ESVI: Earth Science on Volcanic Islands

Rhett Butler

Research Focus

I am interested in a broad range of geophysical phenomena, including Hawaiian volcanos, the oceanic lithosphere, the inner-outer core boundary, tsunamis, and polar research. My favorite tool is seismology, which allows me to “see” directly into the Earth, and to pose and answer geophysical questions. Discovery is exciting! My current research includes the recent sequence of fifty magnitude 5 earthquakes associated with the Kīlauea summit collapse and cessation of lava, precursory seismic events at Kīlauea, seismoacoustic wave propagation at the seafloor of the world’s deepest seafloor observatory—SOEST’s Aloha Cabled Observatory—north of O‘ahu, and antipodal studies of Earth’s interior.

Possible Project

• The recent collapse of Kīlauea’s summit generated a plethora of data for this unprecedented event. Aligning the disparate data by time is crucial for understanding temporal evolution of the volcano process. Data sets include geodetic, seismic, infrasound, lava flow rates, lava chemistry, and others. Openly available data exist and await the student interested in seeing the big picture, and learning how to access the data

Aly El-Kadi

Research Focus

I am a Professor of hydrology, Department of Earth Sciences, and a Researcher at the Water Resources Research Center (WRRC). My research deals with aassessing effects of climate change and land-use practices on aquifer sustainability; watershed assessment and modeling; application and assessment of various types of groundwater models; analysis of dissolved helium transport in aquifers; modeling multiphase flow and transport of hydrocarbons; numerical modeling; flow and transport in field soils; databases and geographic information systems; bioremediation in tidal aquifers; contamination by agricultural, cesspool sources, and arsenic.

Potential Project

• In this project, the REU will numerically study the flow of water and transport of tracers to determine the velocity of water movement through geological media and to examine the dispersion effects causing the tracer’s transport. The REU will design numerical experiments involving small and large scale variability in hydraulic properties, including heterogeneities and fracture flow. A model will be used to simulate the flow and transport processes considering the detailed heterogeneities and fractures. The concept of equivalent porous media will be tested next to examine if the idealized heterogeneities and anisotropy are able to approximate the true systems. Issues to examine will include the scale of the problem and the multi-dimensional transport effects. User-friendly numerical models will be used in simulating the time development of water flow and transport and in estimating transport parameters through model calibration.

Brian Glazer

Research Interests

Sensors & Instrumentation for Coastal Oceanography

Description

Recent technological innovations in consumer electronics have drastically reduced the cost of sensors that can be used for environmental monitoring, however, most of these advances have not yet been applied to aquatic sciences, and aquatic scientists have been forced to rely on expensive instruments developed for use by scientists with access to large research and development budgets. This has limited our understanding of dynamic, geographically complex ecosystems like the coastal zone. We have projects funded by the National Science Foundation, University of Hawaii, and the Schmidt Family Foundation to: (a) establish a pool of low-cost sensors and instrumentation based on small single-board computers (Raspberry Pi, Arduino), (b) provide biogeochemical expertise for student-led development of field-deployable sensor systems in nearshore and coral reef environments, (c) establish a coordinated monitoring program in nearshore Hawaii.

For more information, visit grogdata.soest.hawaii.edu/project_info/.

Jasper Konter

Research Focus

My research interests are in mantle geochemistry, and magmatic processes that shape oceanic volcanoes. The majority of my work focuses on the use of radiogenic (Pb, Sr, Nd, Hf) and stable (Fe) isotopes, as well as major and trace element abundances to look at the sources and processes that form volcanic rocks. In particular, I work on volcanic chains that occur in the middle of the tectonic plates (so-called hotspots), studying how the volcanoes are constructed, how they relate to the tectonic plates, and how they relate to the world-famous example of the Hawaiian Islands.

Potential Projects

• Isotopic composition of potential Hawaiian arch submarine volcanoes
• Isotopic composition of Samoan late shield subaerial volcanism
• Compositional gradients across Hawaiian rocks or minerals using laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS).

Murli H. Manghnani

Research Focus

My research interests are in high pressure mineral physics. Specifically, I am interested in the physico-chemical and thermodynamic properties and the composition-structure-property systematics in Earth materials (like hydrous mantle minerals, core materials), ceramics (oxides, silicates and their polymorphs), thin films of hard materials, silicate glasses and melts, metals (Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Cr, Mo, and their alloys) and the Fe-Ni-S and Fe-Ni-Si melts under in-situ high pressure/temperature environments.

