Preface

Abstract

In October 2019, the national and international Earth Science community lost a pillar with the unfortunate death of Dr Victor Hugo Garduño Monroy. Victor Hugo was not only known for his contribution to the knowledge of the tectonics of Mexico and to the understanding of geological research in oil and geothermics, he also spurred pioneering studies in paleoseismology in this country; additionally, he worked on the geological-environmental interpretation of pre-Columbian glyphs, his latest passion. He achieved the resolution of various hypotheses, creating truths that, through his approach, became evidence, thereby establishing landmarks in frontier research in the diverse applications of structural geology. In the course of his trailblazing academic career, Victor Hugo changed the lives of many researchers and students, many of whom felt stimulated by his essence, his sympathy, and his contagious positivity. The main outdoor laboratory was his native land Michoacán, where the scientific community admired his talents to “communicate with the earth”. In Michoacán, Victor Hugo dedicated many years to the study of volcanoes, and coined his famous sentence: “The earth and the volcanoes belong to those who work with them”. Because of his multiple talents and contributions, the Victor Hugo we once knew will not easily be forgotten.

In this special section, we gathered contributions on the geology of Michoacán, which are a tribute to the life and work of our dear professor and friend Victor Hugo. The topics comprehended by these contributions include structural geology, volcanology, paleomagnetism, paleoseismology, geologic hazards, and spatial planning. All these studies form a review of the state of the art of the research in various fields of knowledge in Michoacán. Because he was intensely working with his colleagues before his passing away, Victor Hugo is also co-author of many of these contributions. The first article refers to the formation of scoria cones associated to a shallow magma chamber and its relationship with the topography and climate within the Michoacán-Guanajuato Volcanic Field.

Other papers will be published in the forthcoming issues of the Revista Mexicana de Ciencias Geológicas.