Proposal

Name:

Collaborative proposal between the Departments of Geosciences and Anthropology to expand undergraduate hands-on training by inco

FiscalYear:

2017

Audience:

Science, College of

Submitter:

Comas, Xavier

Budget Manager:

Blanchard, Dominique

Project Manager:

Comas, Xavier

Proposal Approvers

Dept. Chair:

Xie, Zhixiao

Local IT:

N/A

Dean:

Sarajedini, Ata

Facilities:

N/A

OIT:

Bagdonas, Joseph A.

Proposal Funding

Year 1:

$ 0.00

Year 2:

$ 0.00

Year 3:

$ 0.00

Total:

$ 0.00

Proposal Funding versus Average

Questionnaire

Narrative
This proposal intends to expand the current pool of geophysical equipment for teaching and research purposes at the Geosciences and Anthropology departments by incorporating magnetic methods, currently not available at FAU. The Department of Geosciences at FAU currently owns instruments for data collection with electromagnetic, electric and seismic methods, however magnetic methods are not available and are a critical part of the training of any exploration geophysicist. Exposure to a variety of methods is critical to achieve proper training as a field geophysicist. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment of geoscientists and exploration geophysicists is projected to grow 16 percent from 2012 to 2022, faster than the average for all occupations (estimated on 11 percent), due to current societal needs for energy, environmental protection, and responsible land and resource management. Acquiring hands-on experience in this method may prove critical for FAU students at the time of graduation and when applying for job positions, particularly considering that the most common professional destinations for graduates in Geosciences are environmental consulting companies and the petroleum industry (Source: www.geology.com). A G-858 MagMapper Cesium portable magnetometer system by Geometrics is proposed here as the instrument for measuring magnetic properties of the subsurface. This proposal also intends to expand on seismic methods by purchasing a new set of low frequency geophones in order to perform multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) measurements, commonly used for evaluating the elastic condition (stiffness) of the ground for geotechnical engineering purposes. By combining this with the magnetic method as proposed here, and the currently available electrical and electromagnetic methods, will make the training of students at FAU (as related to geophysical techniques) truly unique and a great asset for companies looking to hire students with practical experience. The purchase of the MagMapper and the expansion on the seismic insturmentation will dramatically improve both the current teaching and research resources offered at the department of Geosciences and Anthropology in several ways: a) In-class undergraduate student training in the Geosciences and Anthropology curriculums: Classes that will directly incorporate either data acquisition or processing using the MagMapper and seismic surface wave datasets into its syllabus include: In Geosciences: Solid Earth Geophysics-GLY4451(25 students/semester); Stratigraphy-Sedimentation-GLY4500C (25 s/s); Field Methods-GLY4750C (20 s/s); Structural Geology-GLY4400 (25 s/s); Hydrogeology-GLY4822 (25 s/s). In Anthropology: Real Archaeology-ANT3190 (35 s/s); Florida Archaeology-ANT4158 (40 s/s); Native American Culture and Society-ANT3312 (40 s/s); The Maya and their neighbors-ANT3165 (35 s/s); Development of Ancient Civilizations-ANT4141 (35 s/s); Archaeological Research Methods-ANT4116 (25 s/s); Anthropology Study Abroad-ANT4957 (5 s/s). Other undergraduate courses that would benefit in Geosciences: Coastal and Marine Science-GLY3730 (50 s/s), Junior and Senior Field Camp-GLY 4790 (20 s/s); Water Resources-GEO 4280 (30 s/s); and Geomorphology-GLY 4700C (30 s/s). In Anthropology: Introduction to Anthropology-ANT2000 (200 s/s). To sum up a total of 665 students. b) Hands-on undergraduate student training through research in Geosciences and Anthropology (i.e. DIS and undergraduate support through the Office of Undergraduate Research and Inquiry, OURI) The purchase of the MagMapper will also allow data acquisition and processing of geophysical datasets for undergraduate research, following a tradition of undergraduate support at Comas' Environmental Geophysics Lab, which typically supports 4-5 undergraduates per year. c) Enhancing collaborations between the College of Sciences and the College of Arts and Letters The purchase of the MagMapper will help strengthening collaborations between the Department of Geosciences, in the Charles E. Schmidt College of Sciences, and the Department of Anthropology in the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, expanding on the already ongoing collaborations between PI Comas in the Department of Geosciences and Dr. Clifford Brown in the Department of Anthropology d) Improving in-class training and research capabilities for graduate students in the Geosciences and Anthropology departments Purchase of the MagMapper will also benefit both teaching and research for graduate students in Geosciences and Anthropology in several classes such as Environmental Geophysics (GLY 5457); Coastal Environments (GLY 6737); Coastal Hazards (GLY 6888); or Comparative Carbonate Sedimentology (GLY 6934).
Facilities
Not applicable: No renovation of facilities or upgrades are needed for this project
Hardware Requirements
All hardware requirements are incorporated in the requested budget and relate to the MagMapper and expansion of seismic methods for surface waves. As shown in the official quote attached, this includes: - Data Acquisition Console for display of position and data, Cesium sensor, sensor staff, inter-connecting cables including RS-232 output cable, carrying harness, rechargeable Gel-Cell battery (2), AC/DC battery charger, operation manual and reusable shipping/carrying case. - G-858 GRADIOMETER KIT. Includes second cesium-vapor sensor with sensor clamp and specialized staff sections for configuration of a vertical or horizontal gradiometer. - Integrated GPS receiver system for the MagMapper. - 4.5 HZ VERTICAL GEOPHONE, clean response to 100 Hz, 0.8 V/in/sec sensitivity. Housed in waterproof case with 7-cm spike and 1-m long cable lead with one D-loop, terminated with one pair of Mueller clip connectors, made in the USA. (GS-11D/PC-21). The G-858 MagMapper is a high sensitivity, fast-sampling ‘walking’ magnetometer. While other magnetometers are available in the market, the portability and speed during data acquisition makes the MagMapper an ideal magnetometer for fieldwork. The fact that data is directly displayed while being collected makes the MagMapper ideal for teaching purposes.
