HR: 1340h
AN: ED33B-1215    [Abstracts]
TI: UNM/LANL Volcanology Summer Field Course
AU: * Van Eaton, A
EM: a.vaneaton@auckland.ac.nz
AF: University of Auckland, School of Geography, Geology and Environmental Science University of Auckland Private Bag 92019 Auckland Mail Centre, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
AU: Goff, F
EM: candf@swcp.com
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Earth and Evironmental Sciences Divison Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States
AU: Fischer, T P
EM: fischer@unm.edu
AF: University of New Mexico, Earth and Planetary Sciences Division University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, United States
AU: Baldridge, W
EM: sbaldridge@lanl.gov
AF: Los Alamos National Laboratory, Earth and Evironmental Sciences Divison Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM 87545, United States
AU: Semken, S
EM: semken@asu.edu
AF: Arizona State University, School of Earth and Space Exploration Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1404, United States
AB: The Volcanology Summer Field Course, taught jointly by volcanologists from the University of New Mexico and Los Alamos National Laboratory, has instructed over 140 undergraduate and graduate students from 15 countries since 1992. The course consists of nine graded field exercises conducted in diverse volcanic rocks of the Miocene to Quaternary-age Jemez Volcanic Field and Valles caldera, with excursions to the Miocene Ship Rock dike and plug complex, the Pliocene Mount Taylor composite volcano, and the Quaternary Zuni-Bandera basalt field. Exercises focus on mapping large-scale silicic eruption deposits (e.g., Bandelier Tuff as well as older and younger eruptions), establishing volcanic stratigraphy, understanding the processes of water-magma interaction through detailed mapping, and investigating hydrothermal alteration in an intra-caldera setting. Techniques such as geothermal gas sampling and identification of volcanic rocks and structures form an integral part of the training. Contributing to the success of the course include: 1) its small class size of 16 to 17 students; 2) duration of 3.5 weeks—long enough for sustained focus on the Jemez field area; 3) central lodging arrangement (Young's Ranch Field Station), with meals coordinated by a camp cook; 4) organized course structure supplementing field assignments with evening lectures in a common-room; 5) instructors with a variety of geological/volcanological expertise; and 6) the ability to team up with multi-national students bringing a wide array of approaches and experiences. The course acts as a springboard for students pursuing interests in volcanology, offering an intensive and lively field experience that is difficult to find anywhere else.
DE: 0825 Teaching methods
DE: 0850 Geoscience education research
DE: 8404 Volcanoclastic deposits
DE: 8430 Volcanic gases
DE: 8440 Calderas
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2007 Fall Meeting