MARGINS-NSF Program

Faculty Openings in Geophysics (10/12/10)

The Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences at MIT invites qualified candidates to apply for a tenure track junior faculty position in Solid-Earth Geophysics. We seek an outstanding scientist with interest in and potential for innovation and leadership in teaching and research. The search is in the broad area of Solid-Earth Geophysics. However, we are especially interested in individuals whose research connects to experimental geophysics, material properties, earthquake source processes, and/or energy and the environment. The Department encourages strong interaction with research programs covering the full spectrum of Earth and planetary sciences. More information about this position can be obtained by writing Professor Maria T. Zuber at <mtz at mit.edu>. A completed application will include a curriculum vitae, a one page description of research plans, and the names of three potential references.
Applications are being accepted at Academic Jobs Online. (https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo)
Please do not ask your referees to upload letters at the time of application; letters will be requested directly by MIT.
To receive consideration, a completed application must be received.
Search Contact: Mr. Michael Richard,
HR Administrator,
EAPS, 54-926
Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
77 Massachusetts Avenue,
Cambridge, MA 02139
mjr at mit.edu
617-253-5184 617-253-8298 (fax)
Oliver Jagoutz
Assistant Professor of Geology
54-1018 Dept. of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge,
MA 02139-4307 USA
Email: jagoutz at mit.edu Phone: :
(+1) 617324-5514
http://eaps.mit.edu/faculty/jagoutz

Exploration Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (10/12/10)

The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University invites applications for the Exploration Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (see http://sese.asu.edu/opportunities). SESE's core mission is to integrate science and engineering to provide a better understanding of our world and beyond. Research areas within SESE encompass astrophysics, cosmology, Earth science, climate science, planetary science, exploration systems engineering, and science education. The Exploration Fellowship Program aims to provide opportunities for conducting postdoctoral research on cutting-edge topics and to foster inter-disciplinary collaboration. Applications must include a brief research proposal that has been discussed with prospective faculty sponsors. Potential research topics span the full range of research interests of our faculty (http://sese.asu.edu/focus_areas), including key initiatives in the origin, evolution, and fate of the Universe, planetary bodies, and life; the co-evolution of Earth's surface environment and societies; and lifelong science and engineering education. We expect to make 2 awards this year with salary ($50k/yr) and full benefits. Standard awards are 2 year appointments, renewable for a 3rd year contingent on performance and availability of funding. Typically appointments will start between July 1 and September 1, 2011. Application materials (and any questions) should be submitted by email to exppd at asu.edu<mailto:exppd at asu.edu>, addressed to the Exploration Fellowship Program Committee. Complete applications are due by December 31, 2010. Letters of recommendation from 3 references must be submitted by January 5, 2011. Evaluation of applications begins January 1, 2011 and decisions will be announced in early February. The first step in the application process is to contact prospective faculty sponsor(s) to discuss potential research topics. When a topic of mutual interest is identified, the applicant prepares a 5-10 page research proposal outlining the problem and the research plan (including figures; references do not count against page limit; no budget is needed). Application packets include (1) a cover letter identifying (a) research topic, (b) prospective postdoctoral advisors, and (c) a list of 3 references with contact information, (2) CV, (3) 2-3 papers exemplary of the applicant's research, (4) letters of endorsement from the prospective postdoctoral advisors, and (5) the research proposal. Preference will be given to proposals that fuse research conducted through multiple focus areas within SESE and that will involve new collaborations among our faculty. Please request that your referees submit a letter of recommendation addressed to the Exploration Fellowship Program Committee by January 5, 2011. Letters of recommendation should be emailed to exppd at asu.edu<mailto:exppd at asu.edu> and may be submitted independently. ASU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer that actively seeks diversity among applicants and promotes a diverse workforce.

Kelin X. Whipple,
Professor School of Earth and Space Exploration,
Room PSF 638
Arizona State University
P.O. Box 871404,
Tempe, AZ 85287-1404,
USA tel:480-965-9508,
fax: 480-965-8102
http://www.public.asu.edu/~kwhipple/

Goodbye from the Lamont MARGINS Office (10/03/10)

Dear MARGINS Community,
At the beginning of month the MARGINS Program segues into GeoPRISMS, and after four years I step down as Chair of the MARGINS Steering Committee. It has been a very busy, productive term, seeing major synthesis activities, the Decadal Review, and also the successful writing of a Draft Science Plan for GeoPRISMS. All this would have not been possible without herculean efforts on behalf of the staff of the MARGINS Office, first at Boston University (Cary Kandel and Pamela Lezaeta) and then at Lamont after a rapid move (Niva Ranjeet, Andrew Goodwillie, Karen Benedetto and Kristen Woodford). It has been a pleasure to work with them, and I am tremendously appreciative of their efforts. Also, the success of the program, its scientific accomplishment, and the strong case made for a successor would not have been possible without tremendous support from the MARGINS community, and the efforts of the many members of the Steering Committee, various meeting organizers and writers, and the continued sage advice from the staff of the National Science Foundation. Thanks to all of you for making this a highly rewarding and successful four years. Finally, I would like to thank and wish well Julia Morgan, who is now Chair of the inaugural GeoPRISMS Steering and Oversight Committee, and is managing the first GeoPRISMS Office at Rice. The transition should be fairly straightforward; beginning in the next few days this Listserv will be migrated to Rice, and a new GeoPRISMS web page will go public. The Lamont staff will continue through the Fall to support MARGINS/GeoPRISMS activities, ramping down gradually as Rice staff start, and we expect by the end of the calendar year to have completely transferred responsibilities away from Lamont. Best of luck to those leading GeoPRISMS now; the program is in great shape and excellent hands.
Sincerely, Geoff Abers Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University

