Tanya Furman - US grants

This project will develop petrogenetic constraints for the origin and evolution of basalts from the Albertine rift. It will involve field relations, major and trace elements and phenocryst compositions in collab with radiometric (K-Ar) age dates, Sr and He isotope data, and gravity and seismic studies. The goal is to determine thermal and geochemical characteristics of the mantle beneath this part of central Africa. What is the petrogenesis of alkalic (ultra-Potassic) basalts?

9406109 Furman This is part of long-term research program that integrates field, geochronologic, geochemical, isotopic, petrographic and experimental data on young lavas to determine the dynamics of continental rift volcanism. The Rungwe volcanic province in Tanzania was selected for detailed study because samples for m this area will contribute to understanding both large-scale geodynamic problems and regional tectonic questions. A fundamental objective is to investigate the geochemical consequences of mixing between asthenospheric and lithospheric source melts. A second objective is to document temporal variations in lava geochemistry at individual volcanic centers. All samples analyzed in this study are currently in hand; only fresh samples of young lavas will be used. High quality petrographic, mineralogic and geochemical (including incompatible trace and rare earth element) data will be interpreted in conjunction with available isotopic (Sr, Nd, Pb, O, He) data on the same samples. The investigation at Rungwe will enable both local and regional syntheses of data on the dynamics of asthenosphere-lithosphere interaction in the genesis of continental rift volcanism.

9508112 Furman The goal of this project is to understand the genesis of alkalic volcanic rocks associated with continental extension in the African Western Rift. This research will use the geochemistry of young volcanic rocks to document interaction between asthenospheric and lithospheric melts and characterize the relative contributions from these two source reservoirs. The results of this project will help constrain global geodynamic models of source reservoir mixing, and will also advance understanding of the relationships between metasomatism, magmatism and rifting in continental environments. This proposal is part of a long-term research program that integrates field, geochemical, isotopic, experimental and geophysical data to determine the dynamics of melting and melt extraction in continental rifts. The African Rift was selected for detailed study because it is the type locality for rift-related magmatism. Comprehensive analysis of appropriate samples is critical to interpretation, and this research will provide the most robust data set for assessment of magma dynamics in the continental rift environment. The educational component of this proposal represents a focused effort to encourage participation of African-American students in the earth sciences. A middle/high school instructional unit (grades 7-9) will be developed on African geography and resources. This unit will be provide a counterbalance to current foci on the creative aspects of African heritage, by presenting a vehicle through which African-American students can express enthusiasm for science while still developing a sense of cultural identity. A college course for non-science majors will be developed with the same goal, but the material will be significantly more detailed and rigorous. Modern and creative pedagogical techniques will be used in developing educational materials for both courses.

0207764
Furman

The architecture of continental margins in terms of how they are created is not well understood because most of the previous work has been on successfully rifted margins after rifting is complete. Both continental (fault dominated) end-members and oceanic (magma dominated) rift end-members are well studied, but the transitional stage is not understood. This project will document this critical transition from continental to oceanic rifting. The PIs will carry out seismic experiments, integrated with geochemical, gravity and structural studies, to study lithospheric structure in one of the rare areas where the transition from continental rifting to incipient spreading is captured - the main Ethiopian Rift (MER). In the MER the along-axis transition to initial seafloor spreading provides a spatial proxy for temporal variability. Specific objectives are: 1) to determine detailed crust and mantle structure across and along a transitional rift segment and 2) to understand magmagenesis beneath and within the rift. The PIs will obtain crustal P-and S-velocity cross-sections that can be interpreted for lithology across the Ethiopian rift at 10 deg. N where active magmatic centers first appear, and along-strike to the north to study the transition into fully magmatic rifting. They will interpret existing and new gravity data in light of their new seismic data, and use geochemical data to constrain the physical state of the upper mantle and magmatic inputs to the crust.

