CAREER: Full-vector Characterization of the recent (0-5 Myr) Geomagnetic field using novel magnetic field recorder

职业：使用新型磁场记录仪对最近（0-5 Myr）地磁场进行全矢量表征

• 批准号: 2237807
• 负责人: Courtney Sprain
• 金额: $ 69.43万
• 依托单位: University of Florida
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-08-01 至 2028-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2237807&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: CAREER; Full; vector; Characterization; recent

Earth’s magnetic field acts as a shield that protects Earth from dangerous magnetic storms and cosmic radiation which have the potential to damage technical infrastructure, strip away Earth’s atmosphere, and ultimately harm life. Due to its importance to habitability and modern technical infrastructure, it is critical to understand how Earth’s magnetic field has varied through Earth’s past, in addition to how it might change in the future. To do this, it is necessary to characterize the spatial and temporal variations of the magnetic field using paleomagnetism, in which ancient records of the field are measured from rocks. Due to a sparsity of paleomagnetic data and gaps in paleomagnetic education and training, our ability to understand past behavior and predict future behavior is hampered. This project aims to improve the characterization of geomagnetic field behavior by filling in important data gaps in the current paleomagnetic record using a novel recorder of geomagnetic field behavior, clinkers, or rocks baked and burned by coal seam fires from the Powder River Basin, USA. This aim will be further enhanced through the development of a new paleomagnetism general education course and experiential learning research experience on clinkers as part of the University of Florida’s (UF) Quest program, and the development of a paleomagnetism-focused workshop for high-school age 4-H club members as a part of UF Extension Services’ program, 4-H University. These programs will educate a broad and diverse audience in the fields of paleomagnetism and Earth Science, while simultaneously attracting new students to Earth Science degrees, paleomagnetic research, and ultimately the STEM workforce.Despite being a fundamental feature of our planet, our understanding of Earth’s magnetic field is incomplete. Currently, there are many gaps in the state of knowledge including: 1) what drives the magnetic field? 2) what causes magnetic reversals? and 3) how does the magnetic field vary spatially? These gaps in knowledge are further exacerbated by an education gap. Paleomagnetism can provide insight into multiple geoscience disciplines, yet as a topic it typically receives little attention in geoscience training. This impacts the ability of the geoscience community to understand paleomagnetic research in addition to the ability to fill in critical gaps in understanding of the magnetic field. What is needed to fill in these critical gaps is both more high-quality full-vector (direction and intensity) paleomagnetic data in addition to a trained workforce to collect and analyze these data. The aim of this project is to fill these needs by improving the characterization of recent (0–5 Myr) geomagnetic field behavior using a novel recorder of geomagnetic field behavior, clinkers. Clinkers, rocks baked and burned by coal seam fires, are an exciting new candidate for obtaining high-quality full-vector magnetic records as they occur throughout the world, are located in regions lacking magnetic data, can be reliably dated, and are reliable full-vector magnetic recorders. In this project, state-of-the-art paleomagnetic and geochronologic techniques will be utilized, generating a semi-continuous, high-resolution, full-vector record of magnetic field variations for Quaternary to Pliocene (0–5 Myr) age clinker deposits from the Powder River Basin (PRB), USA. This research is the first step in building a reliable methodology to expand work on clinker deposits outside of the PRB. The education and outreach components of this project will train the next generation of paleomagnetists, broaden the understanding of paleomagnetic research within the geosciences and the general population, and enhance the participation of underrepresented groups in the field. This project is an early step in a continuum of research and education that will lead to an improved global characterization of the magnetic field. More generally, this project addresses science priority question one, “How is Earth’s internal field generated?”, released in the National Academies decadal report for NSF-EAR.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.

地球磁场就像一个盾牌，保护地球免受危险的磁暴和宇宙辐射的伤害，这些辐射有可能破坏技术基础设施，剥离地球大气层，并最终危害生命。由于其对可居住性和现代技术基础设施的重要性，了解地球磁场在地球过去如何变化以及未来如何变化至关重要。要做到这一点，有必要利用古地磁来描述磁场的时空变化，古地磁是指从岩石中测量磁场的古代记录。由于古地磁数据的稀疏和古地磁教育和培训的空白，我们理解过去行为和预测未来行为的能力受到阻碍。该项目旨在通过使用一种新的地磁场行为、熟料或由美国Powder River盆地煤层火灾烘烤和燃烧的岩石记录仪，填补当前古磁记录中的重要数据空白，从而改善地磁场行为的表征。这一目标将通过开发新的古磁学通识教育课程和作为佛罗里达大学探索项目一部分的熟料体验式学习研究经验，以及作为佛罗里达大学4-H扩展服务项目的一部分，为4-H俱乐部的高中年龄成员开发一个以古磁学为重点的研讨会，进一步得到加强。这些项目将在古地磁和地球科学领域教育广泛而多样化的受众，同时吸引新的学生攻读地球科学学位，古地磁研究，并最终成为STEM劳动力。尽管地球磁场是地球的一个基本特征，但我们对地球磁场的了解还不完整。目前，在知识的状态中有许多空白，包括：1)是什么驱动磁场？2)磁极倒转的原因是什么？3)磁场在空间上是如何变化的？教育差距进一步加剧了这些知识差距。古地磁可以为多个地球科学学科提供见解，但作为一个主题，它通常在地球科学培训中很少受到关注。这影响了地球科学界理解古地磁研究的能力，以及填补对磁场理解的关键空白的能力。填补这些关键空白所需要的是更高质量的全矢量（方向和强度）古地磁数据，以及训练有素的工作人员来收集和分析这些数据。该项目的目的是通过使用一种新的地磁场行为记录仪熟料来改善最近（0-5 Myr）地磁场行为的表征，从而满足这些需求。熟料，即煤层火烘烤和燃烧的岩石，是获得高质量全矢量磁记录的一个令人兴奋的新候选，因为它们遍布世界各地，位于缺乏磁数据的地区，可以可靠地确定日期，并且是可靠的全矢量磁记录。在该项目中，将利用最先进的古地磁和地质年代学技术，为美国粉河盆地（PRB）第四纪至上新世（0-5 Myr）年龄的熟料矿床生成半连续、高分辨率、全矢量磁场变化记录。这项研究是建立一种可靠的方法，以扩大在PRB以外的熟料矿床的工作的第一步。这个项目的教育和外联部分将培训下一代古地磁学家，扩大地球科学和一般民众对古地磁研究的了解，并加强该领域代表性不足的群体的参与。这个项目是研究和教育连续体的早期步骤，将导致改善磁场的全球特征。更一般地说，这个项目解决了科学优先问题一，“地球内部磁场是如何产生的？”，发表在美国国家科学院为NSF-EAR编写的十年报告中。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。