The Department of Geosciences presents

Geology Open Night

Spring 2008

 
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Salt Water Intrusion and
Submarine Goundwater Discharge in Long Island

Prof. Teng-fong Wong

7:30 PM September 26, 2008

STRUCTURAL MINERALOGY ON SMALL LENGTH SCALES


Prof. John B. Parise

7:30 PM October 24, 2008

TBA

 

Prof. Troy Rasbury

7:30 p.m. November 21, 2008

Earth and Space Sciences Building 
Lecture Hall (Room 001)
SUNY Stony Brook Campus

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How do I get to the Earth and Space Sciences Building at SUNY Stony Brook?


Geology Open night lectures are usually on topics in the geosciences related to the current research of the faculty, staff and students at SUNY Stony Brook. These presentations are intended for:

  • those interested in new developments in the sciences

  • earth science high school students and teachers

  • undergraduate and graduate students in geosciences

  • professional geologists

In-service Credit is available for teachers attending the Geology Open Night lectures.

 

You may also be interested in Astronomy Open Night lectures the first Friday of the month, The Worlds of Physics lectures the second Friday of the month and The Living World the third Friday of the month In-service credit is also available for teachers for attending these lectures.

A single point entry to all of the science open night lectures is available at this link

All of these lectures are in ESS 001 Lecture Hall


There will be Refreshments and Demonstrations after the Geology Open Night Presentations.

Admission is Free!!


Web pages describing earlier Geology Open Night presentations

Spring 1998Fall 1998, Spring 1999, Fall 1999, Spring 2000, Fall 2000, Spring 2001,
Fall 2001, Spring 2002, Fall 2002, Spring 2003, Fall 2003Spring 2004, Fall 2004,
Spring 2005, Fall 2005, Spring 2006, Fall 2006, Spring 2007, Fall 2007, Spring 2008


 

Salt Water Intrusion and
Submarine Goundwater Discharge in Long Island

Professor Teng-fong Wong
Department of Geosciences
Stony Brook Universiy

Coastal ecosystems are among the most productive, yet threatened, ecosystems in the world. The quantity and quality of groundwater in these areas are related to the dynamic interplay of salt water intrusion and submarine groundwater discharge. The impact of their degradation often extends a long distance from the coast. The flux of nutrients and anthropogenic chemicals from terrestrial sources through groundwater discharge can exert subtle yet significant influences on the environmental health of many estuaries. Through advances in hydrological and geophysical techniques, the fluxes involved in these processes can now be characterized with relatively high spatial and temporal resolutions. Specifically we have employed a patented ultrasonic seepage meter to monitor submarine groundwater discharge and two types of electrical resistivity measurements to delineate the spatial distribution of salt and fresh water. Integration of these techniques have provided useful insights into the dynamics of salt water intrusion and submarine groundwater discharge, as well as their responses to tidal loading. Recent data acquired locally in the South Shore and Peconic Estuary Systems will be presented to illustrate these phenomena.

 Teng-fong Wong is a Professor in the Department of Geosciences, Stony Brook University. His research focuses on rock physics and fluid flow, with applications in earthquake mechanics, reservoir geomechanics and hydrogeology.

 

STRUCTURAL MINERALOGY ON SMALL LENGTH SCALES

Professor John B. Parise
Department of Geosciences
Stony Brook University

Studies of minerals at the atomic scale are of fundamental importance. Studies that answer the question "where are the atoms?" allow us to understand, predict and modify the physical and chemical properties of materials, including minerals. Think about the differences between graphite and diamond: both materials are composed entirely of carbon and yet they have very different properties and uses. Graphite is a black conductor and used for lubrication. Diamond is an insulator, the hardest known substance and is used as an abrasive. For two minerals with the same chemical composition these differences are remarkable, and reflect the drastic differences in atomic arrangement of the carbons in their crystal structures. Over 20 noble prizes related to the endeavor of finding "where the atoms are" in materials as diverse as DNA, graphite, diamond are testimony to the enduring power and importance of the technique that unambiguously tells us about atomic arrangements. We’ll explore graphically how information on these materials is obtained and how it can be used.

I acknowledge the considerable contributions to this work of former and present graduate students, postdocs and collaborators, in particular L. Ehm, F.M. Michel, S.A. Antao, P.L. Lee, C.D. Martin, P. Chupas, K. Chapman, C. Tulk, D. Klug and B.C. Chakoumakos.

Professor Parise has been at Stony Brook since 1989, and has published over 300 papers in peer-reviewed journals and holds 4 patents. His research focuses on the structure and properties of earth materials under the operating conditions of Earth and planets. This involves considerable work at high pressures and temperatures, and conditions of the Martian surface, for example. He was recently recognized with the 2008 President of Stony Brook and the SUNY Chancellor’s award for excellence in scholarly and creative activities.

 

TBA

Prof. Troy Rasbury
Department of Geosciences
Stony Brook University

 

In-service credit available for teachers and professional geologists

If your school requires that you have a sequence of educational opportunities in order to receive in-service credit, please advise them that during the Spring Semester we will be offering one-hour of in-service credit for each of the:

Ø Three Geology Open Nights
 

Ø Four Astronomy Open Nights
Website for more information is: www.astro.sunysb.edu/openight/opennite.htmll
 

Ø Three The Worlds of Physics - 
Web site for more information is: insti.physics.sunysb.edu/Physics/worlds.html
 

Ø Four Our Environment
Website for more information is: www.geo.sunysb.edu/our-environment

 

Geology Open Night, Astronomy Open Night, The Worlds of Physics and the Living World meet in ESS 001 at 7:30 p.m.

We will offer up to 7.5 hours of in-service credit each for the Conference on the Geology of Long Island and Metropolitan New York on April 12, 2008 and  the Long Island Geologists field trip in Spring

Information for these two events will be available on the Long Island Geologists web site at: www.geo.sunysb.edu/lig/

A more printable description of in-service credit offerings can be found at this link.


There will be Refreshments and Demonstrations after the Presentations.

Admission is FREE!

Presentations are in Room 001 ESS Building SUNY Stony Brook

How do I get to the Earth and Space Sciences Building at SUNY Stony Brook?