Joint Penrose/AGU Chapman Conference on Coastal Processes and Environments Under Sea-Level Application Deadline: 23 January. http://www.geosociety.org/penrose/13Texas.htm

News: Landsat 5 to Be Decommissioned, Fire Activity Increases, and More, p. 19 Meeting: Capacity Building for Sustainable Marine Research, p. 21 Meeting: Hydrological Properties and Processes, p. 21 Meeting: The Evolution of the Lunar Highlands Crust, p. 21 Meeting: What Do We Know About Calderas?, p. 22 About AGU: Member Engagement Is Key, p. 22 Research Spotlight: Heliosheath Fluctuations, Snowfall Shifts, and More, p. 28

volume 94 number 2 8 JANUARY 2013

Detailed Data Available Canada’s Cabled Ocean Networks for Recent Costa Rica Earthquake Humming Along

On 5 September 2012 a magnitude 7.6 of continental margins. Since then, the Canada recently reconfirmed commit- expect that the subduction zone will eventu- earthquake occurred beneath the Nicoya region has seen numerous studies of seis- ment to supporting cabled ocean observa- ally experience a strong megathrust earth- Peninsula of northwestern Costa Rica, rup- micity, velocity structure, heat and fluid flux, tions by awarding Ocean Networks Canada quake—the last such event occurred on turing the subduction zone between the bathymetry, geodesy, coastal geomorphol- (ONC) 5 years of operations and mainte- 26 January 1700 [Ludwin et al., 2005], and Cocos and Caribbean plates. In most sub- ogy, and paleoseismology, addressing fun- nance funding. ONC supports the Victo- paleoseismicity studies suggest recurrence duction zones the locus of seismic slip lies damental questions about subduction zone ria Experimental Network Under the Sea periods of approximately 500 years [Goldfin- far offshore, making it difficult to infer inter- processes. (­VENUS) and Northeast Pacific Time- ger et al., 2012, and references therein]. face seismogenic processes from ­on-​­shore The September 2012 Nicoya earthquake series Underwater Networked Experiments Further, at ODP 889, changes in electri- observations. In contrast, the Nicoya Penin- is a fitting capstone for the SEIZE initiative (­NEPTUNE Canada), both located offshore cal conductivity indicate high gas hydrate sula lies close to the trench (within 70 kilo- and also presents an important opportunity Canada’s west coast (Figure 1). Results from concentrations in the subseafloor Edwards,[ meters), allowing observations directly over to address new science objectives central both efforts demonstrate the wealth of infor- 1997]. These data are also used with sea- the earthquake rupture zone. to the MARGINS­ successor program, Geo- mation that can be gained through continu- floor movement measurements to estimate Because of its favorable location, the fre- dynamic Processes at Rifting and Subduct- ous in situ monitoring of the sea. changes in hydrate volume. In less than quency and apparent regularity of large ing Margins (­GeoPRISMS). These objectives 1 year, hydrate concentrations have risen earthquakes, and timing (late in the earth- span a spectrum of fault slip behavior from VENUS Network and NEPTUNE Canada almost 50% [Edwards et al., 2010]. If sea tem- quake cycle), the Nicoya Peninsula was a seconds (earthquakes) to months (slow slip peratures warm, hydrates sublimate, moving focus site for the Seismogenic Zone Experi- events) to decades or longer (seismic cycle The VENUS network (Figure 1) began methane—a greenhouse gas—from the sea- ment (SEIZE) beginning in 1997. This proj- strain and net crustal deformation). operations in 2006. It has sensors in Saan- floor into the water column and potentially ect was funded by the U.S. National Science ich Inlet, the Strait of Georgia, and the Fra- into the atmosphere. Foundation’s (NSF) MARGINS­ program, ser River delta, locations ideal for studying Wally, a seafloor crawler connected at which investigated the geological evolution Costa Rica Earthquake cont. on page 18 hypoxia and acidification, as well as under- Barkley Canyon, regularly surveys the sea- water landslides [Lintern and Hill, 2010]. floor where hydrate outcrops.Thomsen ­VENUS is continuing to build its infrastruc- et al. [2012] showed that methane release ture with subsurface gliders, sensors on fer- increased when bottom currents strength- ries, and coastal radar. ened, seen through combining data from The NEPTUNE (Figure 1) ­800-​­kilometer Wally and current meters. Inverted echo ­fiber-​­optic cable with five active nodes was sounders simultaneously detected surface completed in late 2009. Since then, installa- waves; during times of known storms, bot- tion of scientific instruments on the nodes— tom currents were stronger, suggesting that seismometers, current meters, cameras, storm events disturb the stability of hydrate. gas sensors, pressure recorders, accelerom- eters, biological sensors, acoustic imaging Studies of Tsunamis systems, and robots—has taken place. The cable runs from Vancouver Island across the NEPTUNE’s sensitive bottom pressure continental shelf into the deep sea and back, recorders serve as tsunami sensors that span forming a loop. The 5 nodes are located different depths, from 2700 meters deep and inshore at Folger Passage, on the continen- 400 kilometers offshore at Endeavour Ridge tal slope at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) to the inner continental shelf. Hundreds of site 889 and Barkley Canyon, at the middle earthquakes and numerous tsunamis have of the Juan de Fuca plate at ODP site 1027, been detected since 2009; rapid, real-time and on the Endeavour segment of the Juan calculations have allowed precise determi- de Fuca ridge. nation of tsunami wave speed, direction, and amplitude. Seismic and Geophysical Studies The ­high-​­precision ­real-​­time tsunami mon- itoring systems of ONC have captured the NEPTUNE hosts seismographs for observ- February 2010 Chilean earthquake and tsu- ing earthquake activity and crustal stresses nami, as well as the April 2011 Great Tohoku on the Juan de Fuca plate. Broadband seis- earthquake and tsunami, helping to improve mometers detect events on the ridge, mid- plate region, Cascadia subduction zone, and offshore fracture zones. Researchers Ocean Networks cont. on page 18

Fig. 1. Scientific observation stations at the Nicola Peninsula in Costa Rica, where the Cocos plate (CO) is subducting under the Caribbean plate (CA). Institutions involved with study are the University of South Florida (USF); University of California, Santa Cruz; Georgia Institute of Technology (GT); Observatorio Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacio- nal (OVSICORI-UNA); California State Polytechnic Institute, Pomona (Cal Poly Pomona, CPP); and the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech, VT). Global Centroid Moment Tensor solution (gCMT) for the 5 September 2012 earthquake is shown along with epicenter estimates from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and ­OVSICORI-UNA. Arrow shows rate (in millimeters per year) and direction of convergence of CO relative to CA. Depth contours are in meters.

Fig. 1. Location map of Northeast Pacific Timeseries Underwater Networked Experiments (­NEPTUNE) and Victoria Experimental Network Under the Sea (­VENUS) primary infrastructure of cables and nodes. The upper left inset illustrates some of the instruments and infrastructure located along NEPTUNE’s 800-kilometer cabled seafloor network. The bottom inset shows photo- graphs of instruments: from left to right, Remotely Operated Platform for Ocean Science (­ROPOS) carrying ­TEMPO-​­mini for installation at Endeavour, ROPOS’s arm being used to remove a cap from a ­wet-​­mateable connector to connect an instrument to the primary infrastructure, an octo- pus on top of a Circulation Obviating Refit Kit (CORK) at Site 889, a deep-sea skate beside the NEPTUNE node at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) site 1027, recovery of the Remote Access Sam- pler (RAS), and an instrument platform installed at ODP 889. (All images are courtesy of Ocean Networks Canada.) 17 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

