Undergraduate Research
Research is strongly encouraged as part of the undergraduate
experience in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. It is a
valuable opportunity to participate in cutting-edge studies underway in the Department.
Research opportunities cover a wide range of topics and faculty members,
including field work, analytical measurements, and even
studies of the Moon,
Mars, Venus, and other objects in the solar system. The
Department has a close association with the Environmental
Studies Program, and EnSt majors often do research in
our laboratories. Many undergraduates choose
to do senior projects as a capstone experience; others choose to do
research throughout their four years at Washington University (EPSc 390,
Independent Study). We occasionally host undergraduates from
other departments and universities. The descriptions
below illustrate the range and richness of undergraduate research
activities and results. (Class years of students are in parentheses
following their names.)
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Ratios of oxygen isotopes in
natural water act as
fingerprints that can be used to
trace the source of the water.
Working with Prof.
Robert Criss, Ellen
Wilson (class of 1998) and Sarah
Swedarsky (1998) studied
oxygen isotopes in hot springs
of the Cascade Range, Oregon and
in Australian waters. Daniel
Niosi (1999) compared the
seasonal isotopic variation of
pond waters at the University's Tyson
Research Center with effects
in an evaporation pan. Oxygen
isotope ratios also provide a
tool to study the processes by
which rocks form. Carrie
Moschitto (2001) proved that
large oxygen isotope variations
occur in the sandstones of
Missouri, and used the results
to deduce the age of sedimentary
infilling of a large Paleozoic
sinkhole that is part of
Missouri's extraordinary
paleokarst. Tim Huff (2001)
made X-ray analyses of sediments
from Fisher Cave, Missouri, and
discovered a new occurrence of
taranakite, an unusual mineral
constituted of
potassium-aluminum
orthophosphate.
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Ordovician
ripple marks in the Roubidoux
Sandstone
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Carrie
Moschitto (above) examining an
outcrop of the Roubidoux
Sandstone and Tim Huff (below)
mapping a geologic detail in
Cliff Cave.
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Brian Yanites (2002) is working with
Prof.
Ray Arvidson
on the
formation of stone stripes that are found on unvegetated slopes in arctic and
alpine climates. The process by which stones move to form an ordered
pattern is not well understood, but it is known to be dependent upon the
formation of needle ice. Brian is developing numerical simulations that
model the process.
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Stone stripes found near
the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii (photo by Brian Yanites)
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Nathan Snider (class of 2000)
worked with Prof.
Douglas Wiens on a new type
of repeating earthquake 400
miles below the earth's surface
in the Tonga subduction zone.
They found some earthquakes that
showed identical seismograms due
to the fact that they recurred
at exactly the same location and
with the same fault slip
(figure). This discovery has
important implications for the
mechanism of deep earthquakes,
which is currently
controversial. One theory
suggests that deep earthquakes
occur through phase
transformations in the
subducting olivine minerals.
However, since phase
transformations should not
repeat at the same location,
Snider and Wiens' work suggests
alternative mechanisms for deep
earthquakes. This work was
published in the August 24, 2001
issue of the journal Science.
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"The Southern Soda
Mountains, Mojave Desert,
consist of uplifted dacitic
volcanic rocks. The May 2001 FIDO
prototype Mars rover field
trials took place in an arroyo
that cuts through these rocks. I
have been working with Ray
Arvidson in the Earth and
Planetary Sciences Remote
Sensing Lab on analysis of
Advanced Spaceborne Thermal
Emission Radiometer (ASTER)
14 band multispectral image data
covering the FIDO site and
surrounding rocks. Analysis of
the 9 band 0.4 to 2.5 micrometer
ASTER data show that gray
dacites dominate areas of the
south of the arroyo whereas
areas to the north show
hematite-rich dacites. Several
regions indicate the presence of
kaolinite and seem to be
associated with hydrothermal
alteration. We have also
calculated thermal inertia from
the ASTER emission data and find
that the gray dacites gradually
disintegrates whereas the red
dacites spall to form blocky
surface. Field work is planned
to validate and fine-tune
results before submission for
publication."
Gillian Galford
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Gillian Galford and
graduate student
Frank Seelos
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In the summer of 2001,
Matt Pasek
worked for several
weeks in the
Planetary Chemistry Laboratory
doing experimental studies of iron metal oxidation with graduate student
Channon Visscher and condensation chemistry calculations with
Dr.
Katharina Lodders.
Matt was an undergraduate intern supported by the
Missouri Space Grant Consortium. He began his senior year majoring in chemistry and geology at
William and Mary in the fall of 2001.
Kimberly Casey (1999) wrote a
senior thesis on
the chemistry of volcanic gas while working with
Prof.
Bruce Fegley. In conjunction with her thesis, she wrote a program to calculate
thermodynamic equilibrium of the constituents and products in volcanic
gases.
