INHIGEO： The International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences

INHIGEO is a long-standing Commission of the International Union of Geological Sciences (lUGS) and an Affiliate of the International Union for the History and Philosophy of Science (Division of History of Science) (IUHPS (DHS)). Of late, its activities are funded by these two bodies in a ratio of about 4:1.     

Swedish workshop on Ediacaran Acritarch taxonomy （SWEATshop）

Following the 33rd International Geological Congress in Oslo, Norway, a group of twelve geoscientists gathered at the Geocentrum of Uppsala University in Sweden on 18-21 August 2008 to discuss the taxonomy and biostratigraphic significance of Ediacaran acritarchs. This workshop--the Swedish Workshop on Ediacaran Acritarch Taxonomy （SWEATshop）--was conceived during email discussion on the subdivision and correlation of Ediacaran and Cryogenian successions, which was initiated by IGCP 512 ＇Neopro- terozoic Ice Ages＇ led by Graham Shields and the ICS Subcommission on Neoproterozoic Stratigraphy chaired by Jim Gehling. The main goals of this workshop were to examine and compare Ediacaran acritarchs preserved in different taphonomic windows （i.e., car- bonaceous compression,     

The IUGS Commission on Geological Sciences for Environmental Planning （COGEOENVIRONMENT） completes its term

During the last 2 years the IUGS has reviewed its Organisation and Operations to allow more efficient and effective administration into the future. Among the items reviewed was the life of Commissions which have now been defined at a maximum of 8 years. As a consequence COGEOENVIRONMENT, which has been in existence since early 1990, was formally closed down at the IGC in Florence in August 2004. The decision by the IUGS Council to close COGEOENVIRONMENT did not in any way imply that the role of the IUGS in promoting geoscience in environment matters was completed.     

Geological research at the Natural History Museum of Moscow University, 1759-1930 （in Russian）

In 2006, the Moscow publishing house Nauka （Science） published a 246-page book by Zoya A. Bessudnova entitled Geological Research at the Natural History. Museum of Moscow University, 1759-1930 as No. 32 in its series ＂Sketches on the History of Geological Knowledge＇. The author is a geologist and Senior Researcher in the Department for the History of Geology of the Vernadsky State Geological Museum of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and a member of the International Commission on the History of Geological Sci- ences （INHIGEO）.     

The relationship between geology and rock weathering on the rock instability along Mugling–Narayanghat road corridor, Central Nepal Himalaya

The present study was conducted along the Mugling–Narayanghat road section and its surrounding region that is most affected by landslide and related mass-movement phenomena. The main rock types in the study area are limestone, dolomite, slate, phyllite, quartzite and amphibolites of Lesser Himalaya, sandstone, mudstone and conglomerates of Siwaliks and Holocene Deposits. Due to the important role of geology and rock weathering in the instabilities, an attempt has been made to understand the relationship between these phenomena. Consequently, landslides of the road section and its surrounding region have been assessed using remote sensing, Geographical information systems and multiple field visits. A landslide inventory map was prepared and comprising 275 landslides. Nine landslides representing the whole area were selected for detailed studies. Field surveys, integrated with laboratory tests, were used as the main criteria for determining the weathering zones in the landslide area. From the overall study, it is seen that large and complex landslides are related to deep rock weathering followed by the intervention of geological structures as faults, joints and fractures. Rotational types of landslides are observed in highly weathered rocks, where the dip direction of the foliation plane together with the rock weathering plays a principle role. Shallow landslides are developed in the slope covered by residual soil or colluviums. The rock is rather fresh below these covers. Some shallow landslides (rock topples) are related to the attitude of the foliation plane and are generally observed in fresh rocks. Debris slides and debris flows occur in colluviums or residual soil-covered slopes. In few instances, they are also related to the rock fall occurring at higher slopes. The materials from the rock fall are mixed with the colluviums and other materials lying on the slope downhill and flow as debris flow. Rock falls are mainly related to the joint pattern and the slope angle. They are found in less-weathered rocks. From all these, it is concluded that the rock weathering followed by geological structures has prominent role in the rock slope instability along Mugling–Narayanghat road section and its surrounding regions.     

Three sessions of the International Geological Congress held in Russia and the USSR （1897,1937, 1984）

Editorial note--The International Commission on the History of Geological Sciences has undertaken to organize a series of short articles for Episodes on the history of the different Sessions of the International Geological Congress. These were held as follows:France (1878), Italy (1881), Germany (1885), UK (1888), USA(1891), Switzerland (1894), Russia (1897), France (1900), Austria(1903), Mexico (1906), Sweden (1910), Canada (1913), Belgium(1922), Spain (1926), South Africa (1929), USA (1933), USSR(1937), UK (1948), Algeria (1952), Mexico (1956), Denmark/Finland/Norway/Sweden/Iceland (1960), India (1964), Czechoslovakia(1968), Canada (1972), Australia (1976), France (1980), USSR(1984), USA (1989), Japan (1992), China (1996), Brazil (2000). Any authors wishing to offer contributions on the meetings in Mexico(1906), Canada (1913), Belgium, Denmark, India, Canada (1972),and Brazil are invited to contact the INHIGEO Secretary-General at: doldroyd@optushome.com.au. The papers will not appear inchronological order.