The project (US - EAGLE) is fully integrated with the already funded UK - EAGLE initiative. Scientists at Leicester, Leeds and London, have been awarded UK funds to carry out a single refraction profile across the Ethiopian rift in January 2003, coupled with local seismicity studies and teleseismic recording. The US - EAGLE PIs will shoot and record a complementary orthogonal along-axis wide-angle profile; and will shoot fan shots into these linear arrays and the local seismic network to provide a measure of 3D coverage. Together, these seismological experiments form a nested, multi-scale seismic image of the Ethiopian rift and plume. The seismic studies will be coupled with geochemical and petrological and gravity studies (US), and structural, thermochronological, magnetotelluric and additional gravity studies (UK).

REVISED ABSTRACT, Building a Pipeline for Diversity, GEO-0303096, Furman, Tanya

This award will provide initial funding for efforts by the Department of Geosciences at the Pennsylvania State University to increase diversity in the geosciences. Key components of this award are the development of two new undergraduate courses (Geo-Resource Development and Sustainable Livelihoods in Africa; Appropriate Technology for Africa) at the University Park campus, the adaptation of these courses for implementation at the University's two year campus in Delaware County, the export of a third general education course (Environments of Africa) to the branch campus, and the addition of minority students to an existing summer research experience for talented undergraduates. Support will be provided for faculty summer salary, program development supplies and travel, as well as for the initial set-up of the program website and participant support for the summer research experiences.

Furman
EAR- 0230208

Merapi Volcano in Central Java, Indonesia, is one of Earth's most active and dangerous volcanoes. This stratovolcano has been active for over 40,000 years, with nearly continuous eruptive activity over the past century. Merapi is particularly feared because of the potentially explosive nature of its activity, and because several hundred thousand people live in high-risk areas on the volcano flank. This project uses a combination of tephrostratigraphic, geochemical and CSD techniques to address the rheological (e.g., thermal state, magma composition, glass chemistry, crystal nucleation and growth rate) controls on the full spectrum of Merapi's eruptive behavior. The results of this project will provide fundamental information on magma reservoir and conduit conditions and processes, as well as insights on the potential for future larger-scale explosive activity.

The intellectual merit of the research derives from the application of detailed textural analysis of lavas and tephras to the identification of intensive parameters associated with eruptive activity. That is, one can relate crystal size distribution patterns of individual eruptive units to the detailed chemical, barometric and thermal history of Merapi volcano. Analysis of melt inclusions in olivine crystals also provides insight into late-stage magmatic processes, including helping to distinguish crystal growth related to decompression from that resulting from magma mixing or hybridization. When used in conjunction with our textural analyses, this technique provides a powerful method for evaluating magma ascent rates and residence times. This information is critical to the study of explosive volcanic systems because the eruptive intensity is linked directly to both the residence time of magma within the chamber and the degree of solidification that occurs within the reservoir and conduit. In volcanic systems that tend to be highly crystalline (e.g., Merapi lavas contain up to 50% crystals upon eruption), magma that is nearly solidified may fill the eruptive vent to substantial depths, effectively plugging the vent system and leading to infrequent but very dangerous eruptions. Using chemical and textural data, it becomes possible to gauge the conditions leading to violent eruptions. By recognizing precursor signals to major eruptions, the ability to anticipate catastrophic situations can be improved.

The broader implications of this project include both human resource development and potential assistance for volcanic hazard mitigation. This project will fund the doctoral research of one female graduate student at Penn State and the postdoctoral research of a female Indonesian volcanologist from the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia. The work will strengthen an extant relationship between Penn State and the Volcanological Survey of Indonesia that has focused on monitoring active volcanoes with the goal of improving disaster preparedness. In recent decades Merapi has had fairly small eruptive events with a frequency of two to five years. The geologic record, however, indicates that this recent activity encompasses only a small portion of the full range of explosivity that has occurred in the past. At least seven eruptions between 3000-250 years ago were larger and farther-reaching explosive events than any recorded in the 20th century. Unfortunately, current hazard assessment and contingency planning is based primarily upon small eruptive events, while the earlier record of major explosive eruptions suggests that effective planning needs to consider the full range of Merapi's eruptive behavior. It is anticipated that this study will enable researchers to identify precursor events to major eruptions that will prove useful in modern hazard mitigation efforts.