Faculty Position in Hydrogeology University of Wisconsin Madison (9/14/2010)

The Department of Geoscience invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor beginning August 2011.
We seek a broad range of outstanding candidates in hydrogeology with specialties related to physical, chemical
and biological processes affecting subsurface flow and transport in porous and fractured geologic media.
Research approaches should encompass some combination of field laboratory and modeling.
Specific areas of interest include (but are not limited to) evaluation, development and sustainable management
of water resources, transport fate and remediation of contaminants interactions between groundwater and surface water seawater, snow or ice groundwater, and geologic processes groundwater and energy resources groundwater and climate change and paleohydrogeology.

Applicants should submit a vita statements of research and teaching interests and names and contact information of
three or more references by email to:.
hydrosearchgeology@wisc.edu or by mail to

Jean M Bahr
Hydrogeology Search Committee
Chair Department of Geoscience
University of Wisconsin Madison
1215 W. Dayton St
Madison WI 53706
(608)262-5513

To ensure full consideration applications must be received by November
15, 2010

For the complete announcement see http//geosciencewiscedu/geoscience/3504/open-position-for-asst-professor

Harold J Tobin
Professor of Geophysics
Deptof Geoscience
University of Wisconsin - Madison
1215 W Dayton St
Madison WI 53706
htobin@wis.edu
608-265-5796

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program-inviting comments (9/7/10)

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP; www.iodp.org) is inviting you to submit comments on the draft of a new science plan that will guide scientific ocean drilling and related observatory science for a decade starting in late 2013.
The input from you to this science plan is of utmost importance to ensure that this document has broad support of the wider scientific community.
This public hearing period is running for four weeks from August 24 to September 21. We may not be able to consider comments received after the deadline. Background and actions required: IODP ends September, 2013. The existing program will be neither continued nor renewed. Rather, an international consortium of more than 24 nations, represented through an International Working Group, seeks to develop a plan for a new drilling program. The success of this effort is not a given and will, because of the high costs involved, undergo scientific and political scrutiny at the very highest national levels.
The current drilling program has resulted in profound advances in a number of new science fields: Arctic coring, high-resolution paleo-climate proxies, deep crustal drilling, sub-seafloor observatory science, and the study of an active biosphere to depths of 1.6 km below the seabed. As the spectrum of science supported by ocean drilling is expanding and becoming more cross-disciplinary (i.e., Earth, Ocean, Climate, Life Sciences, and in-Situ processes), we seek your help to make sure that a wide perspective on the most innovative and compelling science for a new drilling program post 2013 is presented.
We sincerely hope you will give this matter your attention. Specifically, we solicit your comments on:
a) Identify critical topics or themes that are essential for securing broad support for the new program, but not sufficiently well covered in the existing draft. The goal here is to make the strongest possible case to a wide audience. However, please, understand that the topics listed can not possibly be inclusive of all possible kinds of science, and that the writing committee, based on prior community input, has chosen a number exciting examples to guide the future science, rather than create an all inclusive, exhaustive list of topics. FYI, the new drilling program will be responsive to proposals developed and submitted by the scientific community. Proposals will be evaluated by a scientific advisory structure.
b) Scientific editorial comments on individual subsections by experts in those fields. Are there changes to the text and figures that will help to make them more accurate and/or compelling?
c) Substantive comments on overall structure, overall message, and excitement of draft science plan. How does it present as a "whole"? The science plan needs to capture the imagination and excitement of ocean drilling science, and inspire readers to be supportive based on a big vision of innovation and discovery. Please point out where the current draft does this job well, and, most importantly, where it may need to be improved.
d) Suggest places where the draft can be made shorter without loosing essential information or impact. The goal is that the final science plan will be reduced rather than expanded in length. Please, bear in mind that a small team lead by a science writer eventually will reformat the science plan to provide a visually more attractive and navigable document with a single and, most likely, less specialized style of writing. Scientific edits and suggestions for shortening might therefore be more effective than complete rewrites.
The draft of the new science plan can be downloaded at: http://campanian.iodp.org/NewSciencePlan Comments should be sent to:
NewSciencePlan at iodp.org(before September 21) Further background information and guidelines for submissions of comments are located at the above URL.
For your convenience, the draft of the science plan for the new drilling program is available in both PDF and RTF format. We look forward to receive your comments.
Thank you in advance,
Hans Christian Larsen
Vice-President, IODP Management International
*** Note new e-mail address!! Please update your address book!!***
Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International, Inc.
Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology
Office of Liaison and Cooperative Research 3rd Floor 2-1-6,
Etchujima, Koto-ku, Tokyo 135-8533, JAPAN
Tel: +81 3-6701-3196 Fax: +81 3-6701-3190
E-mail: science at iodp.org Website: http://www.iodp.org

Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) Meeting (08/27/2010)