Feng, L., A. V. Newman, M. Protti, V. Gonzalez, Costa Rica Earthquake Y. Jiang, and T. H. Dixon (2012), Active deforma- cont. from page 17 tion near the Nicoya Peninsula, northwestern Costa Rica, between 1996 and 2010: Interseismic Seismic Setting and Observation ­MARGINS, and ­CAREER programs, the latter megathrust coupling, J. Geophys. Res., 117, Campaigns of which is designed to support early-career B06407, doi:10.1029/2012JB009230.​ Jiang, Y., S. Wdowinski, T. H. Dixon, M. Hackl, development for young scientists. Installa- M. Protti, and V. Gonzalez (2012), Slow slip events The Nicoya region produces frequent tion, maintenance, and data archiving are in Costa Rica detected by continuous GPS obser- TRANSACTIONS large (M > 7) earthquakes, including simi- facilitated by ­UNAVCO and the Incorporated vations, 2002–­ 2011,​­ Geochem. Geophys. Geo- AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION lar events in 1853, 1900, and 1950 (M 7.7) Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS). syst., 13, Q04006, doi:10.1029/​2012GC004058. The Newspaper of the Earth and Space Sciences [Protti et al., 1995]. Prior geodetic studies This network recorded data several years Lundgren, P., M. Protti, A. Donnellan, M. Heflin, mapped the Nicoya segment as a locked before, during, and after the 2012 earth- E. Hernandez, and D. Jefferson (1999), Seismic Editors zone, with parts of the subduction inter- quake. ­MARGINS-​­funded geomorphic and cycle and plate margin deformation in Costa Christina M. S. Cohen: California Institute face accumulating strain at essentially the paleoseismic studies by the California State Rica: GPS observations from 1994 to 1997, J. Geo- 28,915–­ 28,928.​­ of Technology, Pasadena, Calif., USA; cohen@ rate of motion between the plates, about Polytechnic Institute, Pomona (Cal Poly phys. Res., 104, srl.caltech.edu Marshall, J. S., and R. S. Anderson (1995), Quater- Pomona), and the Virginia Polytechnic Insti- 8 centimeters per year [Dixon, 1993; Lun- nary uplift and seismic cycle deformation, Penín- José D. Fuentes: Department of Meteorology, dgren et al., 1999; Norabuena et al., 2004; tute and State University (Virginia Tech) pro- sula de Nicoya, Costa Rica, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., Pennsylvania State University, University Park, vide additional constraints on seismic cycle Pa., USA; [email protected] Feng et al., 2012]. Geomorphic data are also 107, ­463–​­473. consistent with these rates of strain accu- deformation along the Nicoya coast. Nishenko, S. P. (1989), ­Circum-​­Pacific seismic Wendy S. Gordon: University of Texas at Aus- mulation [Marshall and Anderson, 1995]. potential, 1989–­ 1999,​­ U.S. Geol. Surv. Open File tin, Austin,Tex., USA; [email protected] The history of frequent large earthquakes, Data Freely Available Rep., ­89-​­86. David Halpern: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, combined with geodetic and geomorphic Norabuena, E., et al. (2004), Geodetic and seismic Pasadena, Calif., USA; davidhalpern29@gmail. constraints on some seismogenic zone processes com data consistent with locking on the plate In the wake of the 2012 earthquake the interface and accumulating seismic strain, in Costa Rica, J. Geophys. Res., 109, B11403, NSF Geophysics and GeoPRISMS programs doi:10.1029/​2003JB002931. Carol A. Stein: Department of Earth and meant that the 2012 event was expected Environmental Sciences, University of Illinois at funded rapid response fieldwork to collect Outerbridge, K., et al. (2010), A slow slip and Chicago, Chicago, Ill., USA; [email protected] [Nishenko, 1989; Protti et al., 1995]. ­real-​­time geophysical and geomorphic data tremor event in May 2007, Costa Rica margin, Smaller (M ~ 7) events in 1978 and 1990 from the Nicoya Peninsula. These data pro- J. Geophys. Res., 115, B10408, doi:10.1029/​ Editor in Chief also occurred in the region, and at least five vide an unprecedented image of the tempo- 2009JB006845. Barbara T. Richman: AGU, Washington, D. C., slow slip and tremor events have been rec- ral and spatial distribution of slip during and Protti, M., et al. (1995), The March 25, 1990 USA; eos_ [email protected] ognized here in the last decade [Outerbridge after the earthquake, along with a significant (Mw = 7.0, ML = 6.8), earthquake at the entrance et al., 2010; Walter et al., 2011; Jiang et al., community research opportunity. of the Nicoya Gulf, Costa Rica: Its prior activity, foreshocks, aftershocks, and triggered seismicity, Editorial Advisory Board 2012]. Nonetheless, prior to the earthquake Geodetic data from the continuous GPS on 5 September 2012, significant seismic J. Geophys. Res., 100, 20,345–­ 20,358,​­ doi:10.1029/​ M. Lee Allison Earth and Space Science network (including ­5-hertz GPS data for 94JB03099. Informatics strain had accumulated. selected stations) are archived and publicly Walter, J. I., S. Y. Schwartz, M. Protti, and V. Gonza- Nathan T. Bridges Planetary Sciences The University of South Florida; Univer- available on the UNAVCO Web site (http://​ lez (2011), Persistent tremor within the northern sity of California, Santa Cruz; Georgia Insti- Roland Bürgmann Tectonophysics www.​­unavco.​­org/​voce/​viewforum.​­php?f=56). Costa Rica seismogenic zone, Geophys. Res. tute of Technology; and Observatorio Vulca- The seismic and geomorphic data from the Lett., 38, L01307, doi:10.1029/​2010GL045586. Michael A. Ellis Earth and Planetary nológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica, Uni- recent surveys are being processed and Surface Processes versidad Nacional (­OVSICORI-UNA), one of will be archived and available through IRIS Arlene M. Fiore Atmospheric Sciences Costa Rica’s main institutes for earthquake and UNAVCO­ in early 2013. Anyone with an Nicola J. Fox Space Physics and Aeronomy and volcano research, operate a network of interest in seismic processes and hazards is —Timothy H. Dixon, University of South Florida, Michael N. Gooseff Hydrology ­high-​­precision, continuously recording GPS encouraged to exploit these new data. Tampa; E-mail:­ thd@­ usf​ .edu;​ Susan Schwartz, receivers and broadband seismometers on University of California, Santa Cruz; Marino Protti Seth S. Haines Near-Surface Geophysics and Víctor González, Observatorio Vulcanológico the Nicoya Peninsula (Figure 1). The net- References Kristine C. Harper History of Geophysics work started in 2002 through a collabora- y Sismológico de Costa Rica, Universidad Nacional (OVSICORI), Heredia, Costa Rica; Andrew Newman, Keith D. Koper Seismology tion between ­OVSICORI-UNA, Tokyo Univer- Dixon, T. H. (1993), GPS measurement of relative Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta; Jeff Mar- Xin-Zhong Liang Global Environmental Change sity, and the Japan International Coopera- motion of the Cocos and Caribbean plates and shall, California State Polytechnic Institute, Pomona; tion Agency. Since 2005, support has come strain accumulation across the Middle America Stephen Macko Education and Jim Spotila, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and from NSF’s Instrumentation and Facilities, Trench, Geophys. Res. Lett., 20, 2167-­ 2170.​­ State University, Blacksburg Stefan Maus Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Jerry L. Miller Ocean Sciences Peter Olson Study of the Earth’s Deep Interior Ocean Networks ONC benthic ecology research combines camera observations and interactive sam- Thomas H. Painter Cryosphere Sciences cont. from page 17 pling with sediment traps, while multiple Roger A. Pielke Sr. Natural Hazards sensors provide uninterrupted measure- Len Pietrafesa Societal Impacts scientists’ ability to hindcast the heights of revisited them [Robert and Juniper, 2012]. In ments of temperature, oxygen, and nitrate. and Policy Sciences waves that impact the coast. the same area, flatfishes and sea urchins can Results from VENUS show that taxon rich- Michael Poland Geodesy churn up the surface sediment completely ness negatively correlates with low oxygen Sediment and Benthic Dynamics within 93–125 days [Robert and Juniper, Paul R. Renne Volcanology, Geochemistry, concentration—cameras showed high abun- and Petrology 2012]. This shows the importance of animals dances of juvenile squat lobsters when oxy- Acoustic sensors on VENUS and for mixing sediment, which liberates nutri- Sarah L. Shafer Paleoceanography gen levels were lowest, possibly reflecting and Paleoclimatology ­NEPTUNE quantify suspended sediment con- ents, suggesting that ­long-​­term monitoring exclusion of larger predators by hypoxia in centration and size, seasonal river discharge of bioturbation will help researchers under- Adrian Tuck Nonlinear Geophysics Saanich Inlet. Adult crustaceans, in contrast, variations, slope stability, and bed form evo- stand the response of seafloor ecosystems to increased biological activity within 2 hours Sergio Vinciguerra Mineral and Rock Physics lution during storms, among other events. changes in primary productivity. after a ­high-​­oxygen intrusion [Matabos et al., Jeffrey M. Welker Biogeosciences Sonars are complemented with cameras that 2012]. Earle Williams Atmospheric observe benthic organisms. Ecosystem Function Although sensors to directly measure and Space Electricity From January to October 2010, images acidity are not yet stable enough for long- from these cameras showed a field of pits on Marine sediment ecosystems cover more term deployment, prototype acidity sensors Staff the upper slope in ­400-​­meter water. Analyses of Earth than all other habitats combined, were installed for testing in Saanich in Octo- Editorial and Production: Randy Showstack, suggest that the seafloor pits were formed contributing significantly to global nutrient ber. Knowledge of local acidity variations Senior Writer; Mohi Kumar, Science Writer/­ by benthic fish—currents were not strong cycles, carbon and oxygen budgets, fish- will help scientists better understand where Editor; Ernie Balcerak, Writer/Editor; Faith A.­ enough to generate them, and fish regularly eries production, and pollutant dynamics. Ishii, Program Manager;­ Tricia McCarter-Joseph, to concentrate mitigation efforts as acidic Production Assistant; Liz Castenson, Editor’s conditions rise. Assistant; Valerie Bassett, Electronic Graphics Specialist Marine Mammals Advertising: Tel: +1-202-777-7536; E-mail: ­[email protected]; Christy Hanson, Manager; Anthropogenic underwater sound affects Robyn Bassett, Classified and Display Ad Sales the physiology and behavior of marine ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights fauna. VENUS uses hydrophones to assess Reserved. Material in this issue may be photo- copied by individual scientists for research or class- the large-­ ​­scale acoustic ecology. Every room use. Permission is also granted to use short 5 minutes, data are processed to identify quotes, figures, and tables for publication in sci- ships and marine mammals. Several whale entific books and journals. For permission for any species have been detected, including an other uses, contact the AGU Publications Office. interpreted acoustic signal with no visual Eos, Transactions, American Geophysical Union confirmation from an endangered North (ISSN 0096-3941) is published weekly except Pacific right whale. The last visual sighting the last week of December by the American Geophysical Union, 2000 Florida Ave., NW, Wash- of a right whale in these waters was in 1951. ington, DC 20009, USA. Periodical Class postage paid at Washington, D. C., and at additional ­Real-​­Time Vertical Profiling mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Member Service Center, 2000 Florida Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20009, USA. Member A vertical water column profiling system Service Center: 8:00 A.M.–6:00 P.M. Eastern time; was successfully installed in summer 2012 Tel: +1-202-462-6900; Fax: +1-202-328-0566; Tel. after three previous deployments encoun- orders in U.S.: 1-800-966-2481; E-mail: service@ tered technical problems. This installation agu.org. Information on institutional subscrip- tions is available from the Wiley institutional demonstrates that these types of sensor sales team (­[email protected]). Use packages, which require significant power, AGU’s Geophysical Electronic Manuscript Sub- are feasible for cabled observatories. The missions system to submit a manuscript: http:​// vertical profiler, capable of profiling the eos-submit.agu.org. entire water column from the seafloor to the Views expressed in this publication do not neces- surface, is fixed to the seafloor at 400 meters sarily reflect official positions of the American Geophysical Union unless expressly stated. at Barkley. Along with depth, temperature, and Christine W. McEntee, Executive Director/CEO salinity, the profiler measures quantities http://www.agu.org/pubs/eos such as chlorophyll concentrations, tur- bidity, nutrient concentrations, irradiance and light attenuation, currents, and bio- acoustic properties. A complete profile is

Ocean Networks cont. on next page 18 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

