Estella Atekwana - US grants

This project integrates geophysics into the undergraduate hydrogeology and environmental programs. A 5-week environmental geophysics field course is being implemented and provides students with hands-on experience and applications of geophysical techniques necessary in resolving environmental, hydrogeological, and engineering problems. The aim is to provide the students with the essential principles and experience in the integrated use of several geophysical techniques and the ability to select the appropriate method(s) in addressing different environmental problems. Students work on specific projects in order to fulfill the following objectives: acquire, process, and interpret geophysical data, as well as provide written reports for their projects. This project specifically provides funding for state-of-the-art geophysical instrumentation. Several sites within Southwest Michigan have been selected as teaching sites for this new course. Ongoing hydrologic investigations at these sites have centered on aquifer characterization, contamination, and aquifer vulnerability problems. Using geophysical techniques, students characterize an aquifer and define contaminant plumes, thereby gaining valuable experience in the use of geophysics in addressing environmental problems.

0087795
Atekwana

Introduction of pollutants in the soil environment such as Light Non-Aqueous Phase Liquids (LNAPLs) after the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil media. Initially, the alteration of the soil properties is primarily physical as the LNAPL occupies pores of the resident soils. With time, the LNAPL undergoes changes driven by microbial-mediated processes that alter soil properties. Geophysical methods are able to detect freshly released LNAPLs in soils because their higher electrical resistivity readily distinguishes from background pore and groundwater. Nevertheless, many resistivity measurements of aged LNAPL spills reveal a decrease and not the expected increase. Hence, the key hypothesis to be addressed in this study is that shifts in geoelectrical signatures from resistive in "fresh spills" to conductive in "aged" or biodegrading spills accompany biogeochemical modifications of LNAPL in the impacted media. The work is driven by the need to gain a basic understanding of the dynamics that interrelate biological, chemical, geological, and hydrological processes in LNAPL-impacted soils and how these interrelations translate into measurable changes in the geoelectrical response. The objective is to experimentally document important soil physical and chemical parameters that result from microbial degradation of LNAPL and their role in controlling the soil's geoelectrical properties.

Our experiments use sterilized laboratory columns filled with sands from a field site impacted with LNAPL. Some of the columns are layered with LNAPL and inoculated with microbes from the field site. Positive and negative control columns are maintained. Geoelectrical measuremens are obtained using electrodes implanted in the columns. The experiments are designed to:

Verify microbial LNAPL degradation by monitoring changes in microbial types, population and community structure, and changes in the presence of potential electron donors; and

Document changes in soil physical (grain) properties and in pore fluid geochemistry.
Integrating geophysics, geochemistry, and microbiology will: (i) document how microbial degradation of LNAPLs and subsequent biogeochemical modifications of the impact media influence soil geoelectrical responses; (ii) support development of geoelectrical models necessary to quantify these biogeochemical processes; and (iii) provide a basis for extending laboratory geophysical degradation models to field sites contaminated with organic chemicals.

0217831
Atekwana

This award supports a three-year collaborative research project between Professor Estella Atekwana, with the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Missouri-Rolla, Professors Motsoptse Modisi and Henri Kampunzu, with the Department of Geology at the University of Botswana, and Professor Stanislas Sebagenzi, with the Department of Geological Sciences in the University of Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They will study geologic and tectonic processes during incipient rifting in the East African rift.

Rift basins represent the initial stages in the development of passive margins. They are also target areas for sediment accumulation, and these sediments typically contain paleoenvironmental and climatic indicators that can provide important clues to past climate and global change. The seismically active Southwestern Branch of the East African Rift system (EARS) is one of the few places in the world where embryonic rifting can be studied at the beginning of continental extension--before volcanism has occurred. Atekwana and her colleagues will conduct kinematic studies, using a combination of field data and remote sensing data from sites in Botswana, Zambia, and Democratic Republic of Congo, in order to: 1) assess the role of pre-existing structures on rift basin development; 2) determine fault kinematics and direction of the extension; 3) characterize the geometry of the basins, and the underlying crustal and lithospheric structure of the Southwestern Branch; 4) assess current models for fault array development and linkage to form border faults; and 5) develop tectonic and geologic models for the evolution of rifts during the incipient stages of continental extension. The group will also map zones of potential earthquake activity. This project combines Dr. Atekwana's expertise in environmental geophysics and tectonics, with Dr. Kampunzu's expert knowledge of African geology, and that of Dr. Modisi, who is a structural geologist. Dr. Sebagenzi has worked on the extension of the Southwestern rift in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia, and he will contribute field data for those locations as well as his gravity data. The project also includes the participation of a student from the University of Missouri-Rolla as well as a student from the University of Botswana.

