CAREER: Developing the next generation of Proterozoic paleogeographic models through integrated data development, synthesis and education

该项目将侧重于提高科学和公众对元古代地球各大陆地理的认识，元古代的时间跨度从大约25亿年前到5.42亿年前。对过去大陆位置的重建来自构造过程，对于试图了解地球如何随着时间从内部到表面环境发生变化的研究至关重要。该项目将涉及对北非中部大陆沉积岩和西非火成岩的研究。该项目的数据将与一个本科生研究项目一起开发，该项目的目标是代表性不足的第一代学生参与一个重要的STEM学科。该项目将有助于提高公众的科学素养，方法是开发从研究中得出的科学内容，这些内容将被纳入加州大学伯克利分校劳伦斯科学厅的全球交互式“球体上的科学”显示系统。这个展览展示了地质时期大陆位置的变化，每年将有250，000名公众观看。这些内容也将通过显示系统提供给其他153个科学中心。结合这一动态内容，将在劳伦斯科学大厅开发一个公共项目，阐明项目成果背后的地球科学概念，旨在为广大受众提供非正式科学教育。由首席研究员和博物馆工作人员指导的本科生将发表演讲。该项目将为将参与研究和外联工作的研究生提供培训机会。来自奥克兰低收入社区的小学生的课堂参观和实地考察将在每个项目年进行到劳伦斯科学大厅。这些旅行将利用球体上的科学内容，并在项目过程中为560名奥克兰小学生提供实践教育体验。项目研究将侧重于开发和综合数据，以测试元古代古地理学和努纳和罗迪尼亚超大陆配置的基本假设。在劳伦蒂亚的研究将测试一个挑衅性的假设，即在格伦维尔的orthopaly翻译的结果在劳伦蒂亚的明显的极地漂移路径的格伦维尔环部分不代表大陆。这种明显的极移路径是重建罗迪尼亚星系的组装和构造的核心。年代地层学的约束表明，从克拉通的路径中缺失的一环可以用古地磁数据来填补，以测试这些假设。项目研究将寻求对西非克拉通的元古宙古地理学提出新的限制;由于缺乏数据，该克拉通的位置知之甚少。最近的元古宙岩脉提供了一个机会，以测试西非亚马逊河流域的假设长寿的连接，是必不可少的重建努纳，Rodinia和冈瓦纳的大会。通过项目研究开发的新数据将与全球数据库结合使用，以开发一个跨越元古宙并与古生代重建相联系的古地理模型。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project will focus on improving scientific and public understanding of the geography of Earth's continents during the Proterozoic, a period of time that spans a range from about 2.5 billion years ago to 542 million years ago. The reconstruction of past continental positions derives from tectonic processes and is central to research that seeks to understand how the Earth has changed through time from its interior to its surface environment. The project will involve studies of sedimentary rocks from the mid-continent of North and igneous rocks from West Africa. Data from the project will be developed in conjunction with an undergraduate research program that targets the participation of underrepresented and first-generation students in an important STEM discipline. The project will contribute to increased public scientific literacy by the development of scientific content derived from the research that will be included with an interactive global Science on a Sphere display system at the University of California Berkeley Lawrence Hall of Science. This display shows the changing position of the continents through geological time and will be viewed by 250,000 members of the public every year. The content will also be made available to 153 other science centers with the display system. In conjunction with this dynamic content, a public program at the Lawrence Hall of Science will be developed that illuminates the Earth science concepts behind the projects outcomes that intended for informal science education aimed at a broad audience. Undergraduate students mentored by the principal investigator and museum staff will deliver the presentations. The project will provide training opportunities for graduate students who will be involved in the research and outreach efforts. Classroom visits and field trips for elementary school students from low-income neighborhoods in Oakland will be run to the Lawrence Hall of Science in each project year. These trips will utilize the Science on a Sphere content and provide a hands-on educational experience for 560 Oakland elementary school students over the course of the project.Project research will focus on developing and synthesizing data to test hypotheses that are fundamental to Proterozoic paleogeography and the configuration of the Nuna and Rodinia supercontinents. Research in Laurentia will test a provocative hypothesis that translation within the Grenvillian orogeny results in the Grenville Loop portion of Laurentia's apparent polar wander path not being representative of the continent. This apparent polar wander path central in efforts to reconstruct the assembly and configuration of Rodinia. Chronostratigraphic constraints reveal that a missing link in the path from the craton can be filled with paleomagnetic data to test these hypotheses. Project research will seek to develop new constraints on Proterozoic paleogeography from the West African craton; the position of which is poorly known due to a lack of data. Recently dated Proterozoic dikes provide an opportunity to test a hypothesized long-lived connection of West Africa to Amazonia that is essential to reconstructing Nuna, Rodinia and the assembly of Gondwana. New data developed through project research will be used in conjunction with the global database to develop a paleogeographic model that spans the Proterozoic and links up with Phanerozoic reconstructions.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.