Track 2: Collaborative Proposal: Building and Maintaining a Pipeline for Diversity

This four-year program builds upon committed partnering by The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and Jackson State University, with collaborative support from SECME, Inc. and Upward Bound Math and Science. This program provides longitudinal opportunities, training, mentoring and support for students from underrepresented groups so that they are successful in geosciences. Programs conducted in Pennsylvania and Mississippi are integrated to recruit and retain students of color. Ongoing formative and summative assessment activities conducted throughout the entire project allow adjustments in style and content to be made as necessary. Project activities include multiyear research and classroom opportunities for pre-college students. College minority students receive summer research internships through an existing program managed by the Committee on Institutional Cooperation. In addition, the first-degree program in Earth System Science at an HBCU (Jackson State) is being developed through this award. Courses implemented by the project team include (a) four courses integrating the study of scientific issues in Africa, (b) a mineralogy-petrology laboratory course, and (c) an upper-division Environmental Literacy course for pre-service teachers. As part of their professional training, Jackson State students will be given top priority for enrolling in the field geophysics course sponsored by AfricaArray. Students who complete the new Jackson State degree program, participate in summer internships, and are admitted to PSU graduate programs will be guaranteed full financial support as part of an institutional match provided for the project. Faculty members at Jackson State are participating in mini-sabbaticals at Penn State, ensuring the long-term success of research and pedagogic collaborations established under this project. Research equipment purchased for Jackson State enables continued growth and success of the new degree program.

HRD 0528089
The submitted nomination package is in support of a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM) to recognize outstanding mentoring efforts or programs that enhance the participation of historically underrepresented groups in science, mathematics, and engineering.

Dr. Tanya Furman is an associate professor in the department of Geosciences at Pennsylvania State University. She has developed a series of innovative mentoring programs possessing the potential to have a broad impact on increasing underrepresented students considering STEM-based career opportunities, especially in the geosciences. Dr. Furman has also been successful building collaborative relationships at other academic institutions that now use her effective mentoring programs. Furman has also helped identify best practices for organizations wishing to develop their own mentoring programs in mathematics, science, engineering and technology, such that her programs may have impact on how mentoring programs are replicated by other academic institutions.

Dr. Furman's nomination cites her efforts to increase minority and female student participation in the geosciences. Her mentoring efforts have focused on designing academic research opportunities that are engaging for African-American students. She has also made inroads designing her mentoring activities so that they can be replicated at other academic institutions seeking to increase the number of members from underrepresented groups who obtain degrees in STEM-based fields and go on for graduate study.

0530062 Nyblade

This Partnership for International Research and Education award addresses a first-order Earth Science question that cannot be answered without strong intellectual collaboration and partnerships between scientists in the U.S. and Africa and their respective institutions: "What is the structure and origin of the African Superplume?" The African Superplume is a large region of low seismic wave speeds in the lower mantle under Africa that has long been recognized as one of the most prominent upwellings in the mantle, and that possibly holds the key to unraveling the dynamics of mantle convection. U.S. scientists will partner with scientists in Africa (in Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe), as part of a broad initiative called AfricaArray, to image the African Superplume using data gathered during a 4-year passive seismic experiment in eastern Africa that will sample a critical region in the mid-mantle where there could be a connection between anomalous upper mantle under eastern Africa and anomalous lower mantle beneath central and southern Africa. Establishing an unambiguous connection between upper and lower mantle structure will place a first-order constraint on the origin of the Superplume by pointing to a buoyancy source (thermal and/or chemical) near the core-mantle boundary. The primary partners in this project are Pennsylvania State University, North Carolina A & T University, and the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa.

Built around the core research program is a multi-faceted educational and outreach effort that strives to catalyze a cultural change in U.S. institutions by promoting a new model for how U.S. institutions can effectively run international education and research projects that are truly collaborative and sustainable, and that also contribute to the development of a diverse workforce. The basic elements of the model, as applied to this project are 1) developing e-education and field courses linked to the research for undergraduates at U.S. minority-serving institutions and in Africa, 2) involving undergraduates in international field work, 3) requiring graduate students to a) take a foreign language, b) spend one semester at a university in Africa, and c) develop tutorials covering a range of introductory geophysics topics for undergraduates, 4) faculty visits to Africa for collaboration with their colleagues at African universities, 5) weekly U.S.-Africa web-conference seminars, and 6) setting up a public-private funding partnership that includes academic and government agencies in the U.S., Europe, and Africa, and multinational mining and petroleum companies.

