Andrew Yee
July 21st 05, 05:31 AM
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia
Media Contacts:
Cheryl Dybas, NSF
(703) 292-7734
July 14, 2005
Press Release 05-119
Geologists Use Particles from Galaxy's Far Reaches to Understand Processes
at Earth's Surface
Scientists at the U.S. National Science Foundation and the European
Commission of the European Union have announced a new initiative -- called
CRONUS, for cosmic-ray produced nuclide systematics -- to measure cosmic
rays from far-distant supernovas to time the history of the Earth's
surface.
Galactic explosions known as supernovas unleash torrents of fantastically
energetic atomic particles. Billions of these cosmic rays impact Earth
every year. The infinitesimal particles blast apart the atoms of Earth's
atmosphere and rocks, changing them into new elements. Now, NSF has
awarded $5.8 million over five years for geologists to measure the
accumulated results of these atomic transmutations in rocks at Earth's
surface.
Fred Phillips of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology will
coordinate the U.S. arm of the project, which includes 13 U.S.
universities.
"The CRONUS initiative will benefit all disciplines in the Earth
sciences," said Herman Zimmerman, director of NSF's division of earth
sciences. Whether geomorphology, tectonics, volcanology, hydrology,
geologic hazards, or paleoclimatology, he said, "Each needs an improved
understanding of geochronology at the Earth's surface."
The European Union, through its Marie Curie Actions, has awarded 3.4
million Euro ($4.4 million) over four years for the project, a
research-training network involving research teams in France, Germany,
Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland the United Kingdom. Training of early
stage and experienced researchers in the novel technique is an integral
part of the European CRONUS effort to contribute to the mobility, exchange
and training of high-quality European scientists.
Tibor Dunai, now at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, will coordinate the
European arm. He will relocate to the University of Edinburgh in the fall
of 2005.
"The ability to date changes in landscapes with cosmogenic nuclides has
already revolutionized our understanding of Earth processes," said Dunai.
"CRONUS will allow us to unlock the great potential this novel technique
has, helping us to better understand the environment around us."
Powerful cosmic-ray particles penetrate only a few feet below the Earth's
surface, so deeper rocks are shielded from the buildup of cosmic-ray
transmutations. The number of new atoms produced by cosmic rays can thus
show the amount of time passed since geological events such as
earthquakes, landslides and glaciers. They can also reveal how fast
Earth's surface changes from such forces as erosion by rivers.
"As scientists who use geochronology techniques in the course of their
research," U.S. coordinator Phillips said. "We need to know exactly how
cosmic rays are distributed on our planet's surface, taking into account
variables like longitude, latitude, and elevation, as well as changes
occurring over geologic time scales, such as periodic shifts in Earth's
magnetic field."
Scientists affiliated with CRONUS will work to understand the fundamentals
of cosmic-ray reactions so that they can routinely use them as methods for
reconstructing and analyzing environment changes. When perfected, the new
cosmic-ray methods will shed light on Earth's past climate cycles, changes
in soil erosion, frequency of floods and landslides, and how weathering of
rocks affects global warming and cooling.
Scientists from the United States and Europe will work together sampling
rocks from key sites around the world, exposing elements to nuclear beams
in high-energy accelerators, and counting cosmic-ray impacts with
detectors aboard high-altitude aircraft. These results will all be
synthesized in a broad-ranging effort to understand all aspects of the
cosmic phenomenon.
"This is a way of bringing the projectiles of exploding stars down to very
practical use on earth," said Phillips.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency
that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of
science and engineering, with an annual budget of nearly $5.47 billion.
NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 universities
and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 40,000 competitive
requests for funding, and makes about 11,000 new funding awards. The NSF
also awards over $200 million in professional and service contracts
yearly.
