The core strength of the Geology and Geophysics (G&G)
Department lies in studies of the geology and geophysics of
ocean basins and margins, and the underlying dynamics of the
mantle that keep the tectonic plates in motion; the geochemistry
of Earth systems, from processes deep within the Earth to
interactions between geology and biology; climate change and
its relation to ocean circulation; and coastal processes,
including climatic effects on coastal systems and extreme
events, such as hurricanes.
In 2005, G&G scientists conducted fieldwork around the
world, both on shore and at sea. Jian Lin served as a U.S.
Chief Scientist and co-led two international cruises on the Chinese
research vessel Dayang 1. During this first around-the-globe
scientific expedition by a modern Chinese research ship,
Jian and colleagues discovered new regions of strong hydrothermal
plumes in the equatorial East Pacific and Southwest Indian
Ocean, and recovered sediment cores to investigate the history
of mega-earthquakes and tsunamis near Sumatra, Indonesia.
Stan Hart, with MIT/WHOI Joint Program student Matt Jackson
and others, explored
Vailulu’u seamount, an underwater volcano off Samoa,
and discovered a new 1,000-foot (300-meter) volcanic cone
in its crater, as well as extensive hydrothermal activity.
Joan Bernhard initiated a project with colleagues off the
coast of California to examine the effects of ocean disposal
of carbon dioxide on benthic foraminifera.
The G&G Department takes pride in having some of the best
sampling and analytical facilities in the world. Jim Broda
is leading the design and implementation of a system that
will collect cores up to 150 feet (45 meters) long, thereby
accessing sedimentary records back further in time. Sea trials
are planned for early 2007. Furthermore, an extension to the
core repository has been completed for increased sample storage,
and for staging the long-coring system.
At the National Ocean Sciences Accelerator Mass Spectrometry
(NOSAMS) facility, which provides carbon 14 analyses to the
ocean sciences research community, an extension was built
to expand the sample preparation lab and house the new continuous-flow
AMS system. In addition, after nine years as director of NOSAMS,
John Hayes stepped down and was replaced by Bill Jenkins of
the Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department.
Five new members of the scientific staff were appointed. Chris
German from the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton,
U.K. was hired as a senior scientist. His expertise is in
the geology and geochemistry of seafloor hydrothermal systems
and, as of January 2006, he will take over from Maurice Tivey
who has served as Chief Scientist for Deep Submergence for
the last year and a half. Two associate scientist appointments
will strengthen our seismology group. Dan Lizarralde joined
us from Georgia Institute of Technology. A 1997 graduate of
the Joint Program, Dan is an active-source seismologist with
research interests in continental margin structure, mantle
dynamics, gas hydrates, and coastal hydrogeology. Juan Pablo
Canales, a marine seismologist who studies ocean crustal structure,
was appointed from the technical staff. Two assistant scientists
were also appointed: Adam Soule is a volcanologist interested
in the physics of lava flow emplacement, and Alison Shaw is
a geochemist investigating the use of volatiles as geochemical
tracers of cycling of material between the Earth’s crust
and mantle.
—Susan Humphris, Department Chair
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