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News: European Agency Leader Urges Long-Term Environmental Policy, p. 410
Meeting: Strengthening a Network for Geoscience Data Sets, p. 411
Meeting: Modeling the Evolution of Polar Ice Sheets, p. 411
Meeting: Understanding How Climate Change Could Affect Tornadoes, p. 412
About AGU: Supporting Young Geoscientists at Fall Meeting, p. 413
About AGU: Two New Features for Thriving Earth Exchange, p. 413
Research Spotlight: Plasmasphere, Climate, Martian Meteorite, and More, p. 416
VOLUME 95 NUMBER 45 11 NOVEMBER 2014
Drilling a Small Basaltic Volcano
to Reveal Potential Hazards
Terrestrial basaltic volcanic fields consist
of tens to hundreds of ­single-​­eruptive-​­episode
(monogenetic) volcanoes. These fields are
among the most common volcanic features
on Earth’s surface and can cover areas up
to thousands of square kilometers. Although
such fields commonly are active for hundreds of thousands of years, individual eruptions are rare (perhaps one every thousand
or tens of thousands of years). The eruptions
are small and short-lived and last several days
to decades, producing a small cone or crater.
Despite the low eruption frequency of each
volcano within the field, the spread of human
infrastructure into these fields in many parts
of the world necessitates a better understanding of future hazards.
Mexico City, Mexico, is an example of a
metropolitan area built close to or on basaltic fields. Long-term storage of nuclear waste
within a basaltic field in Nevada has been
previously proposed. These are just a few
examples of where future volcanic activity
would significantly impact society.
Therefore, several major questions need
to be addressed: (1) How long do such eruptions last? (2) How does the magma rise to
the surface, and does its ascent provide measurable phenomena that could act as precursor signals? (3) How does the style of eruption change during the event, and thus, what
spectrum of hazards would be expected?
Rangitoto Island Volcano
Auckland City, New Zealand, is built
on the Auckland Volcanic Field (AVF) (Figure 1) [Kermode, 1992]. The AVF has been
the intense focus of hazard and risk studies
because of the city’s large population (~1.4 million people) and its economic significance to
New Zealand [Houghton et al., 2006]. The field
comprises at least 50 volcanic centers and has
been active for the past 250,000 years.
The youngest volcano, Rangitoto Island,
which is only 8 kilometers from the central
business district (Figure 1), erupted about
550 years ago. It is a symmetrical, approximately ­6 -kilometer-​wide shield volcano rising about 260 meters above sea level with an
estimated dense-rock volume of 1.78 cubic
kilometers. This is about half of the estimated erupted magma volume of the field.
Rangitoto comprises a gently dipping lava
field and several small scoria cones at the
summit, although the absence of deep dissection of the volcano has prevented the
development of a stratigraphic framework of
volcanic events. Volcanic ash sourced from
Rangitoto and preserved in nearby lake sediments suggests that the volcano may have
been active intermittently, starting about
1500 years ago and persisting for about
1000 years [Shane et al., 2013]. This finding
challenges the fundamental model for the
mechanisms and hazards associated with
these small volcanoes, typically considered
monogenetic.
Drilling Investigation
The new finding prompted a new scientific drilling initiative by a consortium of
geologists from the University of Auckland
and Massey University, funded by New Zealand’s Earthquake Commission, to investigate Rangitoto’s eruption history. The aim
of the project was to drill through the entire
volcano edifice to recover a continuous
record of deposits. Hence, there is the potential to develop an unparalleled insight into
the birth, life, and death of a small monogenetic volcano that will have wider applications to understanding these systems
globally.
The team selected a drill site at an elevation of about 120 meters above sea level
on the western flank of the volcano (Figure 1) to optimize the thickness (and thus
completeness) of the stratigraphic record
Drilling
cont. on page 410
NEWS
Scientists Engage With the Public
During Lava Flow Threat
On 27 June, lava from Kīlauea, an active volcano on the island of Hawai`i, began flowing
to the northeast, threatening the residents in Pāhoa, a community in the District of Puna,
as well as the only highway accessible to this area. Scientists from the U.S. Geological
Survey’s Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO) and the Hawai`i County Civil Defense
have been monitoring the volcano’s lava flow and communicating with affected residents
through public meetings since 24 August. Eos recently spoke with Michael Poland, a
geophysicist at HVO and a member of the Eos Editorial Advisory Board, to discuss how he
and his colleagues communicated this threat to the public.
Eos: What is the status of the lava flow
right now?
Poland: As of Friday morning [31 October] local time, the flow front has stalled. It’s
about 155 meters from Pāhoa Village Road,
which is the main street through Pāhoa.
There are a lot of breakouts of lava above
that point, but the leading edge of the flow is
not presently pushing downslope. That’s not
likely to be the case forever, but there’s at
least a temporary halt in the advance of the
flow for now.
We expect that it will probably change
as time goes on. That’s the way this flow
has behaved in the past several weeks: It
advances and then stalls, which seems to be
the normal life cycle of this particular flow
and pāhoehoe flows in general.
Eos: What kind of damage has happened
to the area?
Poland: Thus far no homes have been
destroyed. The flow has burned a farm shed
and cattle structures, and it has traversed
some private land, where it has destroyed
much of an orchard. There is a cemetery
above Pāhoa that was inundated by lava.
Also, a few weeks ago the lava ignited brush
fires, but they were quickly put out by the
Hawai`i County Fire Department. In residential areas, the fire department is standing by
to prevent any widespread fires.
Eos: How did you know it was time to
start alerting the public about the threat of a
lava flow to their neighborhoods?
Poland: It became fairly clear early on
based on where the flow was located and
the rate of advance that it was heading
toward the island’s Puna District. While difficult to tell exactly where the lava would go,
we are able to broadly forecast the direction
of flows based on topography, and it was
clear that it was moving toward Pāhoa.
What made this flow special—and we’ve
had flows in this area before that have
pushed in this same direction—was that its
initial advance rate was quite high. The flow,
confined by older flows, was quite narrow at
first, which allowed it to move quite quickly.
As we tracked the flow’s direction, and
once it became clear that it was moving quickly, we issued a press release on
22 August to alert the community to the
potential hazards it posed. The release
was distributed to local news outlets and
beyond.
Eos: What has been the most effective
medium you have used to communicate the
threat to the public?
Poland: I think the most effective thing
we’ve done is to participate in a series of
regular community meetings organized
and run by the Hawai`i County mayor’s
office and Civil Defense. Initially, multiple
meetings were held each week, but the
county is now holding weekly meetings in
Pāhoa. In addition to these large community meetings, HVO participated in other
Hawai`i County–led meetings specifically
for nearby residential subdivisions.
The meetings have reached a tremendous number of people, with attendance
often 300–400 people and occasionally
exceeding 600. The meetings, usually Webcast via local online news sources, include
a lava flow update by an HVO scientist, as
well as briefings by the civil defense director and the mayor, who provide updates
on what county agencies are doing to
mitigate the impacts. After these presentations, additional HVO staff, along with
various representatives from other agencies and organizations, are available to
answer questions from the public. This has
been an effective way of interacting with
the community because it’s one-on-one
communication with the people who are
directly impacted by this lava flow.
News
cont. on page 410
USGS
Fig. 1. (middle) Digital elevation map of Rangitoto volcano showing the location of the drill site
(courtesy of Gabor Kereszturi) and (left) the composition of basalt lavas found in the core, plotted in parts per million of strontium at depth. The column shows numbered lava flows and pyroclastic ash in core. (right) Map of the Auckland Volcanic Field in North Island, New Zealand.
Lava from Kīlauea destroys a fence on private property near Pāhoa Village Road.
409
Eos
VOLUME 95 NUMBER 45 11 NOVEMBER 2014
hazards associated with such volcanoes
globally.
Drilling
cont. from page 409
TRANSACTIONS
AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
The Newspaper of the Earth and Space Sciences
Editors
Christina M. S. Cohen: California Institute
of Technology, Pasadena, Calif., USA; cohen@
srl.caltech.edu
José D. Fuentes: Department of Meteorology,
Pennsylvania State University, University Park,
Pa., USA; [email protected]
Wendy S. Gordon: University of Texas at Austin, Austin,Tex., USA; [email protected]
David Halpern: Jet Propulsion Laboratory,
Pasadena, Calif., USA; davidhalpern29@gmail​
.com
Carol A. Stein: Department of Earth and
Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at
Chicago, Chicago, Ill., USA; [email protected]
Editor in Chief
Barbara T. Richman: AGU, Washington, D. C.,
USA; eos_ [email protected]
obtained while avoiding the potentially
chaotic deposits of the main vent region
near the summit. Drilling was completed in
approximately 3 weeks in February 2014.
The approximately ­150-meter- ​­deep drill
hole resulted in excellent core recovery
(>95%). The upper 128 meters of core comprise at least 27 lava flows with thicknesses
in the range 0.3–15 meters, representing
the main ­shield-​­building phase. The lavas
overlie marine sediments interbedded with
lava and pyroclastic (explosive) deposits.
The pyroclastic sequence comprises about
8 meters of phreatomagmatic (­water-​­magma
interaction) ash and lapilli, representing the
subaqueous birth of the volcano. Miocene
(about 20 million years ago) sediments were
encountered at about 150 meters.
Preliminary Results
A preliminary geochemical investigation of the core revealed a suite of relatively
uniform transitional basalts (magnesium
oxide between 8.1 and 9.7 weight percent).
However, distinct compositional trends are
evident in the sequence (Figure 1), suggesting that multiple magma batches were
erupted. In particular, the youngest lavas
(0–25 meters) are distinguished by their
low magnesium oxide levels and high abundance of some trace elements (e.g., strontium; Figure 1).
The core places the lava compositions in
a time series, which can be correlated to
the surface lava field. This will allow a geometrical reconstruction of the shield growth.
Additional petrologic investigations are
under way to provide insight into magma
ascent processes. This will ultimately lead
to better models for magma production and
eruption duration. Chronological investigations, including radiocarbon dating and
paleomagnetic secular variation studies, are
in progress, in an attempt to constrain the
duration of volcanism.
The drilling attracted significant attention
from the media, including TV, radio, and
newspaper items in New Zealand and Australia. Eventually, the research will contribute to public and scientific awareness of the
history of Rangitoto volcano and volcanic
Acknowledgments
The drilling investigation team comprised
Paul Augustinus, Tamzin Linnell, Jan Lindsay, and Ian Smith (University of Auckland)
and Shane Cronin (Massey University).
