U.S.-France Cooperative Research: New Statistical Techniques for Tectonic Plate Reconstructions and Applications to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and to Hot Spot Reference Frame

该奖项为期三年，旨在表彰美法在应用统计学领域的合作，获奖者包括西奥多·张（Theodore Chang）和弗吉尼亚大学的一名研究生、莱斯大学的理查德·戈登（Richard Gordon）以及法国布雷斯特欧洲大学海洋研究所的让-伊夫·罗耶（Jean-Yves Royer）。该项目由美国国家科学基金会和法国国家科学研究中心（CNRS）联合资助，旨在开发精确的统计工具，用于重建构造板块过去的位置，并评估这些重建中的误差。要研究的具体地球物理现象是在扩张脊（中大西洋）附近和跨越扩散板块边界（印度洋）的海洋岩石圈变形，以及热点参考框架的比较。该奖项代表了美国方面向美国国家科学基金会和法国国家科学研究中心（CNRS）提交的联合提案。美国国家科学基金会将支付美国研究人员和研究生的旅费和生活费。法国国家科学研究中心将支持法国研究人员访问美国。Chang将提供统计方法方面的专业知识。Royer和Gordon负责数据收集和地球物理解释。他们的合作将促进对全球构造过程的理解，并对地球科学的未来方向产生影响。

9909812ChangThis three-year award for U.S.-France collaboration in applied statistics involves Theodore Chang and a graduate student of the University of Virginia, Richard Gordon of Rice University, and Jean-Yves Royer, of the European University Institute of the Sea in Brest, France. The project, supported under the joint program of the National Science Foundation and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), is aimed at the development of refined statistical tools for the reconstruction of the past position of tectonic plates and for the assessment of errors in these reconstructions. Specific geophysical phenomena to be studied are the deformation of the oceanic lithosphere in the vicinity of spreading ridges (Central Atlantic Ocean) and across diffuse plate boundaries (Indian Ocean), and the comparison of hot spot reference frames.This award represents the U.S. side of a joint proposal to the NSF and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). NSF will cover travel funds and living expenses of the U.S. investigators and graduate student. The CNRS will support the French researchers' visits to the United States. Chang will provide expertise on statistical methodology. Royer and Gordon are responsible for collection of data and geophysical interpretation. Their collaboration will advance understanding of global tectonic processes and impact on future directions in earth sciences.