The results of this project should expand the current knowledge about the geologic and tectonic processes that occur during the earliest stages of continental extension. The maps on potential earthquake activity will provide valuable hazard and mitigation information that can be applied to similar rifts that experience some of the largest and most damaging earthquakes in the world. The maps will also provide a detailed picture of the subsurface geology of this part of the Kalahari, which may be important for mineral resource exploration.

The Office of International Science and Engineering and the Division of Earth Sciences are jointly providing support for this project.

Bacteria have been shown to play an important role in geologic processes, however, their role in altering geophysical properties of rocks is not well understood, nor has it been thoroughly investigated. This project is a three-year collaboration between researchers at the University of Missouri-Rolla, Rutgers University, and Western Michigan University. Its purpose is to understand and measure geophysical changes resulting from microbial interactions with geologic media.
Specific objectives of the project are to conduct laboratory and field studies to investigate: (1) the effect of increases in microbial cell concentrations and biofilm formation on soil and sediment electrical properties, (2) the effect of metabolic by-products of microbial activity, such as biosurfactants and organic acids, on geophysical electrical measurements, (3) potential changes in petrophysical properties (e.g., permeability, porosity, surface area) induced by microbial-mineral interactions, and (4) differences in the microbial communities and their structure, dynamics, and associations in sediments with anomalous geophysical signatures. The first phase of the work will involve measuring the electrical signatures of bacterial cells, biofilms, and organic acids in laboratory column reactors. Final reactor products will then be imaged with photomicrography to investigate biofilm distribution and changes in pore geometry. The second phase of the work will focus on measurements of reactor sediment physical properties (formation factor, surface area, porosity, permeability). Results of this work will help build a database to relate electrical, physical, and biochemical parameters that can be used in geophysical modeling of field input data. The final phase of the program will concentrate on field measurements and observations on how changes in sediment electrical conductivity can be related to microbial alteration of geologic materials. These analyses will be carried out on cores and at the field scale. This study will form the basis for the development of geophysics as a tool for investigating geomicrobiological processes.
Broader and potential societal benefits include development of geophysical techniques that can be used for monitoring and assessing biological colonization of groundwater aquifers and microbial mineralization of dissolved pollutants in the near subsurface. Educational and outreach initiatives will focus on student involvement and student-led promotion of biogeophysics to the wider Geophysics and Biogeosciences community at national mad international meetings.

This award will support U.S. students to engage in international geological research activities in Botswana and Zambia. Over the three-year project, 10 U.S. students will travel to Botswana and Zambia to work with peers and faculty from the University of Botswana and University of Zambia to conduct field-based, multi-disciplinary research on the interplay between recent tectonics and surficial processes due to continental rifting. Students will investigate how faulting can be used to diagnose the development of early rift basins and linking of rift basin segments, how environmental change information is preserved in rift basin sediments, and how magma below the rift basin affects surface water chemical properties. The main goal of the program is to attract and stimulate motivated students to pursue careers in the geosciences by providing them with an international, hands-on research experience. Student projects will develop and enhance the research capabilities of the students, while contributing to a more complete picture of the development and evolution of continental rifts. Because Botswana and Zambia have the youngest rift basins in the East African Rift System, the field sites will provide students a unique opportunity to study the early stages of rifting processes in a natural laboratory better suited for such studies than anywhere else on earth.

Students will be provided with hands-on field research experience in geophysical surveying, field geologic and global positioning satellite (GPS) mapping, and geochemical and hydrogeologic techniques necessary for addressing basic research questions in the geosciences, as well as for resource exploration (e.g., hydrocarbon, water resources, mineral, geothermal, etc.). By interacting with peers from the University of Botswana and Zambia, the U.S. students will acquire an enriching cultural experience, make personal contacts, and build relationships that will form the core of future international research collaborations. At the same time, project activities will result in capacity building in the African nations involved. In Botswana, the results of the projects will benefit the long term strategic planning for sustainable management of the Okavango delta and its delicate ecosystem and water resources potential, while in Zambia, the results will aid in the design of hazard mitigation in earthquake prone zones. Students will disseminate their work in on-campus undergraduate and graduate student research symposia and at regional or national scientific conferences.