To the MARGINS Community:
I am writing to call your attention to an upcoming Community Meeting to envision the next decade of the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE). The meeting will be held in Washington, D.C. at the Ronald Regan Building on November 3-4, 2010.
The meeting announcement and link to the application can be found at (COSEE Community Meeting Announcement http://www.cosee.net/activities/index.cfm) Meeting expenses (travel, lodging and meals) for participants not affiliated with the National COSEE Network will be covered.
We hope that you will consider applying and will help us disseminate this information to others within your professional networks. Community Meeting Overview: COSEE is a national network of Centers with the broad objective of connecting the ocean sciences research and education communities to develop innovative and catalytic activities in ocean sciences education and outreach.
In August/September 2011, the COSEE program will undergo a Decadal Review by NSF. The review will assess past accomplishments of the Network, the role that COSEE fills in the overall landscape of ocean science education, and the emerging opportunities on which COSEE can capitalize if NSF funding is continued.
With an eye toward the future, COSEE is engaging in a range of activities aimed at eliciting community input into a strategic vision for the future of COSEE or a follow-on program.
Among these activities is hosting a *COSEE Community Meeting* in which members of the science and education communities come together to contribute their perspectives and ideas about how the Network might evolve over the next decade.
NSF encourages a broad range of participants, especially individuals who are not currently involved in the National COSEE Network. A variety of disciplinary expertise is sought, including members of the ocean science research and learning science communities, cyberlearning/cyberinfrastructure experts, ocean science educators, and education/outreach specialists at major NSF-funded facilities.
The outcome of the meeting will be a strategic vision document based on the recommendations formulated during the meeting. The Community Meeting application deadline is September 10th , 2010.
Thanks in advance for your consideration at this critical juncture in the history of COSEE and ocean sciences education.
Sincerely, Cheryl Peach Chair,
COSEE Community Meeting Steering Committee

Cheryl Peach, Ph.D. Director,
Scripps Educational Alliances Scripps Institution of Oceanography,
UCSD 9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093-0207
Tel: 858-822-5323
FAX: 858-534-7114

AGU Session S04: Toward Elucidating the Physics of Fault Tremor and Slow Slip (08/27/2010)

Convenors: Heidi Houston, Roland Burgmann
This session aims to integrate diverse seismic observations, direct imaging of the ETS environment, and proposed physical mechanisms for tremor and slow slip phenomena. We will focus on seismological and geodetic observations, such asspace-time evolution of tremor and/or slip, the distinct geometries and velocities of tremor processes (e.g., streaks and rapid tremor reversals), triggering by tides or earthquakewaves, and direct observations of the deep tremor environment (seismic or MT imaging and possible exhumed analogs). Theoretical topics include the implications of rate-and-state models, as well as physical and petrologic models that explore possible sources of pressurized fluids and the role they may play in the tremor and slow slip process.
Prof. Heidi Houston Dept. Earth and Space Sciences
Johnson Hall 070 Box 351310
University of Washington Seattle WA 98195
heidi.houston at gmail.com 206 616-7092

S2S Special Session at 2011 ASLO Aquatic Science Meeting (08/12/2010)

We would like to bring your attention to a S2S-related session at the
ASLO Aquatic Sciences Meeting. This is an excellent opportunity to
highlight the scientific and societal importance of our science as it
applies to environmental changes to source-to-sink systems affected by
human activity and climate change. The call for abstracts can be found at:

http://www.aslo.org/meetings/sanjuan2011/

Hope to see you in sunny Puerto Rico this winter!

Steve Kuehl and Mead Allison

* 2011 ASLO Aquatic Science Meeting, February 13-18, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Continental Margin Sedimentation: Geological and Geochemical
Signaturesof Human Activity*

Co-Chairs: Steven A. Kuehl and Mead A. Allison

Sediment generation, transfer and burial on the continental margin have
been strongly influenced by anthropogenic activities with a profound
impact on geochemical cycling (e.g., carbon, nutrients), ecosystem
change, and resource management. Climate and land-use changes,
groundwater withdrawal, and river management have fundamentally altered
the nature of river sediment delivery to flood- and delta-plains,
estuarine, coastal and offshore environments, leaving a recognizable
change in the sedimentary record across the margin to the deep sea. This
session welcomes contributions that describe or model changes in margin
sedimentation or sediment-hosted geochemical parameters resulting from
anthropogenic activities. Particular emphasis will be on: 1) alterations
in the generation, transfer and burial efficiency of sediments; 2) the
historical sedimentary record; and 3) environmental implications of such
changes. This session is intended to bring together the diverse group of
communities working on sediment related issues as they pertain to human
activity and climate change.

AGU Session DI13: New Views on the Lithsophere-Asthenosphere Boundary (08/12/2010)

The lithosphere/asthenosphere boundary (LAB), which is inextricably
linked to the properties of the underlying low velocity zone,
is of key importance to the architecture of continental and oceanic
lithosphere and to the dynamics of plate tectonics. Some aspects of the
boundary are attributable to changes in physical properties along the
geotherm, but new results suggest the possible influence of small amounts of melt, variations in hydration of nominally anhydrous minerals, grain size or in lattice preferred orientations.
We invite contributions from those studying the seismology, electrical
conductivity, geodynamics, mineral physics, petrology,
and geochemistry of the lithosphere, the LAB, and/or the seismic low
velocity zone.

