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FROM THE DIRECTOR GREETINGS FRIENDS & ALUMNI! This annual publication highlights a fraction of the groundbreaking research happening in Geology and Geophysics at the University of Utah. We acknowledge award winners like graduate student Kevin Mendoza, who is using magnetotellurics, a specific subfield of geophysics, to measure water entrained in the geologic water cycle and has important consequences for plate tectonics. Recipient of the 2023 University of Utah Teaching Assistantship Award, Kevin has developed python programming-based core curriculum for undergraduates. We’re also highlighting a faculty member (Fan-Chi Lin) who’s analyzing ambient seismic noise measurements to elucidate groundwater storage of snowpack melt in the Great Salt Lake basin
D OWN TO EA RTH
and aid water resource management as well as his work on what’s been termed a “thumping thermometer” in Yellowstone National Park (on the cover). Keith Koper (Director of Seismograph Stations) is diving into the interactions between human activity and induced earthquakes. Other faculty research is also featured in this issue. Some of our professors are involved in ambitious interdisciplinary collaborations as well. One group is investigating the role of groundwater in sustaining the Great Salt Lake in the face of drought, while another is piecing together the story of the last ice age glaciers in the American West. A team focused on critical minerals is even searching in Utah's coal for rare earth elements needed for technology and renewable energy. We're also proud that Brenda
| Department of Geology & Geophysics
Bowen was awarded a National Science Foundation ADVANCE grant to promote women faculty in STEM fields. She leads by example through her outstanding environmental geology program as well as her new position as chair of the Department of Atmospheric Sciences. Brenda has also been awarded a Geological Society of America (GSA) Fellowship, joining a cadre of GSA Fellows within our department (Cari Johnson, Marjorie Chan, Gabe Bowen, Thure Cerling, Jeff Moore, Kip Solomon, among others). Beyond research, we have students getting invaluable field experience during summer trips exploring iconic Utah destinations like the Courthouse Towers rock formation near Moab. Scenes from their expeditions frequently grace the cover of our alumni magazine and our website.
Finally, we are awaiting the final results of the NSF Regional Innovation Engines competition that could bring a major research hub to our department and state. Wish us luck! There are too many research, teaching and outreach efforts to
recount here. All of this requires your help, and I want to thank our generous donors who support scholarships, field work, graduate fellowships, and other essential programs. We earnestly request your continued support this year to enrich our next generation of earth science leaders.
Sincerely,
William (Bill) Johnson
RECOGNITION DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR | 2022 ROSENBLATT AWARD THURE CERLING CRIMSON CLUB HALL OF FAME | FOUNDERS DAY
Cover: Doublet Pool in Yellowstone National Park.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD ANKE FRIEDRICH
Down To Earth is the official magazine
NEW CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES BRENDA BOWEN
of the Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Utah, published in partnership with Marketing &
TEACHING ASSISTANTSHIP AWARD
Communications, College of Science.
KEVIN MENDOZA EXCELLENCE IN RESEARCH AWARD GABRIEL BOWEN
Associate Director of Marketing &
FULBRIGHT U.S. SCHOLAR FOR 2023-2024 RANDALL IRMIS
Communications: Bianca Lyon Writer & Editor: David Pace Designer/Photographer: Todd Anderson
IN MEMORIAM MARTA SUTTON WEEKS-WULF
Follow us on social media @uofugeo or University of Utah Geology and Geophysics
1930 - 2023 HELLMUT HANS DOELLING
1930 - 2023
Prefer only a digital version of
ALAN DAVID RIGBY
1969 - 2024
Down To Earth? Send us an email. You can read more at earth.utah.edu
info@geo.utah.edu
LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR | 2023
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4
by PAUL GABRIELSEN
WHILE THE CROWDS SWARM
found, is Yellowstone’s thumping
reaches of the hydrothermal conduit,
AROUND OLD FAITHFUL TO
thermometer.
they collapse suddenly. Thump.
