Apply to Sail with the Alaska Amphibious Community Seismic Experiment: Apply now!


Opportunity for Graduate Students and Scientists: Sail on an Alaska Amphibious Community Seismic Experiment Expedition. Applications now being accepted!

Application Deadline: April 15, 2019

> Apply now

Cruise Dates (+/- 5 days; arrive 2 days before departure date):

  • Leg 1: June 6 – June 24, 2019 (R/V Marcus G. Langseth: active source seismic survey)
  • Leg 2: Aug 10 – Aug 29, 2019 (R/V Sikuliaq: passive OBS recovery)
  • Leg 3: Aug 27 – Sep 12, 2019 (R/V Marcus G. Langseth: passive OBS recovery)

Graduate students and scientists at all career stages are invited to sail with the Alaska Amphibious Community Seismic Experiment (AACSE, /research/community-projects/alaska/) aboard one active source seismic cruise during late Spring 2019, and two OBS recovery legs during the late summer and early fall of 2019. The AACSE is major shoreline-crossing community experiment focusing on the subduction zone offshore the Alaska Peninsula, which has been the site of North America’s largest recorded earthquakes as well as major volcanic hazards. Data are collected during the 15-month experiment using 75 broadband ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) and 30 land stations.

– OBSs will be recovered by two legs in August aboard the Global-Class R/V Sikuliaq and in September aboard the R/V Langseth. Participants will be involved with all aspects of the scientific process by assisting in OBS recoveries and with multibeam bathymetry data, documentation of the expedition, preparation of cruise reports, and documenting the cruise via social media.

– An active source seismic cruise will be conducted aboard the R/V Langseth in June. This cruise will include an educational component for those interested in learning about marine active source imaging methods.  Duties of participants on this cruise will include keeping acquisition logs, acquiring multibeam bathymetry and 3.5 KHz data, documentation of the expedition, preparation of cruise reports, and documenting the cruise via social media.

The PI team anticipates that berths for 4 to 6 additional students or scientists will be available on each leg.  The cruises will be aboard working vessels with 24-hours operations, and participants will be unable to return to shore during the expedition. Participants should anticipate difficult conditions including rough seas, long hours, close quarters, constant noise, foul odors, and limited medical facilities. Travel costs to and from the departure and arrival ports, meals, and lodging will be paid for Apply to Sail participants, but no stipend is included.

To apply to sail with the AACSE cruise, each applicant should submit a 2-page CV, a brief statement of interest, and a statement of relevant experience. Applicants who will be graduate students during the summer/fall of 2019 should also submit a letter of support from their graduate advisor. Applications should be submitted at the AASCE Apply to Sail website by April 15, 2019.  Please direct any questions about the Apply to Sail application process to Aubreya Adams (aadams@colgate.edu). Questions specific to the passive source cruises should be directed to Aubreya Adams, and questions regarding the active source cruise should be directed to Anne Becel (annebcl@ldeo.columbia.edu).