To improve our understanding of these questions, we require higher resolution and more accurate data on the 3-D internal structure and dynamics of the earth. To do this we must conquer the ocean floor, the last frontier of intra-earth exploration. Initiatives are now being made in this direction. The Japanese Ocean Hemisphere Project, which aims to cover the East Asia-West Pacific area by a permanent geophysical network consisting of seismological, geomagnetic, and geodetic sensors, is one example. This international symposium aims to understand the present status of the art and discuss in which direction we should be heading to bring about breakthroughs through novel geophysical observations.
Observational gaps exist in space, in time, in frequency, and in dynamic range.
The fates of plates in the mantle, their role in mixing the mantle and possibly causing plumes, and observations that can improve our understanding of these phenomena will be the main theme.