A LITTLE POOL JUST NORTH
“By studying Doublet Pool, we are
A similar process happens in geysers
OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL
hoping to gain knowledge on the
and excites “hydrothermal tremor,”
PARK’S MOST FAMOUS GEYSER
dynamic hydrothermal processes
Lin explains, but occurs deeper in
IS QUIETLY SHOWING OFF ITS
that can potentially be applied to
the hydrothermal system, at depths
OWN UNIQUE ACTIVIT Y, ALSO
understand what controls geyser
of about 30 to 60 feet and ends
AT MORE-OR-LESS REGUL AR
eruptions,” says Lin, “and also less
with the geyser releasing pressure
SHOWTIMES.
predictable and more hazardous
through a narrow opening as an
hydrothermal explosions.”
eruption. Doublet Pool does not have
WAIT FOR ITS NEXT ERUPTION,
Instead of erupting in a towering
a plumbing structure that enables
geyser, though, Doublet Pool cranks
NOT EXACTLY LIKE A GEYSER
pressure accumulation and hence
up the bass every 20 to 30 minutes by
“We knew Doublet Pool thumps
no eruption occurs. Also, scientific
thumping. The water vibrates and the
every 20-30 minutes,” continues Lin,
instruments placed in and around
ground shakes.
“but there was not much previous
the pool aren’t at any risk for being
knowledge on what controls the
regularly blown out.
Doublet Pool’s regular thumping is
variation. In fact, I don’t think many
more than just an interesting tourist
people actually realize the thumping
So, to better understand how
attraction. In a study led by Fan-Chi
interval varies. People pay more
hydrothermal systems work, Lin and
Lin, associate professor and co-author
attention to geysers.”
his colleagues, including Cheng-Nan
of a paper published in Geophysical
Liu, Jamie Farrell, and Sin-Mei Wu
Research Letters, researchers show
The thumping, Lin says, which lasts
from the U and collaborators from
that the interval between episodes
about 10 minutes, is caused by
the University of California, Berkeley
of thumping reflects the amount
bubbles in the plumbing system that
and Yellowstone National Park, set up
of energy heating the pool at the
feeds water, heated by a magma
instruments called geophones around
bottom, as well as in indication of how
system beneath Yellowstone, to
Doublet Pool in seven deployments
much heat is being lost through the
Doublet Pool. When those bubbles
between 2015 and 2021. In winter 2021
surface. Doublet Pool, the authors
of water vapor reach the cool upper
and spring 2022, with the permission
D OWN TO EA RTH
| Department of Geology & Geophysics
of the National Park Service, they
Geyser Hill may have been turned
harder for the system to accumulate
lowered temperature and water-level
up more than usual. By 2021, like an
enough energy to thump,” Lin says.
sensors into the pool itself. Then they
Instant Pot on natural release, that
“One possibility is that the pool is
watched, waited, and listened.
heat and pressure had subsided and
actively convecting so the cooling near
the silence interval at Doublet Pool
the surface can affect the bottom of
had recovered.
the pool in a relatively short time scale.”
Focusing on the silence interval,
The researchers also noticed that
HEAT INPUTS AND OUTPUTS
researchers found that the time
silence intervals varied from day
Using principles of heat transfer, the
between periods of thumping varied
to day, and even hour to hour.
authors calculated the amount of
both year-to-year and also hour
When they compared the weather
heat and the heating rate needed to
to hour or day to day. Their results
conditions with the silence intervals,
initiate thumping at Doublet Pool.
suggest that different processes
they found that wind speed over the
Think again about blowing on a pot
of adding or removing heat to the
pools was correlated with the silence
of pasta. You can prevent boiling over
hydrothermal system are behind the
interval. When wind speed was
if you are removing heat (through
variation.
higher, the interval was longer. Nature
blowing) at the same rate the heat is
was blowing over the top of Doublet
entering the pot.
LIKE BLOWING ON A POT OF PASTA
In November 2016, the silence interval
Pool, cooling it off.
was around 30 minutes. But by
“And as we know how to calculate the
September 2018, that interval had
The team is still working to
heat being removed from the wind,”
been cut in half to around 13 minutes,
understand how the blowing wind at
Lin says, “we can estimate the heating
and by November 2021, the interval
the surface of the pool impacts the
rate at the base.”
was back up to around 20 minutes.
heat at the bottom, but it’s clear that the wind removes heat energy from
The heating rate for Doublet Pool
Yellowstone’s hydrothermal system
the water, just like blowing over a hot
works out to around 3-7 megawatts
is like an Instant Pot, building up heat
drink—or a pot of pasta about to boil
of energy. Knowing that heating rate,
and pressure leading up to eruptions
over—cools it off.
scientists can use the silence interval
of geysers and other features. The
as a measurement of how much heat
unusual behavior of Ear Spring,
“Right now, we are treating the pool
is coming into the pool, since more
Doublet Pool, and other features
as one whole system, which means
heat means a shorter interval.
suggests that in 2018 the heat under
energy taken away from the surface makes it
“A better understanding of the energy budget,” Lin says, “will also improve our understanding of how much energy from the Yellowstone volcano is released through these hydrothermal features.” < A version of this article was originally published in @theU.
