Graduate Research Assistantships in Geodesy and Geophysics

The Nevada Geodetic Laboratory at the University of Nevada in Reno (UNR) is offering two Graduate Research Assistantships (GRA). The positions are open now, and will be filled as soon as possible. A competitive salary and a tuition waiver will be provided for the entire 4 years of the Ph.D. project, provided the student maintains good academic standing.

Qualified candidates must have a strong academic record in Mathematics and the Physical Sciences. Experience in programming (particularly compiled languages such as Fortran), script-languages (such as Perl or C-Shell), and Linux is preferred. Candidates that have already an M.S. (or equivalent) degree at the start of the project will be given preference.

We offer a GRA to each of two successful students admitted into UNR's Geophysics Ph.D. Program, who will work on one of the following projects:

1. Improving the Spatial and Temporal Resolution of Strain Rate Models of Continental Deformation

In this NSF-funded project, the qualified student will create high-resolution, finite element models of deformation fields along major plate boundary zones (western U.S., Mediterranean, Middle East, Asia). We will use GPS velocities, quaternary faults, and earthquake data to invert for spatially-continuous horizontal deformation fields. Moreover, the student will convert temporal variations in continuous GPS time-series into time-variable deformation models of the Pacific-North America plate boundary zone.

The project aims to narrow the gap between (1) spatially-limited, temporally-dense GPS measurements of crustal deformation and (2) spatially-dense, temporally-limited InSAR images. We assess whether temporal variations in seismicity are related to strain rate variations. The candidate will gain expertise in GPS data processing, time-series analysis, finite element modeling, and the visualization and dissemination of data and model results.

For more information contact Dr. Corne Kreemer: kreemer@unr.edu, tel. 1-775-682-8780

2. Revealing the Nature of Contemporary Uplift and Collapse in the Sierra Nevada - Great Basin System

On this project funded by NASA, we will use the Global Positioning System (GPS) to reveal the nature of contemporary vertical motion of the Sierra Nevada and the adjoining Great Basin. With the results we aim to understand uplift and collapse in the context of the boundary between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates. There is opportunity for fieldwork to collect data from our 300-station GPS stations. We will process and analyze these high-precision GPS data along with data from the EarthScope network of ~1,000 GPS stations in western North America, implementing state-of-the-art models that encompass signal processing, satellite dynamics, relativistic effects, electromagnetic propagation in the ionosphere and troposhere, antenna modeling, multipathing, environmental effects, Earth rotation and orientation, and tidal effects.

The resulting time series will be interpreted as the sum of real geophysical effects, noise, and systematic errors. The expected accuracy of < 0.5 mm/yr in vertical motion in a physics-based global reference frame, together with the spatial and temporal pattern of vertical motion, will allow us to decipher the underlying driving mechanisms on a variety of scales, including fault mechanics, hydrological effects, crustal loading from surface mass redistribution, isostasy, orogeny, gravitational collapse, and mantle convection.

For more information contact Dr. Geoff Blewitt: gblewitt@unr.edu, tel. 1-775-682-8778

Students who are applying to the UNR Graduate School for entry into the Geophysics Ph.D. Program are encouraged to apply concurrently for one of these Graduate Research Assistantships. The award is contingent upon acceptance into the Geophysics Ph.D. Program, and upon meeting requirements specified by the Graduate School.

Selected candidates will find an active and vibrant research group at the Nevada Geodetic Laboratory. Research ranges from applied to theoretical geodesy, with applications in the fields of active tectonics, plate motions, global and regional hydrology, earthquakes, tsunamis, geothermal energy, and global change. Funding comes from NSF, USGS, NASA/JPL, DOE, and SCEC. The group has active collaborations with other universities and research institutes as well as with research groups at the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering at UNR, including the Seismological Laboratory and the Center for Neotectonic studies.

More information can be found at http://geodesy.unr.edu Information on applying to the Graduate School can be found at http://www.unr.edu/grad.