News Release

Los Alamos volconologist highlights education collaboration

Peer-Reviewed Publication

DOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory

WASHINGTON, May 31, 2002 - A collaboration between the U.S. Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory and the University of New Mexico has resulted in a successful, one-of-a-kind educational program where students can get a first-hand glimpse into the esoteric world of volcanology.

Fraser Goff - who has done numerous field studies of some of the world's most dangerous volcanoes - today highlighted the UNM-LANL Volcanology program during an invited talk at the American Geophysical Union's spring meeting in Washington. Goff is one of a half dozen Los Alamos researchers who teach classes for the volcanology program, joining three UNM professors who also teach.

"The UNM-LANL Volcanology program really has two major things going for it that help make it the success that it is," said Goff. "First, we have unique expertise and exceptional research facilities as a result of being affiliated with the two institutions of UNM and Los Alamos. Second, we have an extensive volcanic record preserved in New Mexico."

Indeed, the Land of Enchantment is home to hundreds of volcanoes. Most are relatively easy to access and study.

Started in 1991 by UNM Professor Emeritus Wolf Elston, the UNM-LANL Volcanology program has nurtured more than 100 budding volcanologists at the undergraduate and graduate level. Courses have ranged from basic volcanology to how volcanoes have played a role in human affairs from ancient times to the present. And the program offers one thing that no other volcanology program offers: A nearly month-long field-study course that uses the volcanically famous Jemez Mountains and Valles Caldera of Northern New Mexico as a classroom setting.

"Students compete very hard to get a place in the field-study course," Goff said. "We get students from all over the world who apply. Every other year we get 30 to 40 applicants, but we can only accommodate 17. Those who get in absolutely love the experience they gain from the course."

Volcanoes provide an opportunity for volcanologists to gain insight into Earth's history by studying the origins of magma; they learn the roles that volcanoes can play in Earth's atmosphere and in global climate change; and they gather clues about a region's history by looking at the geology forged by the fires of volcanism.

Goff as well as anyone can appreciate what volcanoes have to offer. The Los Alamos volcanologist has braved furnace-like temperatures, clouds of poisonous gases and acid lakes on numerous occasions to gather fluids, rocks and gases from active volcanoes - volcanoes that in some cases have taken the lives of colleagues. But the samples Goff has gathered have helped him understand whether cold fusion is going on inside the earth as a natural process (it's not), whether volcanoes give out subtle clues that signal an impending eruption (they might), or whether volcanoes unearth precious minerals such as gold (they do).

Goff's volcanology experiences make him an enthusiastic teacher. His colleagues who teach courses for the UNM-LANL Volcanology Program are equally enthusiastic and experienced. Together the researchers are eager to pass on their knowledge and experience.

"Volcanology is an important aspect of Earth Science," Goff said. "Not many places teach volcanology, and those universities that do feature volcanology programs don't have the laboratory resources that we have available here, nor the setting we have in which to teach. Just like everybody else, I love volcanoes."

###

Los Alamos National Laboratory is operated by the University of California for the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) of the U.S. Department of Energy and works in partnership with NNSA's Sandia and Lawrence Livermore national laboratories to support NNSA in its mission.

Los Alamos enhances global security by ensuring the safety and reliability of the U.S. nuclear stockpile, developing technologies to reduce threats from weapons of mass destruction, and solving problems related to energy, environment, infrastructure, health and national security concerns.

For more Los Alamos news releases, visit World Wide Web site http://www.lanl.gov/external/news/releases


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.