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Department of Geological Sciences
18111 Nordhoff Street
Northridge
CA 91330-8266
Phone: (818) 677-3541
E-mail: geology@csun.edu
LO 1202
Hours:
Mon-Fri 8:00am-5:00pm
Archived Department News and Events
CSUN Alumni Magazine Features Seismic Research Cruise
Geology professor's research (see next blurb) is featured in "northridge" - a CSUN alumni magazine. The article is titled "Into the Very Deep for Data". The magazine also has an on-line version that, among other things, shows a YouTube video of a launch of an ocean-bottom seismometer by two CSUN geology students:
http://www.northridgemagazine.com/features/intothedeep/
Seismic Research Cruise
Dr. Dayanthie Weeraratne (shown here), Cristo Ramirez (CSUN geology grad student in the Bridge to Doctorate Program), and Alex Hanna (CSUN geology undergrad) will spend the next month (10/8-11/5) deploying eighteen seismographs on the seafloor in the Western Pacific Ocean between Guam and Shatsky Rise. They are part of an NSF funded research project to learn more about the physical properties of tectonic plates and the underlying mantle beneath the seafloor. They are traveling on the research vessel Roger Revelle. Real-time video, webcam pics, and current ship location can be found at:
http://shipsked.ucsd.edu/Ships/Roger_Revelle/
Additional information about this project as well as ship photos can be found at: http://www.csun.edu/DSW/dswcruise.htm
Students in the news
While at this year’s annual SCEC meeting in Palm Springs Lorena Medina and Natsumi Shintaku were featured in a KESQ Channel 3 (local ABC affiliate) 5:00 pm newscast piece entitled “Seismologists Prepare for 2nd Great SoCal Shake Out”. The two CSUN geology students were shown preparing for a SCEC poster session and Lorena was interviewed by reporter Gil Diaz about earthquake preparedness.
Fall Field Frolic 2009
We had a fun filled Fall Field Frolic to the western Transverse Ranges led by Dr. Doug Yule and Dr. Dick Heermance. There were twenty-five attendees; including half of the Geology Department faculty! Special thanks to Vandenberg geologist Kathy Gerber (CSUN ’83) for coordinating our access to the base and geologic stops at Point Sal. See our field trip pages for photos of the trip.
Congratulations to our 2009 graduates!
Geology students graduating this year include (L to R): Martin Haynes, Josh Robinson, Chris Forster, Cristo Ramirez, Kenda Neil (MS), Noel Velasco (MS), Joe Carrasco (MS), Jeff DeBoo, Julie Parra (MS). Not pictured: Mike Kaericher, Kunthea Kry, Joe Green (MS), Nate Guzman (MS), Jean Rains (MS), and Jeff Woolford (MS).
More New Geology Faculty
The Department of Geological Sciences welcomes two new faculty members: Drs. Richard Heermance and Matthew d’Alessio. Dick just completed his first semester with CSUN Geology. He received his BA degree in Geology at Colorado College, MS from Utah State, and PhD from UC Santa Barbara. He describes himself as a field geologist who combines sedimentology, and stratigraphy, geomorphology, structural geology and isotope geochemistry to infer landscape evolution. Matt will begin teaching in the fall. He received his BS in Geology at Stanford and his PhD from UC Berkeley. Matt brings experience in fault mechanics, engineering geology, hydrogeology, and geoscience education.
Liggett receives Staff Award
In recognition of outstanding contributions to the Department of Geological Sciences and the College Dave Liggett has received the College of Science and Mathematics Staff Award. The award was presented by Dean Stinner. In addition, the Department of Geological Sciences has also recognized Dave for his thirty years of service to the department.
Geology professor interviewed for National Geographic Channel show
On May 6, 2009 a film crew from Zig Zag Productions came to CSUN to interview Dr. Lorence Collins, CSUN Geology Emeritus professor, for an upcoming National Geographic Channel show. The show is about a controversial boat-shaped structure found in the mountains of Turkey near Mt Ararat. Some have alleged that this structure is the remains of Noah's Ark. Dr. Collins has examined material from the structure and presents some of his findings in this show.