This award will support the purchase of a controlled source audio-frequency magneto-telluric (CSAMT) and electrical resistivity/induced polarization systems at Oklahoma State University. The proposed instrumentation will be used to address research questions in neotectonics, hydrogeology, and biogeophysics. In neotectonics, the proposed instrument will form the central core of an International Research Experience for Students' program in Botswana and Zambia focused on investigating the interplay between neotectonics and surficial processes due to rifting. Geophysical imaging of subsurface fault geometry and fault linkage patterns will (1) answer critical questions of how faults bounding a rift basin form, grow, and propagate during rift initiation; and (2) provide important insights into the interplay between neotectonic activity and surficial processes due to rifting. Projects are designed to develop and enhance the international research capabilities of students, while contributing to the scientific understanding of how neotectonic activity due to rifting influences surficial processes. In addition, the proposed CSAMT system will be used to investigate the geometry of normal faults in the Menderes Massif of the Western Anatolai Extended Terrane (WAET), in Turkey. The Menderes Massif is a key locale in identifying fundamental plate tectonic processes that facilitate extension in the continental lithosphere. The proposed instrumentation will be used to provide near surface imaging of faults, crucial to determining the geometry and evolution of the normal faults that formed during the Cenozoic extension in the region. The data obtained will be used to better understand cause and kinematics of the Cenozoic Extension in the WAET in Turkey. In biogeophysics research, which focuses on understanding and documenting the effect of microbial processes on geophysical properties, the proposed resistivity/IP imaging system will enable the up-scaling of current laboratory investigations to field-scale geophysical investigation of subsurface microbial processes. Other projects that will benefit from the proposed instrumentation include: (1) studies of the Arbuckle-Simpson aquifer of south-central Oklahoma which is the principal water resource for nearly 40,000 people in the region and (2) determining the near-surface geometry of thrust faults in the Frontal Ouachitas Fold-Thrust Belt and Arkoma Basin Transition zone, in southern Oklahoma. The proposed instrumentation will provide hands-on field geophysical research experience for students, while addressing basic research questions in the geosciences. Students engaged in the international projects will conduct field work in Botswana, Zambia, and Turkey. By interacting with peers from universities in Botswana, Zambia, and Turkey, the U.S. students will acquire an enriching cultural experience, make personal contacts, and build relationships that will form the central core of future international research collaborations. Our international field programs will provide an excellent opportunity to engage students from underrepresented groups.

Funds from this Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) Program grant will support acquisition of a variable pressure sample cell, field emission gun scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) for the Oklahoma State University Microscopy Laboratory. The PIs will purchase an FEI Quanta 600, equipped with an extremely bright electron source (FEG) that is capable of nano-scale microscopy of samples that have been conductively coated and imaged under high vacuum but also has the capability to image hydrated samples (e.g., biological materials) at atmospheric pressure. The FE-SEM will be equipped with an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS) and an electron backscattered diffraction system (EBSD) to enable semi quantitative compositional analysis and characterization of crystallographic preferred orientation, respectively. The FE-SEM will upport research spanning the geological and materials sciences including: 1) investigations of microbe-mineral interactions and microbial "nanowire" effects on the electrical properties of natural materials; 2) investigations of colloidal assembly processes occurring during 3-D "printing" of colloidal gels used for dental crowns; and 3) studies of manufactured single crystal nanowires in an effort to develop techniques for tuning nanowire diameters with applications in photonics. The FE-EM will serve a user base of over 250 faculty, students, postdoctoral fellows and staff at OSU though the Electron Microscopy Lab. The PIs will engage undergraduate and graduate students in advanced techniques in microscopy through courses that willl serve a culturally diverse group over a broad spectrum of disciplines including chemistry, physics, geology, chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering, cell biology, microbiology, virology, physiology, plant and animal pathology, botany, forestry, horticulture and food and nutritional sciences. The PIs will host faculty and students at Langston University, a minority institution with strong ties to OSU's Microscopy Laboratory and make the instrument available to several technology companies in the State. Co-PI Estella Atekwana in an African American female geoscientist with a track record of outreach to underrepresented students. The PIs plan outreach programs to K-12 teachers, Native American high school students in Oklahoma, and children through an "Ugly Bug" (insect imaging) contest and the Stillwater Children's Museum.

ABSTRACT 0823135 (Atekwana)

Intellectual Merit: This workshop is a multidisciplinary gathering of scientists from fields as disparate as engineering, biology, geophysics, sedimentology, geochemistry, and polar programs to discuss and get exposure to a new and potentially transformative field in the geosciences: Biogeophysics. Biogeophysics is the science of using non-invasive, geophysical, remote sensing techniques to determine and monitor the activity of microorganisms and their byproducts in the subsurface/deep biosphere. Sessions will focus on cutting edge topics such as the impact of microbes and biofilms on sediment physical properties and techniques to identify and measure changes. It will also explore other new and/or novel applications of the methods and generate discussions about other possible technological innovations.

Broader impacts: Impacts of this work include the interaction of a multidisciplinary group of scientists from disciplines that span the gamut from engineering to biology to geophysics to sedimentology. It also has a strong emphasis on the training of early career faculty and students in this new area of geoscience. The work supports in institution in an EPSCoR state (Oklahoma) and will help to cement the leadership of the PI, who is from a gender and racial group that is under-represented in the science, in the field.