Conveners: Marc Hirschmann, University of Minnesota, marc.m.hirschmann-1@umn.edu
Hitoshi Kawakatsu, Earthquake Research Institute, hitosi@eri.u-tokyo.ac.jp
Catherine Rychert, University of Bristol, crychert@ucsd.edu
James Gaherty, Columbia University, gaherty@ldeo.columbia.edu

Sponsor: Study of Earth's Deep Interior
CoSponsors: Mineral and Rock Physics, Seismology, Tectonophysics,
Volcanology, Geochemistry, and Petrology

Distinguished Lectureship Program applications (08/10/2010)

Reminder: The Distinguished Lectureship Program applications are due on September 7, 2010
Apply today: http://www.nsf-margins.org/DLProgram/10-11/DLApp10.html

MARGINS/GeoPRISMS Distinguished Lectureship Program

Application Deadline: September 7, 2010

We invite all colleges and universities in the US to apply to host a
speaker from the Distinguished Lecture Program. Applications are due by00000
September 7, 2010 for visiting speakers in Fall 2010 – Spring 2011.
Invitations from institutions not currently involved with
MARGINS/GeoPRISMS research are strongly encouraged, including those
granting undergraduate or Masters degrees, as well as those with Ph.D.
programs. Institutions may request a technical and/or public lecture.
The MARGINS/GeoPRISMS Office will cover airfares for speakers’ travel
and will coordinate travel and off-site logistics. Host institutions are
responsible for local expenses for the duration of the visit. For more
information on the speakers and to apply please see the DLP web page
(www.nsf-margins.org/DLProgram/). Deadline for applications is on
September 7, 2010. Please direct any question to our office: margins
@nsf-margins.org.

View 2010-2011 speakers at: www.nsf-margins.org/DLProgram/10-11/
Apply at: www.nsf-margins.org/DLProgram/10-11/DLApp10.html

The MARGINS program will transition to the GeoPRISMS program in October
2010. Applications to host a speaker for the joint 2010-2011 DLP program
should be made to the MARGINS Office at the web addresses listed above.

2010-2011 SPEAKERS:
Emily Brodsky, UC Santa Cruz;
Becky Dorsey, Univ. of Oregon;
Chris Goldfinger, Oregon State.;
Katherine Kelley, Univ. of Rhode Island;
Rudy Slingerland, Penn. State;
Paul Umhoefer, Northern Arizona Univ.;
Peter van Keken, Univ. of Michigan

Challenges and Opportunities in Academic Marine Seismology (08/06/2010)

Dear Colleagues:

(Apologies for any cross-posting.)

Below is the Executive Summary of the March workshop on the future
of academic 2D and 3D marine seismology.

The Steering Committee feels that this document summarizes the key
points of community consensus arrived at by the assembled group,
including major new directions in scheduling future Langseth operations,
community training and outreach activities, the proposal process,
open-access data, and community-driven 3D projects.

We are currently working on a more complete workshop report, which
will be done no later than Aug. 31, and the “glossy brochure”
summarizing Langseth-based scientific goals, which will be complete by
November.

Best,
Steve Holbrook, Graham Kent, Donna Shillington, and Sean Gulick

Challenges and Opportunities in Academic Marine Seismology
Incline Village, NV, March 22-24, 2010

Executive Summary
The recent acquisition of the R/V Marcus G. Langseth, the first-ever
academic 3D seismic vessel, brings unprecedented opportunities for Earth
imaging to the geoscientific community. The Langseth is a National
Facility, operated by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) and
overseen by the Marcus Langseth Science Oversight Committee (MLSOC).
With its four, 6-km-long streamers, dual, tuned airgun arrays, and ocean
bottom seismometer launch and recovery capabilities, the Langseth
produces 3D and 2D images of the Earth’s crust and uppermost mantle with
resolution and clarity that were unattainable a few years ago. Since
its maiden scientific voyage in early 2008, the Langseth has conducted
nine expeditions, in sites from Taiwan to Costa Rica, all of which have
been successful. However, along with these new capabilities come
unprecedented challenges and costs. Under its current mode of operation,
the Langseth is hampered by a combination of factors, including a high
day rate, long transits between funded work sites, and consequent delays
in moving projects from the “funded” to the “scheduled” category. These
factors have resulted in the Langseth conducting relatively few
scheduled programs (~4/year) in the first two years and a drop in
proposal pressure to use the facility. In addition, the long turnaround
time from data acquisition to public release (in practice, often 5-10
years), coupled with the increased specialization required to acquire,
process and interpret 3D data, suggests that Langseth data are not
achieving their full potential scientific and educational impact.
These challenges pose several risks to the marine seismic community,
including low funding rates for Langseth proposals, a discouraged and
shrinking user base, and low proposal pressure, in a potentially
self-reinforcing cycle. If the scientific community is to have
continued access to the remarkable new capabilities of the Langseth,
this cycle must be broken and replaced with a healthier, more
sustainable pattern of facility usage and community growth. However,
this workshop was intended to also represent an opportunity to examine
funding and accessibility of academic marine seismic imaging in the
United States and seek improvements that will build our community,
increase funding and educational opportunities, and generate more
scientific discoveries.
To tackle these issues, 65 scientists met for three days in March,
2010, in Incline Village, Nevada, with the goal of addressing three
overarching questions:

• What are the exciting science goals that, over the next decade, will
require a healthy Langseth facility?
• How can the process of soliciting, evaluating, funding, and
scheduling work on the Langseth be improved?
• What modes of data access might help put Langseth products into more
scientists’ and educators’ labs and schools?