Emergency Preparedness & Crime Prevention Expo
On April 28, 2009 members of the CSUN Geology Department faculty, staff, and Geology Club participated in an Emergency Preparedness & Crime Prevention Expo sponsored by the CSUN Police Department and the CERT Council. The CSUN Geology booth was festooned with fault maps, posters showing historic and possible future earthquakes, Drop! Cover! and Hold On! procedure, flyers from the USGS, and an earthquake animated video from the 2008 Great Southern California ShakeOut showing the probable wave propagation of a 7.8 magnitude earthquake starting east of the Salton Sea and following the San Andreas fault northward. However, the item that seemed to garner most of the attention was the shaking, vibrating, and twirling “earthquake in a can”.
The Great Southern California Shake Out
Along with millions of others the CSUN Geology Department participated in The Great Southern California Shake Out on November 13th. A new large video display provided by Dr. Gerry Simila, and recently installed in the foyer of Live Oak Hall, ran the S.C.E.C. Realtime Scenario animation showing how a rupture of the San Andreas Fault would propagate if it began at the Salton Sea and moved northward across the L.A. basin and on to Santa Barbara and Bakersfield. On the second floor of Live Oak Hall (that’s Science One for you old timers, Science South for you really old timers) classes were interrupted at 10:00 a.m. by blaring speakers announcing the simulated earthquake drill. Students dropped, covered, and held on until the simulation was over. Classes then adjourned to the quad (see photo) where Dr. Doug Yule described to the students what to expect during a large earthquake and made suggestions of what they can do to prepare for one. A reporter from the Guardian newspaper covered some of the Shake Out events at CSUN and an article appeared the following day.
Fritsche's Geotrek I
L.A. Zoo to Point Mugu: Hiking the Santa Monica Mountains. The Fritsche’s undertook this GeoTrek in 2004 to support the Geology Scholarship Endowment through donations of support from the alumni and other interested parties. The GeoTrek was 75 miles in length and was completed in 7 days. The photo shows participants on day 3 taking a break at the top of Eagle Rock in Topanga State Park.
Fritsche's Geotrek II
San Gabriel Mountains Transect. This GeoTrek was done by the Fritsches in 2006 to raise additional money for the Geology Scholarship Endowment. The hike was 108 miles in length and was completed in 9 days. The photo shows the participants on day 8 at Blue Ridge Campground where they had lunch.
Fritsche's Geotrek III
Hiking the rim of the San Fernando Valley: Geology in five mountain ranges. In 2008, the Fritsches once again took to the trail to raise money for the Geology Scholarship Endowment. This hike went 135 miles around the rim of the San Fernando Valley and was completed in 12 days. The photo shows Gene and Sue at the sign where the Rim of the Valley trail begins.
CSUN 50th anniversary Field Frolic!
Northern Mojave, Owens Valley, Mammoth Lakes
Our New Faculty
The Department of Geological Sciences welcomes its two newest faculty members: Drs. Elena Miranda and Dayanthie Weeraratne. Elena received her BS degree in Geology from Southern Methodist University and PhD in Geology from University of Wyoming. Elena’s specialty is structural geology and petrology, and conducts research on rifting at mid-ocean ridges. Dayanthie received her BS & MS degrees from University of Oregon and PhD from Brown University, and conducts research on mantle & core evolution, seismology, and geophysical fluid dynamics.
Elena Miranda named Jerome Richfield Scholar for 2007-2008
Dr. Elena Miranda was named the Jerome Richfield Scholar for 2007-2008. The Richfield award is presented annually to an outstanding faculty member in the arts, sciences or humanities. The annual award is given in memory of former Dean and Philosophy professor Jerome Richfield, salutes an outstanding faculty member conducting research. To celebrate her award, Dr. Miranda presented the results of her current research during the Provost’s Colloquium Series. Congratulations Elena!
Yule awarded NSF grant for work in Pakistani Himalaya
Understanding the mechanics of the earthquake cycle is critical for establishing the seismic hazards in areas of active tectonism, and is particularly important along the heavily populated front of the Himalaya. Here, the Mw 7.6 Kashmir earthquake of 8 October 2005 caused the greatest loss of life of any earthquake in the Indian subcontinent, even though it was far from the largest earthquake there. Along with researchers at Oregon State University, Dr. Doug Yule has received a grant from the National Science Foundation to characterize the slip rate and recurrence of potentially devastating earthquakes using the paleoseismic record of faulting along the Pakistani Himalaya.