Apply-to-Sail on An Open Access Seismic Investigation of Galápagos Plume-Ridge Interaction, March 6-April 6 2023

We are now accepting applications from graduate students and early-career scientists in the geosciences from U.S. institutions to sail on a marine expedition to deploy an array of ocean-bottom seismometers on the seafloor northwest of the Galápagos Islands.

The Galápagos area was among the very first locals ever to be recognized as involving the interaction between a mid-ocean ridge and an off-ridge mantle plume.  Despite over four decades of geologic, geophysical, and geodynamic studies of this area, we still have little knowledge of the physical processes by which mantle plume-ridge interaction actually occurs.  To address this deficit, our team of geophysicists at the Universities of Oregon (Emilie Hooft , Douglas Toomey), Rhode Island (Yang Shen) and Hawaiʻi (Garrett Ito), will be conducting an ambitious experiment to tomographically image the seismic velocity structure of the upper mantle between the Galápagos Islands and the Western Galápagos Spreading Center.

We invite graduate students and early-career scientists to “Apply-to-Sail” with us on a 29-day seagoing cruise to deploy 53 ocean bottom seismometers (yellow squares shown schematically above) on the deep seafloor between the Galápagos Islands and the Western GSC. The aim of the Apply-to-Sail program is to provide early-career, professional experience in marine geophysics and to promote ocean bottom seismic research to up-and-coming generations of geoscientists.  We also aim to enhance professional access to the geosciences by minorities and other underrepresented groups.  

The cruise will be onboard the R/V Marcus G. Langseth embarking in San Diego CA, USA 06 March 2023, and disembarking on Puerto Ayora, Galápagos Islands, Ecuador, 06 April 2023.  All travel, lodging, and meal expenses will be covered for the participates. The principal investigators on this cruise will be Professors Emilie Hooft and Yang Shen.

Qualified applicants are pursuing training and/or careers in geoscience by attending graduate school, or as a researcher or a pre-tenured professor in the U.S. To apply, please send (1) a brief cover letter, (2) a one-page statement describing your background, professional ambitious and interests in participating, as well as (3) a curriculum vitae to Professor Garrett Ito at gito@hawaii.edu. Applications received by November 1, 2022 will receive highest priority for consideration.  

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