Potential Project

• Geophysical properties of molten Hawaiian basalts: Implications for the relevant seismic and electrical field measurements in Hawaiian and other volcanic areas. Fundamental knowledge of the seismic (P- and S-wave velocities and attenuation) and electrical properties of basaltic and associated silicate melts is a requisite for probing and modeling volcanos and volcanic regions, in terms of the variations in their density, viscosity, viscoelastic and dynamic (flow) characteristics which are significantly controlled by temperature, composition and volatile contents. Fortunately, there is a wealth of existing experimental (lab) and interpreted data from the field measurements which provide us the useful systematics involving composition, temperature, density, velocity, viscosity, electrical resistivity, and melt structure for modeling the static and dynamic (fluid) properties of basaltic volcanoes. This project will include a review of the important relevant current literature, introduce the knowledge of the various experiments deployed in the High Pressure Mineral Physics laboratories in HIGP/SOEST, and will offer some introductory experimental and data interpretation experience. Specifically, this project will include usage of the ultrasonic technique for melt studies, and new Fourier-Transform Infrared (FTIR) facility, which is used for determining water content of volcanic glasses and olivine include in submarine volcaniclastic rocks. This knowledge could lead to advanced studies of the basaltic melts under in situ high pressure-temperature conditions.

Garrett Apuzen-Ito

Research Focus

My students and I use computer simulations of solid and fluid mechanics to study mantle convection and melt generation beneath mid-ocean ridges as well as hotspot island chains like Hawai‘i. More recent studies include computational geophysical studies of lithosphere deformation and faulting at both divergent and convergent plate boundaries. Students who work with me have strengths in math and physics and are interested in computer modeling.

Potential Projects (see also the Potential REU Projects PDF)

• Analyze high-resolution maps of seafloor topography to measure faults and magmatism where seafloor is spreading and being created at mid-ocean ridges.
• Use computer models to study the mechanics of the growth and faulting of mountain belts and submarine accretionary wedges where tectonic plates collide (see movie on YouTube).
• Perform computer simulations of solid mechanics to examine the buckling and fracturing of the Pacific tectonic plate as it is loaded by the weight of the Hawaiian islands.

Niels Grobbe

Research Focus

My research interests and expertise include hydrogeophysics (imaging and understanding water in the subsurface: e.g. groundwater resources, flow paths, salt/fresh water interactions; geothermal resources; etc.), imaging, inverse problems, numerical modeling, multi-geophysical methods (e.g. active and passive seismics, electromagnetics, gravity), and coupled seismo-electromagnetic phenomena. In my research group, I always aim to combine theoretical and algorithmic development with field data and/or laboratory data. We have a wide-range of cutting-edge land geophysical equipment available, including seismic nodes (1C and 3C), nodal-based electrical resistivity tomography/induced polarization systems, magnetotellurics, self-potential systems, seismic sources, and gravity.

Potential Projects

• Hydrogeophysical field experience: learning data acquisition, processing, imaging, inversion, and interpretation with one or a variety of geophysical methods, to study groundwater distribution, flow, and hydrogeologic properties at a Hawaiian field location.
• Theoretical development: develop improved physics descriptions of geophysical phenomena of interest.
• Algorithmic / software development: e.g. novel advanced wave/field propagation modeling software in porous media; imaging and/or single or joint-inversion algorithms including uncertainty quantification for a variety of geophysical data types (seismic, EM, gravity). This can also include synthetic modeling studies with already available software.

Craig Glenn

Research Focus

Streams, and groundwater (submarine groundwater discharge—SGD), can deliver large amounts of nutrients and other land-based contaminants to the coastal waters of Hawai‘i. We study these processes and we investigate the connections between differing types of land use and the flow of water and nutrient fluxes from land into our coastal marine environmental systems. Based on our work using aircraft, we use thermal infrared imaging from small remote-controlled “drones” to image, measure and differentiate the magnitude and dispersal of SGD and streams that enters into the ocean. We also use geochemistry and stable isotopes to determine the land sources from which those waters and their nutrients were derived. Our research is further directed at using stream flow measurements and groundwater modeling to quantify transport flow paths and water and nutrient discharge rates. This summer’s REU project will focus on areas of Waialua-Hale‘iwa on O‘ahu’s north shore. A major goal of this REU project is to understand how freshwater systems impact the health and sustainability of Hawai‘i’s coastal waters and ecosystems.

Potential Projects

• Use thermal infrared imagery captured from a drone to locate and quantify the extent of stream and submarine groundwater discharge that enters the coastal waters of Hawai‘i.
• Use Hawaiian groundwater, stream, and coastal water quality and isotopic signatures to understand groundwater transport paths and its sources of origin from land.
• Creation of a water budget to determine nutrient transport.

Celia Smith

Research Focus

Generally unseen and infrequently measured, submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) can transport large loads of nutrients and other land-based contaminants to the coastal waters of Hawai‘i. Working in collaboration with Dr. Glenn’s research group, we investigate the connections between differing types of land use, the flow of water, and finally the nutrient fluxes from land into the coastal ocean. As elevated nutrient flow to coastal settings can drive algal blooms that can degrade our coral reefs, we combine natural stable isotopes and nutrient geochemistry of both SGD and of marine plants to trace the origins of elevated nutrients, as well as assess the biological impacts on the marine plant community.

Potential Project

• A major goal of our combined research is to better understand how the biological community of reef species responds to nutrient additions, and to understand how the needs of that community lead to health and sustainability of our coastal ecosystems. This summer’s REU will focus on the Waialua Bay region of O‘ahu.