geological graduate studies .

Remote Sensing and Volcanology

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Volcanology
Volcanology is the science of volcanoes, which is the name we give to the liquid rock plumbing systems that lead from several 10's of kilometers depth to the earth's surface. Volcanoes are the most likely source of earth's atmosphere and oceans and provide a strong link between earth' s tectonic and hydrological systems.

The central focus of volcanology is prediction of activity, an event that is rare at most volcanoes, but which can profoundly impact people that live nearby and sometimes those far away. We are far from an ability to accurately predict eruptions, but the science has many challenges within its immediate reach. Research in volcanology requires backgrounds in physics, chemistry, materials science, atmosopheric science and meteorology, electromagnetics, and engineering and computer skills are highly desirable. Volcanic hazards communications efforts also demand skills in technical and intercultural communications. Traditionally most volcanologists have come from geological departments, but in recent years most graduate programs have had interdisciplinary teams with diverse backgrounds. Michigan Tech has one of the largest volcanology graduate programs in the US and has produced many MS and PhD level volcanologists. Cross-over graduate students are encouraged.

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Research Grants
NASA, $92 K Satellite studies of Volcanic clouds, 1997-99--for comparison of satellite data on volcanic clouds.

NASA, $225K ADEOS remote sensing of volcanic clouds (With G. Bluth).

NASA Center for Environmental Remote Sensing, $830 K total, $400 K from NASA (equipment grant, G. Bluth, PI).

NASA, $66,000, Doctoral fellowships for S. Barker and C. Riley.

NSF, International Programs: $60K for Collaborative Volcanic Hazard Studies in El Salvador (with C. Sandoval and J. Vallance).

NSF, Experimental Debris Flows-$98K, with J. Vallance

NSF, $204K Volcanic clouds in earth's atmosphere (with G. Bluth, J. S. Gierke).

NSF International Programs US Germany Collaborative Science on Modelling of Volcanic eruption clouds, $8 K.

OFDA/USGS ~$29K informal support for students working on volcanic hazards in Central America.

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National Science Foundation, $216,748, 11/1/97 - 10/31/99, Volcanic Cloud/Atmospheric Interactions: The First Week, W. I. Rose, G. J. S. Bluth, J. S. Gierke.

Volcanic Plume Analysis Using TOMS and AVHRR Data. NASA, $447,000, from 10/1/98 to 9/30/01; A. Krueger, G. Bluth, D. Flittner, N. Krotkov, W. Rose, S. Schaefer, and C. Seftor.

Tracking the Chemical and Physical Evolution of Volcanic Clouds. NASA Earth Observing System Volcanology Team, $35,700 from 4/1/99 to 3/31/00; W. Rose, G. Bluth.

Integration and Visualization of Volcanic Hazards Data, Michigan Space Grant Consortium, $5,000 from 1/1/97 to 12/31/98; G. Bluth and G. Mayberry.

Characterization of Volcanic Airfall Particle Shape: Applications to Remote Sensing Algorithms and Transport Modeling Experiments. NASA, $22,000 from 9/1/98 to 8/31/99; G. Bluth, W.I. Rose and C. Riley.

Temporal Analysis of Volcanic Ash and Aerosol Transport. NASA, $22,000 from 9/1/98 to 8/31/99; G. Bluth, S. Barker.

Application of TOMS Data to Volcanic Hazard Mitigation. NASA Solid Earth and Natural Hazards, $180,000 from 8/01/98 to 8/01/01, G. Bluth.

Volcanic Hazards Evaluation Using Repetitive Thematic Mapper Imagery, Guatemala. Michigan Space Grant Consortium,$5,000 from 3/1/99 - 3/1/00; W. Rose, G. Bluth, J. Yotz.

Application of TOMS Data to Volcanic Hazard Mitigation. NASA Solid Earth and Natural Hazards, $180,000 from 8/01/98 to 8/01/01, G. Bluth.
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Atmosperic Remote Sensing
Full-time graduate funding currently exists for a project using satellite data on SO2 in the atmosphere to study long term volcanic emissions, and the fates of these emissions in the atmosphere.

Remote sensing is also developing geologic applications, such as mapping and characterization, using a hyperspectral sensor. This project has part-time graduate funding, and includes the full remote sensing spectrum from collection of the data by aircraft to processing, manipulation and interpretation.

Additionally, this area has a pending project to work with the Pacific Disaster Center in Hawaii to transfer methods of volcanic cloud detection and tracking. This project includes full-time graduate support.