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Matt Pasek
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Laurel Griggs (2002) says, "Even the summer before my
freshman year,
Prof. Arvidson
took me into the remote sensing lab to begin my
research career. By examining and manipulating radar images, I studied the
biogeomorphology and successional processes on the Missouri River floodplain
after the great flood of '93. Now, halfway through my junior year, I am still a
member of the same lab, although my research has a different focus. Following up
on an August field trip to Hawaii, my work currently centers on the development
of a thermal model for the summit of Mauna Kea and the subsequent use of this
thermal model and remotely sensed images to derive information about the spatial
distribution of soil moisture. This information can, in turn, be used in the
formulation of a comprehensive environmental management plan for the mountain
and in the calculation of the hydrologic budget."
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The 3D image shown above
was formed by draping the output of the thermal model over a digital
elevation model of a section of Mauna Kea. The thermal model output (light
= warm, dark = cool) is a map of expected surface temperatures for May 4,
2000 at 11:15 am. This map of expected temperatures can then be compared
to a satellite image of actual surface temperature. Discrepancies between
the two may be indicative of a high soil moisture content.
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Seema Sheth
(2002), an environmental studies
major, began working with Prof.
Jan Amend
in her sophomore year. She has isolated hyperthermophilic
(hot water loving) microorganisms from water samples in the Aeolian
Islands and is helping to characterize the metabolism of a novel
hyperthermophilic organism of class Archaeon.
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Seema Sheth and Prof. Amend
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"I've been working to develop a predictive hydrologic
model of Lake Waiau, a small lake in the glacial-volcanic
landscape of the summit of Mauna Kea, Hawaii. Using data from a nearby
weather station, D/H (deuterium/hydrogen) and
18
O/
16
O
isotope ratio measurements, lake level measurements, and topographic
information, I've constructed a computer model which gives daily
predicted values for lake level and lake isotope ratios.
I'm also interested in exploration of the surface of Mars using rover
technology, especially using traverse data to better characterize the
terrain. Using position and suspension data from the Sojourner rover on
the 1997 Mars Pathfinder mission, I've been able to localize each of the 6
rover wheels in a 3-D lander referenced coordinate system. Potentially,
such data can be used to determine the fractal dimension of the landing
site's microtopography, calibrate of orbital data indicating landing
site roughness, and derive the soil physical properties."
Bethany Ehlmann
(class of 2004)
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Lake Waiau (above) and
Sojourner rover (below)
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Sarah
Strode
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Working with
Prof.
William H. Smith,
Sarah Strode
(2002, E&PS) is processing hyperspectral data for
hydroponic wheat as part of a study of stresses in plants.
Shardul
S. Desai
(2002, Computer Sciences) is developing computational
procedures for processing hyperspectral image of biological scenes.
Mike
Farrel
(2002, Electrical Engineering) is developing cameras with CCD (charge-coupled
device) detectors for fast acquisition of spectral data.
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in
the field
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"My project focused on the endangered
Wekiu bug, found solely within the harsh environments of the Mauna Kea
summit. Using information gathered from our trip, previous studies on the
Wekiu bug, satellite images of the summit of Mauna Kea, and remote sensing
techniques, I produced probable habitat maps for the endangered Wekiu bug.
The construction of
outrigger telescopes
on the summit poses a threat to the Wekiu bug population
and the immediacy of further understanding is needed to ensure its
protection."
Megan Murphy
(class of 2002)
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Paul Giesting
(2001) completed a senior thesis with
Prof.
Anne Hofmeister. The
results of the work will be published in the journal
Physical Review B:
"Thermal conductivity of disordered garnets from infrared
spectroscopy."
Figure:
Comparison of experimental and
calculated values for thermal
conductivity (k) measured in
W/m-K. Circles represent pyrope-almandine
garnets; triangles represent
grossular-andradite garnets;
diamonds represent synthetic
garnet samples. From Giesting
and Hofmeister (Physical
Review B, in review).
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Some
other potential projects for
undergraduate researchers:
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Map a cave at the university's Tyson Research Center.
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Determine background characteristics of new gamma-ray
detectors for neutron activation analysis.
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Detect earthquakes using magnetic satellites.
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Determine the thermal conductivity of quartz and feldspars
from infrared spectroscopy.
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Make the first
detailed map of
earthquakes in
Antarctica.
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Take IR spectra of silicon carbide at cryogenic
temperatures with application to the circumstellar dust.
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Investigate a
suite of
minerals or
biominerals
(such as mollusc
shells, bones,
teeth) using the
laser Raman
microprobe.
For
more
information
on
undergraduate
research
opportunities
in the
Department
of Earth
&
Planetary
Sciences,
contact Prof.
Ray Arvidson.
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