| NSF Org: |
EAR Division Of Earth Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 11, 2017 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | August 11, 2017 |
| Award Number: | 1714755 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Richard Yuretich
ryuretic@nsf.gov (703)292-4744 EAR Division Of Earth Sciences GEO Directorate for Geosciences |
| Start Date: | September 1, 2017 |
| End Date: | August 31, 2021 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $184,984.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $184,984.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
470 CAVOUR ST OAKLAND CA US 94618-1076 (510)595-3968 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
CA US 94618-1076 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | INTEGRATED EARTH SYSTEMS |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): | |
| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.050 |
ABSTRACT
This project involves a study of a poorly understood and unique geologic setting: a subduction zone that has an exceptionally large amount of sediment, the Ganges-Brahmaputra Delta (GBD). The GBD is the world's most extreme example of sediment accretion, with sediments up to 19 km thick in the Bengal Basin. The region has little volcanism compared to other subduction zones and a large seismic risk; recent GPS results indicate that this highly oblique plate boundary is locked with the potential for a M8.2 earthquake that could affect more than 140 million people. The project is motivated by the question of how the extreme sedimentation affects subduction phenomena. The project will involve a multi-institution, multi-nation collaboration involving scientists from Bangladesh, India and Myanmar, Singapore, Norway, and the U.S.
The PIs will focus on three major issues: 1) Neogene growth of the accretionary prism and earthquake hazard; 2) Crustal shortening and deformation across the IndoBurma Ranges and Burma Basin; and 3) Incoming fluid content and volcanism. To address these issues, they will deploy seismic, GPS, magnetotellurics and gravity sensors in a transect from the deformation front to the backarc in the Bangladesh-India-Myanmar Array (BIMA). Structural geology, geochemistry and thermochronology will provide additional constraints. They will use a broad program of numerical and laboratory modeling to integrate and interpret the results from the multiple data sets. This end-member case of extreme sediment subduction has broad implications for understanding these issues at all subduction zones.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
With this project PIs Doug Prose and Diane LaMacchia of Earth Images Foundation developed and began production of a major segment for a new documentary for PBS and international broadcast, called Planet of the Plates. This segment focuses on groundbreaking field-based research about the Burma Arc, a place where two tectonic plates collide in India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh to create rugged, mountainous terrain where earthquakes and landslides impact millions of people. The aim of the Planet of the Plates documentary will be to demystify the theory of plate tectonics, the fundamental theory underpinning the geosciences, and show how diverse international research groups are working--often in remote, challenging locations--to expand and update the theory. The Covid-19 pandemic disrupted plans to carry out some of the production and post-production work on this documentary, but the PIs are continuing the work under new projects.
Development and production of this new documentary was designed to raise awareness of geologic processes for potentially millions of people, helping them to understand the relevance of geology in their lives and the importance of maintaining a safe and sustainable environment. This information is vital in the Burma Arc region where geologic processes create serious natural hazards that periodically cause great destruction, which can be significantly lessened if new information gained from geoscience research is applied. The geoscience researchers and students featured in the documentary doing crucial, relevant research represent a diversity of gender, ethnicity, and economic backgrounds, which will provide role models for people underrepresented in geoscience and will help increase the likelihood of their pursuing geoscience careers.
During production, the PIs provided geoscience researchers and students with on-camera training and experience, and many were trained in video production skills, which will enable them to more effectively and creatively apply and express their diverse perspectives while being filmed for videos in the future, or when creating their own videos to communicate their science activities. This will ultimately increase the number and diversity of voices that reach the public with the impact of engaging a broader, more diverse audience with authoritative, relevant geoscience information.
Last Modified: 12/13/2021
Modified by: Doug Prose
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