References
Houghton, B. F., C. Bonadonna, C. E. Gregg, D. M.
Johnston, W. J. Cousins, J. W. Cole, and P. Del
Carlo (2006), Proximal tephra hazards: Recent
eruption studies applied to volcanic risk in the
Auckland volcanic field, New Zealand, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res., 155, 138−149.
Kermode, L. O. (1992), Geology of the Auckland
urban area, Geol. Map 2, scale 1:50,000, Inst. of
Geol. Nucl. Sci., Lower Hutt, New Zealand.
Shane, P., M. Gehrels, A. Z
­ awalna-​G eer, P.
Augustinus, J. Lindsay, and I. Chaillou (2013),
Longevity of a small shield volcano revealed
by crypto-tephra studies (Rangitoto volcano,
New Zealand): Change in eruptive behavior
of a basaltic field, J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res.,
257, 174−183.
—Phil Shane, University of Auckland, New Zealand;
­email: pa​.shane@​auckland​.ac​.nz
Editorial Advisory Board
M. Lee Allison Earth and Space Science
Informatics
Lora S. Armstrong Volcanology, Geochemistry,
and Petrology
News
Michael A. Ellis Earth and Planetary
Surface Processes
Arlene M. Fiore Atmospheric Sciences
Eos: Was it difficult to explain the science
behind the lava flow to the public?
Poland: Many long-time Hawai`i residents
have been following HVO’s daily eruption
updates for decades and are quite knowledgeable about the volcano. But at first, it
was a little difficult to communicate with the
public because there was, in some cases, a
bit of a gap between the concepts we were
trying to explain and the public’s ability to
perceive what we were saying.
However, it’s been amazing to watch the
public’s level of understanding increase
over the past 2 months. So something
like the inflation and deflation cycles of
K ī lauea might have initially been a foreign concept to many people attending
the meetings. After hearing about it at the
weekly meetings, some of those people
are now looking at deformation data on
Nicola J. Fox Space Physics and Aeronomy
Steve Frolking Biogeosciences
Edward J. Garnero Study of the Earth’s
Deep Interior
Michael N. Gooseff Hydrology
Kristine C. Harper History of Geophysics
Keith D. Koper Seismology
Robert E. Kopp Geomagnetism
and Paleomagnetism
John W. Lane Near-Surface Geophysics
Xin-Zhong Liang Global Environmental Change
Jian Lin Tectonophysics
Figen Mekik Paleoceanography
and Paleoclimatology
Jerry L. Miller Ocean Sciences
cont. from page 409
our website with a better understanding
of what it means. They’re also asking very
specific questions at the community meetings, such as, “Do you think the deflation
that’s happening right now will affect the
lava flow?” To us, this attests to the value
of the weekly meetings.
Eos: What kind of response did you get
from the public once you started sharing
information about the lava flow and the
threat to their homes?
Poland: Initially, there was an element
of shock that the lava flow was heading
in their direction. There has also been
a sense of frustration because the flow
advances in fits and starts, moving forward about 400 meters a day and then
stopping for days. Then it would advance
100 meters a day and stop again. So it was
frustrating for the public because it wasn’t
something that could be forecast with any
great accuracy.
Eos: What advice would you give to
other scientists who may have to communicate a complex situation to the public?
Poland: I don’t think there’s a one-sizefits-all approach. You need to identify your
target audience and determine the best
way to deliver your message clearly and
concisely.
But I also don’t think we should assume
that our audience is unable to grasp difficult concepts. They’ve shown us that they
are capable of learning about how volcanoes work, especially over a prolonged
disaster such as this. It provides an opportunity to educate people as best we can.
I’m gratified by that, because they can
take a more active look at their own environment, and I think that’s a good outcome of this.
—Tricia McCarter, Staff Writer
Michael A. Mischna Planetary Sciences
Thomas H. Painter Cryosphere Sciences
Roger A. Pielke Sr. Natural Hazards
Michael Poland Geodesy
Eric M. Riggs Education
Adrian Tuck Nonlinear Geophysics
Sergio Vinciguerra Mineral and Rock Physics
Earle Williams Atmospheric
and Space Electricity
Mary Lou Zoback Societal Impacts
and Policy Sciences
Staff
Editorial and Production: Randy Showstack,
Senior Writer; Ernie Balcerak and Mohi Kumar,
Science Writers/­Editors; ­Faith A. Ishii, Program
­Manager; Tricia McCarter, Production Assistant;
Liz Castenson, Editor’s Assistant; JoAnna Wendel,
Writer; Valerie Bassett, Electronic Graphics
Specialist
Advertising: Tel: +1-202-777-7536; E-mail:
­[email protected]; Christy Hanson, Manager;
Marketing: Mirelle Moscovitch, Marketing Analyst
©2014. American Geophysical Union. All Rights
Reserved. Material in this issue may be photocopied by individual scientists for research or classroom use. Permission is also granted to use short
quotes, figures, and tables for publication in scientific books and journals. For permission for any
other uses, contact the AGU Publications Office.
Eos,Transactions, American Geophysical Union
(ISSN 0096-3941) is published weekly except
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Views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect official positions of the American
Geophysical Union unless expressly stated.
Christine W. McEntee, Executive Director/CEO
http://www.agu.org/pubs/eos
European Agency Leader
Urges Long-Term Environmental Policy
A 23 October agreement by European
Union (EU) leaders to reduce domestic
greenhouse gas emissions is a good example of developing and implementing a
needed long-term, sustainable environmental policy agenda for Europe. So says Hans
Bruyninckx, executive director of the European Environment Agency (EEA), an EU
agency.
The agreement, which targets a reduction
by 2030 of EU domestic greenhouse gas emissions by at least 40% below the 1990 level,
also aims to increase the share of EU renewable energy to at least 27% by 2030. That
agreement is part of a trend toward a ­longer-​
term agenda for the environment, Bruyninckx
explained during a 30 October presentation
on Europe’s 2050 environmental agenda at
the Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars in Washington, D. C.
Other recent documents related to that
trend include road maps for moving to a
competitive ­low-​­carbon economy in 2050,
for a single European transport area, for a
­resource-​­efficient Europe, and for energy.
In addition, Bruyninckx said that the EU’s
7th Environmental Action Programme is
a guiding document for his agency. That
action program includes a goal that “in 2050,
we live well, within the planet’s ecological
limits.”
The framing of a 2050 environmental
agenda in Europe has been “a major policy
innovation” over the past 5−6 years that can
help provide fundamentally different ways
of approaching environmental concerns
and could lead to a more sustainable environment, Bruyninckx said. The three core
visions of a 2050 environmental agenda
are a ­low-​­carbon society, a “circular economy” where nothing is wasted, and ecosystem resilience that can deal with shocks
and unexpected events and changes in the
future, he said.
Bruyninckx added that current development and environmental protection efforts
have been successful to a degree but are not
sufficient for the long term. He applauded
efforts that have reduced the proportion of
people living in extreme poverty and said
that all people—not just those in developed
countries—deserve to live a decent life.
He also noted successes such as cutting
industrial pollution and improving air and
water quality. The “efficiency paradigm”
of reducing pollution has worked well,
Bruyninckx stated. However, he cautioned
that with the Earth’s population expected
to reach about 9 billion people by 2050,
with an increase in ­middle-​class consumers, and with what he labeled as unsustainable systems of production and consumption, the human environmental impact
on the planet continues to create a strain
on natural resource use. Between now
and 2050, global gross domestic product
in terms of purchasing power parity is
expected to triple, and the use of natural
resources could increase by 80%, he said.
“This is not really compatible with
the idea of living well within the limits
of the planet,” Bruyninckx said, noting
that a long-term horizon and new policy
approaches are crucial for dealing more
effectively with the significant problems of
climate change, biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and resource depletion,
among others. “In the long run, on a finite
planet, you cannot have a little bit of sustainability. The environment is a boundary
condition, and so we will have to organize
the social and the economic within that
boundary condition.”
Since about 1990, there has been a dramatic decoupling between energy use,
which has fallen substantially due in large
part to efficiency efforts, and economic
growth, which has increased by 40%,
according to EEA data. However, that has
not all been good news because resource
use has remained fairly steady, Bruyninckx
noted. “This [decoupling] is a major achievement. But the efficiency gains have not led
to an overall decrease in resource use,” he
said.
“We have been very successful in regulating efficiency, but is this the answer to
the long-term natural resource limits on the
planet?” he asked. “The sort of incremental
institutionalism has worked quite well on a
number of environmental issues, but it is not
enough to get us to 2050 when we take a circular economy, ecosystem resilience, and
a ­low-​­carbon society as the goals that we
need to reach.”
Bruyninckx held out hope that change
can happen quickly to move toward implementing a ­longer-​term environmental policy agenda for Europe. He cited as positive examples the changes in communication since the advent of the Internet and
recent comments by United Nations Secretary General Ban ­Ki-moon and others calling for a green economy. “So,” Bruyninckx
said, “things can change in a very short time
period in very fundamental ways.”
—Randy Showstack, Staff Writer
410
Eos
VOLUME 95 NUMBER 45 11 NOVEMBER 2014
MEETINGS
Strengthening an Interagency Network
for Geoscience Data Sets
GeoData 2014: Strengthening the Connections,
Building the Interagency Network;
Boulder, Colorado, 17–19 June 2014
More than 85 invited participants from
government, academia, and the private sector attended the GeoData 2014 Workshop.
The GeoData in the title of this workshop
represents data sets collected and curated
by the broad “Geo” community supported
by numerous U.S. federal agencies: the
Department of Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, NASA, the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
the National Science Foundation (NSF),
the Department of Agriculture, and the U.S.
Geological Survey, among others.
The GeoData workshop series was initiated alongside the NSF EarthCube initiative. EarthCube seeks a ­community-​­driven,
interoperable, ­geoscience-​­wide geoinformatics infrastructure in concert with other agencies. The GeoData workshop series aims to
complement EarthCube by extending the
scope of the discourse beyond the NSFfunded geoscience research community.
GeoData 2014 built on the success of the
first GeoData meeting in 2011. Keynote talks
at GeoData 2014 reviewed the progress of
three GeoData 2011 topics: data citation,
data integration, and data life cycle. Panels
and breakouts centered on two topic areas:
(1) social, political, and financial issues and
(2) technical issues of connecting geodata
within and among governmental agencies.