.­environmentalintegrity​.org/​news​_­reports/​12​ 3.2 million hectares in 2011 but greater than _21​_2012​.php. —RS the area burned in 12 of 15 years since sat- NEWS EPA releases progress report on ellite monitoring began, scientists reported hydraulic fracturing study The U.S. Envi- at the AGU Fall Meeting. With satellites “we ronmental Protection Agency (EPA) pro- can detect fires as they’re actively burning,” vided a 21 December progress report on its said Louis Giglio of the University of Mary- LDCM carries the Operational Land ongoing national study about the potential land, College Park, at a press conference on In brief Imager and the Thermal Infrared Sensor. impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drink- 4 December. “We can also map the cumula- Landsat 5 to be decommissioned After “Both of these instruments have evolution- ing water resources. The agency said that tive area burned on the landscape after the orbiting the planet more than 150,000 times ary advances that make them the most a draft of the congressionally requested fire’s over.” He noted that “2012 has been a since its launch in 1984, the Landsat 5 Earth advanced Landsat instruments to date and study will be released in 2014 for public particularly big fire year” in the United States. observing satellite is being decommissioned are designed to improve performance and and peer review and that its progress report The rising fire activity has increased car- due to the recent failure of a gyroscope, the reliability to improve observations of the does not draw conclusions about the poten- bon dioxide emissions in recent years. Chris U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) announced global land surface,” said Ken Schwer, LDCM tial impacts of hydraulic fracturing, often Williams of Clark University in Worcester, on 21 December. The ­29-year-​­old satellite project manager at NASA’s Goddard Space referred to as fracking. Mass., and his colleagues used satellite data originally had an expected design life of Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. “Responsible development of America’s on a charred area to calculate the amount of 3 years. NASA and the U.S. Department of the oil and gas resources offers important eco- biomass burned and thereby estimate how USGS director Marcia McNutt said, “Any Interior, through USGS, jointly manage the nomic, energy, security, and environmental much carbon was emitted into the atmo- major event since 1984 that left a mark on Landsat program. For more information, see benefits. However, as the use of hydraulic sphere as a result. He reported that car- this Earth larger than a football field was http://landsat​­ .usgs​ .gov​ and http://www​ .nasa​ ​ fracturing has increased, so have concerns bon dioxide emissions from wildfires in the likely recorded by Landsat 5, whether it was .gov/Landsat.​­ —RS about its potential human health and envi- western United States have increased from a hurricane, a tsunami, a wildfire, defores- Call for tighter coal ash disposal ronmental impacts, especially for drinking an average of 8 teragrams per year during tation, or an oil spill. We look forward to standards More than 200 million tons of water,” the progress report states. 1984–1995 to an average of 20 teragrams per a long and productive continuation of the coal ash and scrubber sludge were depos- As part of this report, the agency released year during 1996–2008. “There’s been more Landsat program, but it is unlikely there will ited from coal plants into ponds or land- updates on 18 research projects underway to than a doubling of the carbon impacts of ever be another satellite that matches the fills between 2009 and 2011, according to a help answer a number of questions related these fires,” said Williams. outstanding longevity of Landsat 5.” 21 December report by the Environmental to fracking. Models also predict an increase in fire The more than 2.5 million images that Integrity Project (EIP), a nonprofit organiza- The study, dubbed a Highly Influential Sci- activity in the next several decades. Doug Landsat 5 has transmitted include photo- tion based in Washington, D. C. EIP issued entific Assessment, will receive EPA’s high- Morton of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Cen- graphs of the 1980 Mount Saint Helens erup- the report to mark the fourth anniversary est level of peer review, according to the ter noted that dryness during fire season tion site in Washington state, the 1986 Cher- of the dike rupture at the Tennessee Val- agency. EPA also said that its science advi- and the total burned area both increased nobyl nuclear power plant disaster in the ley Authority’s Kingston Fossil Plant, which sory board is forming a panel of indepen- between 1980 and 2010. “Climate has made Soviet Union, the Kuwaiti oil fires of 1991, spilled an estimated 1.1 billion gallons of dent experts to review and provide input the U.S. more susceptible to fires,” he said. urban growth around the world, Antarctica, coal fly ash slurry into the Tennessee River about the study to the agency. For more In the future that is likely to continue. Under and global crop production. system on 22 December 2008. EIP called for information, see http://​www​.epa​.gov/​­hfstudy both a high-­ ​­emissions scenario and a ­low-​ Landsat 7, launched in 1999 with an the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and http://​­yosemite​.epa​.gov/​sab/​­sabpeople​ ­emissions scenario, model projections show expected ­5-year design life, will be the only (EPA) to issue ash disposal standards. .nsf/WebCommittees/​­ BOARD.​ —RS an increase by 2050 in both the length of the operational satellite in the series until the The report, which the group notes is Fire activity increasing as climate fire season and the frequency of extreme liftoff of Landsat 8—called the Landsat based on industry figures submitted to changes Analysis of images from NASA’s events, though that increase would happen Data Continuity Mission (LDCM)—which EPA’s Toxics Release Inventory database, Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiom- more rapidly in the ­high-​­emissions scenario, is scheduled for 11 February 2013. In prepa- identifies 44 U.S. facilities that reported eter (­MODIS) satellites shows that more than Morton said. —EB ration for the launch, LDCM arrived at its disposing of significant amounts of arse- 2.5 million hectares were burned in 2012 launch site at Vandenberg Air Force Base, nic and other toxic metals from 2009–2011. from January through August in the United —Ernie Balcerak and Randy Showstack, Staff Calif., on 26 December. For more information, see http://​www​ States. The amount is less than a record Writers

Rona, P., and R. Light (2011), Sonar images of Barkley Canyon node, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, Ocean Networks hydrothermal vents in seafloor observatory,Eos L16605, doi:10.1029/​2012GL052462. cont. from page 18 Trans. AGU, 92(20), 169. Thomsen, L., C. Barnes, M. Best, R. Chapman, B. Pirenne, R. Thomson, and J. Vogt (2012), —Kate Moran, Ocean Networks Canada, measured every 6 hours. Because of the pro- cameras for use by scientists and citizen sci- Ocean circulation promotes methane release University of Victoria, Victoria, Canada; E-mail:­ filer’s location, onboard sensors track tran- entists. Using such data, two NEPTUNE cam- from gas hydrate outcrops at the NEPTUNE­ Canada [email protected]​ sitions from downwelling to upwelling con- paigns recently showed how species distri- ditions, the supply of inorganic nutrients to butions and occurrences change over time the surface, and variability of ­nutrient-​­rich for sablefish and thornyhead rockfish (see undercurrents. campaign results at http://​­digitalfishers​.net/​ ?p=427).​ Hydrothermal Vent Turbulence Acknowledgements Because flux studies require measurement of time series, little is known about heat, Operations of NEPTUNE Canada and chemical, and biological fluxes from the ­VENUS are supported by major funding from crust into the ocean via hydrothermal vents. the Canada Foundation for Innovation and An unprecedented time series of plumes the province of British Columbia and sup- imaged in three dimensions as they rose port from the University of Victoria, Natural above black smokers was captured from dif- Resources Canada, Fisheries and Oceans fuse vents at NEPTUNE’s Endeavour field Canada, Natural Sciences and Engineering area using the new Cabled Observatory Vent Research Council, and Canada’s Advanced Imaging System (­COVIS) [Rona and Light, Research and Innovation Network. 2011]. These data measured suspended sedi- ment backscatter intensity and black smoker References temperature fluctuations, which describe the buoyant plume’s size and shape. Their Anderson, G. (2010), Decomposition and inverte- Doppler phase shift defined flow rise veloc- brate colonization of cadavers in coastal marine ity, and their scintillation helped to image environments, Current Concepts in Forensic Ento- diffuse flow from the seafloor. These obser- mology, edited by J. Amendt et al., pp. 223–271, vations suggest the ratio of flow from black Springer, Dordrecht, Netherlands. smokers compared with diffuse flow is about Di Iorio, D., J. W. Lavelle, P. A. Rona, K. Bemis, 20 times larger than previous estimates G. Xu, L. N. Germanovich, R. P. Lowell, and G. Genc (2012), Measurements and models of [Di Iorio et al., 2012]. heat flux and plumes from hydrothermal dis- charges near the deep seafloor,Oceanography, Expanding to Other Disciplines: Forensics 25(1), 168–­ 179,​­ doi:10.5670/oceanog.2012.14.​ Edwards, R. N. (1997), On the resource evaluation The underwater cameras of VENUS are of marine gas hydrate deposits using seafloor being used to study the decomposition transient electric dipole-­ dipole​­ method, Geophys- of pig carcasses, lowered to the seafloor ics, 62(1), ­63–​­74. Edwards, R. M., K. Schwalenberg, E. C. Willoughby, within a protective cage and unprotected R. Mir, and C. Scholl (2010), Marine controlled- in 95-meter-­ ​­deep water in Saanich Inlet. A source electromagnetics and the assessment of pig carcass is commonly used as proxy for seafloor gas hydrate, inGeophysical Characteriza- human remains in forensic research. Results tion of Gas Hydrate, edited by M. Riedel, E. C. revealed strong effects of ocean chemistry Willoughby, and S. Chopra, pp. ­149–​­160, Soc. of on carcass degradation and microbial colo- Explor. Geophys., Tulsa, Okla. nization [Anderson, 2010]. Lintern, D. G., and P. R. Hill (2010), An underwater laboratory at the Fraser River delta, Eos Trans. Citizen Science AGU, 91(38), 333. Ludwin, R. S., C. P. Thrush, K. James, D. Buerge, C. ­Jonientz-​­Trisler, J. Rasmussen, K. Troost, and Digital Fishers (http://​­digitalfishers​.net/) A. de los Angeles (2005), Serpent ­spirit-​­power is a citizen science portal for video interpre- stories along the Seattle fault, Seismol. Res. Lett., tation. Because software cannot yet auto- 76(4), ­426 – ​­431. matically identify marine life forms and Matabos, M., V. Tunnicliffe, S. K. Juniper, and seafloor features, ONC’s large video data C. Dean (2012), A year in hypoxia: Epibenthic set requires human eyes to view and anno- community responses to severe oxygen defi- tate videos for identification of marine life cit at a subsea observatory in a coastal inlet, and seafloor features. Digital Fishers allows PLoS ONE, 7(9), e45626, doi:10.1371/journal​­ ​ .pone.0045626. anyone in the world to explore and docu- Robert, K., and S. K. Juniper (2012), Quantifying ment the ocean videos. NEPTUNE’s Marine megafaunal surface bioturbation using cameras Life Field Guide, an ­e-book available from on the NEPTUNE­ Canada cabled observatory: Apple, provides an identification list of spe- Observational protocol development and Bayes- cies observed on the network’s underwater ian modeling, Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser., 453, ­137–​­149. 19 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

20 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013 Studying Hydrological Properties and Processes MEETINGS at Scales From Centimeters to Watersheds

