Geosciences Department
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Frey and Manon Awarded NSF RAPID Grant
The April 22, 2021 eruption of the La Soufrière volcano, St. Vincent. After four months of volcanic unrest and lava dome growth, La Soufrière experienced more than 30 explosive blasts from April 9-22, 2021, blanketing the region in ash and pyroclastic flows. Attribution: Ritchie Robertson (UWI-SRC)
$15,691; NSF Rapid Response Research (RAPID)
Principal Investigator: Holli Frey, professor and chair of geology; Co-Principal Investigator: Matthew Manon, lecturer in geology
RAPID: The effusive to explosive transition of La Soufrière, St. Vincent: Insights from petrology and hygrometry
The on-going eruption of La Soufrière, St. Vincent provides a unique opportunity to understand and evaluate a volcanic event as it occurs and evolves. After exhibiting no volcanic activity since 1979, a lava dome began extruding from the summit crater of La Soufrière in late December 2020, and on April 9, 2021, the eruptive style transitioned to an explosive phase. https://www.union.edu/news/grants/202106/frey-awarded-nsf-rapid-grant
Rodbell, Gillikin lead $1.5 M NSF grant to study tropical climate record
Prof. David Gillikin, Modesto Castro (cave owner), Laura Piccirillo ’20 and Prof. Donald Rodbell at the entrance of Peru’s Huagapo Cave in March 2019.
Two of our Union College geology professors – Donald Rodbell and David Gillikin – are leading an international team of scientists in a project to develop the longest continuous paleoclimate record from the region known as the “heat engine” of Earth. Rodbell, Gillikin lead $1.5 M NSF grant to study tropical climate record. https://www.union.edu/news/grants/202108/rodbell-awarded-nsf-p2c2-grant