0756393
Abdelsalam

Description: This award supports an international research experience for students in a project involving a team at the Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology, Rolla, Missouri, led by Dr. Mohamed Abdelsalam, with Dr. Estella Atekwana, School of Geology in Oklahoma State University (OSU) in collaboration with a team of Egyptian scientists led by Dr. Ahmed Youssef, Geology Department at Sohag University in Egypt. The project will support researchers, graduate and undergraduate students from the U.S. universities for carrying remote sensing, geological, and geophysical investigations in the Egyptian Nile. The aim is to understand the relative roles of regional uplift and local pre-existing structure in influencing the evolution and re-organization of drainage systems and the emergence of long-lasting rivers. The project focuses on testing three hypotheses: (1) Regional uplift associated with the opening of the Red Sea produced W-flowing rivers that preceded the evolution of the Egyptian Nile. (2) The evolution of the Nile since ~6 Ma has been controlled by an N-trending canyon (the Eonile Canyon) extending from the Mediterranean Sea to southern Egypt. This canyon was formed during the Messinian Salinity Crisis. (3) The spatial distribution of the drainage related to both river systems is controlled by N- and NW-trending faults.

Intellectual Merit: The proposal addresses the Late Neogene environmental evolution of the Sahara desert in an area through which the Nile River has intermittently drained. Understanding the linkage between tectonics, climate and topography is complex and is of great importance to the geoscientific community. The project integrates remote sensing, geophysics, geological mapping, and geomorphological analysis in order to achieve a better understanding of the relative roles of regional tectonic uplift and pre-existing geologic structure in determining the evolution of the River Nile over the past 6 million years. The results are likely to advance our understanding of the interaction between tectonics, structural geology, climate, and river incision, and can help in future research on the role of climate in geomorphological evolution of the Earth surface. The research should help put the understanding of the region into a broader perspective, and will provide a good test of the more regional discussion of African geomorphological and environmental evolution.

Broader Impact: The project's research and educational activities will result in reciprocal understanding of academic and social culture between U.S. and Egyptian students and researchers. The opportunity for interaction between USA based and Egypt-based scientists in this program with a major educational element will enhance the education of both the US and Egyptian students involved. The involvement of undergraduate and graduate students from both the US and Egypt will provide valuable experience for their future development. The project involves broadening participation of under-represented groups. A better understanding of the physical processes that control the evolution of the Nile River system is of importance to future river use. It is likely that information garnered from this project will find application to other major river systems. Results produced from this project will be disseminated to be used for teaching in the US and Egypt. This project is jointly funded by the Office of International Science and Engineering and by the Division of Earth Sciences.

0728519
Catlos

The project is to support an IRES for US-Turkey Collaboration on the extensional dynamics for U.S. undergraduate and graduate geosciences students in Western Turkey. The US PIs are Dr. Elizabeth Catlos, Dr. Estella Atekwana and Dr. Ibrahim Cemen, Department of Geology, Oklahoma State University (OSU), Stillwater, Oklahoma. The foreign collaborators are Dr. Cemal Goncuoglu, Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara and Dr. Mete Hancer, Pamukkale University, Denizli, Turkey. Since 2005, the PI has been conducting NSF-supported research in western Turkey in collaboration with co-PI Cemen and with Dr. Cemal Goncuoglu at Middle East Technical University and Dr. Mete Hancer, Pamukkale University. The collaborative efforts have centered on field and geochemical studies of the Menderes Massif in western Turkey. Two Master's level graduate students from OSU have participated in the project and have conducted intensive field work and training in Turkey. In this project the PIs will take advantage of ongoing research activities and the expertise of a new OSU faculty member (Atekwana) to provide research and training opportunities for 9 US students (6 undergraduates and 3 graduate students). The proposal will focus on the teaching and training of students that are traditionally underrepresented in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Over three years, these students will partner with peers at METU and Pamukkale University to conduct field-based research within a multidisciplinary framework focused on investigating the dynamics of extension within the Earth's lithosphere. The goal is to provide talented and motivated US students with hands-on field experience in geophysical surveying, field mapping, GPS mapping, sampling, as well as the tools necessary to make geochemical and petrologic observations.
Intellectual merits: The scientific focus of this proposal is to develop a better understanding of the creation and evolution of the planet's largest metamorphic core complex, the Menderes Massif. The mechanism(s) that created extension in this region, and, consequently, how the Menderes Massif relates to other extensional domains in the Aegean Region is unclear. The tectonic history of this large and fundamental component of the Aegean is important, as it lends considerable insight into the large-scale processes that control and facilitate extension of the Earth's lithosphere. Proposed models for the creation of the massif include subduction roll-back, orogenic collapse, and extrusiontectonics. These concepts are often discussed in a variety of Geoscience courses. The topic of lithospheric extension is also a subject of current investigation and active discussion by numerous researchers in the field and laboratory as evidenced by recent NSF and Geological Society of America workshops.
Broader Impacts: This project integrates field and geochemical research activities into the education of OSU undergraduate and graduate students. The proposal is geared towards students who are underrepresented in the Physical Sciences. The PI will partner with researchers and educators in OSU's relevant "diversity" offices to recruit and fund students. The project will provide access and support for the OSU Electron Microprobe and the UCLA Ion Microprobe Laboratory. The OSU and UCLA labs are sites of research and mentoring for a large number of students. Students will be encouraged to present the results of their research at professional meetings, including those geared towards advancing minority participation. With the Middle East likely to become one of the most crucial regional arenas for U.S. foreign policy in the coming years, and with Turkey singled out as a key country where the training pipeline should be expanded at every level, this project provides benefits by developing international partnerships and improving the Turkish language skills of US students. Funding is provided by the Office of International Science and Engineering and the Division of Earth Sciences.