These issues were discussed at the meeting through keynote
presentations by invited speakers and breakout sessions in which working
groups developed recommendations. Meeting participants included 21
faculty members, 23 research scientists, 16 students and postdocs, 2
representatives from industry, and 3 representatives of the National
Science Foundation. Keynote presentations were given on the
relationship of marine seismic imaging to major thematic programs (e.g.,
IODP, MARGINS, Earthscope, Continental Dynamics, US Extended Continental
Shelf studies); recent advances in marine seismology (e.g., long-offset
streamer studies, waveform tomography, P-cable); educational
opportunities for marine seismology; and science opportunities in marine
seismology (e.g., mid-ocean ridges, ocean crust, rifted margins,
subduction zone processes, gas hydrates, seismic oceanography).
Breakout groups were convened to discuss aspects of “Improving Access”
(e.g., data access and availability, expanding the Langseth user base,
improving the educational footprint, and new models of data processing
and release); “Science Opportunities”; and “The Proposal Process”
(models of proposal preparation, nurturing, and evaluation). The
workshop was preceded by a well-attended short course, sponsored by
LDEO, on OpendTect, a free, open-source, multi-platform software package
for interpreting 3D seismic data.
In the opinion of the Steering Committee, the meeting was an
unqualified success. The scientific case for continuing to support the
Langseth facility is unequivocal; many of the most pressing
geoscientific issues facing our society rely on the ability to image the
structure of the Earth’s crust in three dimensions. These issues
include geohazards (great earthquakes, submarine landslides, volcanism,
and tsunami), energy (exploration and carbon sequestration), and climate
change (paleoclimate and ocean imaging). The group convened at Incline
Village strongly endorsed continued support of a robust marine seismic
imaging facility.
Importantly, consensus was reached on ways to improve the relevance,
operation, impact, and access to the Langseth facility. Below is a
summary of the major recommendations; these were discussed and adopted
by mutual consent of the assembled group in a plenary session on the
final morning of the workshop.

Funding:
• We strongly endorse creation of a new program at NSF to stabilize
funding for work using the Langseth facility.

Advanced Planning Cycle:
• We endorse an advanced planning cycle in which proposal calls are
issued on a regional basis (e.g., North Atlantic, eastern Pacific)
several years in advance. MLSOC should work with the user community and
facility operator to determine the ship’s projected areas of operation,
possibly guided by pre-proposals (see below). The proposal review panel
should be populated with appropriate scientific expertise according to
the region.

Proposal Process:
• We endorse a separate panel for judging Langseth proposals against
each other, especially in the context of a new NSF program to fund Langseth.
• We endorse adoption of a pre-proposal process for work proposing to
use the Langseth facility. These pre-proposals would be judged by this
new panel and confidential reviewers and would provide the information
used for projecting the future areas of operation of the ship over the
next ~3 years.

Training the Next Generation:
• We endorse recurring “training cruises” in which science berths are
open to scientists wishing to gain at-sea experience on Langseth. These
could initially be aimed at early-career scientists but should be
broadened to all interested scientists.
• We endorse, wherever practical, reserving 1-2 berths on each Langseth
cruise for early-career scientists via an open application process.
• We suggest lowering barriers to access through creation of a user
“cookbook,” at-sea training cruises, and a formal mentoring program to
establish “junior leaders.”

Hybrid model of community-selected and PI-driven 3D and 2D programs:
• We endorse a system that allows for both “community” as well as
PI-driven 3D and 2D programs:
• We propose to allow for community 3D datasets to be acquired,
perhaps in concert with training cruises. Identification of targets for
3D community datasets would occur at workshops open to all scientists.
Following acquisition, 3D data sets would be commercially processed to
an initial interpretable volume and publicly released (e.g., 6 months
post-cruise). These data would then be available for an open
competition for data interpretation and analysis proposals. A similar
model should also be available (but not required) for processing and
release of 2D data. A key component of this model must be a cultural
change within NSF (and the reviewer community) toward funding
data-analysis proposals, rather than the currently perceived bias toward
data acquisition proposals.
• We also strongly endorse retaining a component of PI-driven
proposals for using the Langseth, with appropriate protections for PI’s
to conduct initial analysis under a data release moratorium of no more
than two years.

Data Processing:
• We endorse commercial processing (to post-stack depth migration) for
all 3D cruises.
• A similar option for commercial processing of 2D data should be
available, but not required.
• NSF should explore establishing a long-term contract with a
commercial processing house to lower processing costs.

Improving the Educational Footprint:
• We endorse (1) expansion of the Langseth website with a focus on
public outreach and education, (2) K-12 presence through teacher
workshops and teacher-at-sea programs, (3) a “Distinguished Ambassador”
program to visit K-12 schools, (4) use of social networking sites to
communicate Langseth activities and results to interested parties, (5)
exploring use of Langseth transits for training/education cruises, and
(6) training of undergraduate and graduate students in use of
open-access 3D interpretation software to bring Langseth 3D data into
college classrooms and graduate-level research programs.

Immediate Action:
• The workshop facilitated the formation of several self-organized
groups to submit community-driven 3D proposals with open data access for
the upcoming August 15 deadline. The development and implementation of a
new model for community datasets will require time to design, fund and
implement. However, there was support for testing this new model and an
understanding that in order for any community-driven 3D proposal to take
place in 2012, it would need to be proposed in 2010. These
self-organized groups provide an opportunity to explore options for
implementing open data access and strong training components in Langseth
3D programs.

Mobile Terranes: Origins, Paths, and Role in Active Margin Deformation (T04) (08/05/10)

Subduction zones represent a snapshot of a dynamic and evolving system, and the
time-history of their evolution is expressed in the morphology of their
associated slabs. Seismic observations reveal individual slabs have complex 3D
shapes exhibiting strong variations of curvature and seismicity both
along-trench and down-dip. Such variations are linked to the details of the
system, including influences by the mineralogy, thermal structure and strength
of slabs, flow of surrounding mantle, and coupling to surface plate motions. We
welcome contributions that provide improved observations that help characterize
the structure and evolution of subducted slabs, and those that link
observations to geodynamic models or tectonic reconstructions.

