Geosphere-Anthroposphere Interlinked Dynamics: Geocomputing and New Technologies

Understanding interactions between anthroposphere and geosphere (e.g., natural hazards, environmental pollution, impacts on ground and surface waters, land degradation, etc.) and forecasting their time/space evolution entails to face a challenging ill-posed problem, with high uncertainties affecting data and models, especially when urban areas or areas close to civil engineering infrastructures are considered. Advances achieved in many areas of technology and science (e.g., remote sensing, geophysical prospecting, drilling equipment, information technology, etc.) have contributed to improving current knowledge on these interlinked dynamics. In addition, the availability of ever-growing datasets allows for better insights into the mechanisms controlling these interactions. On the contrary, this may also increase the complexity of monitoring, modelling and forecasting procedures. In this regard, the use of advanced geocomputational methodologies such as machine learning, geostatistics, pattern recognition, geomorphometry and other computational-based approaches is nowadays gaining momentum. The special issue will aim to collect studies related to the analysis of geosphere-anthroposphere interlinked dynamics, also from the perspective of UN defined sustainable development goals. Examples related to the critical zone in urban areas as well as in the vicinity of infrastructures will be of interest for the special. Studies including applied mathematical/numerical approaches based on the use of new advanced methods/techniques (e.g., geophysics, remote sensing, etc.) will be particularly solicited and review papers in this research area will be also considered.