Deep-time organizations: Learning institutional longevity from history

The Anthropocene as a new planetary epoch has brought to the foreground the deep-time interconnections of human agency with the earth system. Yet despite this recognition of strong temporal interdependencies, we still lack understanding of how societal and political organizations can manage interconnections that span several centuries and dozens of generations. This study pioneers the analysis of what we call “deep-time organizations.” We provide detailed comparative historical analyses of some of the oldest existing organizations worldwide from a variety of sectors, from the world’s oldest bank (Sveriges Riksbank) to the world’s oldest university (University of Al Quaraouiyine) and the world’s oldest dynasty (Imperial House of Japan). Based on our analysis, we formulate 12 initial design principles that could lay, if supported by further empirical research along similar lines, the basis for the construction and design of “deep-time organizations” for long-term challenges of earth system governance and planetary stewardship.

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Geosystemics and Earthquakes

10.5194/se-2017-120 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Angelo De Santis ◽

Gianfranco Cianchini ◽

Rita Di Giovambattista ◽

Cristoforo Abbattista ◽

Lucilla Alfonsi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Dynamical System ◽

Solid Earth ◽

Case Studies ◽

Central Italy ◽

Point Of View ◽

Earth System ◽

Complex Dynamical System ◽

The Earth ◽

Earth’S Interior

Abstract. Geosystemics (De Santis 2009, 2014) studies the Earth system as a whole focusing on the possible coupling among the Earth layers (the so called geo-layers), and using universal tools to integrate different methods that can be applied to multi-parameter data, often taken on different platforms. Its main objective is to understand the particular phenomenon of interest from a holistic point of view. In this paper we will deal with earthquakes, considered as a long term chain of processes involving, not only the interaction between different components of the Earth’s interior, but also the coupling of the solid earth with the above neutral and ionized atmosphere, and finally culminating with the main rupture along the fault of concern (De Santis et al., 2015a). Some case studies (particular emphasis is given to recent central Italy earthquakes) will be discussed in the frame of the geosystemic approach for better understanding the physics of the underlying complex dynamical system.

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Politics of Strata

Theory Culture & Society ◽

10.1177/0263276416667538 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 34 (2-3) ◽

pp. 211-231 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Nigel Clark

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Political Thought ◽

Earth Science ◽

Power Source ◽

Political Life ◽

Earth System ◽

Political Issue ◽

The Third ◽

Earth System Governance ◽

The Earth

Modern western political thought revolves around globality, focusing on the partitioning and the connecting up of the earth’s surface. But climate change and the Anthropocene thesis raise pressing questions about human interchange with the geological and temporal depths of the earth. Drawing on contemporary earth science and the geophilosophy of Deleuze and Guattari, this article explores how geological strata are emerging as provocations for political issue formation. The first section reviews the emergence – and eventual turn away from – concern with ‘revolutions of the earth’ during the 18th- and 19th-century discovery of ‘geohistory’. The second section looks at the subterranean world both as an object of ‘downward’ looking territorial imperatives and as the ultimate power source of all socio-political life. The third section weighs up the prospects of ‘earth system governance’. The paper concludes with some general thoughts about the possibilities of ‘negotiating strata’ in more generative and judicious ways.

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The role of the Microbial Conveyor Belt on Earth´s system resilience

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-1832 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mireia Mestre ◽

Juan Höfer

Keyword(s):

Human Impacts ◽

Conveyor Belt ◽

Earth System ◽

Planetary Scale ◽

Microbial Biogeography ◽

The Earth ◽

System Resilience ◽

Global Biogeochemical Cycles

Despite being major players on the global biogeochemical cycles, microorganisms are generally not included in holistic views of Earth&#8217;s system. The Microbial Conveyor Belt is a conceptual framework that represents a recurrent and cyclical flux of microorganisms across the globe, connecting distant ecosystems and Earth compartments. This long-range dispersion of microorganisms directly influences the microbial biogeography, the global cycling of inorganic and organic matter, and thus the Earth system&#8217;s functioning and long-term resilience. Planetary-scale human impacts disrupting the natural flux of microorganisms pose a major threat to the Microbial Conveyor Belt, thus compromising microbial ecosystem services. Perturbations that modify the natural dispersion of microorganisms are, for example, the modification of the intensity/direction of air fluxes and ocean currents due to climate change, the vanishing of certain dispersion vectors (e.g., species extinction or drying rivers) or the introduction of new ones (e.g., microplastics, wildfires). Transdisciplinary approaches are needed to disentangle the Microbial Conveyor Belt, its major threats and their consequences for Earth&#180;s system resilience.

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Geosystemics View of Earthquakes

Entropy ◽

10.3390/e21040412 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (4) ◽

pp. 412 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Angelo De Santis ◽

Cristoforo Abbattista ◽

Lucilla Alfonsi ◽

Leonardo Amoruso ◽

Saioa A. Campuzano ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solid Earth ◽

Point Of View ◽

Satellite Observations ◽

Earth System ◽

Seismic Sequences ◽

The Earth ◽

Earth’S Interior ◽

Earth's Interior ◽

Physical Quantities

Earthquakes are the most energetic phenomena in the lithosphere: their study and comprehension are greatly worth doing because of the obvious importance for society. Geosystemics intends to study the Earth system as a whole, looking at the possible couplings among the different geo-layers, i.e., from the earth’s interior to the above atmosphere. It uses specific universal tools to integrate different methods that can be applied to multi-parameter data, often taken on different platforms (e.g., ground, marine or satellite observations). Its main objective is to understand the particular phenomenon of interest from a holistic point of view. Central is the use of entropy, together with other physical quantities that will be introduced case by case. In this paper, we will deal with earthquakes, as final part of a long-term chain of processes involving, not only the interaction between different components of the Earth’s interior but also the coupling of the solid earth with the above neutral or ionized atmosphere, and finally culminating with the main rupture along the fault of concern. Particular emphasis will be given to some Italian seismic sequences.