SEG-AGU Hydrogeophysics Workshop; Capacity Building for Sustainable Marine Boise, Idaho, 8–11 July 2012 Research in the Asia-Pacific Region The Hydrogeophysics Workshop, jointly Recent computational and algorithmic sponsored by the Society of Exploration advancements mean that stochastic meth- Needs Assessment for Capacity Development for Integrated Marine Geophysicists and the American Geophysi- ods such as Markov chain Monte Carlo are Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research in the Asia-Pacific Region; cal Union (AGU), was held in Boise, Idaho. now feasible for low-­ ​­dimensional hydro- Shanghai, China, 31 July to 4 August 2012 The workshop was organized to bring geophysical problems. In higher dimen- together the international hydrogeophysics sions, parameter reduction strategies, improved prior information, and mixed An international workshop on capac- providing opportunities for the develop- community to discuss current approaches deterministic-stochastic approaches may ity building (CB) for marine research ment of young professionals and mitigating for determining, predicting, and studying offer solutions. in the ­Asia-​­Pacific region (http://​www​ regional brain drain (i.e., migration of intel- hydrological properties and processes in Notable to all at the workshop was .­imber​.­info/­index​.php/­Science/­Working​ lectual resources from developing coun- both the saturated and unsaturated zones, the growing focus in hydrogeophysics -­Groups/­Capacity​-­Building/2012​-CB​ tries to developed countries) through devel- at scales ranging from centimeters to on characterizing structure and proper- -­Workshop) was held at the East China Nor- opment policies. watersheds. ties at the watershed scale. An emerging mal University (ECNU), in Shanghai, China. The following recommendations were Many advances in the field of hydrogeo- area of current research is thus the chal- The workshop brought together about proposed to help enhance the regional physics are closely tied to the availability lenge of moving between various scales of 20 marine researchers and CB experts from marine research capacity: of instrumentation capable of making field measurement. 14 countries to discuss CB experiences, 1. Building Platform. IMBER­ was invited measurements at the appropriate levels of As participants discussed the future of assess regional CB needs, and consider to help build a regional CB platform, tar- spatial and temporal resolution. Consider- hydrogeophysics, there was general agree- recommendations to improve regional CB, geting the aforementioned regional able interest was generated at the meeting ment that the ongoing success and advance- which would be of interest to other groups research priorities in collaboration with by recent advancements in both surface- ment of the field requires continued engage- and other geographical regions. relevant institutions, e.g., Scientific Com- based and logging nuclear magnetic res- ment and communication with the rest of Innovative marine research requires the mittee on Oceanic Research, Intergovern- onance (NMR), which offer new ways of the hydrogeological community. There are integration of disciplinary skills, advanced mental Oceanographic Commission Sub-​ obtaining estimates of water content and also educational challenges and opportu- observational techniques, and state-of-the- ­commission for the Western Pacific, and hydraulic conductivity. nities in mentoring the next generation of art infrastructure. This workshop aimed to Partnership for Observation of the Global Substantial improvements in geophysical hydrogeophysicists. As evidenced at the facilitate such integration and the access to Oceans. data analysis and inversion techniques have workshop, the continuously increasing com- existing global marine research resources 2. Promoting Globalization. Shifting the occurred over the past 5 years. Full wave- plexity of hydrogeophysical concepts and and to support marine researchers in the locations of CB activities from region to form inversion of ground-­ ​­penetrating radar approaches intertwines various ­disciplines/​ ­Asia-​­Pacific region in their contributions to region with particular skew to develop- data, for example, can now provide images ­subjects including geophysics, hydrology, the Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and ing countries will help promote regional of decimeter-­ ​­scale subsurface structural het- petrophysics, geostatistics, inverse theory, Ecosystem Research (­IMBER) project for research contributions and regional CB erogeneity. For spectral induced polarization etc. Reflecting on all that is involved in both regional and international success. efforts. and NMR, methods are now established that hydrogeophysics was an ideal way to end Participants presented their past expe- 3. Sustaining Network. Building a com- allow the estimation of hydraulic conductiv- the meeting, with a commitment to continue riences with CB activities and identi- munity of practice with senior researchers ity at the sample/­ ​­core scale within one order working together across disciplinary and fied regional CB gaps and opportunities. and educators and facilitating the emer- of magnitude. international boundaries in this important Breakout groups focused on three top- gence of new research generation focus- Integration of hydrological and geophysi- field of Earth sciences. ics: (1) marine CB needs and challenges ing on marine research in this region are cal data, at various stages of data analysis Funding for the workshop was received identified in the region with relevance to essential. An ­IMBER-​­related mentoring pro- and inversion, can significantly improve sci- from the Hydrology Program of the National global context, (2) how marine CB could gram and alumni network for ­early-​­career entists’ ability to both conceptualize and Science Foundation (grant EAR 1239074), be improved in the region, and (3) what the researchers would help strengthen the parameterize hydrological models. Airborne Geometrics, GeoTomo, Mt. Sopris, Zonge ­IMBER project could do to advance its CB regional marine research community. electromagnetic surveys were highlighted as International, Vista Clara, Geotomogra- globally. Examples of existing international and representing an important recent advance phie, Sensors and Software, Advanced Geo- The synthesis prepared during the work- regional CB resources were listed (see for improving conceptual models of the sciences Inc., and Geonics. We thank the shop demonstrated that current regional CB workshop Web site). Potential incentives structure of aquifer systems. Another area of numerous other workshop participants who efforts (e.g. http://­westpac​.­unescobkk​.­org) (e.g., career advancement, network devel- research that has seen considerable recent contributed to the preparation of this meet- do not cater to the tremendous marine opment, and facilitated resources sharing) progress is coupled inversion, whereby time- ing summary. research needs (matrix 2 on the workshop and dedicated financial resources for CB lapse geophysical data are inverted directly for hydrological properties through the link- Web page). Three marine research top- activities targeting the regional needs were —Rosemary Knight, Geophysics Department, ing of geophysical and hydrological process ics require top CB priority: climate change also discussed and should be explored by Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.; ­E-mail: models. impacts, ecosystem health, and food secu- ­IMBER and the relevant marine research rknight@­ stanford​­ .edu;​ James Irving, Faculty of rity. Capacity development for integrated communities. The assessment and communication of Geosciences and Environment, University of (e.g., sustainable fisheries management) The workshop was initiated by the ­IMBER uncertainty remains a critical challenge Lausanne, Switzerland; and Jan van der Kruk, and transdisciplinary (e.g., predictions of Capacity Building Task Team and finan- in all forms of hydrogeophysics research. Forschungszentrum Juelich, Germany ecosystem response to climate change) cially supported by ­IMBER, ­Asia-​­Pacific marine research needs much attention at Network for Global Change Research, and national and regional levels. The major ECNU. The Evolution of the Lunar Highlands Crust: challenges of the regional CB activities A Complicated History include (1) sustained funding support for research and equipment in national and —Liuming Hu, Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research (IMBER) Regional Project regional programs; (2) infrastructural Second Conference on the Lunar Highlands Crust; Office, Shanghai, China; E-mail:­ liumingh@sklec­ ​ Bozeman, Montana, 13–15 July 2012 and policy-­ ​­relevant support in key marine .ecnu.edu​ .cn;​ Bernard Avril, IMBER­ International research areas; and (3) attracting postgrad- Project Office, Bergen, Norway; and Jing Zhang, More than 30 years after the first Lunar anorthosite began to form after 70–80% of uate students and ­early-​­career research- East China Normal University (ECNU), Shanghai, Highlands Crust conference, lunar petrol- the ocean had crystallized, and being less ers into marine ­science–​­related careers, China ogy and remote sensing experts from dense than the remaining iron-rich liquid, around the world gathered to discuss and it would have floated to form the primi- debate the formation and evolution of tive lunar crust. Apollo samples, as well as the lunar highlands crust. Huge strides models, suggest that the small amounts of in orbital remote sensing have enabled mafic minerals trapped at this stage would researchers to put the samples gathered be iron rich. However, new research based during the Apollo missions into a larger, on near-­ ​­infrared spectral data from Japan’s global context, yet many of the original, Kaguya mission indicate that the mafic min- key questions remain. What was the extent erals associated with anorthosites become and fate of the lunar magma ocean (LMO)? increasingly magnesian toward the lunar far- What is the nature of the lower lunar crust? side. Feldspathic lunar meteorites have also Do lunar sample ages still suggest that been discovered that are also significantly the inner solar system was subject to an more magnesian than the ferroan anortho- increase in impact flux around 3.9 billion sites returned by the Apollo missions. A fur- years ago? At the heart of these questions is ther wrinkle presented by both the Moon ABSTRACT SUBMISSION SITE the desire to understand not only the forma- Mineralogy Mapper and Kaguya teams is tion and evolution of the Moon but of Earth, that the purest anorthosite was excavated the terrestrial planets, and the inner solar in the peak rings of lunar basins rather NOW OPEN! system as a whole. than the more mafic lower crust that was A field trip to the Stillwater layered mafic anticipated. intrusion set the stage for the conference, Despite these discoveries, which might fostering discussions in an informal setting seem counter to the global magma ocean Deadline: and providing a reminder of the complexi- model, the overall evidence for the LMO ties and heterogeneity of a much smaller remains strong. But, as might be expected, analog to the lunar highlands crust. Over post-LMO magmatism coupled with 4.5 bil- 6 February, 11:59 p.m. EST the next 3 days, lunar researchers worked to lion years of impact gardening has produced integrate petrological research, empowered a complex and intriguing lunar rock record. by advances in analytical technologies, with It is critical that the interdisciplinary discus- newly gathered remote sensing data of the sions promoted by this ­workshop-​­style meet- Abstract submission policies Moon. The meeting opened with a discus- ing continue. Evidence from sample studies sion of cratering and the lunar megaregolith, and orbital data must be integrated and rec- and guidelines posted at moa.agu.org including a sneak peek at new gravity results onciled if scientists are to build a cohesive from the most recent mission to the Moon, and comprehensive understanding of lunar the Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory formation and evolution. (GRAIL). AGU galvanizes a community of Earth and space scientists The geophysical discussion was followed —Rachel Klima, Planetary Exploration Group, by an extensive review of the character of Johns Hopkins University, Applied Physics Labora- that collaboratively advances and communicates science the composition of the anorthositic crust tory, Laurel, Md.; E-mail:­ Rachel­ .​ Klima@­ jhuapl​­ .edu​ and its power to ensure a sustainable future. and the small amounts of iron-­ ​­bearing min- 012-1009 erals associated with it. In the LMO model, Meetings cont. on page 22 21 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

Meetings cont. from page 21 ABOUT AGU What Do We Know About Calderas? Member Engagement Is Key to Our Success: 4th International Workshop on Collapse Calderas; Bolsena, Italy, 23–29 September 2012 A Note From AGU’s New President, Carol Finn

