Post-publication careers: ground ruptured, community united

Abstract

When an earthquake in southern France caused the ground to rupture-a phenomenon not known during the last 25 years in the region-the earthquake science community worked together to determine the implications for hazard assessment. Now we must maintain that spirit of co-operation for the future.In the most destructive French earthquake since 1967, the ground ruptured at the surface (Fig. 1) -just a few kilometers from a nuclear power plant. The event occurred near the small town of Le Teil, southeastern France on November 11, 2019, and constitutes a phenomenon that had not previously been described in France. At Mw 4.9, the quake was only moderate in magnitude, but occurred at a depth between 1 and 2 km, then lead to the ground rupture.The event captured our interest along with that of the French scientific community, and we published an early account that identified and described this surface rupture in Communications Earth & Environment in late August 2020 1 . French society, unaccustomed to such destructive earthquakes in metropolitan France joined the conversation. Bridging disciplinesIn the wake of the quake, the community of geologists interested in earthquakes and in the characterization of faults in France has come together to take action. Two PhD theses have been assigned to investigate the Cévennes Fault that was responsible for the Le Teil earthquake, supported by industrial and governmental agencies. In a separate project, existing data are being made available at the national level, beyond the existing synthesis 2 , and updated with regional input. Interdisciplinary cooperation has sprung up between geologists, seismologists and geophysicists from academic circles, to develop temporary instrumental networks and propose analyses of the earthquake and consequences [3][4][5][6][7] .Field geologists have continued to investigate where possible, despite the lockdowns and curfews resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, and the motivation of our group has remained strong. Importantly, we were able to excavate a dozen paleoseismological trenches that demonstrate earlier incidences of ground rupture. Some trenches are still open for 2021/ 2022 scientific conferences, field trips and for teaching: they are a crucial resource in a country were such events and research opportunities are not so common. All this was made possible thanks to the positive and enthusiastic response of land owners, a welcome behavioral trait in freshly earthquake-shaken areas.We have adapted our way of working to meet pandemic-related health requirements, an easier task in outdoor activity. We also had to satisfy the needs of co-working: we concentrated field efforts, as well as external media visits when restrictions allowed, and moved online conferences to exchange ideas to the phases of lockdown. Ultimately, we found that these adaptations allowed us to continue to carry out our time-sensitive work effectively.