This award is co-funded by the Division of Human Resource Development and the Division of Earth Sciences.

The East African Rift System (EARS) is the only place on the planet
where the geochemical and isotopic compositions of continental mafic
lavas spanning 40 million years of volcanism can be studied. This
geochemical information must be used in conjunction with modern
geophysical and seismic information to address fundamental geodynamic
questions about the relationship between features of the deep Earth
and those at the surface. We focus on the evolution of upper mantle
temperature and composition by using numerical models of limited
mantle depth extent. Geological and geochemical observations in the
EARS provide strong constraints on the timing and location of melt
formation in the mantle. The dynamical modeling provides the ability
to predict the formation of melt in a self-consistent manner and make
quantitative estimates of the temperature, depth and rate of melting.
We will also pursue a comprehensive geochemical study of select
MgO-rich EARS basalts. New geochemical and isotopic (Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf-He)
data, coupled with existing data from the literature, will be used to
define the distribution of chemically distinct reservoirs that
sustain EARS magmatism. Trace element and isotope geochemical data
enable refinement of the compositional structure of the upper mantle
and will help constrain reasonable dynamical models. Our main
hypothesis is that one or more plumes bring hot material from the
Earths interior to melt below the EARS lithosphere, since we find it
difficult to understand how long-lived and voluminous volcanism can
be generated without such deep transport. A sensitivity study will
allow us to estimate whether and how non-plume models can predict the
timing and location of melt generation observed in the EARS. For
plume models, we will assess a variety of dynamical scenarios by
incorporating tracer techniques to test whether the observed
distribution of geochemical signatures and volumes of magmatic
products along the EARS can be satisfied with a single
compositionally heterogeneous plume. The resulting dynamical models
will enhance our understanding of the origin of the EARS, the African
superswell and eventually the African superplume. The collaboration
between geochemists with mutually supporting areas of expertise
(Furman trace element geochemistry, Bryce lithophile radiogenic
isotope geochemistry, Graham helium isotope geochemistry) and a
geophysicist / numerical modeler (van Keken) will provide a
much-needed interaction between observational and theoretical
efforts. The results of the work will be incorporated into
residential and electronic delivery courses at the participating
universities, including several Historically Black Colleges and
Universities. We will support graduate students at Penn State,
Michigan and New Hampshire, introducing this next generation of
scientists to interdisciplinary research and collaboration.

0744425
Feineman


This proposal seeks funding to acquire a quadrupole ICP-MS system for rapid analysis of laser ablated material. The facility currently has a 213 nm laser ablation system coupled with high resolution magnetic sector ICP-MS. A Thermo X-Series II quadrupole ICP-MS is requested which will increase the mass scanning rate (ultimately the sensitivity) by an order of magnitude. Matching funds are provided by the PI's startup monies and from other PSU facilities. PSU will guarantee salary for a permanent analytical chemist to oversee the facility. The new ICP-MS will be used in differentiating East African Rift System lavas, in constraining central Ethiopian thermal structure and lithosphere thickness by xenogcrist and xenolith analysis, in analyzing crystal and silicate liquid trace element diffusion, in determining magma mixing and storage within the East African Rift System, and in for general experiments to better understand element partitioning between minerals and fluids, minerals and melts, and melts and fluids. Several student projects will also be supported. The instrument will occupy existing space in the Material Characterization Laboratory (MCL), Hands-on training and certification will be provided by a staff scientist. The dedicated staff will oversee the day-to-day operation and maintenance. PSU provides general support for the facility with instrument user fees supporting maintenance, supplies and repair funds. The requested instrument will be a career vehicle for a new female hire. The instrument will be incorporated into undergraduate ?Forensic Geoscience,? and ?Techniques in Environmental Geochemistry? classes. The instrument will be made available to PSU?s Women in Science and Engineering Research and Minority Undergraduate Research Experiences programs.


