Marine Geology department of Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM). ICM with UTM are located at Centre Mediterrani d'Investigacions Marines i Ambientals (CMIMA) of Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas _{^{(CSIC = Spanish Council for Scientific Research)                                                                 
                                                                                                                                   NAVIGARE NECESSE EST}}

Presentation

CSIC´s  Marine Geology Group of Barcelona focus in leading basic research as well as applied technology. In the tecnical-scientific aspects the Group has devouted much effort in the acquisition and setting of the Oceanographic Research Vessels equipments dedicated to geological investigation. Additionaly, new techniques have been improved  in seismic recording, sampling and analysis that allowed the development of relevant aspects in the field of Marine Sciences. An important framework has also been evolved for geophysical and sedimentological automatic analysis, and a data base has been created providing post-operation data analysis and data exchange with other scientific institutions.

Research Topics and Objectives

• Shelf-Ocean Transfer: influence in sedimentary processes and models of particulate matter and associated pollutants in the marine environment.
   
• Coastal Dynamics: the dynamics and morphology of beaches, deltaic sedimentation and processes of coastal erosion,  distribution and estimation of inorganic pollutants,  effect of the anthropogenic activity in the marine environment, etc.
   
• Continental Margin and Ocean Basin Modeling:  The growth mechanisms and evolution based on seismic stratigraphy and  sedimentary record analysis to define the role of local and global scale factors such as glacio-eustatic cycles, tectonics and  physiography. Development of sedimentary models for the interpretation and validation of the ancient record.
   
• Global Climate Change: Recognition of the Neogene-Quaternary, high frequency, paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic variations from sedimentary records.
   
• Environment and Geologic Hazards: With special interest in the physical and geotechnical properties of the sediments and the identification of potentially unstable areas in the continental margins and basins in order to stablish and predict future catastrophic events.