Mission Statement: In keeping with the mission of West Chester University, the first goal of the Department of Geology & Astronomy is to provide high quality undergraduate education for geoscience professionals and future teachers in the fields of the earth and space sciences. Our second is to provide graduate training in the fields of science education and continuing professional development.

Nov. 18 Seminar: Sediment Accumulation and Marsh Accretion in Tidal Wetland

Submitted by Marc Gagne on Tue, 11/17/2009 - 11:48

Geology & Astronomy Seminar:Wednesday, Nov. 18 at 4:15 PM in SSN 191. Refreshments served at 4.

Sediment Accumulation and Marsh Accretion in Tidal Wetlands of the Delaware River Estuary

Chris Sommerfield, College of Marine Studies, University of Delaware

The tidal Delaware River and Bay system is fringed by one of the largest, most continuous tidal wetland coasts in the U.S. Mid-Atlantic region. This ecosystem provides immeasurable environmental and economic benefits despite having been impacted by centuries of human intervention. In recognition of historical disturbances in the natural supply of river sediment to the estuary, there is concern over the fate of wetland marshes. To establish baseline conditions of marsh sediment supply and accretion, we core sampled sites along the full length of the wetland coast, from tidal freshwater marsh to salt marsh near the bay mouth, and dated the sediments by radionuclide geochronology. Results indicate that marsh accretion rates are highest in the tidal freshwater segment of the estuary (>6 mm/yr), decreasing to rates of 4-6 mm/yr in the brackish estuary where organogenic material comprises a large component of the sediment column. Salt marshes near the mouth of Delaware Bay, far removed from turbid waters of the middle estuary, exhibit the lowest accretion rates (<4 mm/yr) and quantity of buried mineral matter. This along-estuary pattern suggests that the external influx and accumulation of minerogenic sediment, in addition to vegetative growth and organic accumulation, is a key factor in the overall rate of marsh accretion.

No Night Without a Telescope, October 23rd and 30th and November 6th, 13th and 20th

Submitted by Marc Gagne on Tue, 11/17/2009 - 11:46

West Chester University, Haverford College, Bryn Mawr, Drexel, and Penn are hosting telescope parties and talks every night of the week for 5 weeks. Events will be held at dusk at WCU on Friday October 23rd and 30th and November 6th, 13th and 20th. The International Year of Astronomy coincides with the 400th anniversary of Galileo’s observations: the craters of the moon, the phases of Venus, the larger moons of Jupiter, now called the Galilean satellites, and sunspots. His observations supported the idea that the sun, not the earth, was the center of the solar system, which was revolutionary. West Chester will be taking part in a local program involving area colleges called “No Night Without a Telescope.” Starting on Oct. 23 and continuing every Friday for five weeks, we will have portable telescopes set up on our Quad and people will be able to observe the sky. This year also marks the 40th anniversary of the moon landing. It’s a great year for astronomy!

 
For more information, see the NNWT page here.

Summer Internship Opportunity - University of Delaware

Submitted by Marc Gagne on Sun, 11/15/2009 - 07:42
Posted in

Please pass the following information on to your students about a great undergraduate summer research opportunity at the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment, University of Delaware. Supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Ocean Sciences, this REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) program supports ten undergraduate students to conduct research in marine science.  We especially encourage applications from members of minority groups underrepresented in science.

The program will run for 10 weeks (June 7 - August 13). Please go to our website http://www.ceoe.udel.edu/academics/undergraduate/summer/index.shtml to find out more about the program. Student support includes a $3,300 stipend (which could increase to $4,500 pending approval of our most recent proposal to NSF), campus housing, tuition for the one-credit course, and travel assistance.  The application form and instructions are available at https://www.ceoe.udel.edu/academics/undergraduate/summer/summerInternApp...

Interns will work with faculty and research staff in a graduate student atmosphere on a research topic in chemical, physical, or biological oceanography, marine biology, or marine geology. This internship program will take place at the University of Delaware's Hugh R. Sharp Campus in the resort community of Lewes, located on the shores of the Delaware Bay and Atlantic Ocean near Cape Henlopen State Park.

If you have any questions, please contact me at (302) 645-4275 or at adittel@udel.edu.

Sincerely,

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