Collaborative Research: REU Site Project--Evolution of Precambrian Rocks in Yellowstone National Park

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。黄石国家公园(YNP)的研究将描述公园北部前寒武纪岩石的地质、地球化学和年代学特征。REU学生将参加构成完整研究体验的三项主要活动：1)在YNP进行的实地研究将包括对YNP的前寒武纪基底进行地质测绘和采样；较小的工作组制定可测试的研究问题；以及解决这些研究问题的测绘和采样项目；2)分析研究，在蒙大拿州立大学的野外工作后立即开始样品准备；在学生的家庭机构进行岩相学分析；在学年期间对分析实验室进行为期一周的访问，由小型研究小组进行后续研究(佛罗里达大学的地球化学和地质年代学；路易斯安那州立大学的电子显微探针分析)；3)交流成果时，每个工作组将向美国地质学会落基山脉分会提交一份摘要，作为正式确定研究成果的第一步，包括举办写作讲习班，鼓励合作撰写同行评议的期刊文章。该REU场地项目将在两年内进行，第一年重点关注异常低品位的变质沉积岩，第二年重点关注(变)火成岩。综上所述，这些研究成果将为研究延安前寒武纪岩石的成因、构筑和演化提供重要依据，有助于更全面地认识延安前寒武纪的自然历史。地质图和取样地点将以地理信息系统为基础，并将传送到扬子江三角洲研究处，以纳入其数据库，以帮助为扬子江三角洲进一步的研究和管理提供信息。参与这个项目的学生将通过参与各种活动获得宝贵的研究经验，这些活动包括假设的形成和测试、实地测绘和采样、样品准备、现代仪器的分析研究、在专业会议上交流结果以及参与同行评议的期刊文章的合作写作。关于学习部分的研究将记录实地经验对参与学生的认知和情感影响，以帮助记录实地教学中的最佳教学做法，供更大的地球科学教育界使用。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Research in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) will characterize the geology, geochemistry and geochronology of the Precambrian rocks that underlie the northern part of the Park. REU students will participate in three major activities that will constitute a complete research experience: 1) Field studies, conducted in YNP will include geologic mapping and sampling of the Precambrian basement of YNP; formulation of testable research questions by smaller working groups; and mapping and sampling projects to address these research questions; 2) Analytical studies, starting with sample preparation immediately following field work at Montana State University; petrographic analysis at the students' home institutions; a week-long visit to analytical laboratories to conduct follow-up studies by small research groups during the academic year (University of Florida for geochemistry and geochronology; Louisiana State University for electron microprobe analysis); 3) Communicating results, each working group will submit an abstract to the following Geological Society of America Rocky Mountain sectional meeting as a first step towards formalizing the research results, including a writing workshop to encourage collaborative writing towards a peer-reviewed journal article. This REU site project will be conducted over two years with a focus on the anomalously low-grade metasedimentary rocks in the first year and (meta)igneous rocks in the second year. In aggregate, the research results will provide important insights into the petrogenesis, architecture, and evolution of the Precambrian rocks of YNP.The research results will contribute to a more complete understanding of the natural history of YNP. The geologic maps and sampling locations will be GIS-based and will be transmitted to the YNP Research Office for inclusion in their database to help inform further research and management in YNP. Students who participate in this project will gain valuable research experience through participating in the full range of activities including hypothesis formulation and testing, field mapping and sampling, sample preparation, analytical studies on modern instrumentation, communicating results at a professional meeting and engaging collaborative writing towards a peer-reviewed journal article. A research on learning component will document the cognitive and affective impacts of the field experience on the participating students to help document best instructional practices in field instruction for use by the larger geoscience education community.