ED11: New Resources, Approaches and Technologies for Teaching about Plate
Margins
Convenors: Ryan, Hickey-Vargas, Reed, Goodliffe, Manduca

Students must understand the relationships among the tectonic, structural,
petrologic and geochemical processes that occur at plate boundaries if they are
to move from undergraduate geoscience courses into modern multidisciplinary
geoscience research. This session seeks to highlight innovative resources and
approaches to teaching plate boundary science, as have been produced in
association with major research initiatives (MARGINS, Ridge2000, IODP,
Earthscope), or as facilitated by new data and geospatial information resources
(EarthChem, GeoMapApp/MGDS, Google Earth). Programs that move students from the
classroom into plate margin research, at either the undergraduate or graduate
level, are also of interest.

EP30: Source to Sink Insights into Integrated Sedimentary System Evolution
Convenors: Covault, Fildani

This session features integrated sedimentary systems from terrestrial source
areas to depositional sinks highlighting stratigraphic forcings and
developmental timing. We are soliciting contributions that employ cutting-edge
technologies in the analysis of modern, i.e., earth surface/shallow subsurface,
sedimentary systems, which are amenable to natural experimentation as a result
of a high degree of control on external/intrinsic forcing mechanisms and
timing. An integrated, inclusive approach to the study of sedimentation across
continental margins can provide accurate and rigorously tested predictions of
natural resource presence and quality, and inform policy decisions.

T05: Interaction Between Magmatic and Tectonic Processes in Continental and
Incipient Oceanic Rifts
Convenors: Keir, Pagli, Biggs, Rivalta

A key breakthrough in the last decade is recognition of the intimate linkage
between extensional deformation and magmatism during rupture of the continents.
However, the nature of this relationship at all depths through the lithosphere
and its evolution through time remain controversial. We invite contributions
from observational and modeling studies that constrain the length, time scales
and mechanisms of magma transport and emplacement in continental and incipient
oceanic rifts. We also welcome contributions on interactions between magmatism
and other deformation mechanisms (e.g. faulting and ductile stretching) and
their response to rheological controls.

T24: Recent Submarine Volcano-Tectonic Events Along Western Pacific Island-arcs,
Back-arcs, and Subduction Zones
Convenors: Dziak, Rubin, Baker

Several regional-scale geologic events have occurred within the last year at the
Lau back-arc basin, Tonga volcanic-arc and trench: the 18 March 2009
shallow-water eruption near Tonga, the 29 September 2009 Samoan earthquake (Mw
8.1), and the ongoing, deep-ocean eruption at West Mata volcano. Studies of
such recent events provide important information on regional volcano-tectonic
perturbations, responses, and timescales, and are foci of the NSF Ridge2000 and
Margins programs. We solicit studies from marine geophysics, volcanology,
petrology, marine chemistry, and physical oceanography to provide an integrated
view of West Pacific upper mantle, ocean crust and water-column processes.

T26: From Sediment Inputs to Seismogenesis at Subduction Zones
Convenors: Saito, McNeill, Saffer, Underwood

Recent research projects on subduction zones have been capturing the entire
picture of subduction processes from the inputs of sediment and basalt to
seismogenesis. The objective of this session is to foster discussions among
disciplines and among researchers working on various subduction zones, both
modern and ancient. We welcome presentations showing recent results of ocean
drilling, geophysical investigations, laboratory studies, and analytical or
numerical modeling.

T38: Rifting to Rupture to Drift: Linking Lessons from Active Rifts to the
Evolution of Passive Margins
Convenors: Oskin, Arrowsmith, Collier

This session explores how the diversity of processes and feedbacks that drive
continental rifting towards rupture, initiation of seafloor spreading affect
the transition to the low rate and more distributed deformation of the passive
margin. Contributions will explore the various roles of magmatism, faulting,
rift obliquity, surface processes, pre-existing lithospheric structure and deep
Earth processes on the 4D architecture of active rifts and rifted margins, with
emphasis on how rifting processes influence subsequent passive margin
development.

V15: The Subduction Filter: Effects on the Mantle, Arcs and Continents
Convenors: Chauvel, Plank, Class, Rudnick

Subduction zones are the place where material from the surface of the Earth is
sent back into the mantle after being changed by mineral-fluid/melt reactions.
They act as filters separating material added to continental crust through arc
volcanism, from residues that are recycled into the mantle, and whose
compositions may differ markedly from the original subducted slab. This session
aims at evaluating information provided by studies of volcanic arcs,
mineral-fluid processes in the slab, newly formed crust, and mantle melts. The
aim is to highlight the key processes that occur in subduction zones and how
they influence the differentiation of the Earth and the long-term evolution of
continental crust and mantle.

U03: The 12 January 2010 M7.0 Haiti Earthquake (Webcast)
Convenors: Calais, Hough, Lerner-Lam, Momplaisir

Along with its Caribbean neighbors, Haiti now faces a critical need to assess
future earthquake hazard and mitigate risk. We invite papers on all aspects of
the 12 January 2010 earthquake and its implications for seismic hazard in the
Caribbean: earthquake source properties, the potential for future earthquakes,
seismic hazard assessment, and monitoring strategies. We also invite papers
that address policy issues associated with seismic hazard assessment and risk
mitigation, including papers on how scientific results can best be conveyed to
decision makers to effectively inform the rebuilding process.

