Proposal

            This proposal intends to expand the current pool of geophysical equipment for teaching and research purposes at the Geosciences department by purchasing a seismograph, currently not available in Geosciences or any other college or department at FAU. It is important to consider that the seismic method is one of the most commonly used geophysical techniques for both environmental studies (such as sinkhole detection) and natural resources exploration (such as mineral, soil and gas). The method is also commonly used for earthquake monitoring and geotechnical engineering or archaeological studies. For all these reasons, purchasing a seismograph will provide students with hands-on training on seismic techniques, which may prove critical 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). According to the 2013 report on the Status of Recent Geosciences Graduates from the American Geosciences Institute, about 50% of Bachelors in Geosciences graduates accept positions at the oil, gas and mining industries after graduation, while 21% do at companies related to environmental services. In the case of Master's graduates, oil, gas and mining industries represent a total of 78% of hires in Geosciences. As noted earlier the oil, gas and mining industries mainly rely on seismic techniques as their main exploration method, and for that reason incorporating hands-on training on such method at Geosciences will improve dramatically their job applications after graduation. Availability of a seismograph will also expand the current array of research applications for undergraduate studies and directed independent studies (DIS) at the Geosciences department and its Environmental Geophysics Lab, and thus critically expand undergraduate research in Geosciences in support of FAU's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Distinction through Discovery, as well as graduate student research.

            Although a traditional multichannel seismograph may often exceed $100K, the Geode Ultra-Light exploration Seismograph by Geometrics is a rugged, portable and easy-to-use alternative that costs a fraction of that price and that can be used for collecting both refraction and reflection seismic data for a wide variety of applications including: geological investigations for sinkhole detection or depth to bedrock estimation, earthquake monitoring, geohazard studies and fault investigations, geotechnical engineering or archaeological studies, and/or mineral, soil and gas exploration. The instrument 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 Geode Seismograph by Geometrics represents an ideal instrument to be included in the current pool of equipment available at FAU. The purchase of this instrument will dramatically improve both the current teaching and research resources offered at the department of Geosciences in several ways, including:

1) Improvement of undergraduate student in-class training in the Geosciences curriculum:

            The purchase of the Geode Seismograph will allow data acquisition and processing of seismic datasets to be incorporated in the syllabus of several required courses for both the B.S. and B.A. in Geology offered by the department of Geosciences.  This instrument will allow students to better understand the basic principles of the two most common seismic techniques currently used in the industry (i.e. seismic refraction and seismic reflection), while acquiring invaluable hands-on training in acquisition and processing of seismic data. Classes that will directly incorporate either data acquisition or processing using the Geode Seismograph into its syllabus (thus enhancing students to hands-on training in seismic methods) include undergraduate classes such as: a) Solid Earth Geophysics (GLY4451), with an average enrollment of 20 students/semester; b) Stratigraphy-Sedimentation (GLY4500C), with an average enrollment of 20 students/semester; c) Field Methods (GLY4750C), with an average enrollment of 20 students/semester; d) Structural Geology (GLY4400), with an average enrollment of 20 students/semester; and e) Hydrogeology (GLY4822), with an average enrollment of 20 students/semester. To sum up, the overall potential number of undergraduate students directly benefited by the purchase of the Geode Seismograph would be about 100 students per semester.

            Other undergraduate courses that would benefit from the purchase of the Geode Seismograph in the form of direct local seismic datasets to be displayed in the class and incorporated into homework and laboratory assignments include: Coastal and Marine Science (GLY3730), with an average enrollment of 50 students/semester; Junior and Senior Field Camp (GLY 4790), with an average enrollment of 20 students/semester each; Water Resources (GEO 4280), with an average enrollment of 30 students/semester; and Geomorphology (GLY 4700C), with an average enrollment of 30 students/semester. To sum up, another 130 students per semester will be also benefited by the purchase of the Geode Seismograph.  

2) Improvement of undergraduate student hands-on training and research in Geosciences:

            The purchase of the Geode Seismograph will also allow data acquisition and processing of seismic datasets for undergraduate research. The instrument can be used for a wide array of environmental research applications for undergraduate studies and directed independent studies (DIS), and directly relate to current efforts from the Geosciences department to expand undergraduate research in Geosciences in support of FAU's Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) Distinction through Discovery. Given the relevance and importance of seismic methods for the work industry in Geosciences, expanding student exposure to the acquisition and processing techniques beyond the classroom (through DIS and research) may result critical for the students when pursuing jobs in the industry after graduation.

            Furthermore the purchase of the Geode Seismograph will benefit from the recent donation from IHS of a very powerful Seismic and Geological Interpretation software for advanced field evaluation, seismic and geological interpretation, the Kingdom Suite. The license for the package has a value close to $100,000 and it was donated for both teaching and research purposes. Since the software will also be incorporated into some of the classes specified above to provide some hands-on training on seismic processing, the purchase of the  Geode Seismograph will further provide hands-on training on seismic data acquisition and will further leverage the donation of the Kingdom Suite software.

