Iberia geodynamics: An integrative approach from the Topo-Iberia framework

During the last decade, a major target for several international research teams has been to improve the knowledge on the Geodynamics of the Iberian plate and surrounding domains. The complexity of this area and the scarcity of appropriate constraints had been evidenced by the very different evolutionary models proposed in past decades. Hence, the recent efforts to tackle the key questions and derive new conclusive constraints have been afforded through large-scale research approaches that combine expertise on geology, geophysics and geodesy. A pioneering example of joining forces for that aim was the Topo-Iberia initiative, launched by the Spanish funding agency in 2006 to gather along 8 yearsmore than 100 scientists fromdifferent Spanish universities and research institutions. Topo-Iberia has placed new knowledge and constraints to unravel the interaction between deep and surficial processes, following the approach of the coeval Topo-Europe program. It has also been a reference to encourage other international teams to collaborate with and promote research on specific topics, such as the Betic–Rif–Atlas system (Picasso initiative), the Pyrenean domains (Pyrope project), Portugal (Wilas project) or theWestern Mediterranean domain (Topo-Med project). Topo-Iberia has allowed a significant increase on the quality and amount of the scientific information/data available for the Iberian plate by acquisition, deployment and management of a technological observatory infrastructure platform, IberArray, consistingof highresolution multi-disciplinary Solid Earth acquisition systems (seismology, deformation-GPS and magnetotellurics), following in this sense the US-Earthscope approach. As an example of future scientific outcome that could only be afforded within such an integrative approach, one might mention a N–S geotransect of about 1500 km-long across the whole Iberian Peninsula and the Alboran–Rif–Atlas system, from the Cantabrian Continental Margin down to the Algerian-Sahara border, compiling all available geophysical and geological results and models, many of them achieved during this project. Topo-Iberia has enhanced even more the collaboration between the research teams developing experiments aimed at obtaining comprehensive subsurface maps of Europe with magnificent resolution, as the ones derived under the Iberian Peninsula and presented in this volume. The next step foreseen is the Alp-Array international initiative, focused at 4D seismic studies in the Alps and surrounding areas. This could be perceived as a movingwave for homogeneous, high-densitymonitoring across Europe, as expected in the former Euro-Array concept. In practice, networking has started in Iberia-Northern Morocco with IberArray, crossed the Pyrenees within Pyrope, and it is now moving North-Eastwards to cover the whole European continent. The subsequent expertise and data bases issued from such infrastructures should also be a key asset in integrative programs such as EPOS.
This research received continued support from national and international scientific initiatives such as Topo-Iberia, Topo-Europe ILP and EPOS programmes. Partial funding is provided by project 'Red TopoIberia-IberArray', ref: CGL2014-54582-REDC.