COVER STORY | 2023
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by CJ SIEBENECK
Erin Jensen studying the Courthouse Crack. | Credit: Dr. Jeff Moore GEOHAZARDS, DUE TO THE WAY
different mechanisms and influences
surface of an instability. They aren’t
THEY CONSTANTLY CHANGE, ARE
that are happening at a particular site.”
providing much information about the internal structure, or what’s going
A SOURCE OF USEFUL RESEARCH INTO L ANDSLIDES AND HOW
Seismic resonance is an emerging
THEY HAPPEN.
technique within the field of
on at depth.”
geohazards and has allowed Jensen to
Seismic monitoring not only bridges
When landslides and slope failures
collect more data on the Courthouse
the gap between surface and
occur in our built and natural
Mesa instability than can be obtained
subsurface techniques but does so
environments, damaging property
with traditional approaches.
without being structurally invasive,
and threatening life, there’s a scramble
though it can be costly. In the end,
to secure reliable assessments to
Perhaps surprising to the uninitiated,
Jensen used a combination of new
prevent further damage. But what
structures like buildings, bridges,
and traditional techniques to create
if there were ways to measure the
as well as natural rock formations
a clearer picture of the instability of
character and instability of rock
like arches have natural vibration
Courthouse Crack as a whole.
and soil beforehand and to predict
modes and are constantly in motion
potential disasters?
at their resonance frequencies. The
THE MOTHER OF INVENTION
new technique can help detect and
At sites like Courthouse Mesa,
Recently, PhD student Erin
characterize rock slope instabilities.
traditional methods include expensive
Jensen used seismic resonance
Using sensitive seismic instruments
means of drilling and field mapping
measurements to characterize the
has changed how researchers detect
which means measuring the cracks
Courthouse Crack, a potentially
changes in slope stability and what
you can see, plotting it out on a
hazardous rock slope near Moab, Utah
those changes look like.
map, and viewing the geometry of
that is part of the Courthouse Mesa.
instability. Alternatively, generating
“It’s important to be able to see a site
“Traditional techniques are easy to
field data with seismic resonance and
like this in person,” Jensen says, “and
implement, and fairly inexpensive,”
then coupling the data with numerical
really appreciate the size and scale.
Jensen says. “But the main limitation is
models result in an improved picture
I get to experience firsthand all the
that they’re really only measuring the
of crack conditions, which Jensen
D OWN TO EA RTH
| Department of Geology & Geophysics
then uses to describe the instability
Jensen received her undergraduate
changes. Jensen can use this data to
geometry and how the Courthouse
degree in physics and civil
check if the changes are associated
Crack’s stability might fail. “The
engineering. Before coming to the U,
with progressive failure of the rock
combination of new and traditional
she worked on a variety of landslide
slope. For this project, she used a
techniques,” Jensen says, “generates
projects during her master’s degree
single seismometer installed on
an improved picture of landslide
work in geological engineering and
the rock surface for three years and
behavior and failure development.”
with the US Geological Survey. At
tracked the resonance frequencies
the U, she had an opportunity to
of the landslide over time. What
“We aren’t really concerned about
develop and apply techniques that
she found was that the Courthouse
imminent failure or any hazard
the geohazards group had been using
instability is particularly affected by
to the public,” continues Jensen,
for a decade. Before this, Moore and
thermal stresses created by heating
specifically about Courthouse
his group
and
Mesa. “So it’s a really good spot
had used
cooling,
to use as a field laboratory” and
seismic
which
to use different seismic resonance
resonance
causes the
techniques to understand work with
techniques
crack to
rock slope instabilities and how they
to study
open and
can be applied to different types of
natural
close both
landslides, an obvious application
arches and towers but had not yet
daily and on a seasonal cycle. “We see
for civil engineers, planners, and
applied these methods to large rock
a pretty big seasonal change,” Jensen
builders. Jensen’s work is a reminder
slope failures like those at Courthouse
says. “The Courthouse Crack opens
that scientific inquiry is not just about
Mesa.
and closes about fifty millimeters
discovering unknowns in the natural
annually. It’s very slowly increasing
world but also about developing
Jensen and Moore build on past
and opening by millimeters per year.”
and refining new tools that have
studies in order to refine and move
broader implications elsewhere. In
instrumentation forward by answering
In the future, characterization
this scenario, geological necessity has
basic questions such as how the
measurements repeated in another
become the mother of invention.