The International Association of Volca- between magma chambers, eruptions, and Carol Finn has been a member of AGU since 1980. She currently serves as a senior nology and Chemistry of the Earth’s Interior caldera collapses, including postcaldera research geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, and her major research interests (­IAVCEI) Commission on Collapse Calderas resurgence. For example, under which con- include geological interpretation of potential field data, volcano hazards, and tectonics. organized its fourth workshop in the Vul- ditions does a magma chamber initiate a Finn received her B.A. in geology from Wellesley College, her M.S. in geophysics from the sini Calderas District, Italy (http://­www​.­gvb​ caldera? What drives resurgence? Scientists University of Colorado, and her Ph.D. in geophysics from the University of Colorado. She -csic​.es/​CCC​.htm). Vulsini includes the Bol- need to improve understanding of the geol- is a member of the Department of Geological Sciences Advisory Board for the University sena and Latera calderas, formed in the past ogy and dynamics of reservoirs and mag- of Colorado and a fellow of the Geological Society of America, and she has written 0.6 million years. It is a famous type local- matic intrusions in general. 54 referreed publications—half in AGU journals. Below are a few words from Finn as she ity where fundamental concepts concern- Another major limitation concerns the starts her new position as AGU president. ing caldera collapse and eruptive dynamics poor understanding of the state of unrest of have been proposed. calderas; here a pressurized hydrothermal I joined the AGU Earth and space science Calderas are subcircular depressions in system, usually hosted within the caldera community as a 22-year-old green-haired volcanic areas resulting from magma cham- infill and heated by the magma below, may graduate student eager to experience excel- ber roof collapse when magma is with- mask any magmatic signature of the unrest, lent, societally relevant science, to network, drawn. They are usually associated with sig- amplifying surface deformation, seismicity, and to find role models. At my first Fall Meet- nificant andlong- ­ ​­lasting magmatic systems and degassing. Better understanding of the ing, I was inspired by the community of sci- responsible for major eruptions. These areas dynamics of magmatic and hydrothermal entists, ranging from fellow graduate stu- often undergo unrest, accompanied by sur- systems, including interpretation of moni- dents to luminaries, who were engrossed, face deformation, seismicity, and gas emis- toring data during unrest episodes at calde- excited, and motivated by their science. sion. Because of the hazards they may pose, ras, is crucial to assess whether the unrest Imagine my surprise when I was singled out calderas are among the most studied volca- will culminate in an eruption or not; this not just for my green hair but also to join the nic features. The aims of the workshop were understanding would improve forecasting Budget and Finance Committee! to (1) provide an overview of the state of the approaches. Finally, the investigation and This was the beginning of my volunteer art of different aspects related to calderas, exploitation of the geothermal resources service at AGU. My time on the Budget and (2) encourage interaction among researchers offered by many calderas should be stimu- Finance Committee was followed by assign- with different backgrounds, and (3) present lated, both for economic purposes and to ments on the Statutes and Bylaws Com- appropriate field cases to test and compare better image the subsurface structure and mittee. I served as General Secretary from models and ideas. The workshop consisted of dynamics of calderas. 2006–2010, at which time I worked with 2 days of oral and poster presentations, 3 days Improvement in these research lines many members on strategic planning, form- ing our new governance model and hiring of field excursions, and a final discussion. may be provided by collaboration between Cheryl Enderlein The outcome of the workshop was sum- experts in magmatic intrusions and hydro- our new chief executive Chris McEntee. (left) Incoming AGU President Carol Finn marized in its final discussion. Scientists thermal and caldera monitoring systems as Three years ago, when I was asked to run receives her presidential gavel, inscribed with know the most about the depositional fea- well as from the development of an updated for president of AGU, I saw an opportunity to her name and term, from (right) outgoing AGU tures of the products of caldera-­ ​­forming and complete database, particularly focused continue to give back to the community that President Mike McPhaden. eruptions and recently have learned more on unrest episodes at calderas. had supported and inspired me profession- about structural and evolutionary features of ally and personally. Being elected president processes that support and foster innovation calderas and their relationships to eruptions. was a huge honor—a gift and the chance in our journals and meetings. I also see us —Valerio Acocella, Dipartimento Scienze However, other aspects are less constrained, of a lifetime—and I was thrilled to continue expanding our efforts to encourage member Geologiche Roma Tre, Rome, Italy; E-mail:­ acocella@­ ​ working on the plans that had been made to engagement and, through training opportuni- and it is expected that future research will uniroma3­ .it;​ Adelina Geyer, Institute of Earth Sci- shape AGU’s path forward. ties, mentoring programs, and other resources, be devoted to their further development. ences, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientí- During my time as president-elect/chair to facilitate members’ efforts to communi- A major limitation is the fragmented and ficas (CSIC), Barcelona, Spain; and Nobuo Geshi, incomplete knowledge of the relationships Geological Survey of Japan, Tsukuba Ibaraki, Japan of AGU’s Council, we forged a new way of cate their science to broad audiences. working, advancing AGU’s science in the AGU is a broad and complex organization, areas of publishing, meetings, outreach, and and our leadership should represent and cel- honors and recognition. We developed an ebrate that diversity. I am fully committed to What’s on the Web? effective way to work together as a large and ensuring that our volunteer leadership is rep- diverse group of scientists and to elicit new resentative of the diversity of career stages, job types, areas of science, geography, gen- Read the latest offerings from the AGU ideas, such as the interdisciplinary SWIRL der, and ethnicity that compose our mem- Blogosphere: sessions at the 2012 Fall Meeting. We also provided scientific input on critical deci- bership. One of my proudest moments as sions, such as our new publishing partner- president-elect was when we added six new The Landslide Blog: “Four landslide ship with Wiley, and we enabled AGU to be positions to the Council specifically for stu- videos for Christmas” more nimble and to act quickly and clearly dent and early-career scientists. (http://goo.gl/NBRky) on behalf of you, our members. In the same way that we are committed to Mountain Beltway: “More GigaPans The next few years will be a thrilling time ensuring broad diversity with the AGU gov- from the M.A.G.I.C. project” for AGU as we work toward our vision of gal- ernance structure, we are also committed to (http://goo.gl/axPV2) vanizing the Earth and space science commu- better weaving it into our honors program. Magma Cum Laude: “5 years already?!” nity to collaboratively advance and communi- As I was reminded by a group of students (http://goo.gl/RmB3H) cate science and its power to ensure a sustain- at the 2012 Fall Meeting, it is essential that Robin Rohrback-Schiavone Robin able future. I see us continuing our scientific Dan’s Wild Wild Science Journal: A small section of a GigaPan photo of an excellence through robust strategic planning About AGU cont. on next page “Images of the big Christmas storm” Archean conglomerate with detrital pyrite, (http://goo.gl/OLya0) posted on the Mountain Beltway blog. The citations and responses for the 2012 awards and prize winner SHARE YOUR SCIENCE will be published in sharingscience.agu.org the 15 January issue of Eos.

012-1014 Student Travel Grants

Snow Mountain Ranch, Colorado, USA 8 – 13 June 2013

COMMUNICATING CLIMATE SCIENCE: A HISTORIC LOOK TO THE FUTURE The conference will bring together scientists, social scientists, and journalists to discuss both the history and recent advances in the understanding of climate science and how to Want to go to the Meeting of the Americas communicate that science to policy makers, the media, and society. in Cancun this May? ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 5 February, 11:59 p.m. EST Apply for a Student Travel Grant to get you there! For more information on submission policies and guidelines, the program, conveners, registration, and housing details, visit: chapman.agu.org/climatescience/ Application Due: February 15 To apply, visit education.agu.org/grants

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22 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

About AGU cont. from page 22 AGU ConGressionAl SCienCe FellowShip every member—and every potential mem- ready to design solutions and sponsors will- ber—have a role model in the organization ing to provide the funds to achieve those Application now open with whom to identify and connect. solutions. You will be hearing much more I want to see us focus on ensuring diversity about this project in the coming months. in the types of awards we give and the nomina- A focus of my presidency for the next tions we receive, as well as in the committees 2 years is to engage the members with AGU As an AGU Congressional Science Fellow you will be assigned to and task forces charged with selecting the win- programs, with one another to improve net- the staff of a member of Congress or a congressional committee ners. By doing this, we will not only improve working and collaboration, and with mem- our ability to adequately recognize the amaz- bers of the community, policy leaders, and with duties that may include drafting legislation, organizing ing work being done by AGU members, from society at large to communicate the excite- congressional hearings, meeting with lobbyists or constituents, luminaries to up-and-comers around the ment, importance, and benefit of our sci- world, but we will also create a more inclu- ence. I invite you to step forward and partici- and writing speeches. sive pool of role models to inspire the next pate not only in the scientific enterprise of generation of Earth and space scientists. your specialty but also with other disciplines Applications due 1 February 2013 I am also really excited about the Thriv- and the public. Only together, as a commu- ing Earth Exchange, which promises to be nity of dedicated volunteer leaders, talented For more information and to apply visit www.agu.org a vehicle to apply our excellent science to staff, and an engaged and energized mem- critical problems facing society. Through the bership, can we achieve our vision for AGU and search keywords - Science Policy Fellowship. Thriving Earth Exchange, AGU will become as an authoritative source for Earth and a driving force toward allowing scientists to space science and a source of solutions for more easily apply their expertise for specific society’s pressing issues. and lasting societal benefit. It will do this by 012_919 connecting communities seeking solutions —Carol Finn, President, AGU, E-mail: president@ to societal challenges with AGU members agu.org JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITY Causes and Consequences of the Extended Solar Minimum Between Solar Cycles 23 and 24 (4CESM) Are you a student or post-doc interested in The most recent solar minimum provided the scientific community with an exceptional opportunity to assess the working as a science reporter? Each summer, AGU nature and structure of a very quiet Sun, a weak solar wind, and an upper atmosphere relatively devoid of solar sponsors one Earth or space scientist’s fellowship in influences. a newspaper, radio or TV newsroom as part of the The conference will provide a platform for an interdisciplinary discussion to determine the current state of our under- standing of the Sun during a protracted minimum and the associated terrestrial effects. AAAS Mass Media Fellows program. Past fellows have worked at the National Public Radio, CNN, ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE: 8 JANUARY, 11:59 p.m. EST

U.S. News & World Report, and more. For more information on submission policies and guidelines, conveners, registration, and housing details, visit: chapman.agu.org/solarminimum/ Application Deadline: January 15

To apply now, visit www.aaas.org and search for keywords “mass media fellowship application.”

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approaches that range from theoretical to statistical Department of Earth and Environmental Studies to numerical modeling. at Montclair State University. The specialist will The appointee must have completed a Ph.D. assist students, faculty, and visitors with sample CLASSIFIED in, or a field related to, the Earth, Atmospheric, or preparation and analysis using our ICP-OES, ICP- Planetary Sciences at the time of employment. The MS, GC/MS, AA, XRD, HPLC, IC, CHNS analyzer, appointee is expected to develop and maintain and ancillary equipment. The successful applicant a vigorous, externally funded, internationally will have experience working with a wide range of ADVERTISING INFORMATION recognized research program and to teach and geologic and environmental materials, experience mentor students at the undergraduate and graduate with operation and maintenance of ICP instruments Eos is published every Tuesday, except the last week of December. For a classified or display adver- levels. Applications will be accepted until March 1, and one or more of the instruments listed above, tisement to be published in a future issue of Eos, electronic copy must reach us by 23:59 eastern time, 2013, with applicant screening beginning on January experience overseeing chemical hygiene and 9 days prior (Sunday) to publication, except around certain holidays, which have earlier deadlines. 1, 2013. Additional information on EAPS can be found safety, and possess excellent communication No cancellations accepted after deadline. at http://www.eaps.purdue.edu. To apply, submit: and interpersonal skills. A Masters degree in a (1) a cover letter, including names of three people STEM discipline and at least 3 years of experience For inquiries on advertising pricing and availability: who may be asked to send letters of reference; (2) a is required. Strong knowledge of computers curriculum vita; and (3) statements of research and and electronics is highly desirable. Electronic E-mail: [email protected] Phone: +1-202-777-7536 Facsimile: +1-202-777-7478 teaching experience and interests, to thompsow@ applications are preferred, and should consist purdue.edu with the subject line “Regional to Global- of one single PDF or .doc file that includes a Scale Earth System Dynamics”. A background check CV, statement of technical skills, description of is required for employment in this position. research and laboratory management experience, POSITIONS AVAILABLE Sciences (EAPS) invites applications for a tenure Purdue University is an Equal Opportunity/ and the names and contact information for at least track faculty position, at the rank of Assistant Equal Access/Affirmative Action employer fully three references. Send electronic applications to Atmospheric Sciences Professor, in large-scale, Earth-system dynamics. committed to achieving a diverse workforce. [email protected]. Hardcopies can We are particularly interested in candidates who be sent to Dr. Stefanie Brachfeld, Department Regional to Global-Scale Earth-System investigate the spatial and/or temporal links Geochemistry of Earth and Environmental Studies, Montclair Dynamics. between large-scale atmospheric processes State University, Montclair, NJ 07043. Review In support of its unique program in climate and phenomena occurring at local scales. The Analytical Instrumentation Specialist. of applications will begin on January 28, 2013. and extreme weather, Purdue University’s expectation is that the successful candidate We seek an analytical instrumentation Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary will work across scales, using novel integrative specialist to support research and teaching in the Classified cont. on page 24