Specific themes addressed under the first
topic were as follows: governmental open
data; interagency geodata coordination
efforts—progress and political/­sociological
challenges; feedback from the academic
and commercial sectors; and establishing
a collaborative environment and culture
Modeling the Evolution of Polar Ice Sheets
Ice Sheet System Model Workshop;
Bergen, Norway, 2−4 June 2014
The Ice Sheet System Model (ISSM) team,
which is funded primarily by NASA (Cryosphere and Modeling, Analysis and Prediction programs), as well as the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory, University of California, Irvine,
and National Science Foundation’s Office of
Polar Programs, organized a workshop in
collaboration with the Bjerknes Centre for
Climate Research (BCCR) at the University
of Bergen in Norway, in June 2014.
This is the third in a series of ISSM workshops dedicated to teaching cryospheric scientists how to model the evolution of polar
ice sheets in a changing climate. The workshops are based on ISSM, the open-­source
­community-​based ice sheet modeling software capable of simulating the evolution of
large-scale polar ice sheets using a combination of ­higher-​­order physics and massive
scalability, as well as data assimilation and
­adjoint-​based inverse methods. This framework’s goal is to improve predictions of the
contribution of ice sheets to sea level rise,
which requires ­ocean−ice ­sheet–­atmosphere
coupling capabilities and the integration of
NASA data from missions such as Operation
IceBridge; Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation
Satellite 1 (­ICESat-1); and the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE).
Over the span of 3 days, the ISSM team
taught tutorials on ice sheet modeling,
including (1) how to model the flow of outlet glaciers and ice sheets, (2) how to invert
basal friction from remote sensing data,
(3) how to project the evolution of an ice
stream into the future, and (4) how to quantify the uncertainty of such projections. In
addition, a lecture was given at BCCR focusing on the challenges of modeling the evolution of polar ice sheets with ISSM.
The participants included 24 cryospheric
scientists from around the world whose
interests varied from traditional ice sheet
modeling and paleoreconstructions to interactions between the ice sheets and the
ocean and atmosphere.
Strong links were created between ISSM
and the participants, and new priorities were
identified to answer some key scientific questions, such as (1) coupling ISSM with ocean
and atmospheric circulation models to better capture the interaction between grounding line dynamics, subcavity melting, and
ocean circulation under ice shelves, as well
as the feedback between surface mass balance, atmospheric circulation, and ice sheet
dynamics; (2) the development of moving
boundaries to more accurately capture the
dynamics of calving front and grounding
line retreat of polar ice sheets over long time
periods ranging from decades to thousands
of years; and (3) better integration of existing data sets from in situ and satellite observations, in particular surface altimetry from
­ICESat-1, C
­ ryoSat-2, I­ceBridge, and the soon to
be launched I­CESat-2 mission and surface
Donate at
GIVING.AGU.ORG
Eli Burakian
“I contribute to the AGU Cryosphere Fund to help
ensure that this great support network of my
mentors and peers can continue to thrive
throughout my career.”
- Alden Adolph, AGU member since 2012
Engage with your Community
in a New Way
Join Alden in Supporting
AGU Sections and Focus Groups.
building. Those addressed under the second
topic were as follows: data life cycle, data
citation, and data integration frameworks
and related technical progress; experience
and best practices on data interoperability;
connections among distributed data repositories and their future; and vocabularies
for data annotation and services especially
related to data discovery and use.
GeoData participants voiced their desire
to learn more from data interoperability success stories, such as those associated with
­DATA.gov, the National Snow and Ice Data
Center, the World Meteorological Organization Information System, the Rolling Deck
to Repository program, the Giovanni portal,
and the Open Geospatial Consortium Sensor
Observation Service. Also in high demand is
a list of ­machine-​­readable data formats and
application programming interfaces. Software documentation and data searching
received particular attention, and existing
efforts and their future potentials were discussed. In particular, the semantic markup
for search engines was highlighted as a
direction for future work.
A few ­working-​­level collaborations
around geodata were proposed at the end of
the workshop. An information portal of data
science educational materials and early-­
career scholarships will be developed.
The Global Change Information System
(http://­data​.­globalchange​.gov), developed
by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, was proposed as a typical use case
for ­cross-​­agency data tracing. Earth Science
Information Partners (ESIP) will take up
activities (1) to facilitate discussion across
“curation centers,” including institutional
repositories, domain repositories, archives,
etc., as proxies for the agencies and (2) to
circulate best practices of creating, publishing, and using vocabularies.
The Research Data Alliance will facilitate the work of developing a new data life
cycle conceptual model. Moreover, workshop participants suggested continuing the
discussion and sharing ways to increase
collaboration/­coordination at events in the
near future, such as the 2014 AGU Fall Meeting and the ESIP 2015 Winter Meeting.
We are grateful to NSF for sponsoring the
workshop; the National Center for Atmospheric Research for providing space and
facilities; and the organizing committee,
session chairs and moderators, and supporting staff for making the workshop a big
success. Details of the workshop are accessible at http://​t w​.rpi​.edu/​web/​­Workshop/​
­Community/​­GeoData2014.
velocities from interferometric synthetic aperture radar sensors such as ­TerraSAR-X, ­Alos/​
­Palsar, and the ­NASA–​­Indian Space Research
Organization Synthetic Aperture Radar
(NiSAR­) mission starting in 2020.
The workshop was funded by BCCR and
the World Climate Research Program Climate and Cryosphere working group, which
also provided funding for early-career scientists from four different countries to attend
the workshop.
This work was performed at the California
Institute of Technology’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory under a contract with NASA’s Cryosphere Science Program.
—Xiaogang Ma and Peter Fox, Tetherless World
Constellation, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy,
N.Y.; email: ­max7@​rpi​.edu; and Matthew S. Mayernik, National Center for Atmospheric Research,
Boulder, Colo.
—Eric Larour and Nicole Schlegel, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology,
Pasadena; email: ­eric​.­larour@​jpl​.­nasa​.gov; and
Mathieu Morlighem, University of California, Irvine
Meetings
cont. on page 412
A Gift For You
Register now to receive discounted rates
Pre-Registration Deadline:
14 November, 11:59 P.M. EST
013-1671
Be a Science Expert on the
Hill or in a Newsroom!
Find more
information
about AGU’s new
and exciting
donor
programming
by visiting
the Fall Meeting
website:
fallmeeting
.agu.org/
2014/donorevents/ Congressional Science Fellowship
Work on Capitol Hill for one year.
Application Deadline: 1 February 2015
sciencepolicy.agu.org/congressional_fellows
Mass Media Fellowship
Spend your summer working as a science reporter.
Application Deadline: 15 January 2015
mmf.agu.org
APPLY NOW!
411
Eos
VOLUME 95 NUMBER 45 11 NOVEMBER 2014
A G U
cont. from page 411
Understanding How Climate Change
Could Affect Tornadoes
First International Summit on Tornadoes and Climate Change;
Crete, Greece, 25−30 May 2014
Current understanding of how tornadoes
might change with global warming is limited. Incomplete data sets and the smallscale nature of tornadic events make it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. A consensus report on the climate of extreme
storms found little evidence of trends in tornado frequency in the United States. However new research suggests a potential climate change footprint on tornadoes. Some
of this research was presented at the First
International Summit on Tornadoes and Climate Change, hosted by Aegean Conferences. The summit took place at the Minoa
Palace in Chania, Greece, from 25 to 30 May
2014. Thirty delegates from eight countries—
Greece, the United States, Germany, the
United Kingdom, China, Japan, Israel, and
Taiwan—participated.
Delegates emphasized caution when interpreting historical records. They noted that
it can be misleading to draw conclusions
about the effects of climate change on tornadoes from upward trends in the available
reports. Sudden upswings in the number of
tornado reports might have more to do with
increased awareness of tornadoes’ influence by the media, better communications,
and popular culture. Some of the significant
challenges with the data sets of tornado
and other severe weather reports, like hail,
include population bias, paucity of meteorological measurements, variability in the
sources of reports, institutional data verification and archiving, inconsistent attribution of Enhanced Fujita Scale classification
to events, and the fact that the scale is based
on damage (compounding the population
bias). Researchers need to seriously consider these issues when analyzing and interpreting the data.
Some delegates noted that frequency is
but one component of tornado climate. It
was shown that the number of tornado days
and the spatial density of tornadoes are
worthwhile analytics that are less affected
by reporting bias. Because tornadoes often
cluster in space and time, the need for data
sets that collate information at the event
and cluster levels was mentioned. A discussion by the sponsors ensued on the topic of
extending the databases to include cluster
and environmental information.
Despite the challenges in data quality, it
was demonstrated that there is useful information in the available records that can be
used to better understand tornado climatology. One study showed that after accounting
for population density and county size, the
region of central Kansas has the highest incidence of tornadoes in the state. Discussions
on the physical mechanism for this finding
focused on genesis locations. Another study
showed statistical evidence that the oceans
might contain a small amount of information
about the character of the upcoming tornado season a month in advance.
There were presentations of work being
conducted to assess socioeconomic factors that affect the vulnerability to tornado
impacts and also novel methodologies to
objectively assess damage that has been
inflicted by tornadoes. It was gratifying to
note that there is scientific interest in tornadoes impacting many jurisdictions worldwide, with research on four continents being
represented at this meeting, including work
in developing nations, small island states,
and countries with greater experience with
recording tornadoes.
The summit was sponsored by Climatek,
Inc., and the Risk Prediction Initiative. Travel
awards were given to student delegates. A
few scientists received travel and accommodation subsidies. The summit was successful in fostering dialogue on this important topic. Planning for the second summit is
under way.
This column announces upcoming meetings and symposia of interest to Earth and space
scientists. To submit an announcement for the AGU GeoCalendar, go to http://​­geocalendar​
.agu​.org/​­submission​-form/. There is no fee for these brief listings.
■■18–20 January 2015 ENGAGE Workshop—
Encouraging Networks between Geoscience
and Geoscience Education, Arlington, Virgina,
USA. Organizer: Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology. (Website: http://www​.iris​
.edu/hq/​­workshops/​2015/​01/​­engage​_­workshop)
■■2–5 March 2015 Fifth Interagency Conference on Research in the Watersheds (ICRW5),
Charleston, South Carolina, USA. Organizer: Center for Forested Wetlands Research. (Website:
http://​w ww​.­hydrologicscience​.org/icrw5/). Registration deadline: 15 December 2014.
