RESESS 2007

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SOARS & RESESS protégés 2007. Kneeling (L to R): Ian Colon Pagan, Karen Diaz,, Luna Rodriguez, Alex Gonzalez, Alisha Fernandez, Ezer Patlan.  Front Row (L to R): Katherine Fornash, Anastasia Yanchilina, Theresa Aguilar, Shanna-Shaye Forbes, Nicole Ngo, Cecille Villanueva, Lumari Pardo, Cynthia Hyland, Zi Zi Searles. Back Row (L to R): Douglas Gavin, Marcus Walter, Armand Silva, Lennox Thompson, Michael Hernandez, Christopher Williams, Mack Jones, Emanuelle Feliciano Bonilla, Marcus Waldman. Not pictured: Kimberly Trent and Miriam Garcia.

RESESS successfully completed its third summer program in 2007 with six interns and their mentors. This year students performed research on: plate kinematics and mechanisms, seismicity in northeast Russia, trends in Cenozoic plant-insect interactions, field methods in volcanology, developing power and communication systems for remote stations, and displacement modeling of a volcanic magma chamber. Cythia Boshell, Emanuelle A. Feliciano Bonilla, Katherine Faye Fornash, Miriam Garcia, Ezer Patlan Almeida, and Lennox Thompson will present the results of their summer research at conferences this fall. [See abstracts below.]

In its fledgling years, RESESS operates in partnership with the well-established SOARS (Significant Opportunities in Atmospheric Research and Science) internship program at UCAR (University Corporation for Atmospheric Research). Stephen and his fellow protégés participated in SOARS-sponsored leadership orientation, team-building exercises, seminars, and writing workshops. These students form a core learning community from which they draw upon for peer support and shared experiences. RESESS aims to strengthen the presence of underrepresented groups within the solid earth sciences and increase the completion of master's and PhD degrees by these groups in the field.

2007 Earth, Wind, Sea, and Sky: Soars & RESESS Protege Abracts

Cynthia Boshell

Plate kinematics and mechanisms: A perspective on the 20 April 2006 M7.6 Koryakia, Russia earthquake

The occurrence of a Koryakia, Russia magnitude 7.6 earthquake during April 2006 was a mysterious and unusual event. Although the study area is geographically located near two major plates boundaries, the main event and those that followed may support evidence for existence of a microplate. This earthquake and its aftershocks were analyzed using historical seismicity, magnitude, depth, latitude, longitude, and focal mechanisms to determine seismic trends and kinematics. Harvard Centroid Moment Tensors (CMT) and P-axes were produced from the data collected during the events. Building upon existing knowledge of the local plate mechanisms, moment tensor data were analyzed and deformation patterns noted. The results showed trends in significant event epicenters and deformation patterns were used to identify two possible faults that were previously unknown. Data analysis from the events related to the 20 April 2006 shock is intended to add to the body of seismic knowledge for eastern Russia and provide a basis for future research that attempts to clarify microplate plate boundaries and Koryakia's kinematics. [Full Paper.]

Emanuelle A. Feliciano Bonilla

Historical seismicity of the northeastern region of Russia: A perspective on the M7.6 earthquake at Koryakia, Russia

A major earthquake which occurred near Koryakia, Russia during April 20, 2006 is analyzed and given perspective in contrast with the historical seismicity, plate tectonics and the local geology of the area. The relevance of this earthquake is that it occurred in a complex geological area, where the locations of the plate boundaries are not well known and no major earthquakes were recorded since 1900. This event is evaluated through a comparison with past events and plate tectonic models. Our approach to analyzing the tectonic regime of the Koryakia region included, conducting a survey of published articles on the geology of the area, mapping of the regional seismicity in ArcGIS and creating models of 3D visualization of the region using 3D Seismicity Viewer. An analysis of the resulting maps and models gives us a new perspective of what mechanisms triggered this major M7.6 earthquake that was the cause of leaving 40 people injured and some buildings and water supply systems badly damaged. The earthquake caused an estimated 55 million U.S. dollars worth of damage. The goal of this research has been to make a well structured tectonic summary, which can be used as a reference by the USGS and the scientific community for future events that may occur in or near the Koryakia region. Our research indicates that the possible cause of the event is a release in stress due to the compression near a proposed boundary between the Bering microplate and the North American plate.[Full Paper]

Katherine Faye Fornash

Trends in plant-insect interactions in the Cenozoic

The Cenozoic era was a time of global-scale changes not only in climate, but also in the levels of angiosperm and insect diversity. Previous work on plant-insect relationships suggests that these temporal and climatic factors may have played a role in the evolution of such interactions. To test these hypotheses, a study of the patterns of insect mediated leaf damage was conducted by comparing six, well-preserved lacustrine deposits in western North America. The Cenozoic formations examined span a 30 million year time interval and have varying climate that allowed us to determine which variables might be better predictors of the amount and types of insect damage present in these fossil assemblages.

