FIRST CIRCULAR AND CALL FOR PAPERS   International Conference on

The conference is designed to provide a forum to all kinds of scientists who are interested in the special interval of Pangea for discussing Pangea formation and dispersion; global changes related to Pangea integration and break-up; biotic crisis, extinction, recovery and evolution at the Paleozoic-Mesozoic transition; and Tethys evolution during Pangea interval.

Date, Venue and Language
 

• Pre-Conference Field Excursion: 7-8 March, 1999
• Conference:  9-11 March, 1999
• Post-Conference Field Excursion: 12-16 March, 1999

China University of Geoscience (Wuhan)

Language

English will be the official language for all presentations.

Important Dates

• 1 June 1998:  Deadline for submission of response to first circular
• 1 December 1998: Deadline for submission of abstracts
• 1 February 1999:  Deadline for submission of pre- registration

The conference will be structured into four main themes:

• Tectonics and dynamics of Gandwana break-up, Pangea integration and Tethys evolution
• Paleogeography, paleoclimatology and paleoecology during the Pangea interval
• Stratigraphy, sea level changes, high-resolution events, inter- and intra-system boundary and refinement of geochronology
• Biotic crisis, mass extinction, recovery and evolution at the Paleozoic-Mesozoic transition.

Pre-conference Field Excursion: Huangsi, Southeast Hubei Province (7-8 March, 1999)

This two-day field excursion will visit some typical marine Carboniferous-Lower Triassic and terrestrial Middle Triassic sections in Huangsi, southeastern Hubei Province. Some key boundaries will be examined there as well.

Post-conference Field Excursion: the Yangtze Gorges (12- 16 March, 1999)

The Yangtze Gorges areas are not only famous for the attractive scenery and the constructing Dam, but also for the well-exposed Pre-Cambrian-Triassic stratigraphic sequences and their special geological benefits. The excursion is planned to mainly examine the stratigraphic sequence and its related geological aspects. As the Yangtze Gorges Dam will cut off the river at the end of 1997, an exploration might be ahead of us.

Publications

We anticipate that refereed and accepted papers will be published either as a book or as a special issue of an international journal series. The paper must be presented (either orally or in poster) before being considered for publication.

Registration and excursion

Registration should be made to the registration form attached on the second circular, which will be sent to all who respond to the first circular. Registration fee for the conference (including the proceedings, morning and afternoon teas and three lunches) will be $150 US Dollars. Pre-conference field excursion fee (including transportation, accommodation, field guidebook and meals) will be $120 US Dollars. As the Yangtze Gorges Dam is in construction and it will dam the river in the late of 1997, the post-conference field excursion fee is presently estimated at about $350 US Dollars (refer to second circular for the details).

Hotel accommodation

Several hotels within and nearby China University of Geosciences are arranged for participants. Room rate of standard double rooms ranges from $20 to $80 US Dollors per night. Details and reservation form for hotels will be distributed in the second circular.

Transportation

Wuhan is the capital of Hubei Province, situated in the center of China. The international airport has daily flights from Hong Kong, Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other major cities in China. Wuhan is on the mid-way of Beijing-Guangzhou Railway with more than 20 express and rapid trains daily from Beijing and Guangzhou. Meanwhile, Wuhan is situated in the middle part of Yangtze River with more than 10 scheduled boats from Shanghai and Chongqing every day.

Further information

Write to:

Dr. Tong Jinnan and Peng Yuanqiao
Pangea Conference Secretariat
Faculty of Earth Science
China University of Geosciences
Wuhan, Hubei 430074
The People's Republic of China