Meet new people by sharing a room.
Stay at your favorite hotel. Save money.
■■3–5 May 2015 ASABE 1st Climate Change
Symposium—Adaptation and Mitigation,
Chicago, Illinois, USA. Organizer: American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers.
(Website: http://www​.­a sabe​.org/​­m eetings​
- ­e vents/​2 015/​0 5/​­a sabe ​-1st​- ­c limate ​- change​
- ­s ymposium​-­a daptation​- and​-­m itigation​. aspx)
■ ■ 26–31 July 2015 AGU Champman Conference—The Width of the Tropics: Climate
Variations and Their Impacts, Santa Fe, New
Mexico, USA. Organizer: AGU. (Website: http://​
­c hapman​. agu​.org/​­t ropics/)
What’s on the Web?
Read the latest offerings from the AGU Blogosphere:
The Landslide Blog: “Mount Mannen
in Norway: An imminent large rockslide”
(http://ow.ly/DvQz5)
Dan’s Wild Wild Science Journal:
“Amazing photos from Astro Reid
highlight a fragile Earth and an even more
fragile climate” (http://ow.ly/DJyGW)
Mountain Beltway: “Geomystery: What
are these white lines?” (http://ow.ly/Dz5m7)
GeoEd Trek: “The IAGD: Making geology
accessible to all” (http://ow.ly/DpY0Y)
Georneys: “Peridot at the Smithsonian”
(http://ow.ly/Dso1M)
Dan’s Wild Wild Science Journal blog displays some photographs taken by astronaut
Reid Wiseman, shown here aboard the
International Space Station. The blog post
uses Wiseman’s pictures to help illustrate
the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change’s latest report.
2014 Career Opportunities
Networking Lunch
—James Elsner, Florida State University, Tallahassee; ­email: ­jelsner@​fsu​.edu; and Mark Guishard,
Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, St. George’s
Visit the Roommate Board
G E O C A L E N D A R
NASA/Reid Wiseman
Meetings
This networking lunch is an opportunity for early-career or
student members to find out about careers from national
labs and agencies, to industry, consulting, and nongovernmental organizations, from geoscience professionals.
Get your tickets when you register for the AGU Fall Meeting.
fallmeeting.agu.org
fallmeeting.agu.org
Open up Your Data and Observations
A new kind of open access journal, Earth and Space Science covers Earth,
planetary, and space sciences and incorporates related fields of environmental science, geo- and space-engineering, and biogeochemistry.
Earth and Space Science strives for rapid decisions and publication
overseen by a distinguished editorial team led by John Orcutt as
editor in chief. Paper types include
l
l
Regular Articles reporting research findings across the Earth and
space sciences
Technical Reports that present and interpret key data sets and
observations that contribute to a broader scientific understanding
of the Earth and its environment, the solar system, and beyond,
and/or that add to the understanding of these observations by
presenting methodology, mapping, modeling, and theory
Publication Fees Waived for Articles
Submitted Before 19 December.
earthspacescience.agu.org
412
Eos
VOLUME 95 NUMBER 45 11 NOVEMBER 2014
ABOUT AGU
Supporting Young Geoscientists at Fall Meeting
Three events for high school, undergraduate, and graduate students will occur at this
year’s Fall Meeting.
The Bright Students Training as Research
Scientists (Bright STaRS) program provides
middle and high school students who have
participated in summer research projects
with a dedicated forum to present their
research results to the geoscience community. This year, up to 150 students from the
San Francisco Bay area and beyond are
expected to participate in the Bright STaRS
poster session, which will be held on Thursday, 18 December, from 8:00 a.m. to 12:20
p.m. in the Moscone South poster hall.
The AGU Fall Meeting also provides
undergraduate students with the chance to
present their research. The Undergraduate
Earth, Atmospheric, Ocean, and Space Science Research and Outreach Showcase will
feature completed and ongoing projects that
are fi
­ rst-​­authored and presented by college
students. The session, which will be held on
Wednesday, 17 December, from 8:00 a.m. to
12:20 p.m. in the Moscone South poster hall,
is cosponsored by the Council on Undergraduate Research’s Geoscience Division,
the Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program of the National Science Foundation (NSF) Division of Earth Sciences,
­UNAVCO’s Research Experiences in Solid
Earth Science for Students (­RESESS) Program, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research’s Significant Opportunities
Two New Features
for AGU’s Thriving Earth Exchange
We are pleased to announce two new
features to AGU’s Thriving Earth Exchange
(TEX): crowd funding and structured
discussion.
Around the world, communities large
and small are grappling with challenges
of living in the Anthropocene. Since
TEX was chartered in 2012, it has been a
forum for community leaders, sponsors,
and scientists to work together to understand and address these challenges. This
approach—working as partners in all
aspects of science—is the heart of community science.
TEX advances community science by
offering tools to form teams, explore ideas,
design solutions, raise funds, and produce
results. TEX also supports all levels of scientific engagement, from sharing scientific
expertise to forming long-term relationships with communities that move knowledge into practice and bring new ideas into
research.
Through TEX’s new partnership with
Experiment, a ­s cience-​­focused ­crowd-​
­f unding platform that has raised more than
$1 million since 2010, leaders of TEX projects hope to raise a few thousand dollars in
seed money. The first round of TEX projects
is on Experiment now (available at https://​
­experiment​.com/​­institutions/​tex) and is
open to funding until 24 November.
TEX’s first structured discussion is also
online, hosted in collaboration with the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Climate CoLab. Climate CoLab offers space for
community members and experts to create,
analyze, and select actionable proposals to
address climate change. This discussion is
also TEX’s first international project: exploring how villages in the Pamir Mountains
(spanning the ­A fghan-​­Tajik border) might
use climate science and their traditional
calendars to anticipate and respond to climate change. The discussion can be found
at http://​­climatecolab​.org/​web/​g uest/​plans/​
-/​plans/​­contestId/​1301102.
These partnerships offer new modes
of engagement with the Thriving Earth
Exchange and better support community science projects.
To learn more about community science,
TEX, and the new partnerships, Fall Meeting
participants are invited to any or all of the
following interactive events:
•• A union session will explore the theory
and strategies of community science (U24A,
Tuesday, 16 December, 4:05–4:40 p.m.).
•• A hands-on workshop will improve
participants’ ability to lead community
conversations about resilience (Thursday,
18 December, 1:40–3:40 p.m.).
•• A networking reception will feature
interaction with successful community
CLASSIFIED
ADVERTISING INFORMATION
For inquiries on advertising pricing and availability:
Phone: +1-202-777-7536
POSITIONS AVAILABLE
Biogeosciences
Environmental biogeochemistry/GeobiologyDartmouth College.
The Department of Earth Sciences at Dartmouth College invites applications for a junior rank
tenure-track position in the general areas of biogeochemistry and geobiology. We especially welcome
applications from candidates with research interests that include microbially-mediated biogeochemical interactions in processes of mineralization,
weathering, and sequestration of contaminants;
hydrocarbon formation and degradation; biogeochemical cycling in fluvial and/or cold environments, including river-channel, floodplain, and
lacustrine ecosystem response to environmental
change. Particular attention will be given to candidates who combine a focus on understanding fundamental processes with state-of-the-art laboratory
and/or field research programs that complement
and contribute to ongoing research activities in the
Department as well as in Dartmouth’s Geisel School
of Medicine and Thayer School of Engineering. The
successful candidate will continue Dartmouth’s
strong traditions in graduate and undergraduate
research and teaching. Teaching responsibilities
consist of three courses spread over three of four
ten-week terms.
The Department of Earth Sciences is home
to 11 tenured and tenure-track faculty members
in the School of Arts and Sciences, and enjoys
strong Ph.D. and M.S. programs and outstanding
scientists with similar interests. Networking,
research presentation, and mentoring opportunities offered to students at the Fall Meeting help them to develop as scientists and to
engage with others in their discipline.
The Bright STaRS poster session, the designated undergraduate poster session, and
MS PHD’S presentations are open to all
meeting attendees, so please stop by to meet
the students and learn about their research
projects.
If you’d like to go a step further in helping
young scientists, consider being a mentor.
Mentoring can provide much-needed support and guidance at critical decision points
in students’ careers, and through mentorship you can influence the future scientists
of your field.
To find out more about mentoring and
about education and public outreach programs at the AGU Fall Meeting and throughout the year, visit http://​­education​.agu​.org/.
science project leaders (Thursday,
18 December, 5:00–7:00 p.m.).
For more details, see http://​
­thrivingearthexchange​.org/​fall​-­meeting​
-2014/.
Please consider joining the Thriving Earth
Exchange for one of these exciting events
and also getting involved with one of the
current projects.
Facsimile: +1-202-777-7478
undergraduate majors. To create an atmosphere
supportive of research, Dartmouth College offers
new faculty members grants for research-related
expenses, a quarter of sabbatical leave for each
three academic years in residence, and flexible
scheduling of teaching responsibilities.
Dartmouth College, a member of the Ivy
League, is located in Hanover, New Hampshire
(on the Vermont border). Dartmouth has a beautiful, historic campus located in a scenic area on
the Connecticut River. Recreational opportunities
abound all year round. To learn more about Dartmouth College and the Department of Earth Sciences, visit http://www.dartmouth.edu/~earthsci.
To submit an application, send curriculum vitae,
statements of teaching and research interests and
objectives, reprints or preprints of up to three of your
most significant publications, and the name, address
(including street address), e-mail address and fax/
phone numbers of at least three references to:
Environmental Biogeochemistry/Geobiology
Search Committee
Department of Earth Sciences
Dartmouth College 6105 Fairchild Hall
Hanover, NH 03755
e-mail: [email protected]
Applications received by November 7, 2014 will
receive first consideration. The appointment will be
effective July 1, 2015.
Dartmouth is an equal opportunity/ affirmative action employer with a strong commitment to
diversity. In that spirit, we are particularly interested
in receiving applications from a broad spectrum of
people, including women, persons of color, persons
—Kara Gadeken, Intern, Education and Public
Outreach, AGU; ­email: ­kgadeken@​agu​.org
—Natasha Udu-gama, Director of Community
Partnerships, Thriving Earth Exchange, AGU; email:
­nudu​-gama@​agu​.org; and Raj Pandya, Program
Director, Thriving Earth Exchange, AGU
A joint meeting, hosted by the U.S. and Canadian scientific community,
covering a diverse program across the Earth and space sciences
ja.agu.org
with disabilities, veterans or any other legally protected group.
