Beyond the diversity of disciplines, measured parameters and models proposed in OZCAR, the overarching common grand scientific questions are the three challenges
1-Dynamic architecture of the Critical Zone:
- What is the vertical and lateral extent of the Critical Zone?
- What are the residence and exposure times of water and matter in the diferent compartments?
- What are the critical zone interfaces? what are the important CZ interfaces?
- What is the role of biota in the Critical Zone?
2-Biogeochemical cycles, sediment and/or contaminant propagation through the CZ from highlands to sea:
- Can we better quantify budgets of mass and energy across our CZ observatories?
- How high frequency sampling can help deciphering CZ functionning?
- What is the functionnal role of biota?
3-Responses and feedbacks to biological, climatic and geological perturbations and global change. The Earth’s surface dynamic system:
- How can we use observatories to predict the future of the CZ?
- How do processes with small characteristic time and limited spatial imprint influence the longer timescales and larger spatial scales?
- Can we predict CZ trajectories?