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National Science Foundation Award #0454535

Collaborative Research: Lithospheric Foundering Beneath the Sierra Nevada

 
Investigator(s): Craig Jones (PI)
Sponsor: University of Colorado at Boulder, CO 80309 3034926221
Start Date/Expiration Date 2005-03-01 to 2006-02-28 (amended 2005-03-01)
Awarded Amount to Date: $98,638
Abstract: 0454535 Jones We are undertaking a major deployment of digital seismograph systems from the EarthScope/USArray Flexible Array instrument pool to investigate the deep structure of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Eastern California. Forty seismographs will be deployed in two configurations over a 30 month period. The first deployment is a two-dimensional array with about 25km station spacing. This array will be embedded with in the EarthScope/USArray "Transportable Array" footprint. The 70km spacing of the transportable array over a broad area of California and Nevada during their deployment will provide constrains on the regional earth structure. The scientific goals of their experiment include identifying the existence of high density crust and mantle material that may have recently foundered, or delaminated, from the overlying crustal material. This will constrain major hypotheses regarding the evolution of the continental lithosphere. If material has foundered, the constraints that they develop about the deep earth structure, through analysis of seismic waves and wave speeds, will be important information in the development of models to explain the physical and chemical consequences of this process.
NSF Org: EAR - Division of Earth Sciences
Award Number: 0454535
Award Instrument: Continuing grant
Program Manager: Kaye Shedlock
EAR Division of Earth Sciences
GEO Directorate for Geosciences
NSF Program(s): EARTHSCOPE SCIENCE
Field Application(s): Other nsf.applications NEC
Program Reference Code(s): UNASSIGNED, 0000
Program Element Code(s): 1741