techniques of seismic resonance
season at the same site could be
measuring can be used at other sites.
useful to observe the changes based
“I came to the U because I was
Seismic resonance methods enable
on larger swings in temperature and
interested in working with Jeff,” she
geohazard practitioners to better
climate. These measurements could
says of Associate Professor Jeff Moore
characterize and monitor potentially
also detect a continuing extension
who is her advisor and leads the
hazardous unstable rock slopes,
and failure of the cracked mesa.
geohazards research group. His work
especially those where invasive
Coming back to the site several years
focuses on the mechanics of processes
equipment cannot be installed, and
later would be useful to observe
driving natural hazards and shaping
again providing a potential service for
changes in the overall geometry of
the evolution of bedrock landscapes.
developers and engineers.
the Courthouse Mesa.
for research into geohazards and
Another benefit of the instruments
Creating another technique in the
understanding the instability of rock
Jensen is using is that she can
toolkit of geological engineering is
formations because of the abundance
continuously track seismic data to
important for Jensen and her group
of natural rock formations found in
monitor how the site’s instability
because it helps mitigate outside risks.
places such as Arches National Park.
responds to temperature and rainfall
Her work, which is being published
Utah is in fact a prime location
FACULT Y | 2023
7
8
soon, is instrumental in pushing
predict how resonance frequencies
Field measurements like those at
the new technique for practical
will respond during progressive rock
Courthouse Mesa are invaluable for
implementation and helps show how
slope failures of different types. These
establishing the new approach and
one can monitor landslide behavior.
models give new insights where
understanding the limitations.
Conceptually, seismic resonance
field data does not exist, because
measuring can anticipate what kinds
instrumented rock slope failures are
Erin Jensen’s work is taking her far
of other data and observations might
very rare.
afield from Utah. She is preparing
be seen in other landslides.
for a postdoctoral fellowship with Sometimes complex patterns of
the US Geological Survey as part of
Part of the project was stepping back
resonance frequency change before
the Mendenhall Research Fellowship
from the site and doing conceptual
failure, and the models showed, for
Program. Her research will focus
and numerical modeling, such as
the first time, the expected form
broadly on landslides in Alaska, as
testing out how frequency decreases
of resonance frequency change as
well as how landslides are affected by
with slope failure. This helps to
ultimate slope collapse approaches.
glacial retreat and climate change. <
Among the nation’s
National Earthquake Information
operations; and generation and
preeminent
Center (NEIC) which is the world’s pre-
management of earthquake catalogs.
earthquake
eminent seismic monitoring system.
His expertise and knowledge in these
seismologists,
areas have informed his continual A native of Georgia, Benz earned
efforts to educate college students
MS’82, PhD’86, scientist emeritus at
his BS in geophysics from the
and the general public about
the US Geological Survey (USGS)’s
University of Kansas and has been
earthquake hazards.
Earthquake Hazards Program, first
involved in a broad range of research
worked at the USGS in Menlo Park,
and applications in earthquake
In addition to educating college
California, and then, beginning in
seismology. This includes imaging
students—most recently as an adjunct
1993, in Golden, Colorado. With
earth structure, earthquake detection,
professor at the U during the 2021-
positions in the Branch of Seismology,
modeling of seismic sources, and near-
2022 academic year—Benz has also
the Branch of Earthquake and
real-time location and moment-tensor
been an exceptional leader in meeting
Geomagnetic Information, and
calculation to inform earthquake
USGS’s missions to quantify seismic
the Geologic Hazards Team, he
disaster response. Additionally,
hazards and to inform national, state,
became the Technical Manager
the range of his work extends to
and local governments, private industry,
of the Advanced National Seismic
measurement and prediction of
and the general public about such
System (ANSS) which oversees
strong ground motion; seismic
earthquake hazards and their mitigation. <
and coordinates seismic network
discrimination between natural
operations throughout the US.
seismicity and nuclear explosions;
HARLEY BENZ
understanding earthquake swarms; In 2003, Benz was appointed ANSS
induced seismicity and its implications
Megaproject Chief, overseeing the
for seismic hazard; seismic network
D OWN TO EA RTH
| Department of Geology & Geophysics
The Distinguished Alumni Award is given regularly by the Department of Geology & Geophysics. This past fall David Braxton MS’97 was announced as the 2023 recipient. His profile will appear in an upcoming issue of Down to Earth.
