Month: June 2016

Dear Colleague,

Since the Sea Change Report was issued in January 2015 with the recommendation to redirect funding from infrastructure support to research programs; the MGG division of NSF has been assessing its relative contributions to infrastructure and research funding within the geophysical community. As part of this effort, UNOLS is undertaking a survey that has been designed to determine how widespread marine seismic data collection and usage is within the geophysical community and its affiliated fields.  The results will be used to help to identify the instrumentation and methodology that are critical to answer the current questions in the field and also those that are necessary to meet the requirements of future science directions.

One outcome of the survey data results will be to assist in the determination on whether the UNOLS Marcus Langseth Science Oversight Committee, (MLSOC) could have its mandate broadened to become the Marine Seismic Oversight Committee (MSOC). This concept was presented by NSF at the UNOLS Council meeting held in May 2016. The proposed terms of reference for this new committee are to:

• Develop an ongoing mechanism for regional planning to inform NSF on research priorities based on U.S. community input
• Act to engage and coordinate international participation and to identify international resources that might be available to U.S. researchers
• Provide outreach tools and a feedback mechanism to the community
• Assist in identify emerging directions in marine seismic studies
• Engage and train the next generation of marine seismic researchers

The survey is available at:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MarineSeismicSurvey

The survey takes about 15 minutes to complete.

Through your feedback important and well informed decisions can be made and your input is both greatly needed and appreciated. Responses are requested by: 1 July 2016

Please share this survey with your colleagues. We hope to gather data from oceanographic researchers who are experienced sea-going scientists as well as early-career investigators.

Thank you and we look forward to hearing from you.

—

Special issue – 2015 Community Platform in the Aleutians!

In the summer of 2015, three teams of academic researchers along with scientists from the USGS & AVO set off on unprecedented coordinated research in the Aleutian Islands. They shared ship and helicopter time aboard the Maritime Maid, a helicopter-capable research vessel that traveled along more than 800 miles of volcanic arc, from Dutch Harbor in the east to Buldir Island in the west, transporting scientists and equipment on and off the islands. Combining “Reports from Field” from the GeoPRISMS scientists who took part in the field campaign to the Aleutians, this issue of the GeoPRISMS newsletter covers the excitement, trials, opportunities, and challenges the researchers experienced by deploying activities in such unique and remote geological settings.

Download your copy

Printed copies of the newsletter will be mailed soon.

The GeoPRISMS Office

Questions? Contact us at info@geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com

Dear GeoPRISMS Community,

/meetings/mini-workshops/

Mini-Workshops offer excellent opportunities to jump-start science discussions, as well as to coordinate implementation for future GeoPRISMS studies, both for primary sites and thematic studies. We encourage you to consider such an undertaking. The GeoPRISMS Office provides logistical support, a meeting room and refreshments. We do not cover any travel costs or per diem to the organizers or participants.

If you would like to host a GeoPRISMS-related Mini-Workshop in association with the 2016 AGU Fall Meeting (12-16 December), we invite you to submit your proposal to the GeoPRISMS Office at info@geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com. The proposals will be reviewed and ranked by the GeoPRISMS Steering and Oversight Committee (GSOC). The number of mini-workshops is limited but we expect to be able to host two to three events.

The deadline for upcoming Mini-Workshop proposals is July 1, 2016. The proposal guidelines are described on the GeoPRISMS website at: /meetings/mini-workshops/. We encourage you to contact the GeoPRISMS Office with questions or for advice prior to submitting at info@geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com.

We look forward to hearing your ideas.

-The GeoPRISMS Office and GSOC

Chapman Conference on “Submarine Volcanology: New Approaches and Research Frontiers” during the week of January 30 and February 3, 2017 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. 

This international conference aims to bring together researchers and students to discuss the past decade’s advances in understanding various types, mechanisms, consequences and tectonic environments of submarine volcanic eruptions. We also plan to take advantage of the assembled expertise to plot a course for possible future directions of submarine volcanology.

• Establish the current knowledge of oceanic volcanism across multiple disciplines.
• Identify the most important questions that should be the focus for future research.
• Provide a multidisciplinary forum for the exchange of ideas and new technologies/methodologies.
• Stimulate the formation of multidisciplinary collaborations that will address key research questions.
• Facilitate transfer of knowledge between scientists in different disciplines and career levels.

The meeting will have invited talks, contributed talks, workshops, and posters. There will be a single session each day, ensuring that attendees remain together to maximize interactions and exposure to new ideas and subjects. There will be a field trip on day 3 of the conference and field trips offered before and after as well.

We intend on creating an online survey in the next months prior to the conference which will solicit the community’s input at identifying the future priorities in terms of science, technology and data. The outcomes of this conference will be reported and publicly available with a list of future priorites and directions in submarine volcanology.

Please view information about this Chapman conference here: http://chapman.agu.org/submarinevolcanism/

Many thanks and we look forward to seeing you in 2017!

Chapman Convenors and Program Committee!

Organizers (Australia): R. Carey (University of Tasmania), R. Cas (Monash University), M. Coffin, J. McPhie and K. Orth (University of Tasmania)

Program Committee: W. Chadwick (Oregon State University, USA), R. Embley (NOAA Pacific Marine Laboratory, USA), J. White (University of Otago, New Zealand), M. Perfit (University of Florida, USA), R. Portner (Brown University)