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Deep time and compressed time in the Anthropocene: The new timescape and the value of cosmic storytelling

The Anthropocene Review ◽

10.1177/2053019620917707 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 125-137

Author(s):

Boris Shoshitaishvili

Keyword(s):

Technological Change ◽

Scientific Discovery ◽

The Other ◽

Earth System ◽

Human Beings ◽

Geologic History ◽

Deep Time ◽

The Earth ◽

The One

The scientific discovery of our universe’s immense cosmological history and Earth’s vast geologic history has radically altered common perceptions of time, prompting us to think in terms of millions and billions of years rather than hundreds and thousands. Meanwhile human societies impact the Earth System at accelerating rates and more comprehensively than ever before, leading scientists to propose the new geological epoch of the Anthropocene. These two contrasting temporal transformations have mostly been considered separately: the expanding awareness of cosmological and geologic duration, on the one hand, and the acute sense of swift technological change, on the other. However, their contrast and coexistence are important to recognize. The challenge of understanding the Anthropocene’s complex timescales is partly due to the inability of human institutions to reconcile this twofold disruption whereby time has both expanded (into deep time) and compressed (in techno-social acceleration). After theorizing this transformation, I evaluate the current cosmic stories helping human beings reconceptualize the new timescape.

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Experimental access to Volcanic Eruptions and their role in the Earth System.

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-16014 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Donald B. Dingwell

Keyword(s):

Volcanic Eruptions ◽

Explosive Volcanism ◽

Hazard Mapping ◽

Earth System ◽

Planetary Evolution ◽

The Earth ◽

Experimental Approaches ◽

Impact Experiments ◽

Near Future

Few things are more central to earth history, planetary evolution and the earth system, than volcanism. Explosive volcanism in particular exhibits individual events whose impact can range from local to global. Developing a mechanistic understanding of the inner workings of volcanic systems is essential for understanding their behavior and modelling their impact. Experiments form a fundamental part of our modern scientific approach to volcanic research, an approach which relies heavily on materials characterisation. In the year 2021, we can look back on decades of&#160; novel and highly innovative experimental approaches applied to the investigation of volcanic processes. The focus has ranged from pre-eruptive and eruptive dynamics&#160; all the way to the fate&#160; and importance of volcanic materials in the Earth System. The applied aspects of the work reach, for example, into eruption forecasting, hazard mapping and aviation safety. I will attempt portray the the long term strategy of the approach we have taken as well as providing comments on the likelihood of certain further developments in the near future.

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Geosystemics View of Earthquakes

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-22588 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Gianfranco Cianchini ◽

Keyword(s):

Solid Earth ◽

Point Of View ◽

Satellite Observations ◽

Final Part ◽

Earth System ◽

Seismic Sequences ◽

The Earth ◽

Physical Quantities

Earthquakes, the most energetic phenomena in the lithosphere, often cause danger and casualties: thus, their study and comprehension are greatly worth doing because of the obvious importance for society. Geosystemics intends to offer a way to study the Earth system by viewing it as a whole, looking at the possible couplings among the different geo-layers, i.e., from the earth&#8217;s interior up to the ionosphere through the atmosphere. It uses specific universal tools to integrate different methods that can be applied to multi-parameter data, often taken on different platforms (e.g., ground, marine or satellite observations). Its main aim is to understand the particular phenomenon of interest from a holistic point of view. Central is the use of entropy, together with other physical quantities that are introduced case by case. In this paper, we will deal with earthquakes, as final part of a long-term chain of processes involving, not only the interaction between different components of the Earth&#8217;s interior but also the coupling of the solid earth with the above neutral or ionized atmosphere, and finally culminating with the main rupture along the fault of concern. Particular emphasis will be given to some Italian seismic sequences.

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Climate feedbacks in the Earth system and prospects for their evaluation

10.5194/esd-2018-84 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Christoph Heinze ◽

Veronika Eyring ◽

Pierre Friedlingstein ◽

Colin Jones ◽

Yves Balkanski ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Climate Models ◽

Climate Projections ◽

Earth System ◽

Climate Feedbacks ◽

Comprehensive Overview ◽

The Earth ◽

Cloud Dynamics ◽

Spatial And Temporal Heterogeneity ◽

Earth System Models

Abstract. Earth system models (ESMs) are key tools for providing climate projections under different scenarios of human-induced forcing. ESMs include a large number of additional processes and feedbacks such as biogeochemical cycles that traditional physical climate models do not consider. Yet, some processes such as cloud dynamics and ecosystem functional response still have fairly high uncertainties. In this article, we present an overview of climate feedbacks for Earth system components currently included in state-of-the-art ESMs and discuss the challenges to evaluate and quantify them. Uncertainties in feedback quantification arise from the interdependencies of biogeochemical matter fluxes and physical properties, the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of processes, and the lack of long-term continuous observational data to constrain them. We present an outlook for promising approaches that can help quantifying and constraining the large number of feedbacks in ESMs in the future. The target group for this article includes generalists with a background in natural sciences and an interest in climate change as well as experts working in interdisciplinary climate research (researchers, lecturers, and students). This study updates and significantly expands upon the last comprehensive overview of climate feedbacks in ESMs, which was produced 15 years ago (NRC, 2003).

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