copy (as a PDF file) of your payment to: lgodinez@unam.mx

Cancellation Policy
If written cancellation is received by the Organizing Committee before (send to lgodinez@unam.mx) July 31, 2009 a refund of 50% of the registration fee will be applicable. After this date, no refunds will be made. All refunds will be processed after the conference.

Language
Since this is an international conference, oral and poster presentations should be in English. In extraordinary cases presentations in Spanish will be allowed.

Field excursions
A pre- and a post-conference volcanological excursion (three days, two nights at La Huacana) to Jorullo volcano will be offered on Sept. 24-26 and Oct. 4-6 respectively . Each will be limited to 30 persons (limit is set by hotel capacity in La Huacana).
These excursions will focus on geological aspects and include a climb to the crater of Jorullo’s main cone. Outcrops displaying tephra deposits, lava flows, etc. will also be visited.
Cost per person will be 350.00 US$ and places will be assigned on a first come first served basis.

 

Access, travel, and transportation

Airlines and roads:

Morelia it is one of the best communicated cites in Mexico. Eight airlines operate regularly (Mexicana, Aeromexico, Aeromar, Aviacsa, Azteca, Aerolitoral, Avolar, Continental).
These airlines offer service to Morelia’s International airport from Mexico City, Guadalajara, Tijuana, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Oakland, Chicago, and Houston. Morelia can be reached from Europe via Mexico City, from the USA, South America via Mexico City, and from Asia and Australia via Los Angeles or San Francisco.

The Mexico-Morelia-Guadalajara toll road offers quick access to the main cities in the center of the country. The state’s network of highways link the main cities and tourist destinations.

Several bus lines offer transportation from Mexico-City (Terminal Poniente at Observatorio) to Morelia. For example, Enlaces Terrestres Nacionales (ETN) have a bus departing every 30 minutes. Duration of the trip is 4 to 5 hours and costs ca. 30.00 U.S.$ (one way). Primera Plus, Flecha Amarilla and Herradura de Plata are other bus lines connecting Morelia with nearby major cities.

Distance to principal cities from Morelia:

Social events

Ice-breaker party: Sunday, Sept. 27, Centro Cultural Universitario, Morelia, 17.00 PM.

Concert: Wednesday, Sept. 30, Morelia, 21.00 PM.

Farewell dinner and party: Saturday, Oct. 3 Hotel Pie de la Sierra, Uruapan, 20.00 PM.


Accompanying persons program:

Day trips to nearby towns and villages such as Pátzcuaro, Tzintzuntzan, Quiroga, Paracho, Santa Clara del Cobre, etc. will be offered.

General information about Mexico

Passport and Visa
A valid passport is required for most visitors entering Mexico. Please contact the Mexican Consular Office in your country for details regarding visa and entry requirements for Mexico.

Climate
Morelia, located on Mexico’s high plateau has a mild climate with moderate temperatures. The conference will be held at the end of the rainy season and heavy rain in the afternoon can occur.

Currency and Banking
The Peso is the currency in Mexico, but dollars (cash or traveler checks) and credit cards are widely accepted. Currently the exchange rate is about 13.75 pesos per dollar. Banks are generally open from 9:00 to 16:00 hours on week days and closed on Saturday and Sundays. However, currency exchange is available at hotels and exchange offices at similar rates, in extended hours.

Insurance and health issues
Participants are advised to make their own insurance arrangements. The Organizing Committee can not be responsible for medical expenses, accidents, losses or other unexpected occurrences.

Sponsoring Organizations
Instituto de Geofísica and Centro de Investigaciones en Geografía Ambiental, both at Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), Universidad Michoacana de San Nicolás de Hidalgo, International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior (IAVCEI), Municipio de La Huacana, Gobierno del Estado de Michoacán.

Special volume in Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research
A proposal to edit a special volume on monogenetic volcanism will be submitted to JVGR.

Sightseeing flights
Those interested in overflying Jorullo and/or Paricutin in a Cessna airplane can contact Capitan Fernando Valencia (cel-phone: 011-52-1-7222644340). Flights can be arranged either from an airstrip near the town of Ario de Rosales or from the Uruapan airport. Cost per hour is 300.00 US$ (max three persons plus pilot).