U04: The M 8.8 Chilean Earthquake of 27 February 2010 (Webcast. INVITED only.
See G04)
Convenors: Barrientos, Brooks, Wang, Melnick

This event will lead to many new geodynamical insights because of its size, the
unprecedented quantity of pre-, co-, and post-seismic observations available to
study it, and its proximity to the rupture zone of the M 9.5 1960 earthquake.
Geophysicists and geodesists rapidly deployed a range of instrumentation to
compliment existing arrays. Geologists, tsunami researchers, and engineers also
fanned out to observe the impact of this event. We encourage contributions that
address geologic, seismic, geodetic, and tsunami observations to constrain
models of all phases of the seismic cycle in the impacted region as well as the
relationship, if any, between seismogenic behavior and the long-term evolution
of the forearc, arc, and backarc regions. This session comprises invited papers
only. Please submit contributed papers to the companion session, G04.

U07: Frontiers in Scientific Ocean Drilling: Recent Discoveries and Future
Opportunities
Convenors: Saffer, Humphris, Edwards, DeMenocal

Scientific ocean drilling has addressed fundamental problems in Earth and Life
sciences in recent years, by advancing new techniques that include riser-based
drilling, high-latitude drilling and establishment of hydrological, biological,
and geodynamic borehole observatories. This session will highlight novel results
from recent drilling that have substantially advanced our knowledge of Earth
systems, and will be of broad interest across earth, ocean, atmospheric and
life sciences. Contributions that report results from drilling, and link
drilling results with allied field, laboratory, and modeling studies, are
especially welcomed, as is work that points the way towards future
breakthroughs.

ED22: The Future of Cyber-Education in the Geosciences: New Directions and
Opportunities
Convenors: Ryan, Eriksson, Guertin, Lehnert

Rapid advances in user-friendly information technologies; growth in data
resources born from earth and planetary science research; and associated rapid
changes in the behavior and predilections of learners in formal and informal
settings bring new challenges and opportunities to geoscience educators at
every level. This session seeks to continue and expand upon discussions begun
at the 'Planning for the Future of GeoCyberEducation' workshop in January of
2010 (see www.geocybered.ning.com) about effective cyberinformation tools and
platforms, and about successful new strategies, synergies and collaborations
aimed at bringing learning in the earth, oceanic, atmospheric and space
sciences to wider audiences.

G04: The Magnitude 8.8 Chilean Earthquake of 27 February 2010
Convenors: Barrientos, Brooks, Wang, Melnick

G05: Plate Motion and Continental Deformation
Convenors: Argus, Freymueller, Fernandes

We seek geodetic, geophysical, and geologic studies of plate motion, microplate
motion, and how they relate to elements in the deforming zones between the
plates-faults, slip, great earthquakes, and mountains and rifts generated by
active deformation. How do estimates of plate motion from different space
geodetic and geologic techniques compare? Among the questions we seek answer
are: What fraction of plate motion is being taken up by elastic strain that
will be released in earthquakes? What fraction is being taken up by permanent
strain that is becoming part of the geologic record? Do GPS estimates of site
velocity determined using revised satellite orbits with phase center maps
result in different estimates of plate motions?

G09: Measuring and Modeling of Active Tectonic Processes in Alaska at the
Beginning of the EarthScope Era
Convenors: Sauber, Freymueller, Christensen

Plate subduction in the Alaska-Aleutian region results in frequent great
earthquakes, spectacular topography, active deformation across much of Alaska
and high rates of volcanism. In this session we invite submissions on new
geodetic (GPS, InSAR, Lidar, GRACE), seismologic, volcanic, and geologic
observations, as well as numerical modeling results, of active tectonic
processes associated with the subduction process in Alaska. In addition, we
solicit forward-looking presentations that highlight exciting problems that can
be resolved using multi-disciplinary observations from EarthScope.

S04: Toward Elucidating the Physics of Fault Tremor and Slow Slip
Convenors: Houston, Burgmann

This session aims to integrate diverse seismic observations, direct imaging of
the ETS environment, and proposed physical mechanisms for tremor and slow slip
phenomena. We will focus on seismological and geodetic observations, such as
space-time evolution of tremor and/or slip, the distinct geometries and
velocities of tremor processes (e.g., streaks and rapid tremor reversals),
triggering by tides or earthquake waves, and direct observations of the deep
tremor environment (seismic or MT imaging and possible exhumed analogs).
Theoretical topics include the implications of rate-and-state models, as well
as physical and petrologic models that explore possible sources of pressurized
fluids and the role they may play in the tremor and slow slip process.

T06: Structure, Dynamics, and Evolution of the African-Arabian Rift Systems
Convenors: Keir, Bastow, Tiberi, Doubre

The Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and rifts of the Afar volcanic province have developed
since Paleogene times during the removal of the Arabian plate from Africa above
anomalously warm mantle: the African superplume. The geological record of the
region exhibits active extensional systems ranging from the early stages of
breakup to sea-floor spreading, and thus the development of young passive
margins. We invite contributions from geoscientific studies that help constrain
structure and dynamics of crust and mantle beneath the region. We also invite
contributions from studies that address linkages between mantle dynamics,
lithospheric extension and magmatism.