9
The edge of the Greenland Ice Sheet, where recent melting has left bare ground. | Credit: Kevin Krajick, Columbia University FROM TRACKING THE ROUTES OF
to the U through the Global Change
biogeochemical cycles, which can
WATER THROUGHOUT THE WEST
and Sustainability Center and is now
then be compared to modern day.
TO DETERMINING THE LEVELS
Professor of Geology & Geophysics
OF CARBON IN THE PALEOCENE,
and Co-Director of the Stable Isotope
GABRIEL BOWEN’S RESEARCH
Facility for Environmental Research
INTO ISOTOPES EXTENDS INTO A
(SIRFER).
VARIET Y OF CRITICAL RESEARCH PATHS.
Recipient of this year's College of Science Excellence in Research Award,
“One of the really cool things about
Bowen founded the Spatio-Temporal
isotope geochemistry is that it really
Isotope Analytics (SPATIAL) Lab, which
crosses disciplinary boundaries,”
uses stable isotope techniques to look
Bowen says. “It’s a subfield that
at a lot of different areas of application
grew out of earth science, geology,
of isotope geochemistry. “Isotope
and geochemistry, but it’s useful in
science has been kind of limited by
everything from forensic science to
our ability to make measurements,”
water research to planetary science.”
says Bowen.
Bowen grew up in rural Michigan and
The SPATIAL group has pushed
spent his childhood outdoors, which
forward uniting isotope geoscience
grew his love of nature and the earth.
with data science, which helps
He received his bachelor’s in geology
facilitate sharing within and between
at the University of Michigan and
fields of study. These data can then
went to UC Santa Cruz for a PhD in
be leveraged to tackle bigger systems
earth science. Bowen came to the U
questions, including reconstructing
as a post doctoral researcher before
Earth’s climate through its geologic
joining Purdue University as a faculty
past. This allows researchers to see
member for seven years. He returned
changes in climate, ecosystems, and
CONTEXTUALIZING CURRENT AND FUTURE TRENDS
“The Earth’s been through a lot,” Bowen says. “There’s a lot of context that shows how unusual what’s happening right now is. We’re pushing the climate system and carbon cycle much faster than it’s ever gone at any point in the geologic record.” Bowen works with an international community of scientists whose initial study, published in November in the journal Science, has reconstructed CO2 concentrations going back through the Cenozoic, the era that began with the demise of dinosaurs and the rise of mammals 66 million years ago. But this record does not extend very deep into the geologic past. To go deeper, Bowen says, “you have to rely on indirect evidence, what we call proxies.” One of those proxies are isotopes in minerals, the morphology of fossilized leaves and other lines
RECOGNITION & RESEARCH | 2023
10
of geological evidence that reflect
that go through the water cycle or
The SPATIAL lab runs an annual
atmospheric chemistry. Having a
rock cycle are the same ones that go
summer course for graduate
reliable map of past CO2 levels could
into an elephant or ponderosa pine.
students, which provides training
help scientists more accurately predict
We can really bridge the gap and
and experience in large-scale, data-
what future climates may look like.
understand the connection across
intensive, geochemically oriented
these spheres.”
research. The course consists of a
SOURCES OF WATER
discussion and lecture in the morning,
Isotopes also help the SPATIAL group
Bowen’s climate change research
delivered by specialists in the field.
study how natural cycles operate
includes tracking the sources of
Laboratory experiences introduce new
today, such as the water cycle.
water, such as where water originates
techniques and hands-on learning.
Additionally, they also study spatial
before it makes its way to southern
conductivity, or movement of things
California. The isotopes of water
“We live in a pretty amazing place
on the Earth’s surface, such as water,
in the Imperial Valley in California
for geology,” Gabriel Bowen says.
people, plants, and products. Bowen
look more like isotopes in Colorado
He appreciates the geology of Utah
looks at where plants are getting
water than in water elsewhere in
from the air, as an amateur pilot. He
water from in the subsurface of the
southern California. Most of the
flies a Cessna 182, mostly for geology
Earth, which can show the stability of
Imperial Valley water is irrigation
sightseeing. He also participates in
water supply within a community and
water diverted from the Colorado
charity flying, taking people around
help predict how water resources will
River. The irrigation water becomes
Antelope Island for sightseeing of
change due to climate change.
wastewater from irrigation because of
the Great Salt Lake. “I try to take my
overwatering, and then it enters the
scientist and artist friends out to see
“There’s an intimate coupling
groundwater. This has implications
things from a different perspective.” <
between the physical and biological
when agricultural runoff affects
processes that constitute a system,”
groundwater, as it could contain
Bowen says. “Isotopes are a common
pesticides and other chemicals used in
currency. The elements and isotopes
agricultural work.