Rifting is a fundamental process in the evolution of continents; continental rift zones are widespread around the world and have occurred from the Archaean to the Present. Although investigations of well-developed rifts worldwide have resulted in increased understanding of advanced stages of continental rifting, almost no research has focused on the processes that initiate and control the earliest stages of continental rifting. Key controversies exist regarding models explaining the initiation of continental rifting and several unsolved process-oriented questions about global continental rifting remain.

This award provides support for a focused workshop centered on identifying major research gaps and key research questions on the geodynamic controls of continental rift initiation and propagation. The workshop is designed to identify research priorities, and to explore possible areas of joint research collaboration between different investigators. Other important issues to be discussed during the workshop include examination of the logistics necessary to conduct the large scale geophysical investigations that will be necessary to answer these questions.

The workshop will take place at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) in Massachusetts in March, 2009. Output from the workshop will be a well thought out science and logistics plan that will guide community researchers in preparing proposals to perform the research outlined above. Participants at the workshop will include scientists from Catholic University of Malawi, the Zambian Geological Survey, the University of Dar es Salaam in addition to oil/mineral industry participants.

This is a RAPID award to respond to the Deep Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This research applies a new methodology to assess the transformation of crude oil, over time, in coastal marine sediments. The research seeks to identify unique electromagnetic (EM) geophysical signatures that reflect specific changes in sediment physical, chemical, and microbiological characteristics. Research involves time-series measurements of geophysical signatures in oil contaminated, oil/dispersant contaminated, and uncontaminated sediments. Corresponding microbial community structure and composition, as well as corresponding geochemical characteristics of the sediments will be determined. This will be the first use of EM geophysics for biogeophysical studies in saltwater and brackish systems. Field sites and sample locations will be selected in Louisiana and Florida. Broader impacts of the work will have immediate implications for assessing the oil contamination and microbial vitality of coastal sediments impacted by the Deep Horizon oil spill. It will develop new methodology that allows the remote sensing of microbial activity in the subsurface. The project trains students in state-of-the-art molecular biology techniques and biogeophysis. It also supports two minority PIs from an institution in the EPSCoR state (Oklahoma), one of whom is from a gender under-represented in the sciences.

Our current understanding of continental rifting is largely based on studies of evolved and relict rift systems. Observations from these studies have motivated and constrained numerical models that describe rift evolution from initiation to rupture. However, there are very few field observations that constrain processes occurring at the earliest stages of rifting and the structural controls on these processes. This project involves a project to investigate the question of what happens in the early stages of continental rifting. The East African Rift System (EARS), because of its proximity to the pole of rotation, exhibits a strong gradient in rift evolution along its length. This provides a unique opportunity to investigate the processes that drive rift initiation and control early rift localization.

The PIs will undertake a multidisciplinary investigation of the southwest branch of the EARS, which includes the very early stage Okavango Rift Zone, where classic geomorphic rift features are just beginning to emerge, and the Mweru, Luangwa (Zambia) and Malawi Rifts, where geomorphic features are fully developed but magma (if present) has yet to breach the surface. The PIs will apply a combination of geophysical, geological, geochemical and geodynamic techniques across the southwest branch of the EARS to test the predictions of those hypotheses. Passive seismic data will constrain lithospheric-scale structure and upper-mantle flow patterns. Wide angle seismic profiling, along with gravity data, will constrain variations in crustal and uppermost mantle structure. Magnetotelluric measurements will provide system-scale constraints on lithospheric thin spots and the presence of melt, while remote sensing and field mapping will be used to map surface deformation. Geochemical analysis of hot spring fluids will identify the presence of mantle-derived melts. Geodynamic modeling will synthesize the new geophysical observations and geochemical results to develop the next generation of continental rifting models.

