The first East Asian Lithosphere Model Standardization Seminar was held at Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech). Over a hundred experts and scholars from universities and research institutes gathered to conduct in-depth discussions on the standardization of East Asian lithosphere models.

The conference was hosted by the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at SUSTech, and co-organized by Peking University, the Guangdong Key Laboratory of High-Precision Geophysical Imaging Technology, and the Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Deep-Sea Oil and Gas Exploration Technology. Attending the conference were Zengqian HOU, Deputy Chief Designer of the National Deep Earth Major Science and Technology Project Expert Group and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences; Yuewei NI, Deputy Director of the China Earthquake Administration; Weixin ZHOU, Director of the Science and Technology Department of the China Earthquake Administration; Xiaofei CHEN, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chair of the Department of Earth and Space Sciences at SUSTech; Rui GAO, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor at Sun Yat-sen University; Sidao NI, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Vice President of the Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; and Sheng YU, Professor at the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Zengqian HOU said in his online speech that East Asia’s tectonic complexity and frequent earthquake disasters have a fundamental supporting role in the research and standard model of deep-earth processes. He looked forward to this conference sparking innovation and contributing to the national geoscience cause.

In his video speech, Yuewei NI stated that the high-precision East Asian lithospheric model is the frontier of earth science and a key support for improving disaster prevention and resource exploration capabilities. It is hoped that the participating experts can deeply discuss the model evaluation framework and data standards, give full play to the overall role of the East Asian lithospheric standard model working group, and promote model iteration and achievement transformation.

Academician Xiaofei CHEN made a special speech. He advocated the construction of an “open, iterative, and traceable” East Asian lithospheric standard model platform, supported dynamic updates based on the consensus initial model, set up a rotating maintenance committee to standardize the incorporation of new data and new methods, established a contribution certification mechanism to protect the rights and interests of attribution, and supported the development of standardized toolkits to lower the application threshold. He emphasized the need to solve the problem of collaboration with system design, ensure fairness and participation, and promote the deep integration of multiple disciplines.

Academician Rui GAO, Academician Sidao NI, and Professor Sheng YU spoke successively. Academician Rui GAO pointed out that there is a problem of fragmentation in geophysical models, and called for embedding spatio-temporal evolution thinking, starting data fusion and dynamic modeling, and establishing a long-term collaboration mechanism. Academician Sidao NI emphasized that the role of the Earth’s internal fault should be paid attention to in model construction and evaluation. Professor Sheng YU shared the successful experience of geodetic standardization and introduced the construction process of national GPS data processing and seismic reference models.

The meeting set up a special report and three roundtable discussions. In the special report part, experts reported on lithospheric structure and inversion methods, shallow models and dynamics, multi-parameter models and other directions; The roundtable discussion session focused on topics such as the necessity of standard models, quality assessment and method comparison, inspection platforms and community construction, and widely solicited opinions in combination with questionnaire surveys to provide clear ideas for standardization work.

This seminar focused on the latest progress in lithospheric structure research in East Asia, deeply explored the path and mechanism of model standardization, effectively promoted multidisciplinary integration and cooperation, and reached some consensus. Experts at the meeting agreed that the standardization of East Asian lithospheric models is of great significance to improving China’s seismic disaster defense capabilities, resource exploration, and earth science research level. By establishing high-quality and standardized lithospheric models, it will provide solid scientific and technological support for understanding the gestation mechanism of earthquakes, plate movement mechanisms, and earth system processes, and help ensure the safety of people’s lives and property, as well as high-quality economic and social development. The Department of Earth and Space Sciences of SUSTech will continue to give full play to its discipline and platform advantages, deepen cross-unit cooperation, and continue to contribute to deep earth exploration and major national scientific and technological tasks.