D OWN TO EA RTH
| Department of Geology & Geophysics
INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH GROUPS FROM INVESTIGATING RARE EARTH ELEMENT RESOURCES IN ABANDONED COAL MINES TO MEASURING GRAVIT Y AND AMBIENT SEISMIC NOISE DYNAMICS IN THE FARMINGTON BAY PL AYA , DEPARTMENT RESEARCHERS HAVE ENLISTED TEAM MEMBERS THAT EXTEND FAR BEYOND THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS.
Others include faculty and students from different departments in the College of Science as well as those from state and national geological surveys and even the Assistant VP at the U for Faculty Equity and Diversity. The stories these research groups are telling are ones of impactful collaboration as they work together across disciplines on critical issues, such as saving the Great Salt Lake and better predicting water sources for the arid Mountain and Southwest.
11
GROUNDWATER AND SU STA INING THE G R EAT SALT L AKE
ANALY Z ING SE DIME NT IN T H E GRE AT SALT L A K E
Kip Solomon, Paul Brooks, Tonie VanDam, Mike
Gabriel Bowen and Deming Yang
Thorne, Fan-Chi Lin, and Bill Johnson
This research duo is analyzing This group, assisted by students, is
geochemical and sedimentological
installing piezometers (which measure
records from Great Salt Lake sediment
pore pressures in the ground),
cores to reconstruct lake-level and
analyzing environmental tracers,
salinity variation over the Holocene.
measuring gravity and ambient
These records document both natural
seismic noise dynamics, and collecting
and early human influences on the
resistivity profiles. These assessments
lake and provide context for recent
and measurements are occurring
and ongoing changes. <
at locations ranging from the high Wasatch to the Farmington Bay playa for the purpose of understanding what portion of water reaching Great Salt Lake becomes groundwater during its transit from snowpack downward. The results will elucidate the role of groundwater in sustaining wetland habitat on the lake’s eastern shore and the lake itself. <
The confluence of critical funding, cumulative decades of research experience, and the enthusiasm and new blood of student geologists and geophysicists provide a gallery of remarkable work by equally remarkable people shown here. <
RESEARCH | 2023
12
GR O U NDWAT E R STO RAGE IN M O U NTA I N CATCHME N TS
A N EW C L IMATIC D R IVE R FO R PR EC IPITATIO N & T EMPE RATURE
THE L AST IC E I N THE AME RICAN WEST
Paul Brooks and Kip Solomon
Court Strong and Paul Brooks
Chi Lin, and Surya Pachhai
Graduate students under the
A collaborative project between
As air temperatures continue to
direction of Brooks and Solomon
students and Strong and Brooks has
rise in the American West the
have demonstrated that groundwater
used a regionally coherent, periodic
remaining alpine, glacial ice is
storage in mountain catchments
variability in groundwater storage to
disappearing with implications for
throughout western North America
identify a previously unrecognized
downstream water and life. This team
is the primary control on variability
climatic driver for precipitation and
is documenting the remaining ice
in runoff efficiency each spring.
temperature in the western US.
in the Wasatch using geophysical,
Hydrochemical sampling and
Found in the North Atlantic Ocean,
glaciological, and numerical modeling
tritium age dating indicate that
the Atlantic Quadpole Mode (AQM)
techniques. They revealed massive,
these mountain groundwater stores
interacts with the well-known El Niño
glacial ice in both Timpanogos
are much larger and more variable
Southern Oscillation (ENSO) pattern in
and Gad Valley rock glaciers using
than previously assumed, calling for
the Pacific Ocean to influence winter
electrical resistivity tomography and
fundamental changes in how we
snowfall. Although the interaction
wrote a new numerical model to
predict water supply in response
of AQM and ENSO improves climate
represent hillslope-ice accumulation
to climate change. The team has
predictability throughout the West,
processes at these rock glaciers.
incorporated simple, transferable
the advances are most notable in the
They are continuing to measure the
metrics of these groundwater stores
area between roughly 38 and 42
downslope movement of ice-bearing
into tools for water managers that
degrees N latitude where ENSO exhibits
landforms with Jeff Moore and Molly
reduce the uncertainty of annual
little to no skill in predictability. This
McCreary and are dating rock glaciers
streamflow prediction by 50 percent.
region includes the source waters for
using 3He surface-exposure dating
These improvements in predictability
the Colorado River, Great Salt Lake,
with Wil Mace and Kip Solomon.