Research Grants
Remote Sensing of Surface Geology. MTU REF, $12,040, from 11/1/98 -10/31/99; G. Bluth.
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Satellite Limnology

Research Grants
NSF and NOAA, $599,782, 9/1/97 - 8/31/02, "EEGLE: Episodic Events: Great Lakes Experiment: Understanding the Historical Magnitude of Spring Turbidity Plumes in Southern Lake Michigan. total grant, Kerfoot, W.C. (PI), J.W. Budd and R.P. Stumpf (Co-PIs).

NSF and NOAA "KITES: Keweenaw Interdisciplinary Transport Experiment on Superior", $4.7M total grant, $424,000 to JWB from 9/1/97- 8/31/02, Green, S. (PI), J.W. Budd, N.A. Auer, M.T. Auer, W.C. Kerfoot, N. Urban (Co-PIs).

Michigan Space Grant Consortium Fellowship Program for Graduate Students, Automation of Edge Detection for Remotely Sensed Imagery.",$5,000, 4/1/99 - 3/31/00, Budd, J.W. (PI), J.D. Chye.

Michigan Space Grant Consortium Fellowship Program for Graduate Students, $5,000, 4/1/99 - 3/31/00, "Remote Sensing of Great Lakes Water Quality Using SeaWiFS (Sea-Viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor)", Budd, J.W. (PI), D.S. Warrington.

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Michigan Space Grant Consortium Fellowship Program for Graduate Students, $5,000, 4/1/99 - 3/31/00, "Use of Remotely Sensed Imagery to Detect the Areal Extent of Cladophora glomerata in Platte Bay, Michigan", Budd, J.W. (PI), R.L. Carter.

MTU Research Excellence Fund, $9,044, 10/1/98 - 9/30/99, "Modeling Great Lake Water Quality Using Retrospective Remotely Sensed Imagery", Drummer, T.D. (PI) and J.W. Budd (Co-PI).

Michigan Space Grant Consortium Fellowship Program for Undergraduates, $2500, 6/1/99 - 5/31/00, "Real-time Processing of Great Lakes Satellite Imagery: Creation of an Internet Resource for Great Lake Ecosystem Studies", Budd, J.W. (PI) and A.K. Bucki.

Michigan Space Grant Consortium Fellowship Program for Undergraduates, $2500, 6/1/99 - 5/31/00, "Rapid Visualization of Limnologic Parameters in Support of the KITES Project", Budd, J.W. (PI) and A.J. Jenkins.

Michigan Space Grant Consortium Seed Grant, $8000, 6/1/99 - 5/31/00, "A New Method for Estimating Surface Chlorophyll Transport Using SeaWiFS Imagery", Budd, J.W. (PI), V. Ransibrahmanakul, W. C. Kerfoot
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Faculty Information

    Gregg J. S. Bluth     Associate Professor of Geology
    Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University
    Earth/atmosphere interactions, remote sensing of volcanic emissions, watershed geochemistry
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    Judith Wells Budd     Research Assistant Professor of Remote Sensing
    Ph.D., Michigan Technological University
    Remote Sensing of Lake Water Quality
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    William I. Rose     Professor of Petrology
    Ph.D., Dartmouth College
    Volcanology, geochemistry, remote sensing, volcano/atmosphere interactions, global change
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Courses

    GE4100 - Geomorphology and Glacial Geolgy

    GE4150 - Natural Hazards

    GE4170 - Volcanic Clouds

    GE4640 - Meteorology

    GE5100 - Advanced Geomorphology and Glacial Geology

    GE5150 - Advanced Natural Hazards

    GE5160 - Remote Sensing - Atmospheres

    GE5160 - Remote Sensing - Surfaces

    GE5180 - Volcanology
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Research/Publications

    Bluth, G.J.S., W.I. Rose, I.E. Sprod, and A.J. Krueger (1997) Stratospheric loading from explosive volcanic eruptions. Journal of Geology, 105, 671-683.

    Bluth, G.J.S., C.C. Schnetzler, A.J. Krueger, and L.S. Walter (1993) The contribution of explosive volcanism to global atmospheric sulphur dioxide concentrations. Nature, 366, 327-329.

    Bluth, G.J.S., C.J. Scott, I.E. Sprod, C.C. Schnetzler, A.J. Krueger, and L.S. Walter (1995) Explosive SO2 emissions from the 1992 eruptions of Mount Spurr, Alaska. In, U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2139, 37-45.

    Constantine, E.K., G.J.S. Bluth, and W.I. Rose, (1999, in press) TOMS and AVHRR sensors applied to drifting volcanic clouds from the August 1991 eruptions of Cerro Hudson. American Geophysical Union Special Monograph.
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Students




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