23 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

24 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

Classified APPLICATION: Review of applications http://biogeochem.fsu.edu/ begins January 14, 2013; position open until Women and members of minority groups are cont. from page 24 filled. Send letter of application, CV, statement especially encouraged to apply. The review of of teaching/research goals, and three letters applications will begin immediately and continue of recommendation directly from referees to: until the closing date of January 18, 2013. Please Montclair State University is an Equal Opportunity/ geochemistry, fluid inclusion analysis, and/or Geological Sciences Search Committee, Dept. of send a pdf of your cover letter, curriculum vitae, Affirmative Action institution. Additional organic petrography. Geological Sciences, California State University, research statement, teaching philosophy and information can be found on the MSU website at -Experience in one or more analytical Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd. Long Beach, contact information for three references to: www.montclair.edu. Please got to https://oit-app2. techniques including but not limited to CA 90840-3902;Telephone: (562) 985-4809; Email: Prof. William Landing, Department of Earth, montclair.edu/xf/hr_jobpostings/details.php?id=278 chromatography, mass spectrometry, isotopic [email protected]. CSULB is an Equal Ocean and Atmospheric Science, Florida State to view the full job announcement analysis, solid-state characterization, and/or Opportunity Employer University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4320; www.eoas. organic petrography. Assistant Professor Position in fsu.edu, [email protected]. -Creative, adept at team work, and able to drive Florida State University is a Public Records Paleoclimatology, Biogeochemistry, projects to completion. Hydrology Environmental Geochemistry and Carbon Agency and an Equal Opportunity-Equal Access- -Strong communication, organization, and Affirmative Action Employer. Sequestration, Institute of Surficial interpersonal skills. Visiting Assistant Professor of Hydrology/ Full-time Geochemistry(ISG), Nanjing University. -Industry or post-graduate experience in Hydrogeology at Oberlin College. non-continuing beginning Fall 2013 for a term Ocean-climate Modeling PhD Fellowship. The ISG, a Ministry of Education Key petroleum geochemistry and/or experience in of one year to teach five courses in the area We are seeking PhD applicants to join the Ocean Laboratory at Nanjing University, China, is seeking integrated hydrocarbon systems analysis including of hydrology or hydrogeology with secondary and Climate modeling group in the Department of qualified candidates worldwide to fill multiple basin modeling would be a plus. interest in sedimentology or geochemistry. Earth and Environmental Science of the University positions in geology/low temperature geochemistry/ The candidate filling this position will be Ph.D. required in hand or by Fall 2013. Send all of Pennsylvania. Topics of interest include: atmospheric sciences/marine sciences/ expected to immediately contribute to on-going documents to: Karla Parsons-Hubbard, Geology, variability of the global physical climate on various environmental sciences/hydrology or any closely projects as well as formulate and direct future Oberlin College, 52 West Lorain Street, Carnegie time scales and links with ocean biogeochemistry related fields. ISG provides a cutting-edge, multi- endeavors. Collaboration is required with 403, Oberlin, OH 44074 by 2/08/13. See: http://new. and ecology; large scale controls of the oceanic disciplinary research platform aiming at exploring corporation geoscientists and engineers with and developing new approaches and theories, oberlin.edu/ sink for atmospheric CO2; including evolutionary a broad range of disciplines, including organic concepts into ecological models and coupling them as well as methodologies and their applications geochemistry, stratigraphy, structural and to the research of earth’s surface system. For to global climate models. Please contact Prof. Irina regional geology, hydrocarbon-system integration, Ocean Sciences Marinov at [email protected] if interested. assistant professor position, a salary package of 200 analytical chemistry, reservoir engineering, and thousands RMB annual salary, startup funds and Additional information is available on our website at production engineering. ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, CHEMICAL https://climate.sas.upenn.edu housing bonus is offered. Please submit your application and resume to OCEANOGRAPHY The Florida State Applications include a letter of application, our website: www.exxonmobil.comex. Please apply University. curriculum vitae, publication list, summary of Postdoctoral Associates. to Job No. 16211. The Department of Earth, Ocean and The Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences academic achievements (within 500 words), ExxonMobil is an Equal Opportunity Employer Atmospheric Science at Florida State University statement of future work plans (within 1 page), at Rutgers University is seeking Postdoctoral is seeking applications for a Ph.D.-level chemical Associates in the areas of biological, chemical, and two references. For further information and TENURE-TRACK Position Environmental oceanographer to fill a nine-month, tenure-earning submission of applications, please contact: Dr. geological and physical oceanography. Prospective (low temperature) Geochemist Department appointment at the Assistant Professor level to candidates should foster creative research avenues Yang Chen (phone: 8625-83686042, of Geological Sciences, California State begin as soon as August 2013. email: [email protected]). and interactions among existing research programs University Long Beach. The position involves research, teaching and faculty expertise. These fellowships are one Assistant or Associate Professor: Rank (at the graduate and undergraduate level), and year renewable appointments. Applications are Petroleum Geochemist - Houston. and salary depend upon qualifications and service. The successful candidate will have presently being accepted and evaluated on an ExxonMobil Upstream Research Company has experiences. Start date: August 23, 2013. completed a Ph.D. degree (or equivalent) in ongoing basis. However, applications received an immediate opening for a Petroleum Geochemist QUALIFICATIONS: Ph.D. in the Geological chemical oceanography, marine biogeochemistry, by February 15, 2013 will receive the fullest at its Upstream Research Laboratory located in Sciences or closely related field and record environmental chemistry, or a closely related attention. To apply, please email a curriculum vitae, Houston, Texas. of successful, grant-supported research in field and will have had post-doctoral research statement of research interest, and names of 3 The succesful candidate will conduct research environmental geochemistry with focus on low- experience. A well-qualified candidate will have references to Dr. Richard A. Lutz (Director, Institute and research applications in organic geochemistry. temperature fluid-solid earth material interaction. a record that reflects their high level of research of Marine and Coastal Sciences): postdocsearch@ Our investigations focus on developing broad Candidate must be able to communicate productivity. marine.rutgers.edu (please include “Postdoc” in understanding and predictive models of geological effectively with an ethnically and culturally diverse We are particularly interested in a person who the subject line). Rutgers is an Equal Opportunity/ processes involved in hydrocarbon systems ranging campus community and demonstrate potential will complement our existing strengths in light Affirmative Action Employer. from deposition and evolution of source rocks, for excellence in teaching and for developing stable isotopes, microbial biogeochemistry, and generation, expulsion and retention of oil and and sustaining an independent, externally trace element cycling (see faculty research at http:// Solid Earth Geophysics gas, and migration, accumulation, and alteration funded research program involving students. ocean.fsu.edu/Faculty.php) and who will expand of hydrocarbons. Our research goals are tied to Demonstrated excellence in teaching and a our curriculum by teaching in our Environmental Texas A&M University-Kingsville Assistant addressing both immediate concerns and emerging record of published research in environmental Sciences undergraduate major and in our Chemical Professor of Geosciences. trends in exploration, development, and production. geochemistry are desired. The successful Oceanography and Biogeochemistry graduate The Department of Physics & Geosciences Candidates should have the following candidate will utilize the broad range of analytic programs, as described on these web sites: at Texas A&M University-Kingsville invites qualifications: instrumentation in the Signal Hill Environmental http://www.eoas.fsu.edu/Earth-Ocean-and- applications for a tenure-track, field-oriented -A Ph.D. in petroleum geochemistry, analytical Geochemistry laboratory and the CSULB Institute Atmospheric-Science/Undergraduate-Education/ Assistant Professor of Geosciences with primary chemistry, organic geochemistry or related field. for Integrated Research in Materials, Environment, Environmental-Science-Undergraduate-Degrees expertise in mineralogy/petrology, and supporting -Experience in one or more areas pertinent and Society. http://www.eoas.fsu.edu/Earth- interests in at least one of the following: ore to petroleum geochemistry including but not For further information, see http://www.csulb. Ocean-and-Atmospheric-Science/ limited to molecular geochemistry, stable isotope edu/divisions/aa/personnel/jobs/cnsm/. Graduate-Education Classified cont. on page 26

25 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

Classified cont. from page 25

deposits, petroleum geology, regional tectonics, expected to teach introductory geology courses hydrogeology, geochemistry or geospatial analysis, and undergraduate and graduate courses in beginning August 2013. Review of applications geophysics, advise graduate students and enhance will begin January 15, 2013, and continue until the the department’s externally funded research position is filled. Primary responsibilities of the program in geophysics. The department has a broad faculty member will be to: 1) offer undergraduate range of resources and existing facilities that the courses in mineralogy, petrology (igneous and candidate can utilize including modern terrestrial metamorphic), physical geology and/or earth reflection and refraction seismology hardware, high- science, and other courses relevant to his/her resolution marine seismic equipment, broadband research interests; 2) help coordinate a rapidly seismometers, a gravimeter, magnetic gradiometer, growing field camp program; 3) help sustain a terrestrial lidar imaging system and ground successful recruiting program for undergraduates penetrating radar. Modern computer equipment and in all areas of the geosciences; and 4) develop and software includes a Cray High Performance Cluster maintain a robust, widely recognized research and industry standard seismic processing and agenda. Candidates must be comfortable working interpretation software. Details regarding existing across disciplines, teaching introductory and research programs, related department equipment advanced courses to a diverse student body, and facilities are found at http://www.geo.ua.edu. and mentoring undergraduate research projects. Questions should be directed to Andrew Goodliffe, The ability to obtain external funding for faculty [email protected]. A complete application includes a CV, and student research is vital, as is an overall research statement, teaching statement and names commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and contact information for at least three referees. and service. A Ph.D. in Geology is preferred, Applications must be submitted electronically at although applicants with a doctoral degree in facultyjobs.ua.edu. Applications will be reviewed a related area and significant expertise in the beginning February 4, 2013 and will continue until relevant fields of expertise will be considered. the position is filled. Following a period of release from at least one The University of Alabama is an Equal course per semester, the faculty member normally Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer and will teach one or two upper division courses actively seeks diversity in its employees. as well as two courses in introductory physical geology or earth science each semester. Salary Visiting Assistant Professor in Sedimentary and benefits are competitive. Geology University of Nevada Las Vegas. The full advertisement of this position is on The Department of Geoscience at UNLV invites https://javjobs.tamuk.edu/ . applications for a full time, 9-month, non-tenure track faculty position for the 2013-2014 academic The University of Alabama Department of year with the possibility of extension of funding Geological Sciences-Geophysics. for up to three years. Primary responsibilities The Department of Geological Sciences at are teaching of upper division and graduate The University of Alabama invites applications courses in Sedimentary Geology. Additional for a three-year, non-tenure track visiting faculty responsibilities include introductory level courses position in geophysics beginning August 16, for non-science majors, and participation in 2013. The position will be filled at the Assistant teaching field geology. Preferences will be Professor level. Though open to all geophysical given to applicants with expertise in field-based sub-disciplines, preference will be given to sedimentology/stratigraphy. The Department candidates who will enhance our existing seeks a dynamic and enthusiastic individual geophysics research programs in earthquake with a commitment to undergraduate and seismology and exploration geophysics. This graduate education. A minimum requirement is position will also complement existing programs a Ph.D. degree in geoscience or sub-discipline of in tectonics, petrology, petroleum systems and geoscience from a regionally accredited College hydrogeology. Candidates must have a strong or University. Salary is commensurate with record of research and a Ph.D. in geophysics, qualifications and experience. geology, or a related field by the time of appointment. The successful candidate will be Classified cont. on next page