allow for more efficient allocation of
and the Northern Sierra Nevada range,
Alec Phips-Wirtz, with help from Bill
water resources as demand increases
three of the most important and most
Johnson, is measuring microplastics in
and supplies become more variable. <
water-stressed environments in the
Emerald Lake in front of Timpanogos
U.S.. Advanced knowledge of how
Glacier. Students as well as geologists
wet the winter will be in this region
from the Utah Geological Survey
represents a major advance in water
and biologists from Utah State
resource management in western
University have contributed to this
North America. <
interdisciplinary effort. <
D OWN TO EA RTH
| Department of Geology & Geophysics
Leif Anderson, Mike Thorne, Tonie Van Dam, Fan-
SPAT I A L , I S OTOPE GEO CHE MI ST RY Gabriel Bowen and Chris Stantis
ADVA NC E GRANT FOR WO ME N IN ST EM
CRITICAL MINERALS IN COAL Lauren Birgenheier and Emma Morris
Brenda Bowen, Claudia Geist, Ramón Barthelemy,
This research duo is helping to lead
and Myra Washington
two international efforts that will
This duo, assisted by students Haley Coe, Laura Wilcock, Peyton Fausett,
create interdisciplinary databases
This team is leading an institutional
Brittney Hoskins, Logan Ashurst-
promoting the Findability, Accessibility,
transformation project using a $3
McGee, Nicholas Bailey, as well as
Interoperability, and Reuse of digital
million grant from the National
colleagues from Utah Geological
assets (FAIR) exchange of stable
Science Foundation under its
Survey and Colorado Geological
isotope data (IsoBank and IsoArch).
ADVANCE program, devoted to
Survey are investigating the rare
PhD student Paige Austin and
enhancing the role of women in
earth element resources that may be
former PhD student Clement Bataille
the nation’s STEM workforce. The
available across Utah and western
are exploring the use of machine
challenges faced by women scientists
Colorado’s active coal mines for
learning and AI methods for isotopic
are compounded by their additional
mining and the clean energy transition.
modeling and data interpretation.
identities, including being women
The project is interdisciplinary,
The whole team contributes to the
of color and/or part of the LGBTQ+
involving several faculty in the U’s
annual SPATIAL summer course,
community, who experience additional
Mining Engineering and Metallurgy
which this year trained its 10th cohort
barriers as faculty members. <
or Materials Science and Engineering
of graduate students and postdocs
departments, including Michael Free,
in "big data" methods for isotope-
Prashant Sarswat, Jan Miller, Chen-
enabled science. <
Luh Lin, Swomitra Mohanty, Rajive Ganguli, Pratt Rogers, and Jessica Wempen. Current results suggest that there may be significant rare earth elements found in mudstone units above and below coal seams, which provide an opportunity to leverage and develop non-fuel critical mineral resources in active mines in Utah and western Colorado. <
Gabe Bowen and some of the SPATIAL team.
RESEARCH | 2023
13
14
BRIEFLY NOTED... ICHTHYO S AU R M I GRAT I O N
T H E ‘RITE STUFF
Q UAKE SWAR MS
Jim Karner has trekked almost
U seismologists are analyzing
New research from a team of
annually to Antarctica on expeditions
decades of seismic data in the hope
scientists, including researchers
looking for meteorites. The research
of discerning the significance of
with the Natural History Museum of
associate professor in the Department
earthquake swarms in a geologically
Utah and Department of Geology
of Geology and Geophysics has
complex region known as a
& Geophysics, suggests that nearly
probably seen and handled more
geothermal hotspot and for recent—
200 million years before giant whales
cosmic debris than most will see in a
geologically speaking—volcanism.
evolved, school bus-sized marine
lifetime. But on the morning of August
“In central Utah, seismic swarms are
reptiles called ichthyosaurs may
13, 2022, he—along with the rest of
much more common than any other
have been making similar migrations
the northern Wasatch Front—heard
type of sequence. We looked into all
to breed and give birth together
one explode for the first time. “That
types of sequences, but 80 percent
in relative safety. The findings,
was really loud,” he remembers
of the sequences are swarms. That’s
published in Current Biology, examine
thinking as he stood in his driveway.
remarkable,” says Gesa Petersen,
a rich fossil bed in the renowned
“My immediate thought was, ‘Wow,
a post-doctoral research fellow.
Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park in
that sounds like what people have
“We also saw that these are very
Nevada’s Humboldt-Toiyabe National
described as meteorites exploding
heterogeneous. So one location in
Forest, where many 50-foot-long
and breaking the sound barrier.’ ”
central Utah can have a very, very
ichthyosaurs (Shonisaurus popularis)
Within days, a piece of what would
different behavior than other locations
lay petrified in stone. Co-authored
eventually be named the Great Salt
just 30, 40, 50 kilometers away.” With
by Associate Professor Randall Irmis,
Lake meteorite made its way into
U geology professor Kristine Pankow,
NHMU chief curator and curator of
Karner’s hands, giving him and the U
Petersen published the latest findings
paleontology, the study offers a
an opportunity to learn what secrets
July 13 in the journal Geochemistry,
plausible explanation as to how at
of space this chunk of rock brought
Geophysics, Geosystems. <
least 37 of these marine reptiles came
with it to the Salt Lake Valley. <
to meet their ends in the same
Feel free to read the full story by Paul Gabrielsen
locality—a question that has vexed
online: magazine.utah.edu
paleontologists for more than half a century. <
Seismograph Stations | Credit: Dave Titensor
Jim Karner with meteorites. | Credit: Janelle Hanson
Ichthyosaur jaw and tooth. | Credit: Mark Johnston
D OWN TO EA RTH
| Department of Geology & Geophysics
A 'PLANET WITHIN A PLANET' by BRIAN MAFFLY
seismometers in boreholes drilled up to 10 meters into granite formations and arranged in patterns to concentrate the signals they receive, similar to the way parabolic antennae work. Pang analyzed seismic waves from 2,455 earthquakes. The way these
EARTH’S INNER CORE IS NOT THE
“The planet formed from asteroids
waves bounced off the inner core
HOMOGENEOUS MASS THAT WAS
that were sort of accreting [in space],”
helps map its internal structure. “This
ONCE ASSUMED BY SCIENTISTS,
says Koper. “They’re running into each
signal that comes back from the inner
BUT RATHER IT’S MORE LIKE A
other, and you generate a lot of energy.
core is really tiny. The size is about
TAPESTRY OF DIFFERENT “FABRICS,”
So the whole planet, when it’s forming
on the order of a nanometer,” Koper
ACCORDING TO GUANNING
up, is melting. It’s simply that the iron
says. “What we’re doing is looking for
PANG, A FORMER DEPARTMENT
is heavier and you get what we call
a needle in a haystack. So these baby
DOCTORAL STUDENT.
core formation. … The reason all the
echoes and reflections are very hard
metals are down there is because
to see.”
“For the first time we confirmed
they’re heavier than the rocks.”
that this kind of inhomogeneity is
The study's biggest discovery is that
everywhere inside the inner core,”
The protective field of magnetic
the inhomogeneity in the inner core
Pang says. Now a postdoctoral
energy surrounding Earth is created
varies. “Toward the center of Earth
researcher at Cornell University,
by convection occurring within the
it tends to be stronger,” Pang says.
Pang is the lead author of a new
liquid outer core, which extends 2,260
Continues Koper, “We think that this
study, published July 5 in the journal
kilometers (1,795 miles) above
Nature that opens a window into
the solid core. The molten
the deepest reaches of Earth. He
metal rises above the
conducted the study as part of his
solid inner core, cools
inner core grew really
doctoral dissertation at the U under
as it approaches
fast. It reached an
the direction of faculty member Keith
Earth’s rocky
equilibrium, and
Koper, director of the seismological
mantle, and sinks.
then it started to
observatory.
This circulation
grow much more
generates the bands
slowly. Not all of the
fabric is related to how fast the inner core was growing. A long time ago the
“What our study was about was
of electrons enveloping
iron became solid, so
trying to look inside the inner core,”
the planet. Without a
some liquid iron could be
says Koper. “It’s like a frontier area.
solid inner core, this field would
Anytime you want to image the
be much weaker and the planetary
interior of something, you have to
surface would be bombarded with
This “planet within a planet” makes
strip away the shallow effects.” The
radiation and solar winds that would
life on the surface possible, at least as
best tools for sensing this hidden
strip away the atmosphere and render
we know it. <
realm are earthquakes’ seismic waves,
the surface uninhabitable.
propagating from the planet’s thin
trapped inside.”
A version of this article was originally published
crust and vibrating through its rocky
For the new study, the team looked at
mantle and metallic core.
seismic data recorded by 20 arrays of
in @theU.
RESEARCH | 2023
15
T
hank you to all of our alumni and
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