Technical description
This International Research Experience for Students (IRES): Research Opportunities in Continental Rift Initiation for U.S. Undergraduate Geoscience Students in Malawi will allow students from Oklahoma State University (OSU) to investigate the geodynamic processes involved in the initial rifting of the continental lithosphere. There is a knowledge gap for understanding the mechanisms involved at the earliest stages of continental rifting that is ascribed to the paucity of data from nascent rift environments. Our understanding is incomplete as to where and why continental rifts initiate and to the relative role of pre-existing structures in rift initiation and strain localization. The Malawi rift is one of the world?s best places to study the interplay between neo-tectonic rift structures and Precambrian basement structures during the initiation and propagation of continental rift. It is also a natural example of how major structures in the crust try to find the most efficient pathway through a complex array of inherited structures.

Over the next three years, 12 undergraduates from OSU will work with mentors and peers from the University of Malawi and the Geological Survey Department to conduct field-based, multi-disciplinary research on the geodynamic processes at play during rift initiation. This research expects to answer the questions: what is the role of pre-existing structures in the localization of strain during the early stages of continental extension, how is strain partitioned and accommodated throughout the upper crust during the early stages of continental extension, and how are fault dip, slip, and displacement/length ratios modulated by pre-existing structures. The research sites in Malawi afford IRES students the opportunity to do original research. Student projects will focus on detailed investigations of the rift border faults, transfer zones, and the nature of the upper crust using broadband magnetotellurics, gravity, magnetic, structural, and remote sensing surveys and analyses.

Broader description
A major goal of this IRES is to attract underrepresented students to the geosciences and inspire them to develop the critical thinking skills needed to succeed in research careers as geoscientists. The geosciences are considered the least ethnically diverse of all scientific disciplines. As an international research experience, this project could have significant impact on the development of future international research collaborations. These could be seeded as a result of interactions with African peers, from the enriching cultural experience, and the acquisition of personal contacts that could contribute to building relationships upon which future international research collaborations could be initiated. Results of this research will reach a broad audience as student participants are required to present their individual research findings at regional, national, and international scientific meetings, and potentially publish results in peer-reviewed journals.

Other broader impacts include the enrichment of the geophysical and structural databases for Africa, since IRES students will acquire geophysical and structural data that will have the potential to transform current geodynamic understanding of continental rifting. Lastly, since continental rifts are prolific hydrocarbon producers as are active tectonic sites, the results of the student projects could provide scientific input into sustainable resource management for natural resources and environmental hazard mitigation efforts in Malawi.

This project supports a cooperative research project by Dr. Estella Atekwana of Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma and Magdy Atya of the the National Research Institute of Astronomy and Geophysics (NRIAG), Helwan, Egypt. They plan to study "Imaging the Geometry of the Kharga Basin (New Valley Oasis) and its Groundwater Capacity." The PIs will investigate the subsurface geometry of the Kharga Basin which hosts the Nubian Sandstone Aquifer (NSA). The NSA is likely to become and increasingly important source of fresh water for Egypt and a more thorough analysis is crucial to ensuring that this water resource is used effectively.

Many numerical groundwater models used to evaluate the groundwater potential of the NSA have relied on regional-scale geological investigations and did not consider the structural complexity of the NSA. This structural complexity is highlighted by borehole data that suggest that the thickness of the Mesozoic sedimentary section of the NSA in southern Egypt can vary between 600m and 0 m along a distance of <40 km. Accurate imaging of the basin's geometry is critical to any effort to utilize the NSA groundwater; a freshwater resource believed to be of fundamental importance to Egypt.

Currently ~99% of Egypt's 85 million population lives along the Nile Valley and Delta using the 55 billion cubic meters of fresh water discharged annually by the Nile River. However, this supply is likely to become less reliably due to the increasing demand by other countries upstream for a larger share of the Nile's water and also the unpredictable consequences of global climate change on the river's
discharge. The Paleozoic-Mesozoic NSA, The majority of which appears to lie under Egypt but also stretches into Libya, Sudan and Chad,
is thought to be the likely candidate for providing badly needed groundwater resource. The specific objectives of this project are to: (1) determine the subsurface geometry of the basin hosting the NSA underlying the Kharga Depression, (2) map and characterize the surface and subsurface geometry of the fault systems of this basin as potential conduits of groundwater flow, (3) develop a geoscientific GIS database that would aid in resource planning and management. These objectives will be accomplished by utilizing remote sensing data and geological investigations in association with geophysical surveys (seismic, gravity, magnetic and electromagnetic data) along E-W and N-S profiles for detailed subsurface imaging of the basin and associated aquifers, hence identifying potential groundwater accumulations. These data will also provide important constraints for the development of groundwater models that will quantify the availability of groundwater. Similar studies can be conducted at other oases to provide a more accurate inventory of available and sustainable water resources.

The research builds upon existing research collaborations between the US and Egyptian scientists at NRIAG and at OSU. The project will affirm an equal partnership, enhance intellectual collaboration and serve as a platform for the training of the next generation of globally-engaged scientists. The scientific input of the Egyptian institution and collaboration with the US institution will help establish an approach for long term strategic planning for sustainable resources management for the oases in the Western Desert. The study will integrate geological, geophysical and remote sensing information for water resources exploration with GIS-based mapping data The geophysics research, mapping and modeling efforts will also train students in skills that are relevant around the world as surface freshwater resources become more scarce.