T08: What Controls Strong vs. Weak Coupling on Subduction Interface Faults?
Convenors: Wallace, Bell, Schwartz, Sato

Some subduction margins have strong interseismic coupling and produce Great
subduction earthquakes, while others are weakly coupled. This session seeks to
explore:1)What observations characterize strongly vs. weakly coupled margins?
2)What physical models can explain differences in coupling at subduction
margins globally? 3)What does "interseismic coupling" mean physically, and how
does slip occur at "partially" coupled margins? We invite submissions comparing
subduction margin geometry, seismicity/slow slip/tremor and physical properties
at strong and weak margins. Contributions from margins that show along-strike
transitions from weak to strong coupling (e.g. SW Japan, New Zealand, Alaska)
are strongly encouraged.

T12: Characterization of the April 4, 2010 El Mayor-Cucapah Earthquake and
Implications for Earthquake Preparedness in Southern California and Baja
California
Convenors: Gonzalez-Garcia, Fletcher, Arrowsmith, Fielding, Barbour, Crowell

El Mayor-Cucapah M7.2 earthquake occurred southwest of Mexicali, Baja
California. It ruptured along several NW-striking faults that extend ~100 km
from the northern tip of the Gulf of California to the international border.
All of the ruptured faults are located west of the main plate-boundary fault
system, and many of them were unrecognized prior to this event. Modern
instrumentation and extensive geological field work provide a wide spectrum of
observations to better understand the dynamics of rupture, liquefaction, and
ongoing aftershocks. Presentations to discuss the scientific and societal
implications of the earthquake are invited.

A session on Earthscope-based geology that brings together currently/newly
funded teams with future researchers toward an integrated view of North America
and the spatial-temporal connections between areas. Currently, there are several
major projects underway that cover the western half of a transect (from Cascadia
margin to Mid Continent Rift) and planned projects on intracratonic basins and
faulting. We encourage submissions on the continental US and off-shore realms
toward a transcontinental, 4D view of North American geology. We offer partial
support to speakers from NSF funds and encourage complementary posters on
topical aspects of current and new team projects. After the oral session we
plan to discuss work strategies and stimulate additional work.

T15: Latest Results From EarthScope’s San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth
Convenors: Hickman, Ellsworth, Zoback, Jackson

SAFOD was drilled into the San Andreas Fault to study the physical and chemical
processes controlling faulting and earthquake generation. Core containing a
highly sheared, incohesive fault gouge with anomalous serpentine/clay
mineralogy was recovered from the two actively deforming fault traces at ~2.7
km depth and is now being studied in laboratories around the world to determine
its composition, physical properties and mechanical behavior. This session
welcomes contributions on all aspects of SAFOD science, including laboratory
studies on fault rock and fluids; in-situ stress, physical properties and
hydrologic conditions; local and regional crustal structure; and earthquake
source physics.

T29: Subduction-Zone Segmentation over Multiple Earthquake Cycles
Convenors: Goldfinger, Meltzner, Shennan, Witter

Understanding controls on rupture limits and the persistence or lack of
segmentation along subduction zones has been limited due to the paucity of long
records over multiple earthquake cycles. In the few well-documented cases, some
barriers in one sequence are broken through in another. The identification of
more persistent barriers and processes controlling them cannot be addressed
without longer paleoseismic records coupled with a theoretical basis for plate
boundary segmentation. We seek abstracts pertaining to paleoseismic,
paleogeodetic, paleotsunami and historical studies as well as innovative
methods, regional syntheses, and models that explore the occurrence and causes
of megathrust segmentation.

T46: Understanding Continental Evolution From Innovative Analysis of EarthScope
Data
Convenors: Gilbert, Astiz

Advances in data acquisition have lead to unprecedented imaging and modeling
opportunities and the development of novel processing techniques. These
observations of crustal and upper mantle structure and dynamics improve our
understanding of continental evolution. As the PBO and USArray datasets mature
and expand, they sample structures within the stable interior of North America
that can be contrasted to the active western cordillera. We invite observations
of continental evolution based on innovated approaches to seismic, geodetic, or
interdisciplinary data sets, especially those that improve our understanding of
continental evolution and how the interiors of continents differ from their
margins.

V12: Metamorphic Perspectives of Subduction Zone Evolution
Convenors: Bebout, Hacker, Marschall

This session is devoted to understanding metamorphic evolution of subducting
oceanic slabs and sediments and the slab-mantle interface (subduction channel).
Petrological, geophysical, geochemical and theoretical perspectives are
encouraged. Issues examined include (1) relationships among deformation,
seismicity, devolatilization, fluid flow, and phase changes in subducting
slabs, (2) geochemical and mechanical processes illuminated by exposed HP to
UHP metamorphic rocks, (3) sources, sinks, and pathways (rates, element
transport, and connections with arc magmatism), (4) nature, mechanical
properties, and evolution of the subduction channel, and (5) phases and
volatiles that survive subduction into the deeper mantle.

V20: Volatiles in Magmas: the Breath of the Deep Earth
Convenors: Ruprecht, Demouchy

H2O, CO2, sulfur, and other volatile elements are major players in controlling
magma generation and transport, especially the final degassing and eruption
processes. In addition to the overall volatile budget that controls those
processes and large-scale geochemical cycling, diffusion of volatile elements
in mantle and magmatic minerals permits to time-scales magmatic processes,
providing an exclusive kinematic window toward the Earth's interior. This
session invites abstracts on experimental, computational and field-based
analytical studies that shed new light on magmatic processes that range from
the mantle composition to eruption dynamics, in which volatiles are key
parameters in developing new ideas in igneous petrology and volcanology.