3) Expanding current research capabilities of the Environmental Geophysics Lab in the Geosciences department:  

            The Environmental Geophysics Lab in the Department of Geosciences at FAU, led by Xavier Comas, focuses in the use of state-of-the-art near-surface hydrogeophysical methods to investigate a wide array of environmental issues at both the laboratory and field scales, with emphasis in peatlands and karst environments, and studies of the critical zone (see http://www.geosciences.fau.edu/geophysics-lab/index.php  for more details). The Lab currently includes 4 PhD students, one MSc student, two recently graduated (B.S. in Geology) research assistants, and two undergraduate students, one from the Honors College. One of the priorities of the Environmental Research Lab for 2015 is to expand research opportunities for undergraduates in the field of applied geophysics. Although the Lab currently owns several electromagnetic instruments, having a seismograph (not available now) will help expanding dramatically the range of research applicability in applied Geosciences by including seismic methods, particularly for undergraduates and DIS projects. Comas is very active on undergraduate research and development of cutting edge DIS projects. For example, one of his current DIS students (Alex Garcia from the Honors College) just received the Fall 2014 Broward Undergraduate Research Award in support of his research. Several faculty in Geosciences have also expressed a lot of interest in taking advantage of this purchase by developing DIS projects to collect local seismic information on currently ongoing projects.  

            Furthermore, the Environmental Geophysics Lab is currently on the final steps for acquiring a license (as a free-of-charge donation and  already approved by the company) for  a very powerful seismic software (Kingdom Suite) currently used as the standard for seismic data in the oil and mining industry. The purchase of  the Geode Seismograph will complement this donation at a perfect time to expand local data acquisition that can be processed with state-of-the-art software. It is important to note that (as gathered from personal communications) employers in the oil and mining industries value very highly students with this type of knowledge and experience, particularly since graduates spend several months in training learning about the Kingdom Suite software after being hired.

4) Improving in-class training and research capabilities for graduate students in the Geosciences department       

            Purchase of the Geode Seismograph will also benefit both teaching and research for graduate students in Geosciences. Following the approach described above and as related to teaching, the instrument will be directly used  in several graduate courses (as already requested by their instructors) including: Environmental Geophysics (GLY 5457); Coastal Environments (GLY 6737); Coastal Hazards (GLY 6888); or Comparative Carbonate Sedimentology (GLY 6934).

            The Geode Seismograph will also be used in current ongoing research at the Environmental Geophysics Lab in the Department of Geosciences at FAU. For example, the Lab is currently part of an NSF funded project (Critical Zone Observatories, US NSF National Program, where Comas is a co-PI), that explores the use of near surface geophysics for better understanding the subsurface hydrogeology of a critical zone observatory in Luquillo (Puerto Rico). Although the project was originally developed for acquisition of electromagnetic data, site conditions are ideally suited for collection of seismic datasets. Incorporating seismic data would represent a huge asset to enhance current datasets and generate results for journal manuscripts and grant proposal renewals.  

            All hardware requirements are incorporated in the requested budget and relate to the Geode Seismograph. As shown in the official quote attached, this includes:

- Geode 48 channel seismodule system

- Geophone spread cable

- 10 Hz vertical geophones

- Trigger extension cable

- Striker plate

            Also included in the official quote the instrument requires an operating software in ordr to run the Geode modules. Also a processing software for refraction data is included:

- Multiple Geode operating software (MGOS)

- Seisimager/2Dstandard refraction seismic data processing

            As further explained in the narrative, it is important to consider that the purchase of the Geode seismograph will coincide with the donation (by IHS) of the Kingdom Suite, a very powerful seismic processing software that will be used mainly for processing of reflection data.

            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 2015 and a full semester during the Fall of 2015).

February-March 2015: ordering and purchase of the Geode Seismograph.

March 2015: initial testing and first steps to coordinate usage by undergraduate student/helper

April 2015: usage schedule for Geosciences 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-August 2015: field data acquisition and first DIS projects completed during the summer of 2015. the Environmental Geophysics Lab coordinates usage and covers undergraduate support during the summer.

            As explained in the narrative section the Geode Seismograph 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.

            As explained above the Environmental Geophysics Lab in Geosciences will provide support in several ways:

1)  by providing a CF-19 Panasonic toughbook laptop for the Geode Seismograph to perform field measurements.

2) by providing support for an undergraduate student during the summer of 2015 (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 Geode Seismograph after 2015.

            The Department of Geosciences and the Environmental Geophysics Lab in particular will take the lead in implementing this project. We hope that this purchase will not only strengthen teaching and research within the Geosciences Department, but also across departments and schools within FAU and beyond. The Environmental Geophysics Lab emphasizes such collaborations and will continue to do so by incorporating additional projects that include training and usage of the Geode seismograph by undergraduate students across different departments and colleges at FAU.