IRES US-Ethiopia: Modeling Drainage Incision on the Ethiopian Plateau

该奖项由2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助。密苏里科技大学的Mohamed Abdel-Salam教授将开展一项面向学生的国际研究和经验(IRES)计划，以支持地质科学和工程系的9名本科生和3名MS学生(每年3名本科生和1名MS学生)的研究和教育活动。学生将在多学科框架内进行实地研究，重点是模拟埃塞俄比亚高原上的排水系统切割，并研究阿法尔凹陷和埃塞俄比亚主要裂谷的开放可能导致的结构控制。埃塞俄比亚的亚的斯亚贝巴大学将成为密苏里S大学的合作伙伴，每年将有4000名埃塞俄比亚学生参与该项目。该项目的工作计划旨在确保对所有学生进行有效的监督和指导，并确保私人投资机构和学生充分和平等地参与。学生将进行地质制图、地貌研究、遥感分析、地质年代学研究和地理信息系统(GIS)建模，以具体检验两个假设：(1)埃塞俄比亚高原主要水系的切割速率一直是间歇性的，最近NSF资助的尼罗河峡谷研究的初步结果表明，在~10 Ma和~6 Ma，切割速率显著增加。(2)这些排水系统受与阿法尔凹陷和埃塞俄比亚主要裂谷的开放有关的伸展构造控制。为了处理这些假设，该项目将重点关注3个独立的水系：1年的青尼罗河、2年的Tekeze和3年的Ter Shet，在那里将开展以下研究活动：(1)分析先进的星载热发射和反射辐射计数据和从航天飞机雷达地形任务(SRTM)数据中提取的数字高程模型，以指导实地研究绘制不同年龄的火山遗迹的空间范围、结构和地层位置；(2)获取这些火山遗迹的40Ar/39Ar年龄。(3)利用地理信息系统建模计算切口量和切口率。(4)利用遥感与野外研究相结合的方法，研究局部结构与流域分布的时空关系。智力价值：该项目的智力价值在于：(1)它将产生定量数据，以评估构造抬升和气候在以伸展构造为主的地区提高水系切割速度方面的相对作用。(2)这将对了解埃塞俄比亚高原的隆升历史和阿法尔地幔热柱的动力学产生重大影响。(3)有助于了解尼罗河流域的泥沙收支、埃塞俄比亚高原的地质物质随时间的迁移速率及其向埃及的运移，从而形成埃及尼罗河肥沃的洪泛平原。(4)从排水切割历史推断的埃塞俄比亚高原隆升的时间和速度对于通过迫使智人走出一条干旱适应的进化道路来理解早期原始人进化具有重要意义。广泛影响：该项目的研究和教育活动将有助于以下更广泛的影响：(1)美国和埃塞俄比亚学生和研究人员之间对学术和社会文化的相互理解。美国学生将获得国际视角和经验，丰富文化经验，并建立关系，这将构成未来国际研究合作的核心。(2)为学生整合国际研究和教育，扩大代表不足群体的参与是NSF-IRES项目的主要目标。美国和埃塞俄比亚机构之间的合作将有助于发展一支多元化、参与全球的科学和工程劳动力队伍。(3)该项目的成果预计将在国家和国际会议上发表一系列报告，以及由学生编写的手稿将在同行评议的期刊上发表。此外，这项拟议研究产生的数据可用于密苏里州S和亚的斯亚贝巴大学以及美国和埃塞俄比亚的其他大学的教学。(4)该项目将在博士学位毕业后6年内聘请一名女性助理教授。该项目将为她提供建立研究计划的机会。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).Professor Mohamed Abdel-Salam of the Missouri University of Science and Technology will conduct an International Research and Experience for Students (IRES) program to support research and educational activities for 9 undergraduate and 3 MS students (3 undergraduate and 1 MS students each year) from the Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering. Students will be conducting field-based research within a multi-disciplinary framework focused on modeling drainage systems incision on the Ethiopian Plateau and examining possible structural controls induced by the opening of the Afar Depression and the Main Ethiopian Rift. Addis Ababa University in Ethiopia will be the partner to Missouri S&T where 4 Ethiopian students will participate in the project each year. The work plan of the project is designed to ensure effective supervision and mentoring of all students, and full and equal participation of PIs and students. Students will conduct geological mapping, geomorphologic studies, remote sensing analysis, geochronological studies, and Geographic Information System (GIS) modeling to specifically test two hypothesis: (1) Incision rate of major drainage systems on the Ethiopian Plateau has been episodic and has significantly increased at ~10 and ~6 Ma as suggested by preliminary results of recent NSF-funded research on the Gorge of the Nile. (2) These drainage systems are controlled by extensional structures associated with the opening of the Afar Depression and the Main Ethiopian Rift. To address these hypotheses the project will focus on 3 independent drainage systems; the Blue Nile in year 1, the Tekeze in year 2, and the Ter Shet in year 3 where the following research activities will be conducted: (1) Analysis of the Advanced Space-borne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) data and Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) extracted from the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data to guide field studies to map spatial extent, and structural and stratigraphic positions of volcanic remnants of different ages; (2) Obtaining 40Ar/39Ar ages of these volcanic remnants. (3) Using GIS modeling to calculate magnitude and rate of incision. (4) Using the combined remote sensing and field studies to examine temporal and spatial relationship between local structures and drainage distribution. Intellectual Merit: The intellectual merit of the project lies in that: (1) It will produce quantitative data to evaluate the relative roles of tectonic uplift and climate in increasing the rate of incision of drainage systems in regions dominated by extensional tectonics. (2) It will have significant impact in understanding uplift history of the Ethiopian Plateau and the dynamics of the Afar Mantle Plume. (3) It will contribute to the understanding of sediment budget of the Nile Basin, removal rate of geological material from the Ethiopian Plateau through time and its transportation to Egypt to form the fertile floodplain of the Egyptian Nile. (4) The timing and rate of uplift of the Ethiopian Plateau deduced from drainage incision history have significant importance for understanding early hominin evolution through forcing an arid-adaptive evolutionary path for Homo sapiens.Broader Impact: Research and educational activities of the project will contribute to the following broader impacts: (1) Reciprocal understanding of academic and social culture between US and Ethiopian students and researchers. The US students will be provided an international perspective and experience, enriching cultural experience, and building relationships that will form the core of future international research collaborations. (2) Integration of international research and education for students and broaden participation of under-represented groups are a primary objective of NSF-IRES program. Collaboration between US and Ethiopian institutions will contribute to the development of a diverse, globally-engaged, science and engineering workforce. (3) Results from the project are expected to produce a series of presentations in national and international meetings as well as manuscripts prepared by students to be published in peer reviewed journals. In addition, data produced from the proposed research can be used for teaching at Missouri S&T and Addis Ababa University as well as other universities in the US and Ethiopia. (4) The project will involve a female assistant professor within 6 years of the PhD. The project will provide her the opportunity to establish her research program.