All Earth

Natural Disasters and Violent Terrestrial Disturbances: Recent Advances in Earth Observation, Modeling, and Data Analysis

Numerous natural phenomena associated with environmental degradation, including natural disasters, can significantly impact human and non-human life. In addition, terrestrial events and certain phenomena from outer space also induce significant disturbances in specific regions of the Earth, thereby influencing human activities. Although such disasters and disturbances have been the subject of scientific research for decades, or even centuries, they remain of critical contemporary relevance. Namely, the inherent complexity and interconnectivity of these phenomena and their consequences necessitate a wide range of techniques and approaches in the observations and the analysis of recorded data and appropriate modeling. The advancements in terrestrial observations, specialized technical devices, and data science are driving rapid improvements in the quality and scope of related scientific research. Integrating different analyses and approaches into a cohesive framework allows for a better overview of contemporary research on natural hazards, which is the goal of this Article Collection.

Researching the processes that precede natural disasters is of essential importance for improving prediction methodologies and enhancing the effectiveness of measures aimed at protecting life and minimizing damage. Although many of these studies reveal only potential connections rather than definitive causal links, these findings are important as they represent the first stage toward establishing reliable warning systems for future natural disasters. In addition, research on intense terrestrial perturbations triggered by temporary phenomena in different earth layers and outer space is important as such disturbances can affect people's daily activities. For instance, strong space-originating influences can affect telecommunication and satellite signals, which have numerous applications in modern technologies. The complexity of the considered processes and their interrelationships frequently require multidisciplinary research, underscoring the importance of understanding diverse methodological approaches for analyzing the observed phenomena.

We invite submissions to this Article Collection which focus on recent research into natural phenomena that affect life on Earth, particularly emphasizing studies based on observational data. The Collection is organized around two subtopics: 1. natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and erosion) and (2) violent terrestrial disturbances affecting people's daily lives and are caused by phenomena in different layers of the Earth (e.g., lightning) or in outer space (e.g., solar X-ray flares). We welcome submissions that highlight advances in observational techniques and technologies, observational data, processing, analysis, and modeling based on them. Articles and review articles are encouraged.

This Article Collection is closely affiliated with the International Conference on Recent Trends in Geoscience Research and Applications 2025, however the call for manuscript submission is open to all researchers in relevant fields.

Article Collection Guest Advisors

Dr Aleksandra Nina is a principal research fellow at the Institute of Physics Belgrade – National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Serbia. The main topics of her research are related to the analysis of the characteristics of very low/low frequency (VLF/LF) signals used to monitor the lower ionosphere. The most significant current research is related to the investigation of earthquake precursors that manifest themselves as changes in these signals. She is/was president of the Serbian National Committee for International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG; 2018-2023), officer of the Serbian National Committee for IUGG in IUGG (2018-2023), correspondent of the Serbian National Committee for IUGG in International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA; 2018-), vice-chair of the Europlanet Society Southeastern Europe Hub (2020-2025), president of the Serbian Europlanet group (2020-2025), member of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) and VERSIM Group (VLF/ELF Remote Sensing of Ionospheres and Magnetospheres).

Dr Snežana Dragović is a principal research fellow at the "VINČA" Institute of Nuclear Sciences – National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade. Her expertise is in radioecology and environmental chemistry, encompassing the modeling of environmental contaminant distribution, source apportionment using multivariate statistics, optimization of methods for radionuclide identification and speciation, and the study of their biological effects. Her recent research focuses on radionuclide interactions with soil constituents and their application in modeling erosion and sediment transport processes in eroded and erosion-prone areas. She has been the national correspondent to the International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI) of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) since 2020 and president of the IUGG's Serbian National Committee since 2024.

Further information

Submitting authors should consider which of the following All Earth section is most suitable for their research, and should select the appropriate section when presented with these options in the submission system:

• Atmosphere
• Biosphere
• Earth Observations
• Hydrosphere
• Lithosphere
• Planetary Change & Paleosciences

­­All manuscripts submitted to this Article Collection will undergo a full peer-review; the Guest Advisors for this Collection will not be handling the manuscripts.

Please review the journal scope and author submission instructions prior to submitting a manuscript.

The deadline for submitting manuscripts is 1 May 2026.

Please contact Alex Johnson at alex.johnson@tandf.co.uk with any queries and discount codes regarding this Article Collection.

Please be sure to select the appropriate Article Collection from the drop-down menu in the submission system.

Failure to select the appropriate Article Collection or Section name can result in delays.

The Guest Advisors for this Collection have declared no conflicts of interests in the preparation of this Article Collection

Article Collection key terms:

1. Natural hazards
2. Violent terrestrial disturbances
3. Earth observations
4. Data analysis
5. Modelling