Eos is published every Tuesday, except the last week of December. For a classified or display advertisement to be published in a future issue of Eos, electronic copy must reach us by 11:59 P.M. Eastern
time, 9 days prior (Sunday) to publication, except around certain holidays, which have earlier deadlines. No cancellations accepted after deadline.
E-mail: [email protected]
in Atmospheric Research and Science
(SOARS) Program, and AGU.
The Minorities Striving and Pursuing
Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System
Sciences (MS PHD’S) program provides
networking, mentoring, and professional
development opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students from underrepresented groups who are pursuing geoscience
careers. AGU supports this NSF- and ­NASA-​
­funded program by covering Fall Meeting registration costs for MS PHD’S student
attendees. New student members of the MS
PHD’S program will give a short presentation
that highlights their academic background,
research experiences, and professional
goals, after which they will receive feedback from peers and mentors on their professional presentation skills. These presentations will take place on Sunday, 14 December, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the
Moscone South Mezzanine, rooms 224–226.
The AGU Fall Meeting is an opportunity for students to see current geoscience
research and to meet other students and
UW Earth & Space Sciences, Geobiology &
Sedimentary Geology - Assistant Professor
The Department of Earth and Space Sciences
at the University of Washington invites applications
for a tenure-track position in geobiology and sedimentary geology. Preferred research areas include,
but are not limited to, biogeochemistry, paleontology and/or sedimentary geology, focusing on the
use of pre-Quaternary stratigraphic records as a
basis for investigation of the reciprocal interactions
between the Earth (lithosphere, hydrosphere and
atmosphere), life and environments through time.
We are particularly interested in individuals who
pursue interdisciplinary research, can contribute to
the study of sedimentary rocks, use innovative geochemical, biological and/or computing techniques
in their research and who can utilize these in their
teaching. A proven ability to incorporate fieldwork
into teaching and research will be advantageous.
The successful applicant will be able to contribute
to core undergraduate teaching in the fields of geobiology and Earth history, as well as teach more
advanced classes in sedimentary geology and
stratigraphy. Opportunities for collaboration exist
with departmental research groups in isotopic
geochemistry, Quaternary studies and surface processes, the Burke Museum, Program on Climate
Change, Astrobiology Program, the Departments
of Atmospheric Sciences and Biology, and the
Schools of Oceanography and Environmental and
Forest Sciences.
The College of the Environment seeks to attract
and promote a diverse workforce to maintain the
excellence of the University, and to offer students
richly varied disciplines, perspectives and ways of
knowing and learning. Willingness to work collaboratively with faculty and to mentor students from
a wide range of disciplines, cultures and academic
backgrounds is essential.
Applicants should have a Ph.D. degree (or
foreign equivalent) in a relevant field by the start
of the appointment and will be expected to participate in undergraduate and graduate teaching,
independent research, and service. The College of
the Environment and the Department of Earth and
Space Science offers a range of networking, mentoring and professional development opportunities for
junior faculty. Appointment is expected to be filled
at the Assistant Professor level. This is a full-time
appointment with a 9-month service period.
Applicants should send curriculum vitae, bibliography, description of research and teaching interests,
diversity/inclusion experience, and the names of
four references to Geobiology Search Committee c/o
April Huff. Electronic materials are preferred and
may be sent to [email protected]. Hard copies can be
mailed to: April Huff, Department of Earth and Space
Sciences, University of Washington, Box 351310,
Seattle, WA 98195-1310. Preference will be given to
applications received prior to January 6, 2015.
University of Washington faculty engage in
teaching, research and service. The University
of Washington is an affirmative action and equal
opportunity employer. All qualified applicants
will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion,
color, national origin, sex, age, status as protected
veterans, or status as qualified individuals with
disabilities.
Hydrology
Assistant Professor in Hydrogeology/Hydrology at Syracuse University
As part of an interdisciplinary water initiative,
Syracuse University solicits applications for a tenure
track joint faculty position in Earth Sciences (75%)
and Civil & Environmental Engineering (25%) at
the level of Assistant Professor. We seek applicants
to expand our current interdisciplinary research
program in water science and engineering and who
apply quantitative methods to understand groundwater and surface water systems at a broad range
of spatial and temporal scales. Research areas of
specialization may include, but are not limited to:
numerical modeling of complex systems including
reactive flow and solute transport, hydrogeophysics, and the application of hydroinformatics to integrate observations and models. Candidates whose
research expertise lends itself to interdisciplinary
collaboration across Earth Sciences and Civil &
Environmental Engineering and complement our
existing strengths in field-based studies, surface
water-groundwater interaction, environmental geochemistry, and watershed hydrology and biogeochemistry are encouraged to apply.
The new position will support the University’s
Water Science & Engineering Initiative, which is an
interdisciplinary program to strengthen research
and graduate training related to water science and
engineering across the Colleges of Arts & Sciences
Classified
cont. on page 414
413
Eos
VOLUME 95 NUMBER 45 11 NOVEMBER 2014
Classified
instructions, visit Husky Hire at www.jobs.uconn.
edu. The University of Connecticut is an EEO/AA
employer. (Search # 2015115)
cont. from page 413
and Engineering & Computer Science at Syracuse
(http://water.syr.edu). Syracuse has a nationally
recognized legacy of scholarship advancing understanding of hydrologic systems and how they are
impacted by earth processes and human activities.
Successful candidates will develop a dynamic,
internationally recognized and externally-funded
research program and contribute to the instruction,
research, and service efforts of the interdisciplinary
water initiative, Earth Sciences, and Civil & Environmental Engineering.
Review of applications will begin December 1,
2014 and continue until the position is filled. To be
considered, applicants should submit a cover letter,
curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests, copies of three relevant publications,
and the names and contact information of three references. A Ph.D. in earth sciences, environmental
engineering, or a related field is required. To apply,
visit www.sujobopps.com.
Syracuse University is interested in candidates
who have the communication skills and crosscultural abilities to maximize their effectiveness
with diverse groups of colleagues, students and
community members. Women, military veterans,
individuals with disabilities, and members of other
traditionally underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. Syracuse University is an equal
opportunity employer, as well as a federal contractor required to take affirmative action on behalf of
protected veterans.
HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING POSITION AT
UTSA
The Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering at the University of Texas-San Antonio
(UTSA) seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor in
Hydraulic Engineering expected to start in August
2015. Recent Ph.D. candidates with a strong commitment to research and innovative teaching techniques are encouraged to apply.
The successful candidate must be able to
support the teaching mission of the Department
and build a successful funded research program.
Interdisciplinary activities in research and teaching
and interactions with the faculty of other departments within the College of Engineering are highly
encouraged. UTSA has more than 30,000 students
and is the second largest component in the University of Texas System. The Civil and Environmental
Engineering Department is housed within the
College of Engineering and is ABET accredited
with programs at the bachelors, masters and PhD
levels. Please review the full advertisement at
http://­engineering.utsa.edu/ce/OpenPositions/­
HydraulicsPosition10.2014.pdf
Ocean Sciences
Faculty Positions at the UMCES Horn Point
Laboratory.
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES: www.umces.edu), Horn
Point Laboratory invites applications for three
tenure-track faculty positions in ocean and estuarine science. We seek candidates whose research is
relevant to understanding fundamental processes
and the environmental challenges associated with
climate change and variability, eutrophication,
and ecosystem resilience under multi-stressors in
coastal and oceanic systems. Applications are welcome from all disciplines relevant to the Horn Point
Laboratory, however selection priority will be given
to hiring faculty with research expertise in the following areas: a) Microbial Ecology with an emphasis on the structure and function of microbial communities; b) Benthic Processes including organism
modification of physical and/or biogeochemical
processes in sediments; and c) Coastal Wetland or
Seagrass Ecology with emphasis on ecogeomorphological or biogeochemical processes.
The successful candidate is expected to maintain an externally funded research program and to
participate in the University-wide Marine, Estuarine
and Environmental Science Graduate Education
program (www.mees.umd.edu). A Ph.D. in oceanography, ecology, microbiology or related field
is required; postdoctoral experience is strongly
recommended. The appointments will be tenure
track with 9-month support. Preference will be
given to candidates at the Assistant Professor level,
but exceptional candidates at higher appointment
levels will be considered. Applicant review will
emphasize the candidate’s track record of publications and grant capture commensurate to career
stage, as well as the ability to develop a dynamic
externally-funded research program with an international profile. Candidates should email copies of
their letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of future research directions, graduate teaching interests, copies of up to three publications and
the contact information of three academic referees
by December 31, 2014 to: facultyposition@umces.
edu.
More information about the faculty positions
and HPL/UMCES can be found at: http://www.
umces.edu/about/employment . UMCES is an EEO/
AA employer. Individuals with disabilities, veterans,
women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
Professor - Climate, Oceanography Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
MIT’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric and
Planetary Sciences seeks to expand its vibrant and
interdisciplinary approach to research and education in climate science. We seek applications from
outstanding candidates working in climate related
fields. We particularly encourage applicants working in the fields of ocean dynamics, oceans and
climate, and/or marine biogeochemical cycles.
Requirements: Applicants must hold a Ph.D. by
the start of employment. We seek highly motivated
candidates with a strong commitment to excellence
in research, teaching and student advising. A keen
interest in relating to complementary research in
the Department and/or in the MIT/Woods Hole
Joint Program in Oceanography is important.
Preference will be given to appointments at
the rank of Assistant Professor but a more senior
appointment can be considered for an individual
with exceptional qualifications.
Review of applications will begin immediately.
To receive consideration, a complete application
must be received by 12/31/2014. Applicants should
submit a curriculum vitae and two-page descriptions of research and teaching plans and arrange
for three letters of reference to be submitted directly by professional referees.
Questions regarding the search may be
addressed to Prof. Mick Follows, Search Committee
Chair ([email protected]).
Applications are being accepted at Academic
Jobs Online at
https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/4822
Questions regarding the application procedure
can be addressed to Ms. Karen Fosher, HR Administrator, EAPS, 54-924 Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge,
MA 02139; [email protected]; 617-253-2132
MIT is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
employer. Applications from women, minorities,
veterans, older workers, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged.
