Future Directions in Geobiology and Low-Temperature Geochemistry: a Workshop on Priorities and Research Opportunities in Washington, DC

鉴于观测到的和预测的行星变化率，未来十年对于记录和理解从行星到微观的所有空间尺度上的自然和人为环境影响以及从地质到个别化学反应的跨越时间尺度的观测尤为关键。地球生物学和低温地球化学学科是对行星变化的整体科学理解和最终预测的组成部分。鉴于这些问题的紧迫性，确定和优先考虑应对这些挑战的研究方向是非常及时的。与此同时，地球化学的其他方面也出现了新的前景。例如，环境地球化学与人类健康之间的重要联系刚刚成为人们关注的焦点。为了帮助应对这些和许多其他挑战，令人兴奋的新工具正在出现，这些工具能够探测地球化学和生物地球化学过程的机制。为了指导和推进这些研究领域的未来研究计划，PI提议于2010年8月27日至28日在华盛顿特区卡内基研究所华盛顿校区的地球物理实验室举行“地球生物学和低温地球化学未来方向研讨会”。大约有25-30位科学家将在地球生物学和地球化学方面拥有全方位的专业知识。拟议的研讨会的时间安排是为了向一个国家研究委员会提供投入，该委员会的任务是编写一份描述“地球科学基础研究机会”（BROES）的文件。讲习班的参加者将来自大学和政府组织，并将带来广泛的专门知识。这次研讨会的潜在影响可以通过十年前一次类似努力的成功来衡量。早前的研讨会题为“2000年和下一个十年低温地球化学的方向和优先事项”于1999年在马萨诸塞州波士顿举行。波士顿讲习班的结果是对以前的BROES报告的投入，这反过来又促进了新的研究方向。这些新方向包括“关键地带研究”和加强对地理生物学的重视。

Given the observed and predicted rates of planetary change, the next decade is particularly crucial for documenting and understanding natural and anthropogenic environmental effects at all spatial scales from the planetary to the microscopic and observations spanning time scales from geologic to those of individual chemical reactions. The disciplines of geobiology and low temperature geochemistry are integral to the overall scientific understanding of, and ultimately prediction of, planetary change. Given the urgency of these issues, identification and prioritization of research directions responsive to these challenges are extremely timely. At the same time, new vistas are opening up in other aspects of geochemistry. For example, there is an important interface between environmental geochemistry and human health that is just coming into focus. To help meet these and many other challenges, exciting new tools are becoming available capable of probing the mechanisms of geochemical and biogeochemical processes. To guide and advance future research programs in these research areas, the PI proposes a "Workshop on Future Directions in Geobiology and Low-Temperature Geochemistry," to be held in Washington DC, at the Geophysical Lab, Carnegie Institution of Washington campus on August 27-28, 2010. Approximately 25-30 scientists spanning a full range of expertise in geobiology and geochemistry will attend. The timing of the proposed workshop is designed to provide input to a National Research Council committee tasked to produce a document characterizing "Basic Research Opportunities in Earth Science" (BROES).Workshop participants will derive from university and governmental organizations and will bring a breadth of expertise to bear. The potential impact of this workshop can be gauged by the success of a similar effort a decade ago. The earlier workshop titled "Directions and Priorities in Low-Temperature Geochemistry for the year 2000 and the Next Decade" was held in 1999 in Boston Massachusetts. The Boston workshop resulted in input to a previous BROES report, which in turn led to fostering new research directions. These new directions included "Critical Zone Studies" and an enhanced emphasis on geobiology.