The training of early career faculty and graduate students in international research from both Egypt and the US, and mentoring them to lead international, culturally diverse, and multidisciplinary research teams will be a significant benefit of this project. There will be specific opportunities for women and minority students to participate in international research by partnering with the NSF-funded Oklahoma Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Program at OSU. The overall training and collaboration with LSAMP will help students realize the relevance of international research and will provide important opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to effectively live and work in an increasingly globalized world. Technology transfer will occur through peer reviewed publications, workshops, short courses and dissemination of project results at international science venues such as the Geological Society of Africa, American Geophysical Union and Geological Society of America.

This project is funded through the US-Egypt Joint Science and Technology Fund Program. Support for the U.S. side of these cooperative projects is provided to the National Science Foundation by the U.S. Department of State. The Egyptian Government provides support for the Egyptian side of the collaboration.

Since 2008, there has been a dramatic increase in earthquake activity in the central United States in association with major oil and gas operations. Oklahoma is now considered one of the most seismically active states. Some of the earthquakes are occurring near populated cities and also in areas of high national security such as Cushing, Oklahoma, a major hub of the U.S. oil and gas pipeline transportation system. Unlike earthquakes in California and Alaska that can be clearly linked to deformation along plate boundaries, the cause of the earthquakes in Oklahoma remains a very contentious and highly debated topic. However, there is an increasing body of scientific evidence to suggest that the increased level of seismicity is linked to the injection of saline production wastewaters from drilling activity related to petroleum exploitation. Although seismic networks are able to detect activity and map its hypocenter, they are unable to image the distribution of fluids in the fault responsible for triggering seismicity. The magnetotelluric (MT) technique, uses naturally occurring electric and magnetic fields measured at Earth?s surface to measure conductivity structure. The 2016 M5.8 Pawnee, Oklahoma earthquake provides an unprecedented opportunity for scientists to provide a link between seismicity and imaging of fluids on or around faults. Thus we will carry out a series of two-dimensional (2D) profiles located through areas where the fault recently ruptured and seismic activity is concentrated and also across the faults in the vicinity that did not rupture. The integration of our results and ongoing seismic studies will lead to a better understanding of the links between fluid injection and seismicity. Results of this study can inform decisions by policy-makers.

Electrical geophysical methods are ideally suited to image fluid bearing faults since the produced waters are highly saline and hence have a high electrical conductivity. To date, no study has imaged the fluids in the faults in Oklahoma and made a direct link to the seismicity. Several injection wells are located within a 20 km radius of the epicenter; and studies have suggested that injection of fluids in high-volume wells can trigger earthquakes as far away as 30 km. This proposal will collect MT geophysical data that will constrain the distribution of fluids in the fault zone that ruptured during the 2016 M5.8 Pawnee earthquake. Because most injection activities have been temporarily suspended following the September 3, 2016 earthquake, we have the unique opportunity to capture the state of the fluid induced seismicity process before the system is altered by additional wastewater injection. Given that seismicity in in Oklahoma has been met with public outcry, with demands for action by legislators. However, any decision by stakeholders and policy makers must be guided by sound science and unbiased data. Geologically informed approaches to characterizing induced seismicity for inclusion in seismic hazard evaluations is critical for evaluation of sensitive facilities. As a result, our proposed MT survey has multi-faceted broader impacts: (1) It will produce data-constrained results that will lead to a better understanding of migration of wastewater ? fault interactions. (2) We will produce relevant data that can be used to inform the decisions of policy-makers and stakeholders when assessing seismic hazards related to wastewater injection. (3) Our project will engage several students. Students will assist with the data acquisition and will gain hands-on experience from MT experts in how to deploy MT instrumentation. At least two of the students will come from under-represented groups, thereby building a diverse workforce in science and engineering

The Earth’s surface is constantly moving and changing shape. In some places, like East Africa, a continent stretches to the point of breaking, forming continental rifts that, after a period of time, can form new oceans. Numerous studies show that continental rifts develop along weakened zones caused by deep intrusions of magma. Some continental rifts, however, form without evidence of magma intrusions and are known as magma-poor or "dry" rifts. In this project, an investigation of the East African Rift System will take place along the Northern Western Branch located in Uganda, East Africa where magma-poor rifting is taking place. A wide range of geophysical, geological, and geochemical observations will be collected, and numerical modeling of the region will be performed to advance our understanding of how these magma-poor rifts form and evolve. In conjunction with the scientific investigation, ]Ugandan partners will be engaged in data collection techniques. Ugandan and US graduate students will participate, underrepresented students mentored, and several open-access data sets and model products shall be developed. Societal implications of this study include advances in rifting models used for hydrocarbon exploration, improved estimates of CO2 flux into the atmosphere that occurs during continental rifting, and new insights into seismic hazards associated with active faulting. The scientific results of this project will be communicated, in part, through short educational videos geared towards public audiences.