UConn Marine Sciences - Postdoctoral Fellow I
The Department of the Marine Sciences at
­UConn, Avery Point is seeking a postdoctoral scholar to study the ocean’s role in glacial-interglacial
CO2 cycles. The candidate will work with Dr. David
Lund to develop and synthesize stable isotope and
trace element archives of ocean chemistry over the
last 20,000 years. The project is part of a multi-institutional data and model inter-comparison effort to
understand the ocean’s biogeochemical response
to perturbations in the deep circulation. For details
on the position, qualifications, and application
UW faculty positions: one in Oceanography,
one in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences
The College of the Environment at the University of Washington (http://coenv.uw.edu) invites
applications for two new tenure-track assistant professor positions, as part of its continuing commitment to research and education on Earth’s polar
regions through the Future of Ice Initiative (http://
ice.uw.edu). This campus-wide initiative focuses on
developing partnerships with diverse stakeholders
in the polar regions, where the triple challenges
of climate change, new economic pressures, and
rapid social and political disruption intersect.
Descriptions of the positions, one in the School of
Oceanography and one in the School of Aquatic
and Fishery Sciences, are given below. University
of Washington faculty engage in teaching, research
and service. The successful candidates are expected to enhance the University of Washington’s multidisciplinary research in polar science, develop
an externally funded research program, mentor
the next generation of scientists, and contribute to
rigorous education serving an increasingly diverse
student population at the graduate and undergraduate levels. The University of Washington promotes
diversity and inclusivity among our students,
faculty, staff, and public; for each of these faculty
positions, we seek applicants committed to these
principles.
Assistant Professor, tenure-track, School of
Oceanography (SO). We seek to hire an integrative scientist who will contribute to understanding
biological processes and ongoing changes in
high-latitude (polar or subpolar) marine ecosystems. We are interested particularly, though not
exclusively, in candidates whose research focuses
on the physiology, ecology or biogeography of
lower trophic levels. Research approaches may
include field observations, remote sensing, laboratory experimentation, genomics and bioinformatics, or modeling. Applicants should describe
how their research and teaching will enhance
collaborative linkages between disciplines within
SO and among other partners in the Future of
Ice Initiative. Questions pertaining to this search
can be addressed to Dr. Jody Deming (jdeming@
uw.edu). Information on SO can be found at http://
ocean.washington.edu.
Assistant Professor, tenure-track, School of
Aquatic and Fishery Sciences (SAFS). We seek
to hire an integrative scientist who will advance
understanding of ecological processes and ongoing changes in high-latitude (polar or subpolar)
marine or freshwater ecosystems. We seek an
ecologist whose research focuses on basic and/
or applied questions and may include, but is not
limited to, high latitude fisheries or broader ecosystem studies across multiple trophic levels from
zooplankton to seabirds and marine mammals.
Applicants should describe how their research
and teaching will enhance collaborative linkages within SAFS and among other partners in
the Future of Ice Initiative. Questions pertaining
to this search can be addressed to Dr. Gordon
Holtgrieve ([email protected]) until 19 November
and afterwards to Dr. George Hunt (geohunt2@
uw.edu). Information on SAFS can be found at
http://fish.washington.edu/.
To apply, send curriculum vitae with publication list, statements of research and teaching interests with reference to diversity/inclusivity, and the
names and contact information of four references.
Applications should clearly indicate the position
sought - in SAFS or in SO. Electronic materials
are preferred; send to [email protected]. Hard copies
can be sent to Future of Ice Initiative - Quaternary
Research Center, University of Washington, Box
351310, Seattle, WA 98195-1310. Applications should
be received prior to December 15th, 2014, to ensure
full consideration.
University of Washington is an affirmative
action and equal opportunity employer. All
qualified applicants will receive consideration for
employment without regard to, among other things,
race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, status
as protected veterans, or status as qualified individuals with disabilities. The University of Washington is recognized for supporting the work-life
balance of its faculty. A PhD is required at the time
of appointment.
Solid Earth Geophysics
ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN GEOPHYSICS
CONOCOPHILLIPS SCHOOL OF GEOLOGY AND
GEOPHYSICS
MEWBOURNE COLLEGE OF EARTH & ENERGYUNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA
The University of Oklahoma invites applications
for a tenure-track position in Geophysics at the
rank of Assistant Professor. The school has a strong
seismic program and is looking for a faculty member to broaden the scope of the program in nonseismic methods. We seek a dynamic colleague
who will teach and supervise students at all levels,
while conducting an independent, externally funded research program in his/her field of expertise.
The candidate should hold a Ph.D., have a
demonstrated research record, and an interest in
teaching undergraduates and mentoring graduate
students. Potential areas of interest include gravity, magnetics, electromagnetics, and GPS applied
to crustal processes. Salary, benefits, and start-up
funds will be competitive and commensurate with
experience. The ConocoPhillips School of Geology and Geophysics has a large, vibrant faculty
with a broad range of research activities and
strong ties to the petroleum industry. The student
body currently includes 182 undergraduates and
110 MS and PhD students. The Mewbourne College
of Earth & Energy possesses extensive software
and computing labs with PC and Linux platforms
networked to our own dedicated cluster within
the OU supercomputer center (OSCER). The
College hosts numerous industrial consortia, a
research institute focused on seismic monitoring,
and a field campus in Colorado for field courses
in geology and geophysics. The geophysics
group conducts active research projects that are
414
funded by industry as well as by U.S. and foreign
government agencies and institutes. The College
maintains a comprehensive pool of geophysical
equipment including GPR, seismic (active and
passive), magnetic, and gravity instruments as
well as extensive rock physics characterization
laboratories. Through collaboration with industry,
we have a suite of 3D seismic and microseismic
data volumes that are used for teaching, algorithm
calibration, seismic geomorphological analysis,
crustal imaging, and a range of open source software for lithospheric-scale research. Information
about the School and College, the facilities and
the entities that it houses can be found at http:/
geology.ou.edu.
Review of applications will begin December 1,
2014, and on-campus interviews will start early in
2015. The search will continue until the position
is filled. The anticipated starting date is August
15, 2015. Applicants are requested to submit a
complete vita/resume, statement of research and
teaching interests, and a list of five references
who can be contacted, including phone numbers,
e-mail addresses, and mailing addresses. Questions or information requests may be addressed
to Chair of the Geophysics Search Committee,
at (405) 325-3253, or ougeophysicssearchchair@
ou.edu. Applications and nominations should be
addressed to Geophysics Search Committee, University of Oklahoma, Sarkeys Energy Center, 100 E.
Boyd Street, Room 710, Norman, OK 73019-1008.
The University of Oklahoma is an Affirmative
Action, Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and
minorities are encouraged to apply. Protected veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply.
Faculty Positions in Geology, Geochemistry &
Geophysics
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
The Department of Earth, Atmospheric and
Planetary Sciences at MIT seeks applications for
faculty positions in geology, geochemistry, and
geophysics. We particularly encourage applicants
whose work crosses traditional disciplinary
boundaries. The intent is to hire at the assistant
professor level, but more senior appointments can
be considered.
Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in geoscience
or a related field by the start of employment
and must demonstrate ability to excel in teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
A complete application must include a curriculum vitae, one- to two-page descriptions of
research and teaching plans, and three letters of
recommendation.
Applications are being accepted at Academic
Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/
jobs/4798
To receive full consideration, a complete application must be received by December 1, 2014.
Search Contact: Ms. Karen Fosher, HR Administrator, EAPS, 54-924 Massachusetts Institute
of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139; [email protected]; 617-253-2132
MIT is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
employer. Applications from women, minorities,
veterans, older workers, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged.
Preceptor (teaching/curriculum development)
in Earth and Planetary Sciences Harvard
University.
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences seeks applications for a preceptor. The
successful applicant should be well versed on the
issues of earth sciences, and have experience in
developing, teaching, and supporting sections
and labs. A graduate degree is required (Ph.D.
preferred) along with evidence of successful prior
teaching and administrative experience. Salary
will be highly competitive and commensurate
with experience. The position is renewable on a
yearly basis for up to eight years, contingent upon
performance and curricular needs. For greater
detail about this position and to apply, visit:
https://academicpositions.harvard.edu/. Applications should include: i) a cover letter that discusses how this position would fit into the applicant’s
career trajectory; ii) the names and addresses
of three referees; iii) a CV; and iv) a statement of
teaching experiences and philosophy. The three
letters of recommendation should be submitted
separately and at least one letter must discuss the
applicant’s experience with teaching, administration skills, and other educational work. Review of
applications will begin on November 28; preferences will be given to applications received by
this date.
Interdisciplinary/Other
FACULTY POSITION IN ENERGY GEOSCIENCES, VIRGINIA TECH
The Department of Geosciences at Virginia
Polytechnic Institute & State University (“Virginia
Tech”) Tech invites applicants for a tenure track
position in energy geosciences. We seek a broadthinking, multi-disciplinary scientist employing
a combination of field, analytical, experimental
and/or theoretical approaches to understanding
complex problems related to energy resources.
Energy geosciences includes the origin of both
conventional and unconventional hydrocarbon
occurrences, natural and enhanced geothermal
systems, research related to the materials and
natural resources that produce energy, and the
genesis of deposits that produce the materials for
energy generation.
The successful candidate will be expected
to establish an active externally funded research
program and develop strong ties with stakeholders and constituents (private and public sectors),
teach a range of undergraduate and graduate
courses, advise and mentor students, maintain
an exemplary record of scholarly activity, and
contribute to university and professional service.
Applicants must have a doctorate in geosciences
or a related discipline. The position is advertised at the Assistant Professor level, but highly
Classified
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qualified mid-career applicants may also be
considered.
The Department of Geosciences is a collaborative group of 22 Earth Science faculty
with expertise in three focus areas: Solid Earth
Materials and Processes, Resources and Hazards,
and History of Earth and Life. Candidates who
wish to be considered for this position should
apply online at: https://listings.jobs.vt.edu/
postings/52633. Please submit online a vitae,
transmittal letter, statement regarding research/
teaching interests, and names/addresses of four
references (including contact phone numbers
and email addresses). Questions regarding the
search may be directed to Professor Robert
Bodnar ([email protected]) who serves as chair of the
departmental search committee.
Women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply. Virginia Tech is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Employment
eligibility verification required upon employment. The review of applications will begin on
December 15, 2014, with the intent to have the
position filled before August 10, 2015.