***

This collaborative research project, supported by the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE) and the Petrology and Geochemistry program, addresses issues of lithospheric removal through melting or physical foundering in the Turkish Anatolian volcanic province. Removal of lower crust or mantle lithosphere is invoked to explain diverse geophysical and geomorphological observations in the circum-Mediterranean and elsewhere, including heat flow, topography and synorogenic extension. It is proposed to partner with Turkish researchers to obtain geochemical and isotopic data on young, post-collisional primitive mafic lavas to assess the chemical effects of lithospheric removal where it has been indicated by geophysical studies. Prior isotopic studies of Turkish volcanics are extremely limited despite the utility of these data in addressing the evolution of asthenospheric and lithospheric source regions. The geochemical study will focus on using major and trace element geochemistry and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf isotopic systematics to discriminate lithospheric vs. asthenospheric + slab-derived components in the source regions beneath the Anatolian volcanic region. This research has immediate application to orogenic and post-orogenic environments worldwide, as well as to studies of: continental evolution, global geochemical cycling, development of geochemical heterogeneities in the convecting asthenosphere, and lithospheric removal in extensional environments.

This project builds the human and material capital of Turkish geochemistry through a strong international partnership with young scientists Kürkcüoglu and Alici Sen. ICP-MS lab development at Hacettepe University and the General Directorate of Mineral Research and Exploration will improve their analytical capabilities.

This planning grant will allow the PI and colleagues to develop an interdisciplinary, collaborative international program that promotes integrated research in the fields of geology and anthropology. It is anticipated that the proposal will be submitted to the Office of International Science and Engineering for the International Research Experiences for Students program.

The study area is the world-renowned Olduvai Gorge, which preserves a remarkably rich fossil record including hominid and stone artifacts, and the adjacent Ngorongoro Volcanic Highlands that produced lavas and volcaniclastics ranging in composition from basalt through rhyolite to silica undersaturated materials including foidites and carbonatites. The geological focus is on the genesis of volcanic landforms and products, and the anthropological emphasis is on the relationship between man and the environment, including structural geology, modern cultures and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. In this planning visit the team will (1) Meet on site with Tanzanian colleagues and (2) Evaluate specific research and training activities. Activities include mapping volcaniclastic deposits within Olduvai, exploring differences among products of regional volcanoes, and visiting modern geomorphological and tectonic environments and human communities that provide close analogues to those of our earliest ancestors.

One important feature of this program is the interaction between scientists representing structural geology, volcanology and geochemistry, and human anthropology. Professionals in these fields must interact and rely upon one another, but cross-disciplinary training is typically lacking in the respective curricula. This project represents a collaboration between scientists in the US, Kenya and Tanzania. The US team is led by Tanya Furman, Godwin Mollel (Penn State University) and Carl Swisher (Rutgers), who have expertise in volcanology, geochemistry, geodynamics and geochronology. Makenya Maboko, Deputy Vice Chancellor and Isaac Marobhe, Geology Department Chair (University of Dar es Salaam) will help select qualified students, and senior lecturer Crispin Kinabo will collaborate on volcanic geochemistry. Evelyn Mbede, Director for the Tanzania Ministry of Higher Education Science and Technology has expertise in rift tectonics and will be in the field throughout the project.