-NSF-
Related Websites
* CRONUS-US
http://www.physics.purdue.edu/cronus/
* CRONUS-EU
http://www.cronus-eu.net
IMAGE CAPTIONS:
[NOTE: Images supporting this release are available at
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_images.jsp?cntn_id=104234&org=NSF ]
4201 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, Virginia
Media Contacts:
Cheryl Dybas, NSF
(703) 292-7734
July 14, 2005
Press Release 05-119
Geologists Use Particles from Galaxy's Far Reaches to Understand Processes
at Earth's Surface
Scientists at the U.S. National Science Foundation and the European
Commission of the European Union have announced a new initiative -- called
CRONUS, for cosmic-ray produced nuclide systematics -- to measure cosmic
rays from far-distant supernovas to time the history of the Earth's
surface.
Galactic explosions known as supernovas unleash torrents of fantastically
energetic atomic particles. Billions of these cosmic rays impact Earth
every year. The infinitesimal particles blast apart the atoms of Earth's
atmosphere and rocks, changing them into new elements. Now, NSF has
awarded $5.8 million over five years for geologists to measure the
accumulated results of these atomic transmutations in rocks at Earth's
surface.
Fred Phillips of the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology will
coordinate the U.S. arm of the project, which includes 13 U.S.
universities.
"The CRONUS initiative will benefit all disciplines in the Earth
sciences," said Herman Zimmerman, director of NSF's division of earth
sciences. Whether geomorphology, tectonics, volcanology, hydrology,
geologic hazards, or paleoclimatology, he said, "Each needs an improved
understanding of geochronology at the Earth's surface."
The European Union, through its Marie Curie Actions, has awarded 3.4
million Euro ($4.4 million) over four years for the project, a
research-training network involving research teams in France, Germany,
Netherlands, Slovakia, Switzerland the United Kingdom. Training of early
stage and experienced researchers in the novel technique is an integral
part of the European CRONUS effort to contribute to the mobility, exchange
and training of high-quality European scientists.
Tibor Dunai, now at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, will coordinate the
European arm. He will relocate to the University of Edinburgh in the fall
of 2005.
"The ability to date changes in landscapes with cosmogenic nuclides has
already revolutionized our understanding of Earth processes," said Dunai.
"CRONUS will allow us to unlock the great potential this novel technique
has, helping us to better understand the environment around us."
Powerful cosmic-ray particles penetrate only a few feet below the Earth's
surface, so deeper rocks are shielded from the buildup of cosmic-ray
transmutations. The number of new atoms produced by cosmic rays can thus
show the amount of time passed since geological events such as
earthquakes, landslides and glaciers. They can also reveal how fast
Earth's surface changes from such forces as erosion by rivers.
"As scientists who use geochronology techniques in the course of their
research," U.S. coordinator Phillips said. "We need to know exactly how
cosmic rays are distributed on our planet's surface, taking into account
variables like longitude, latitude, and elevation, as well as changes
occurring over geologic time scales, such as periodic shifts in Earth's
magnetic field."
Scientists affiliated with CRONUS will work to understand the fundamentals
of cosmic-ray reactions so that they can routinely use them as methods for
reconstructing and analyzing environment changes. When perfected, the new
cosmic-ray methods will shed light on Earth's past climate cycles, changes
in soil erosion, frequency of floods and landslides, and how weathering of
rocks affects global warming and cooling.
Scientists from the United States and Europe will work together sampling
rocks from key sites around the world, exposing elements to nuclear beams
in high-energy accelerators, and counting cosmic-ray impacts with
detectors aboard high-altitude aircraft. These results will all be
synthesized in a broad-ranging effort to understand all aspects of the
cosmic phenomenon.
"This is a way of bringing the projectiles of exploding stars down to very
practical use on earth," said Phillips.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency
that supports fundamental research and education across all fields of
science and engineering, with an annual budget of nearly $5.47 billion.
NSF funds reach all 50 states through grants to nearly 2,000 universities
and institutions. Each year, NSF receives about 40,000 competitive
requests for funding, and makes about 11,000 new funding awards. The NSF
also awards over $200 million in professional and service contracts
yearly.
-NSF-
Related Websites
* CRONUS-US
http://www.physics.purdue.edu/cronus/
* CRONUS-EU
http://www.cronus-eu.net
IMAGE CAPTIONS:
[NOTE: Images supporting this release are available at
http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_images.jsp?cntn_id=104234&org=NSF ]