Two-thousand three hundred and ninety leaves were examined in total to measure overall damage levels for each assemblage, as well as damage levels for specific plant families. Plant families were chosen because they appeared in more than one assemblage, and this would provide a control for overall taxonomic differences that might exist between assemblages. For sites where greater information about the depositional environment was known, a chi-square analysis was used to further determine whether the position of a deposit relative to the lake margin had an effect on insect damage levels.

Neither overall assemblage damage levels nor damage levels within specific families were shown to correlate with climatic factors (temperature and precipitation) or age. Furthermore, significant differences in damage levels were recorded in a single lacustrine deposit depending on whether an assemblage was preserved near- or offshore, and whether it was on the east or west side of the lake. These findings suggest that there are many micro-scale climatic and environmental factors that must be taken into account and controlled for when making macro-scale time and space comparisons of insect feeding damage.[Full Paper.]

2007 RESESS protégé Miriam Garcia

Miriam Garcia

Field methods in volcanology: USGS Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO), Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes (CSAV)

The Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) of the United States Geological Survey is used as a laboratory and classroom for future volcanologists. The Center for the Study of Active Volcanoes (CSAV) of the University of Hawaii at Hilo also hosts a field methods course in volcanology. As a volunteer at HVO and a CSAV student, one experiences firsthand the many physical and chemical aspects of volcano monitoring. On 17 June 2007, a magmatic intrusion, originating in Kilauea Caldera, traveled down the East Rift Zone. To see the effects of this intrusion, crack stations, Very Low Frequency (VLF) receivers, and geodetic leveling techniques were used to monitor the intrusion area. Other essential methods were applied. Gas geochemistry samples were taken in three separate locations to observe magma depth. Distinguishing earthquake signals was part of the in-classroom, seismology section of the course. To measure deformation, a series of four GPS stations were set up, and a Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) instrument was introduced. As part of physical volcanology, scientists and students hiked out to the summit of Pu’u O’o and onto the fissure eruptions that started on 21 July 2007. A case study for the eruption of Eldfell Volcano in Iceland culminated the field class using previously learned tools and techniques. The effectiveness of volcano monitoring in the Eldfell situation was described, as well as recommendations for how scientists could have and can improve their techniques to reduce the impact of hazards in the area. Note: M. Garcia did these two volcanorelated educational experiences as an ancillary program to her required university summer field camp for 2007.

Ezer Patlan Almeida

Development of a power and communication system for remote autonomous GPS and seismic stations in Antarctica

We are addressing the challenge of operating a permanent GPS station in the harsh environment in Antarctica. The power and communication systems must operate year-round in the polar region where it is freezing, windy, and dark during the winter. We are working on three major parts of the GPS station: improving the power system, communication system, and mechanical design. We are investigating four areas related to the design of permanent GPS stations for the polar regions. 1). Analysis of wind power data was performed to compare wind speed versus power generated from wind turbine. 2). A test series was performed by applying varying voltages to power ports A and B of a GPS receiver. This was done to understand the power switching behavior of the receiver when it is powered from two independent sources. 3). A battery tester was evaluated to determine its accuracy. This tester may be used by engineers in the field to evaluate battery health, so ensuring its accuracy is critical. 4). Testing to determine GPS receiver and Iridium antenna interference was also done. This testing focused on understanding what distance between antennas was necessary to reduce the interference. The data and experiments with the equipment produced helpful results for the project and will improve permanent GPS technology for the polar regions.[Full Paper]

2007 RESESS protégé Lennox E. Thompson.

Lennox E. Thompson

Displacement modeling of a volcanic magma chamber

Volcanoes can be hazardous if increased pressure in the magma chamber becomes great enough that magma is forced upward through a crack to the ground surface and erupts. The magma chamber which lies beneath a volcano is a large underground pool of molten rock lying under the surface of the earth’s crust. The problem with the magma chamber and why it is significant is because there are unknown processes occurring inside volcanoes. Researchers have not yet understood the processes occurring inside of a volcanic magma chamber. My research is to update a mathematical displacement model which describes the magma chamber properties such as depth and volume change (e.g. inflation or deflation at surface). So far, the method used to get the displacement model to work was to move all the file structures along with the displacement program in one memory storage space in order for the program to work in Matlab. As a result, the program was able to import and export data in addition to loading geographical features of the displacement model to better understand the magma chamber for the purpose of prediction of future volcanic eruptions.[Full Paper]

Students interested in applying for the 2008 RESESS program should submit an application before February 1, 2008. The application form is available at (http://resess.unavco.org/application/application.html).

Photo credits: Carlye Calvin of UCAR Communications.