26 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

research proposal (5 pages maximum), and the tuition and health insurance. The department has Classified names and addresses of at least three references 10 tenured/tenure-track faculty, 3 lecturers, and cont. from page 26 no later than January 15, 2013. Applications should 11 adjuncts at the Kentucky Geological Survey be sent to [email protected]. and the UK Center for Applied Energy Research. The University of Michigan is an affirmative Research specializations include geochemistry, The department (http://geoscience.unlv.edu/) For additional questions, contact Dan Shen at action/equal opportunity employer. Women and geophysics, hydrogeology, igneous/metamorphic has an enthusiastic faculty of 21, undergraduate 202-358-4760 or [email protected]. minorities are encouraged to apply. petrology, sedimentary geology, and tectonics. and M.S./Ph.D. degree programs, and state of the Facilities include the Sedimentary, Environmental art laboratory facilities including stable isotope, Interdisciplinary/Other University of Michigan Water Center and Radiochemical Research Laboratory; a state- argon geochronology, XRF/XRD, soils, and Postdoctoral Fellowships. of-the art stable isotope laboratory; the Kentucky electron microprobe/SEM labs. Postdoctoral position in Phosphorus Deadline: Application review will begin on Seismic and Strong-Motion Network; instruments Application materials must include a cover letter, Biogeochemistry University of Delaware. February 1, 2013 for potential field geophysics; electron microprobe curriculum vitae, statement of teaching philosophy Plant and Soil Science Department at The University of Michigan Water Center and X-ray diffraction laboratories; and extensive and interests, and contact information for five the University of Delaware is seeking an (http://graham.umich.edu/centers/water.php), the library holdings. UK is located in Lexington, referees. To receive full consideration, application energetic and enthusiastic applicant for a Cooperative Institute for Limnology & Ecosystems a vibrant community of nearly 300,000. The materials should be received by February 25, 2013. postdoctoral position in the area of phosphorus Research (CILER) (http://ciler.snre.umich.edu/), surrounding area offers a wealth of outdoor and Materials should be addressed to Dr. Michael Wells biogeochemistry. Particular experience in and affiliated UM faculty are seeking EIGHT cultural opportunities. For more information, visit ([email protected]), and are to be submitted phosphorus cycling in agricultural or coastal postdoctoral scholars to explore ecosystem http://ees.as.uky.edu or contact Dr. Alan Fryar, via on-line application at https://hrsearch.unlv.edu. environments, simulated laboratory experiments approaches to understanding the world’s greatest Director of Graduate Studies (859-257-4392 or alan. For assistance with UNLV’s on-line applicant portal, at biotic and abiotic interfaces, and/or phosphate lakes through a variety of qualitative and [email protected]). contact UNLV Employment Services at (702) 895- oxygen stable isotopes is required. Initial quantitative methods that address management 2894 or [email protected]. appointment is for one year and can be renewed needs for the Great Lakes and their watersheds. Graduate student opportunities with the Salary competitive with those at similarly for following years based on the satisfactory Fellowship start dates are negotiable through Multidisciplinary Applied Geochemistry situated institutions. Position is contingent upon performance. December 2013. Positions will be for a two- Network (MAGNET) in analytical, funding. UNLV is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Apply online at www.udel.edu/udjobs by year period, with extensions possible pending environmental and exploration geochemistry Action educator and employer committed to January 31, with anticipated start date of March 1, performance and funding availability. The (Canada). achieving excellence through diversity. 2013. Job ID: 101098 University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/ MAGNET seeks highly motivated students The UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE is an Equal affirmative action employer. to join our unique network of leading scientists, Space Physics Opportunity Employer. View the RFP for additional information, industry partners and state-of-the-art analytical including application instructions: http://graham. laboratories across Canada. Numerous MSc and VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT National Postdoctoral Research Opportunity at San umich.edu/pdf/water-postdoc-rfp.pdf PhD positions (with salary and travel stipends) Aeronautics and Space Administration Diego Supercomputer Center. available. Canadian and international applicants Science Mission Directorate Heliophysics San Diego Supercomputer Center at UCSD Student Opportunities welcome. Visit www.magnet.eos.ubc.ca or contact Division Washington, DC Director, invites applications for a postdoctoral research [email protected] for more information. Heliophysics Division Pay Plan-Series: position to support our team in software Graduate Assistantship (M.S and Ph.D) ES-1301 Salary Range: $119,554-$165,300 development for computational solid Earth opportunities available for Fall 2013 in PhD positions: Cross-scale Biogeochemistry Area of Consideration: Open to all qualified sciences. The postdoctoral position will offer the Department of Geosciences, Western and Climate. Predicting future climate requires individuals Open: December 14, 2012 Closes: research opportunities in development of Michigan University. an improved understanding of atmospheric February 14, 2013 petascale modeling package for dynamic Teaching and Research Assistantships are greenhouse gas concentrations which are directly The Director, Heliophysics, reports directly rupture and wave propagation simulations, with available for the Fall semester (September, emitted by human activities, as well as having to the Associate Administrator (AA) Science access to world-class HPC facilities for frontier 2013) in the M.S. and Ph.D. programs. Financial important natural sources and sinks. Cornell, Mission Directorate (SMD) and supports the research in seismic modeling.. The immediate support includes stipend and tuition for two or the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, and the AA in directing, determining and presenting projects involve extending GPU functionality more years (M.S.) or three or more years (Ph.D.). National Center for Atmospheric Research are the Heliophysics Program to NASA senior of the GPU-based AWP-ODC, a finite difference The Department of Geosciences consists of 11 partners in a new NSF-IGERT program designed to management, the Office of Management and wave propagation code, and development of a faculty who maintain active research programs train graduate students in microbial, ecosystem, Budget, the Office of Science and Technology community IO library supporting SCEC petascale in aqueous geochemistry, biogeochemistry, and global-scale approaches for advancing Policy, Congress and the science community. applications. The successful candidate will be a stable isotope studies, paleo-basin analysis, understanding of biogeochemical controls on Major Duties graduate majoring in Earth Sciences, Computer/ hydrogeology, contaminant and reservoir greenhouse gas concentrations and global climate. In partnership with other SMD Division Directors, Computational Science, Computer Engineering, hydrology, stratigraphy and petroleum reservoir Students will apply to work with individual faculty, the Director, Heliophysics Division, will support Electric Engineering, or Applied Mathematics. studies, carbon sequestration, remote sensing/ but participate in cross-disciplinary, cross-scale the AA in providing the overall guidance, strategy, Experience of MPI, Fortran, C or C++ languages GIS, geoinformatics, shallow earth geophysics, research in a collaborative environment across advocacy and budget formulation for NASA’s Science and UNIX operating systems are required; hands- glacial geology, Rocky Mountain and Argentina multiple departments and institutions. Minority Program and is responsible for the following: on experience with the software development, tectonics, slope stability analysis, and geosciences and female students are especially encouraged to --Establish policy and objectives as a basis MPI-IO, and/or parallel file systems will be a plus. education. Effective October 11, 2011 the Michigan apply. Deadlines vary by field from December 1 to for the planning and formulation of a national The ideal candidate will also have a background Geological Survey became part of the Department February 1. Multiple Ph.D. positions are available program in Heliophysics science; direct the in computational seismology. Excellent oral/ of Geosciences providing opportunities for across many departments at Cornell, conducting planning and implementation of a national written communication skills are required student participation in the Survey’s mapping, innovative lab, field and modeling work. See Heliophysics program which is compatible with for working in a diverse, multidisciplinary assessment and research activities. The www.biogeo.cornell.edu or email biogeo@cornell. the priorities of the scientific community and environment. The position is initially for 12 Department of Geosciences affiliated Michigan edu for more details. with a balanced NASA program; implement months with possibility of extension to three Geological Repository for Research and Education and manage a program for scientific flight years. More info about the position can be found (MGRRE) maintains an extensive collection of Undergrad Research Internships in investigations; and plan and formulate at http://hpgeoc.sdsc.edu/Yifeng_Postdoc_ drill cores that provide excellent opportunities for Seismology and Geophysics. recommendations for future flight programs. posting_SDSC_2.2012.pdf. Direct questions to Dr. creative subsurface studies. Dedicated research Seeking physics, geoscience and math --Develop budgets, policies and priorities for Yifeng Cui, [email protected]. laboratories are also maintained for mass majors for seismology related-research projects. the programs under his/her cognizance, spectrometry, contaminant hydrology, aqueous Projects may involve the deployment of seismic Including providing scientific and technical Turner Postdoctoral Fellowship University of geochemistry, remote sensing/GIS/informatics, instruments in the field and/or analyses of seismic leadership required to guide implementation of Michigan. geotechnical studies, near-surface geophysics, data in the lab. The goal of each project is to relevant programs at NASA Field Centers, other The Department of Earth and Environmental and basin subsidence analysis. One of the leading produce results for presentation at a national Government research laboratories, academia and Sciences at the University of Michigan invites hydrogeology field camps in the country. Our scientific meeting. Participants receive high- private industry. applications for the Turner Postdoctoral graduates have an excellent record of employment quality mentoring, integration into a rich peer --Ensure an effective program of research Fellowship. This highly competitive fellowship is in academia and industry. Please submit community, opportunities to explore career paths and analysis of Heliophysics science data and open to all fields within Earth Sciences. application by February 15, 2013. Application in seismology, and financial compensation. dissemination of results of the studies to the The Department is interested in innovative materials can be obtained by downloading the Apply your knowledge. Explore your future. general public and to the scientific community research proposals that can be pursued in forms from http://www.wmich.edu/geology. For Contribute to science. through scientific publications, symposia, collaboration with a faculty member. Interested additional information contact Amy Stonerock Deadline: February 1, 2013 www.iris.edu/hq/ colloquia, press releases and press conferences. applicants are encouraged to contact prospective ([email protected] or 269-387-5485). internship --Responsible for liaison with the scientific hosts ahead of the application deadline to Western Michigan University is an affirmative community through advisory committees and discuss areas of common interest and potential action/equal opportunity employer consistent University of Florida Water Institute other entities such as the National Academy collaborations (http://www.lsa.umich.edu/earth/ with applicable federal and state law. All qualified Interdisciplinary PhD Fellowships. Impacts of Sciences; coordinates the requirements of people/faculty). applicants are encouraged to apply. of Sea Level Change on Coastal Aquifers, Water Heliophysics studies with the international Turner Postdoctoral Fellows receive an annual Resources, and Ecosystems. This program will community and other Federal Agencies. salary of $55,000, discretionary research funds Graduate Assistantships and Fellowships, provide 4 years of support for PhD Fellows to work How to Apply totaling $10,000, and a generous benefits package. University of Kentucky. The Department collaboratively addressing issues related to sea To access the full announcement that The fellowship is awarded for a one-year period, of Earth and Environmental Sciences at the level changes including: ecology, geochemistry, contains additional qualification and application with an anticipated extension for a second year. University of Kentucky has assistantships and aquifer dynamics, potable water supplies or other procedures, visit the USAjobs website, Interested applicants should send a single fellowships available for the 2013-14 academic topics related to students’ interests Link: http:// Announcement HQ13S0003. pdf file with the following: a curriculum vitae, year for MS and PhD students. All awards include waterinstitute.ufl.edu/WIGF/