Pennsylvania State University and several school districts in Pennsylvania, including three rural districts - Bald Eagle, Bellefonte and Penns Valley - and three urban districts - Harrisburg, Reading and York, have formed a partnership around Earth and Space Science (ESS). Several schools in the Philadelphia City school district are also committed to participating in the partnership. The Middle Grades Earth and Space Science Education partnership involves faculty members from Geosciences, Astronomy and Education at three Penn State campuses, University Park, Brandywine and Harrisburg, and targets ESS in grades 4 through 9. Teacher professional development activities concentrate on building deep conceptual understanding of big ideas in ESS in four topic areas: energy production, climate change, plate tectonics, and solar system astronomy. The goals of the partnership are to: 1) contribute to the understanding of conceptual development in ESS through the middle grades, 2) develop and support current teachers across Pennsylvania to engage students with the significant and complex questions of ESS fields, 3) strengthen the science content preparation of pre-service teachers to deepen their understanding of ESS, and 4) institutionalize improved communication and collaboration in teaching and learning among colleges and campuses of Penn State, in underserved urban and rural school districts, and across the partnership. The partnership is employing four main strategies to accomplish these goals. First, professional development for in-service teachers includes a suite of week-long residential workshops that integrate content with pedagogical best practices in the four thematic target areas. During these workshops and in follow-up meetings throughout the year, teachers and STEM and education faculty work on developing learning progressions and performance standards aligned with them in the four areas. Second, initiatives for middle grades students involve teachers and guidance counselors in implementing the performance standards, curricula and pedagogy studied during the workshops, while collecting data to inform the learning progressions. Third, initiatives for pre-service teachers are focusing on curriculum development aligned with the learning progressions, capacity building for urban teaching, and authentic research experiences. Fourth, university faculty and graduate students are involved in professional development workshops and structured observations of middle school ESS classes in order to foster reciprocity of expertise, with ESS experts gaining pedagogical knowledge and ESS teachers receiving rich content-specific feedback. The research is examining the question of how an understanding of big ideas in ESS can be characterized as learning progressions, and how these learning progressions can inform the development of curriculum, assessment and instruction in these grades. The evaluation is focusing on collaborative planning to articulate a theory of change, and to provide formative and summative evaluation.

This project seeks to understand the formation of large-volume basalt lava fields that erupt onto continental crust, where they provide important nutrients for terrestrial and aquatic life as well as geothermal and mineral resources for human use. The research is pursued in Western Saudi Arabia because the thermal and material structure of the crust itself is a barrier to basalt volcanism, and yet the study areas have been volcanically active for up to 30 million years. The work uses the geochemistry of basalt lavas as a lens through which to explore the long-term evolution of the lowermost crust, i.e., the “underlayer” of the continent that cannot be observed directly. The research project will determine how plate tectonic processes acting in the region have affected crustal thickness and integrity, potentially thinning and weakening the continent substantially and thereby encouraging volcanic activity. The work is conducted in partnership with Saudi colleagues who are interested in diversifying their economic portfolio beyond petroleum and natural gas resources. Funds from this project support a doctoral candidate and several undergraduate students from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the geosciences; help develop a middle-school learning unit in cooperation with a local teacher and a museum display focused on the artistic, cultural, religious and ecological significance of the Saudi lava fields. This work will create new knowledge about the long-term evolution of our planet that helps us prepare for a sustainable and diverse future. <br/><br/>Continental basalts are the most common subaerial volcanic features on Earth but melting beneath thick continental crust is difficult to achieve. Geochemical and geochronologic data, integrated with geophysical evidence, will be used to determine the mechanism(s) of mantle melting and the mineralogic, isotopic and thermo-barometric parameters of mantle source domains that contribute to alkaline mafic volcanism in two long-lived western Arabian Harrats (Uwayrid and Ash Shaam). The geochemical and isotopic investigation will document evolution of source domains and mantle melting mechanisms in a region of complex tectonics and will test whether rejuvenated mafic alkaline volcanism in two Arabian harrats results from lithospheric drip magmatism. Geochemical evidence for this process has focused on documenting individual small-volume volatile-rich melt batches, contributions from a pyroxenitic source, small-scale temporal trends of increasing melting depth and temperature, and a positive correlation between depth and degree of mantle melting. The research will pursue this evidence through robust major and trace element analysis of lavas and individual crystals in lavas and xenoliths from Harrats Uwayrid and Ash Shaam. High precision 40Ar/39Ar dating will establish temporal trends in magma chemistry, and Sr-Nd-Pb-Hf-He isotopic study of lavas and xenoliths will establish source characteristics. The research explores contributions from the Afar plume, ambient upper mantle and metasomatized lithosphere, and documents spatial and temporal variations to these contributions across the Arabian plate. The findings have implications for transport of plume material, for the development of gravitationally unstable zones in metasomatized lithospheric mantle, and for evolution of the Dead Sea Fault and northern Red Sea.<br/><br/>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.