NanTroSEIZE in 3-D

Donald Reed

San Jose State University

This activity is part of the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Activities collection

This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Exemplary Teaching Collection

Resources in this top level collection a) must have scored Exemplary or Very Good in all five review categories, and must also rate as "Exemplary" in at least three of the five categories. The five categories included in the peer review process are

Scientific Accuracy
Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
Pedagogic Effectiveness
Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page

For more information about the peer review process itself, please see https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/activity_review.html.

This page first made public: Jun 22, 2010

Summary

We have developed a web-based virtual expedition, NanTroSEIZE in 3-D, based on a seismic survey associated with the NanTroSEIZE program of NSF-MARGINS and IODP to study the properties of the plate boundary fault system in the upper limit of the seismogenic zone off Japan. The virtual voyage can be used in undergraduate classes at anytime, since it is not directly tied to the finite duration of a specific seagoing project. The website combines text, graphics, audio and video to place learning in an experiential framework as students participate on the expedition and carry out research. Students learn about the scientific background of the program, especially the critical role of international collaboration, and meet the chief scientists before joining the sea-going expedition. Students are presented with the principles of 3-D seismic imaging, data processing and interpretation while mapping and identifying the active faults that were the likely sources of devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan in 1944 and 1948. They also learn about IODP drilling that began in 2007 and will extend through much of the next decade.

Seismology, Marine Geology and Geophysics, Marine Hazards, Tsunami | College Upper (15-16) | Online Ready

Expand for more detail and links to related resources

Used this activity? Share your experiences and modifications

Context

Audience

Used in Marine Geology, Tectonics, and Applied Geophysics, all upper division course for majors. A revised version for general education courses is currently in development.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Introduction to geology course.

How the activity is situated in the course

Stand alone exercise

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

Marine seismic data acquisition and interpretation, leading to ocean drilling.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

International scope of large-scale geoscience programs, linkage between geology, geophysics, tectonics, and geohazards; combining information of a variety of scales

Other skills goals for this activity

Students write a scientific abstract describing the scientific objectives, methods, analysis and conclusions of their research.

Description of the activity/assignment

Students learn about the scientific background of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program, especially the critical role of international collaboration, and meet the chief scientists before joining the sea-going expedition. Students are presented with the principles of 3-D seismic imaging, data processing and interpretation while mapping and identifying the active faults that were the likely sources of devastating earthquakes and tsunamis in Japan in 1944 and 1948. They also learn about IODP drilling that began in 2007 and will extend through much of the next decade.