Software Requirements
Also included in the official quote the instrument requires an operating software in order to invert the raw data. - basic software for download, diurnal correction, data and navigation/position editing, gradient computation, gridding and contouring of MagMapper datasets
Personnel Costs
A small amount to support an undergraduate student is requested to quickstart instrument purchase, initial testing, usage coordination, and field assistance during Year 1. A total of an equivalent of 10 hours a week for a student assistant at a rate of $14/hour is requested. This represents a total of $140 per week or $2,100 per semester for one and a half semesters (half semester during the Spring of 2018 and a full semester during the Fall of 2019). Total of $3,150 The Environmental Geophysics Lab will absorb the expenses associated with undergraduate support during the summer of 2018, through other external support. After 2018, it is anticipated that usage and coordination of the instrument will be performed by undergraduates in training (while doing DIS projects) and personnel (i.e. staff or graduate students) at the Environmental Geophysics Lab.
Other Costs
Given the challenges involved with the instrument for first time users the company offers a 3-day on-site training course that can accommodate several students (up to 10). The price of this course plus the travel expenses for the instructor from the company are also included in the formal quote.
Timeline
February-March 2018: ordering and purchase of the MagMapper and seismic accessories. March 2018: Company's training and initial testing and first steps to coordinate usage by undergraduate student/helper. April 2018: usage schedule for Geosciences and Anthropology in place. An online schedule based on first come first serve basis will be placed under MyFAU website (following current calendars to reserve common Geoscience field equipment). May 2018: a virtual storage space is developed to share datasets within the Geosciences and Anthropology department. May-August 2018: field data acquisition and first DIS projects completed during the summer of 2018. the Environmental Geophysics Lab coordinates usage and covers undergraduate support during the summer. August-December 2018: implementation of data acquisition for other projects and DIS initiated during the Fall of 2018. Undergraduate student coordinates usage and provides field assistance.
Sustainability
Magnetic methods have a very diverse range of applications in groundwater and mineral exploration, engineering studies or environmental studies. Some of these applications include: mapping of geological boundaries and faults, detection of buried ores, or location of buried pipes and even land mines. One recent application that has been growing largely over the last decade is its applicability to archaeological studies such as human artifacts. The application relies on the disturbance of soil’s magnetic properties caused by the digging and refilling of trenches, compaction of the ground, presence of housing (bricks, rocks, etc.), or fire activity. For all these reasons incorporating hands-on training on this method will be very valuable for students at the Anthropology Department and their current research program in Archaeology, and will improve and expand dramatically their job applications after graduation. The MagMapper by Geometrics is ideally suited for teaching purposes due the ease of deployment and operation, but also for applied field research due to its roughness and portability. For all these reasons the instrument is highly sustainable. Data storage and processed files will follow the protocols for any other geophysical data routinely generated at the Environmental Geophysics Lab (i.e. storage under central computer and two security backups with storage up to 3 Tb). A virtual storage space mainly designed for data sharing will also act as additional backup. By incorporating the instrument in currently undergoing projects at the Environmental Geophysics Lab, potential repairs once the warranty period of the instrument is expired (i.e. 1 to 2 years) will be absorbed by the Environmental Geophysics Lab.
Resource Matching
The Environmental Geophysics Lab in Geosciences will provide support in several ways: 1) by hosting the MagMapper and seismic accessories in the laboratory facilities located in Davie West. 2) by providing support for an undergraduate student during the summer of 2018 (for a minimum of 10 hours a week at $14 per hour and during 3 months). 3) by absorbing any expenses associated with maintenance and repair of the OhmMapper after 2018. Also, the company Geometrics has graciously agreed to provide a 5 % educational discount in this purchase (representing total savings of $2,250)
Implementing Organization
The Department of Geosciences and the Environmental Geophysics Lab in particular will take the lead in implementing this project and storing and maintaining the equipment. The Anthropology Department (with Dr Clifford Brown as the liaison) will participate also in the training exercises and will have the instrument available at any time as per the online scheduling system explained above. We hope that this purchase will not only strengthen teaching within both Departments and schools within FAU, but will also strengthen current research collaborations between the two. The Environmental Geophysics Lab emphasizes such collaborations and will continue to do so by incorporating additional projects that include training and usage of the MagMeter by undergraduate students across different departments and colleges at FAU.

Proposal Budget

Fiscal Year 1 Fiscal Year 2 Fiscal Year 3 Total
Hardware One-Time $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Hardware Recurring $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Software One-time $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Software Recurring $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Personnel One-time $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Personnel Recurring $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Other One-time $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Other Recurring $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00
Totals $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00 $ 0.00

Supporting Documentation

Filename Size Description
26484_FAU_Mag and Seismic Spares.pdf 289,299b Formal Quote from Geometrics
Comas_tech fee grant 2017_budget.docx 19,840b Budget justification