Geochemist/Petrologist. The Department of
Geology at Occidental College invites applications for an Assistant or Associate Professor
in Geochemistry or Petrology. Occidental is a
nationally ranked liberal arts college recognized
for its diverse student body and outstanding
undergraduate research program. We seek a colleague who values undergraduate teaching and
can sustain an active research program involving
undergraduates. Training applicable to teaching mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry is
required; these courses should enhance students’
understanding of chemical processes acting on
the earth, and increase students’ expertise in
quantitative and instrumental methods. The successful candidate will also contribute to teaching
introductory geology and engage undergraduates
in research projects.
Applications should include a statement of
teaching and research interests in the context
of a liberal arts college. Candidates should
specifically address their ability to 1) teach in
a socioeconomically, ethnically and culturally
diverse environment, and 2) engage students in
an ongoing research program. Submit statement,
a curriculum vitae, 1-3 significant publications,
and contact information for three referees to
Dr. Margi Rusmore, Search Committee Chair, at
[email protected]. Search committee members will meet interested candidates at the GSA
and AGU meetings; email the committee to make
arrangements. Members of underrepresented
groups are especially encouraged to apply.
Review of applications will begin October 15,
2014, and will continue until the search closes on
December 31, 2014.
Mineralogy/Petrology Western Washington
University. invites applications for a tenuretrack Assistant Professor starting September
2015, with research and teaching specialties in
mineralogy or petrology. Western Washington
University is a nationally recognized, public,
masters-granting institution located in the Pacific
Northwest at the base of the North Cascade
Mountains. We seek a colleague whose research
interests could include metamorphism and the
dynamics of orogenic systems, low-temperature
alteration processes, generation of ore deposits,
or planetary geology. Required qualifications for
the position include 1) a PhD in an appropriate
Earth Science field at the time of appointment, 2)
the ability to develop a high-quality undergraduate teaching program including courses in Mineralogy and Optical Petrography, and contribute
to field courses such as Field Camp or Field
Petrology, 3) the ability to establish an externally-supported research program, 4) the ability
to involve students in research, 5) the ability to
contribute to the graduate (MS) degree program,
6) ability to work with a diverse student body
and 7) a demonstrated capacity to pursue important problems in the Earth sciences using fieldbased and quantitative techniques. Preferred
qualifications include postdoctoral experience,
college-level teaching experience in the courses
listed above, ability to teach Introductory Geology, and potential to develop local field research
projects. The ideal candidate will engage in collaboration within the Geology Department and
the Advanced Materials Science and Engineering Center (AMSEC) and will enhance without
duplicating existing departmental strengths in
igneous petrology/volcanology, field geology,
geomorphology, geophysics, tectonics, geoscience education, and planetary geology, as well
as emerging directions in engineering geology
and ore-forming systems. For more information
see http://geology.wwu.edu/dept/ and http://
www.wwu.edu/amsec/.
Interested candidates must apply online.
To see a full position description and log in
to WWU’s Electronic Application System for
Employment (EASE), please go to https://jobs.
wwu.edu/JobPosting.aspx?JPID=6211. Applications must include a cover letter outlining
teaching and research experience and accomplishments with specific reference made to the
required and preferred qualifications described
above. The application should also include a
C.V., graduate school transcripts, as well as goals
and plans for teaching and research at WWU.
The names and contact information for letters
of reference from four persons familiar with
the candidate’s research and teaching must be
provided; one of these references must be from
outside the applicant’s current institution. Review
of all application materials will begin on January
5, 2015; position is open until filled. Questions
regarding this position should be directed to
the search committee chair, Liz Schermer (Liz.
[email protected]) or the Geology Department
chair, Bernie Housen (Bernard.Housen@wwu.
edu). WWU is an EO/AA employer and encourages applications from women, minorities, persons
with disabilities, and veterans.
POSTDOCTORAL POSITION Meteor Fireball
Modeling at Purdue University.
The Planetary Program at Purdue University
is seeking an individual interested in joining a
3-year effort to model large meteor fireballs, such
as that which devastated Chelyabinsk, Russia in
2013. The position is initially a one-year appointment with the possibility of extension for up to
three years. We seek someone with strong quantitative and modeling skills that can apply hydrocode models and numerical equations of state to
understand the formation of shock waves around
an asteroid entering the Earth’s atmosphere and
follow its subsequent fragmentation and evaporation above the surface. A familiarity with UNIX is
required and experience in FORTRAN programming is desirable.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. in a field related
to Physics or Geophysics and appropriate computer and modeling skills. Salary and benefits are
highly competitive. The appointment can begin
as early as January 2015. Applications should
include a CV, bibliography and names of at least
three referees. We prefer electronic submission
directly to [email protected]. Applications
completed by January 1, 2015 will be given full
consideration, although the search will continue
until the position is filled. A background check is
required for employment in this position.
Purdue University is an EEO/AA employer fully
committed to achieving a diverse workforce. All
individuals, including minorities, women, individuals with disabilities, and protected veterans
are encouraged to apply.
School of the Environment Washington
State University Assistant, Associate or Full
Professor
Assistant, Associate or Full Professor, Structural Geology/Tectonics, Washington State University
Washington State University (WSU) is currently seeking to fill a tenure-track/tenured
Assistant, Associate or Full Professor position in
the area of Structural Geology/Tectonics. This
position is a permanent, 9-month faculty position
located on the Pullman Campus. This position is
part of a multi-year series of new hires intended
to contribute to the growth and development of
the School of the Environment, an interdisciplinary academic unit at WSU that focuses on Earth,
Water, and the Environment. Duties include
developing and teaching undergraduate and
graduate courses and mentoring MS and PhD
graduate students. The successful candidate will
develop an internationally recognized research
program in structural geology/tectonics. Specific
areas of emphasis within this broad field are
open, but we are particularly interested in candidates who will develop an externally funded
research program that includes a strong fieldbased component.
Required: Assistant Professor: Earned doctorate in a discipline related to structural geology
and tectonics, at time of employment; record of
research accomplishments as demonstrated by
peer-reviewed publications and/or extramural
grantsmanship; demonstrated ability and/or
potential to successfully teach and mentor students at the graduate and undergraduate levels.
Associate Professor: in addition, 6 years of experience as an Assistant Professor or equivalent.
Professor: in addition, 6 years of experience as
an Associate Professor or equivalent, and national/international reputation in their field.
Preferred: Demonstrated ability to: develop
collaborations; teach field camp and other fieldbased courses; lead field trips at the undergraduate and graduate level; and develop a strong
field-based research component.
For questions about the position contact Jeff
Vervoort at (509) 335-5597; [email protected]
To apply visit: https://www.wsujobs.com.
Application materials must include a letter
describing how your experience and training
meet qualifications for the position, a research
plan, a statement of teaching philosophy, current
vitae, and names and contact information for
three professional references. Screening begins
January 6, 2015. EEO/AA/ADA
Faculty Position in Cryospheric Science at
Stanford University
We invite applications for a tenure-track faculty position in the Department of Geophysics
in the broadly defined field of cryospheric science. The appointment will be at the junior level
(Assistant or untenured Associate Professor). We
are most interested in scientists addressing the
dynamics of the cryosphere through geophysical
observations and/or theoretical/computational
models. Areas of particular interest include, but
are not limited to, polar ice sheets, permafrost,
mountain glaciers, sea level rise, ice/ocean or
ice/atmosphere interactions, and climate system
feedbacks.
The successful candidate will be expected
to develop a world-class independent program
of research, have a strong commitment to both
graduate and undergraduate teaching, and initiate and sustain research collaborations across
disciplines. A doctorate is required at the time of
appointment.
Please apply online at: https://academicjobsonline​
.­org/​­ajo/​jobs/4981. Review of applications will
commence December 1, 2014. The position will
remain open until filled. Questions related to
your submission may be directed to csaplar@
stanford.edu.
Stanford University is an equal opportunity
employer and is committed to increasing the
diversity of its faculty. It welcomes nominations
of and applications from women, members of
minority groups, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, as well as from others who
would bring additional dimensions to the university’s research, teaching and clinical missions.
The stable isotope lab at Duke (DEVIL) seeks
new clients for
13C,15N, 2H and 18O analyses. Quick turnaround for EA, GC-C,
TCEA, dual inlet, GasBench. 20% discount for
first-time clients.
Contact Jon Karr at [email protected] or
919-660-7418.
http://nicholas.duke.edu/devil/
Student Opportunities
Ph.D Positions: Passive Seismology Applied
to Mineral Exploration
We seek motivated individuals with experience in seismology for at least one fully funded
Ph.D position at The University of Western
Australia.
The research involves the analysis of broadband seismic data from Western Australia to
determine crustal structure in this economically
significant area. The research will use techniques
adapted from exploration seismology, including:
- 2D and 3D full-wavefield elastic modelling;
- Imaging and waveform inversion of 2D seismic data from local mine blasts;
- 2D teleseismic migration and image-domain
adjoint-state; and
- Ambient noise tomography.
Full details at http://www.cet.edu.au/
about-us/careers-and-research-opportunities/
research-opportunities.
Ph.D. and MS Student Opportunities in Geological
Sciences at Case Western Reserve University.
Students with backgrounds in geology, physics,
engineering and related fields are encouraged
to apply for our graduate programs in Earth,
environmental and planetary sciences. Financial assistance is available. For more information, see http://geology.case.edu or contact
­eeps-gradinfo@​c ase.edu
PLACE
YOUR AD
HERE
Contact [email protected] for information
014_2414
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Eos
Measuring plasma flowing through
Saturn’s magnetosphere
In Saturn’s magnetosphere, neutral water
released from the moon Enceladus becomes
ionized. Where does this ionized gas go?
Previous studies have indicated that some of
this plasma must flow away from the planet
through the magnetosphere and become
lost to the solar wind. Using measurements
from the ion mass spectrometer on the Cassini satellite, Thomsen et al. quantify how
much plasma drifts radially outward through
Saturn’s middle magnetosphere. They estimated the net mass loss between 1800 and
0300 local time to be about 34 kilograms
per second. The new measurements are
in agreement with a previous study that
used a different analysis technique. (Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics,
doi:10.1002/​2014JA019912, 2014) —EB
Minerals in Martian meteorite
illuminate magnetic mysteries
Luc Labenne
Since magnetic anomalies on Mars were
detected in ­Noachian-​aged crust (about
4.4 billion years old) by the Mars Global Surveyor mission in the 1990s, scientists have
been searching for their mineral origins. So
far, meteorite samples from Mars have not
yielded rocks with enough magnetic minerals to account for the anomalies.