Continental rifting is an integral component of the plate tectonic paradigm, yet speculation remains about the physical processes involved in magma-poor/-dry rifting. The goal of this project is to apply a combination of geophysical, geological, geochemical and geodynamic techniques to the Northern Western Branch of the East African Rift System in Uganda to test 3 hypotheses: (1) in magma-rich rifts, strain is accommodated through lithospheric weakening from melt, (2) in magma-poor rifts, melt is present below the surface and weakens the lithosphere such that strain is accommodated during upper crustal extension, and (3) in magma-poor rifts, there is no melt at depth and strain is accommodated along pre-existing structures such as inherited compositional, structural, and rheological lithospheric heterogeneities. Observational methods in this project include: passive seismic to constrain lithospheric structure and flow patterns; gravity to constrain variations in crustal and lithospheric thickness; magnetics to constrain the thermal structure of the upper crust; magnetotellurics to constrain lithospheric thickness and the presence of melt; GNSS to constrain surface motions, extension rates, and help characterize mantle flow; geologic mapping to document the geometry and kinematics of active faults; seismic reflection analyses of intra-rift faults to document temporal strain migration; geochemistry to quantify mantle-derived fluids in hot springs and gases; and geodynamic modeling to develop new models of magma-poor rifting processes.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

Hydrocarbon source zones resulting from oil spills and/or crude oil pipeline ruptures result in persistent, long-term source of contamination of the aquifers that store potable groundwater in the Earth. This project serves the national interest by advancing the science needed to understand the long-term fate of hydrocarbon contaminants in the Earth. Geophysical tools that have been traditionally implemented to locate oil reservoirs and mineral deposits will be used to explore how geophysical signals provide diagnostic information on the progress of contaminant transformations that are largely driven by microbes in the Earth. This exploration of the linkages between biogeochemical processes and geophysical signals over time at an oil contaminated site may provide the knowledge needed to reliably deploy relatively simple geophysical measurement systems to monitor the long-term fate of oil spills. In the same way that medical imaging uses non-invasive sensing of the human body, non-invasive geophysical sensing of contaminant plumes might ultimately be used to understand the subsurface Earth without the need to drill into it. A non-invasive approach to monitoring the health of the human-impacted subsurface Earth would limit exposure of humans and animals to contaminants and negate unwanted transport of contaminants along pathways caused by invasive drilling methods. The research will be performed by undergraduate students performing field-based research in collaboration with government scientists from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The project will engage minority undergraduate geoscience students from urban, economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in northern New Jersey. Results of the research will be shared with other scientists and students by running a workshop on geophysical signals associated with contaminant plumes.

Transitional environments such as hyporheic and water table fluctuation zones (WTFZ) are biogeochemical hotspots where hydrologic processes driven by recharge events cause electron donor/acceptor mixtures that enhance microbial metabolism. Hydro-biogeochemical processes in transitional environments are challenging to study using hydrological, microbial and geochemical proxies due to the spatio-temporal and dynamic nature of these systems. Geochemical and microbial processes/transformations occurring within the WTFZ at organic-rich contaminated sites give rise to magnetic susceptibility (MS) and self potential (SP) electrical signals that show evidence of being regulated by recharge events and changes in water level. Understanding of the biogeochemical factors resulting in the measured geophysical responses, as needed to apply these techniques to investigate hydro-biogeochemical processes at field sites, remains incomplete. This project will pursue interdisciplinary research at a highly characterized site where decades of hydrological, geochemical and microbiological data are available to interpret the driving mechanisms causing geophysical signatures. It will integrate undergraduate education with basic research to advance understanding of the origins of such biogeophysical signatures and how they are regulated by variable hydrologic conditions. Supporting laboratory studies will be performed to constrain the linkages between iron cycling and biogeophysical signatures within the WTFZ. Datasets will be acquired to address the following hypotheses: [1] Transient magnetic susceptibility profiles result from hydrologically-driven iron cycling in the source zone; [2] Magnetic susceptibility changes in hydrocarbon source zones result from the consumption of iron-oxyhydroxides initially present on the sediments; [3] Transient self potential signatures are associated with recharge-driven modifications of dissolved or gas phase electron acceptors; [4] A microbial-mediated Fe(II)/Fe(III) redox couple drives a biogeobattery causing an anomalous self potential profile through the WTFZ in the source zone. Hypotheses will be explored by a combination of field geophysical measurements, in situ geochemical measurements on sediment packets suspended in boreholes and laboratory simulations of the WTFZ zone.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.