27 Eos VOLUME 94 NUMBER 2 8 JANUARY 2013

Global tropical cyclone activity the termination shock were primarily com- ability of global models to accurately rep- to decrease with climate change pressive fluctuations in field strength along resent long-term climate changes. (Jour- the direction of the motion of the plan- nal of Geophysical ­Research–​­Atmospheres, Given its strong dependence on sea sur- ets around the Sun. The fluctuations were doi:10.1029/​2012JD018091, 2012) —CS face temperatures and atmospheric condi- observed on time scales of several hours. tions, tropical cyclone activity is expected The researchers also observed that the High-frequency flux transfer to be strongly affected by climate change. intensity of ­high-​­energy cosmic rays (above events detected near Mercury With observational records suggesting that 70 megaelectron volts per nucleon) tended tropical North Atlantic hurricane activity to rise with increasing magnetic field The physical process that creates con- has increased in recent decades, some sci- strength and increasing magnetic fluctua- nections between the magnetic fields ema- entists have suggested that global tropical tions. This was contrary to expectations, as nating from the Sun and a planet—a pro- cyclone activity will increase as the planet theories predict that charged cosmic rays cess known as magnetic ­reconnection—​ warms. Using an ensemble atmosphere would be scattered by fluctuations in the ­creates a portal through which solar general circulation model, however, Sugi magnetic field. The authors suggest that plasma can penetrate the planetary mag- and Yoshimura found that global tropical compressive fluctuations of the magnetic netic field. The opening of these portals, Imager Land Advanced NASA’s Extreme flooding in the Watson river in west- cyclone activity has undergone a long-term field may play a role in accelerating ener- known as flux transfer events (FTEs), takes ern Greenland following the extreme melt decline from 1872 to the present—a trend getic particles in the heliosheath. (Journal place roughly every 8 minutes at Earth and across nearly the entire surface of the Green- they found should continue throughout the of Geophysical ­Research–​­Space Physics, spawns a rope of streaming plasma that land Ice Sheet. coming century. They found that the rate of doi:10.1029/​2012JA017894, 2012) —EB is typically about half of the radius of the global tropical cyclone activity decreased Earth. As early as 1985, scientists analyzing by 12.4 hurricanes per century—8.7 fewer Regional models do not add much the Mariner 10 observations, collected dur- Sheet, after the surface ice had refrozen to hurricanes per century in the Northern value to climate change projections ing their 1974–1975 flybys, have known that seasonal levels, a second episode pushed Hemisphere and 3.7 fewer in the Southern FTEs also occur at Mercury. However, using the melt area back up to 79.2%. Compiling Hemisphere. Global general circulation models are the the measurements returned from the MEr- measurements from three different satellite The authors used a ­high-​­resolution model dominant tool in the effort to forecast the cury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochem- systems and from in-the-field observations, that divided the Earth into ­60-square-​ effects of climate change. Given the expan- istry, and Ranging (­MESSENGER) spacecraft Nghiem et al. describe the extent of the melt. ­kilometer boxes with 64 atmospheric levels sive scope of these models, some simplifi- now orbiting Mercury, Slavin et al. found The authors suggest that warm air ridges each. From 1872 to 2003, the authors pre- cations need to be made when representing that Mercurial flux transfer events are pro- stagnating over Greenland, coincident with scribed sea surface temperatures, green- ­smaller-​­scale processes, such as the effects portionally much larger, stronger, and more the melt episodes, may have underlain the house gas concentrations, and aerosol of regional topography. To compensate, frequent than those at Earth. extensive melting. forcings that aligned with observations. regional climate models are sometimes Over a ­25-minute period on 11 April 2011, Given the extreme nature of the event, For 2003–2099, they used projected val- used to incorporate local influences and, in ­MESSENGER detected 163 FTEs near Mer- the authors supported the detection with ues reflective of a moderate societal push theory, improve the accuracy of projections cury’s magnetopause. The individual events observations from three satellite-­ ​­based sen- toward renewable energy sources. The of regional climate change. In testing the took 2 to 3 seconds to move past the space- sors: a scatterometer aboard the Indian researchers found that the drop in global abilities of a regional model and a global craft, and the events were separated by 8 to Space Agency’s ­Oceansat-2 satellite, a pas- hurricane activity was driven by a reduc- model to represent historically observed 10 seconds. Using a model of FTE motion, sive microwave radiometer carried by a tion in upward mass transport in hurri- climate change for the continental United the authors found that the events were likely U.S. defense satellite, and the Moderate cane formation regions. As the tempera- States, however, Racherla et al. found that initiated near the planet’s southern magnetic Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ture increases, so does atmospheric stabil- the regional model provided only a small pole before traveling to ­MESSENGER’s loca- aboard NASA’s Aqua and Terra satellites. ity, a shift that limits convective transport increase in model accuracy and in some tion at the nightside magnetopause. Model- The satellite sensors each detected the sur- and thus tempers the formation of tropical cases actually made the forecasts worse. ing the changes in the observed magnetic face melt in different ways and thus, when cyclones. (Geophysical Research Letters, The authors used a regional model to field as the flux transfer events passed over taken together, supported the overall find- doi:10.1029/​2012GL053360, 2012) —CS dynamically downscale a global model, cre- ­MESSENGER, the authors determined that ing of the extensive melt. The authors also ating representations of the continental U.S. FTEs had elliptical cross sections with a found melting at field sites around Green- Voyager observes magnetic field climate for two periods, 1967 to 1978 and mean semimajor axis of about one sixth of land, including Summit Station, a high-­ ​ fluctuations in heliosheath 1994 to 2005. The authors ran the regional the radius of Mercury. The authors suggest ­altitude base that does not typically see model in two modes: as a ­stand-​­alone model that if MESSENGER­ had not orbited out of seasonal melting, and the North Greenland For the past several years, as the two Voy- and with the calculations being nudged, or the path of the events emanating from the Eemian Ice Drilling site, where it rained on ager spacecraft near the outer reaches of the constrained, by the global model. They also southern magnetic pole, then FTEs likely the days surrounding the 12 July melt. The solar system, they have been sending back operated the global model in two modes: at would have continued to be detected until authors note that a series of similar melt observations that challenge scientists’ views its standard resolution and with the results the interplanetary magnetic field conditions events during the Medieval Warm Period of the physics at the edge of the heliosphere, being interpolated to simulate a higher res- became unfavorable for reconnection. (Jour- were separated from the two contemporary the bubble created by charged particles olution. They then compared the model nal of Geophysical Research–­ ​­Space Physics, instances by the Little Ice Age. (Geophysical flowing outward from the Sun. A new study results against precipitation and temperature doi:10.1029/​2012JA017926, 2012) —CS Research Letters, doi:10.1029/​2012GL053611, looks at magnetic field fluctuations and cos- observations. 2012) —CS mic ray intensity observed by Voyager 1. The authors found that when nudged, Near-total surface melt detected In 2004, Voyager 1 crossed the termina- the regional model outperformed the inter- on the Greenland Ice Sheet Soft electron precipitation explains tion shock, the region where the solar wind polated global model in representing the thermosphere mass enhancements begins to slow as it interacts with the inter- climate of the individual decadal periods. On 12 July 2012, 98.6% of the surface of stellar medium. Just outside the termination The nudged regional model was also more the Greenland Ice Sheet melted, an event From 2000 to 2010, a German satellite car- shock is the heliosheath, where the solar accurate than the global model at represent- so expansive that a similar episode had not rying the Challenging Minisatellite Payload wind continues to slow, reaching a stagna- ing observed climate changes between the previously been seen in the satellite era. Ice (CHAMP) orbited the Earth, tracking the tion region where solar wind speed drops to two periods, though the authors suggest nei- core records indicate that the most recent properties of the thermosphere—­ ​­the atmo- zero. Burlaga and Ness studied the magnetic ther setup was particularly skilled. When melting event of this scale was 123 years spheric layer that starts roughly 90 kilome- field observed by Voyager 1 during 2010, left unnudged, the regional model was less ago. The one before that occurred another ters above the surface and coincides with when the spacecraft was moving through accurate than the interpolated global model 7 centuries prior, during the Medieval Warm the lower layers of the ionosphere. In ana- this stagnation region. Their analysis shows on all counts. The authors suggest that Period. Just 2 weeks following the near-­ ​­total lyzing CHAMP’s observations, researchers that magnetic field fluctuations outside future efforts should focus on improving the melt of the surface of the Greenland Ice came across an anomaly: 400 kilometers above the Earth in two different regions in the thermosphere, the density was persis- Regional shifts in snowfall, melt tently higher than scientists expected given in the intermountain west model calculations. The density enhance- The freshwater supplies of the Ameri- ments were found in two places: at the day- can West rely, for the most part, on snow. side cusp—the polar region where terrestrial The Colorado River, the Rio Grande, and magnetic field lines create a funnel for the other rivers in the intermountain west— solar wind—and in the auroral region on the bounded by the Sierra Nevada and Cas- planet’s nightside. Though researchers had cade mountains to the west and the Rock- identified these anomalous regions, they ies to the east—are the main sources of have so far been unable to identify a mecha- water for one of the driest parts of the con- nism to explain them. tinent, and their flows are predominantly Using a coupled ­magnetosphere-​ fed by the springtime melt of snow accu- ionosphere-­ thermosphere​­ model, Zhang mulated over the winter. With winter mean et al. found that the precipitation of low- temperatures rising in some places by as energy electrons into the F region of the ion- much as 2.5°C in the past 2 decades, some osphere could account for the differences scientists are concerned that the current between observations and previous mod- hydrological regime of the region could eling work. The authors ran the coupled be overthrown, with snow giving way to model both with and without representa- rain as the dominant form of precipitation. tions for soft electron precipitation. They Decreasing snow accumulation and ear- found that the presence of low-energy elec- lier snowmelt onset have been observed trons flowing into the ionosphere at the two in Colorado. Whether these trends extend anomalous regions—­ ​­the dayside cusp and the premidnight auroral ­region—​­caused

to the larger intermountain west region, Jones Christopher the electron density and the electron tem- however, is unknown. Researchers conduct a snow survey in the Valles Caldera National Preserve, New Mexico. Drawing on daily observations from 202 perature to increase. These shifts led to an snowpack telemetry (SNOTEL) stations, Using daily observations of snow depth, found that trends in these properties were increase in conductivity and in the resistive Harpold et al. found that although there ­snow-​­water equivalent, and the precipita- highly variable across the intermountain heating of thermospheric plasma, which, have been changes in snowpack behavior, tion rate from 1984 to 2009, the authors west but that negative trends were most in turn, caused an increase in the modeled the effects of rising temperatures on snow calculated the length of the ­snow-​­covered prominent in the Colorado River basin and mass density. (Geophysical Research Letters, properties are regionally variable. They season, the onset of melt, the date of max- in high-­ ​­elevation regions that were above doi: 10.1029/​2012GL053519, 2012) —CS suggest that a regime shift is not underway imum accumulation, and other parame- 2800 meters. (Water Resources Research, for the intermountain west. ters. Using a regional analysis the authors doi:10.1029/2012WR011949, 2012) —CS —Ernie Balcerak, Staff Writer, and Colin Schultz, Writer

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