Gattecceca et al. present new findings
from sample NWA 7034, which they note
has “a unique magnetic mineralogy.” Using
multiple instruments to analyze the magnetic and physical properties of the Martian
This Martian rock exhibits unique magnetic
mineralogy. The cut surface reveals its brecciated nature.
Model of Earth’s plasmasphere
is incompatible with measurements
A widely used model of Earth’s plasmasphere does not match observations, a new
study indicates. Electron density in the
plasmasphere—the region of cold, dense
plasma that lies above about 1000 kilometers in altitude—plays a key role in space
weather and affects how electromagnetic
signals propagate.
A theoretical model of the distribution
of plasma developed in the early 1960s,
known as the diffusive equilibrium model,
is still widely in use. However, scientists
have noted that the model is based on a
number of simplifying assumptions, some
of which may not be valid. In addition,
it has been difficult to verify the model
because it describes the density of electrons along a magnetic field line, and
until recently, no such observations were
available.
416
Observing auroral storms on Saturn
Saturn’s poles, like the Earth’s, experience
auroral storms when solar wind—streams of
­high-​­energy plasma—interacts with its magnetosphere. By using instruments aboard
spacecraft, scientists have been able to
study Saturn’s auroras but are still far from
understanding them completely.
Nichols et al. studied the formation of
two auroral storms in April and May 2013
using instruments aboard the Hubble
Space Telescope. The authors found that
the auroral storms were likely caused by
magnetic reconnection—in which magnetic field lines from the Sun and Saturn
connect, store, and then release energy—
in Saturn’s magnetotail lobes. Further, the
authors found that the magnetic reconnection was caused by ­high-​­density pockets of
solar wind reaching Saturn’s magnetotail.
The authors note that their observations
probably account for most auroral storms
observed on Saturn, confirming a previously suggested hypothesis for how Saturn’s auroral storms form and evolve. The
findings provide insight into the dynamics of Saturn’s atmosphere, which can help
inform research on the atmospheres of
other gas giants. (Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1002/​2014GL060186, 2014) —JW
Cultivating salt-loving microbes
on Mars
Some scientists suspect that life on Earth
began in cold, salty waters around scorching hydrothermal vents deep beneath the
ocean’s surface. Others wonder whether similar conditions could exist on Mars. Indeed,
they even wonder if liquid water, an essential ingredient for life, presently exists on
Mars. The process by which salt absorbs
water vapor from the atmosphere to create
saline solutions on Earth would take much
longer under the harsh, extremely cold, and
dry Martian conditions. However, observations do suggest evidence of brine flows
near the Martian equator and even the formation of small pools of liquid brines in
polar regions.
One possible explanation is that brine
could form in the short Martian day when
conditions are most favorable. To test this,
Fischer et al. conducted two sets of experiments using a ­160- ​­centimeter-​long cylindrical tube called the Michigan Mars Environmental Chamber, which can recreate the
temperatures, humidity levels, and air pressures on Mars.
First, the researchers tested whether salt
would absorb water vapor from the air with
Now, Ozhogin et al. have
evaluated the diffusive
equilibrium model using
data from the Radio Plasma
Imager on board the
Imager for M
­ agnetopause-​
to-​­Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE) satellite. The
data consist of 700 plasmaspheric electron density profiles based on more
than 85,000 individual
measurements made from
June 2000 to July 2005.
The authors have found
that the model is essentially incompatible with
the measurements unless a
large number of free parameters are introduced. (Journal of Geophysical Research:
Space Physics, doi:10.1002/​
2014JA019982, 2014) —EB
100% saturation, at a temperature of –50°C,
and at an air pressure of 800 pascals, about
100 times less than Earth’s average air pressure at sea level. Then they investigated at
what temperature range salt, when in direct
contact with water ice, would melt and form
brine solutions.
The scientists found that bulk amounts
of salt could not form solutions by absorbing water vapor from the air within the short
period of the day when conditions are favorable but that salts in direct contact with
water ice could melt and form liquid brines
in these short periods. They conclude that
liquid brines could form in the subsurface
of Mars’s equatorial regions where ice is
present, as well as on the surface and shallow subsurface of Mars’s polar regions during seasons when water ice, in the form of
either snow or frost, is present on salty Martian soils. The results have important implications for understanding the habitability
of Mars, the scientists state. (Geophysical
Research Letters, doi:10.1002/​2014GL060302,
2014) —JO
Forced versus internal variability
in Northern Hemisphere climate
Some commonly used procedures do not
correctly isolate the internal variability in
the Northern Hemisphere climate system, a
recent study argues. Mann et al. sought to
separate the variability internal to the Northern Hemisphere temperature system from
the external, or forced, variability driven by
natural factors such as volcanic eruptions
and anthropogenic factors such as greenhouse gas emissions.
The researchers compared observed temperature variations in the Northern Hemisphere with an ensemble of synthetic temperature histories generated from several different model simulations of only the forced
component of the temperature variations.
They found that recent Northern Hemisphere mean temperatures fall within the
range of expected internal variability.
Furthermore, they show that procedures
used by some recent studies to estimate
one source of internal variability known
as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation
(AMO) actually inflated the true size of the
AMO. Those studies then incorrectly attributed some of the recent Northern Hemisphere temperature increases to the AMO.
The authors note that the AMO has actually
been in a cooling phase recently, offsetting
some anthropogenic warming. (Geophysical
Research Letters, doi:10.1002/​2014GL059233,
2014) —EB
A window into
the Pyrenees Mountains’ geologic past
Forming a natural geographic border
between France and Spain, the Pyrenees
Mountains were built over millions of years
as continents collided. Mountains develop
on the sites of former oceans and rift systems, yet a record of this precollision geologic history does not often survive the process of mountain building. In the case of
the Pyrenees, however, Tugend et al. found
that by looking in the nearby Bay of Biscay,
located off the western coast of Spain and
France, they could get a glimpse of the precollision crustal architecture in the region.
The ratio of the electron densities provided by the modified “best fit” version of the diffusive equilibrium model
to the electron densities measured by the Imager for
­Magnetopause-​to-​­Aurora Global Exploration (IMAGE)
Radio Plasma Imager on 24 February 2005.
Julie Tugend
In Earth’s magnetotail, sharp increases
in the magnetic field known as dipolarization fronts are associated with high-speed
plasma flows that connect Earth’s ionosphere via electric currents. Some aspects
of these dipolarization fronts have puzzled
scientists; in particular, the dip in magnetic
field that occurs just ahead of the dipolarization front layer is not well understood. Sun
et al. analyze observations made using the
Cluster satellites to elucidate the details of
electric fields associated with dipolarization
fronts. The study shows that a type of electric current known as a Hall current dominates in the dipolarization front region and
in the region where the magnetic field dips,
but this current flows in opposite directions
in these two regions. (Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, doi:10.1002/​
2014JA020045, 2014) —EB
sample, the authors found abundant magnetic minerals, including maghemite and
goethite, two minerals that form during nearsurface hydrothermalism.
Other characteristics suggest that the sample most likely originated in the Noachian
crust, lending credence to the idea that the
minerals may be responsible for Mars’s magnetic anomalies. The authors suggest that
investigating regions of similar lithology
on Mars will help in the study of the planet’s magnetic field, which will lead to a better understanding of the planet’s evolution.
(Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1002/​
2014GL060464, 2014) —JW
P. Ozhogin. Blue marble image: Visible Earth/NASA
Studying electric fields
in dipolarization fronts
VOLUME 95 NUMBER 45 11 NOVEMBER 2014
A simplified map showing the geology of the
Bay of Biscay and the Pyrenees Mountains.
Previous studies indicate that before it
became the Pyrenees Mountains, the continental crust in the region was stretched
and thinned by rifting. Although the eastern section of this rift system was folded
and compressed to make the Pyrenees, the
weather section is preserved in the Bay of
Biscay.
Using seismic, gravity, and field mapping observations, the authors identified and
mapped several former rift systems from the
Bay of Biscay to the Pyrenees. Using these
geological and geophysical observations, the
authors found that the architecture of the former rift systems strongly controlled the formation of the Pyrenees Mountains. (Tectonics,
doi:10.1002/​2014TC003529, 2014) —CS
CyroSat-2 mission provides better
data for Antarctic ice loss
Scientists depend on satellites orbiting
Earth to observe the Antarctic and take measurements on the rate at which ice sheets
lose mass as climate warms. Although many
of these satellites are spatially limited, the
­CryoSat-2 mission was designed to overcome
these limitations and has provided 96% coverage of the Antarctic ice sheets.
McMillan et al. looked at 3 years’ worth of
data from C
­ ryoSat-2’s altimeter, which uses
radio waves to measure the altitude changes
of the ice sheet’s surface, to determine how
quickly Antarctic ice sheets have lost mass.
The authors found that between 2010 and
2013, the West Antarctic, the East Antarctic, and the Antarctic Peninsula decreased
in mass by 134, 3, and 23 gigatons per year,
respectively. Furthermore, better measurements of the West Antarctic revealed that
ice thinning has accelerated over the last
decade.
The authors note that measurements provided by ­CryoSat-2 advance the ability to
track changes in the Antarctic ice sheet,
which will provide invaluable information
in the study of climate change. (Geophysical
Research Letters, doi:10.1002/​2014GL060111,
2014) —JW
Using celerity to measure
hydrological processes
The last major advance in catchment
hydrology was the discovery that while
headwaters respond promptly to changes in
water input, much of the resulting river flow
is months or years old. The classical way of
testing catchment models is to use measurements that reflect celerities—the measure
of how fast the storage of water responds to
a perturbation—of the response to an input
event such as changes in rain or snowfall.
However, McDonnell and Beven point out
that testing catchment models against both
celerity and tracer velocity—the measure of
how fast the water particles are moving—
can help improve model realism and reduce
uncertainties and errors.
The authors argue that combining celerity
and velocity information is a better way to
research the dynamics of headwaters since
they are controlled by different mechanisms.
The authors propose that if both velocities and celerities are used in modeling, a
more accurate portrayal of how water moves
through a catchment can be rendered.
(Water Resources Research, doi:10.1002/​
2013WR015141, 2014) —JW
—Ernie Balcerak, Staff Writer; Jessica Orwig,
Julia Rosen, and Colin Schultz, Writers; and
JoAnna Wendel, Staff Writer