Author: Sue Hill

The National Science Foundation mentioned Michigan Tech in a story about a study showing that infrasound remote sensing technology is an effective way to monitor catastrophic volcanic mudflows. Rudiger Escobar Wolf and Greg Waite (GMES) and Ph.D. student Gustavo Bejar Lopez (geology) are co-authors of the study, which was published in Nature Scientific Reports. NSF’s story was picked up by EIN Presswire.

The study is a collaborative effort by scientists at Boise State University, the Instituto Nacional de Sismología, Vulcanología, Meteorología e Hidrología in Guatemala, and Michigan Technological University, and is funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation.

Johnson, J.B., Roca, A., Pineda, A. et al. Infrasound detection of approaching lahars. Sci Rep 13, 6476 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-32109-2

Michigan Tech was well represented at the 69th annual meeting for the Institute on Lake Superior Geology (ILSG), held in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, from April 23-26.

Research Professor Jim DeGraff and Professor Emeritus Bill Rose (GMES) presented a poster titled “Digital Image Capture and Database Compilation of Historical Mining Data from the Keweenaw Copper District, Michigan: A Progress Update.”

Graduate student Katherine Langfield (geology) delivered an oral presentation titled “Slip Kinematics of the Keweenaw and Hancock Faults within the Midcontinent Rift System, Upper Peninsula of Michigan.”

Graduate student Daniel Lizzadro-McPherson (geology) delivered an oral presentation titled “Structural Analysis and Slip Kinematics of the Keweenaw Fault System between Béte Grise Bay and Gratiot Lake, Keweenaw County, Michigan.”

Rose also delivered an oral presentation titled “New Work Developing Geoheritage Awareness.”

Geosciences Research Scientist Erika Vye (GLRC/GMES) delivered an oral presentation titled “Geoheritage as an Educational Tool to Explore Relationships with Land and Water in the Keweenaw.”

Professor Emeritus Ted Bornhorst (GMES) presented Peter Hollings, professor at Lakehead University in Thunder Bay, Ontario, with the prestigious ILSG Goldich Medal recognizing outstanding contributions to the understanding of Lake Superior geology. He also attended the ILSG Board of Directors meeting; the board approved the 70th annual meeting to be held in Houghton in 2024, which will be chaired by Bornhorst.

The ILSG is a nonprofit professional society that provides a forum for promoting better understanding of the geology of the Lake Superior region. The major activity of the institute is an annual meeting with geological field trips and technical presentations.

Meet Natalie Sorensen, the exceptional first-year student at the Department of Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences (GMES) who has defied the odds and conducted scientific research during her freshman year. Natalie’s project focused on helping farmers adjust their farming practices based on water availability, which is dictated naturally by climate and enhanced anthropogenically. She worked closely with Dr. John Gierke to test the Mark 2 soil moisture sensor against independent measurements of meteorological parameters and soil moisture in a local agricultural setting.

Natalie’s project was a rare feat for a freshman, as most students don’t join research until their junior or senior years. However, Natalie’s passion and dedication to the field drove her to take on this challenge early in her college career. Natalie compared data from an Arable Mark 2 weather station to data from a HOBO RX3000 weather station, which is commonly used in climate-monitoring research. To independently test the soil moisture sensors on both weather stations, she also took soil core samples to measure soil moisture using gravimetric analysis. While the results of Natalie’ study are still being analyzed, the preliminary data seem promising and compatible with the natural variability of soil properties in glacial settings.

Natalie’s work was supported by the URIP program and Dr. Gierke’s Institutional Research and Development (IRAD) for matching funds. In addition, in-kind support for the fieldwork was provided by the Gierke Blueberry Farm. Natalie presented a poster of her work at the Undergraduate Research Symposium on March 24, 2023, where she impressed her peers and professors with her research.

Natalie’s story is a testament to the power of hard work, passion, and dedication. She is a shining example of how early exposure to research opportunities can help students achieve their academic and professional goals. We look forward to hearing more about Natalie’s future research endeavors and wish her continued success in her studies within GMES.

Poster Extract

Field Testing of Climate and Soil Moisture Monitoring in an Agricultural Setting

Student Presenter: Natalie Sorensen, Geological Engineering
Faculty Advisor: John Gierke, Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences

Farmers need to adjust their farming practices based on water availability, which is dictated naturally by climate and enhanced anthropogenically.

Data from a Mark 2 was compared to data from a HOBO RX3000 weather station (Onset, Bourne, MA), which is commonly used in climate-monitoring research, on the Gierke Blueberry Farm for the past decade.

I am still processing data to compare the Arable Mark 2 and HOBO measurements of air and soil temperatures and precipitation (along with solar intensity, atmospheric pressure, and relative humidity–the Mark 2 is not equipped to measure wind).

Read more in the URSS Booklet.