Transcript AfricaArray: Using Seismology to Build Science Capacity in Africa -- Andy Nyblade

AfricaArray: Using Seismology to
Build Science Capacity in Africa -An Example for GEOSS
Andy Nyblade
Dept. of Geosciences
Penn State University
www.africaarray.psu.edu
Outline
• Review AfricaArray
• Implications for GEOSS and Capacity
Building
www.africaarray.psu.edu
AfricaArray Goals
A public-private partnership supporting
capacity building for Africa’s natural
resource sector
• Establish in-situ training and research programs to
help build a scientific workforce
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initially in geophysics
• As part of the training and research programs, create
shared scientific observatories (initially broadband
seismic stations) to promote education, research,
and community building
“AfricaArray” = array of observatories + array of
training programs + array of research projects + array
of partnerships and collaboration
AfricaArray’s Initial Focus in Geophysics:
• Maintain and develop further geophysical
training programs, in response to industry,
government and university needs
• Promote geophysical research, and establish
an Africa-to-Africa research support system
AfricaArray’s Initial Focus in Geophysics:
• Obtain geophysical data, through a network
of shared observatories, to study scientific
targets of economic and societal
importance, as well as fundamental
geological processes shaping the African
continent
• Advance training and research
opportunities for students from historically
disadvantaged communities
History:
Oct. 2003 -- meeting with Paul Dirks (Head, School of Geosciences, the
University of the Witwatersrand)
Nov 2003 -- White paper “AfricaArray: Developing a Scientific
Workforce for Africa’s Natural Resource Sector”
2004 Workshops
Feb -- Wits
March -- Houston
July -- Wits : consensus to move ahead
2005 Workshop
Feb -- Italy
Proposals: 2004 -2005
AfricaArray Implementation (3 phases over 10 years):
Phase 1 (years 1-3, started Jan. 2005)
• the geophysics program will be improved and expanded at the
University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa, to provide BSc, MSc and
Ph.D. degree training
• Sandwich program for Ph.D. -- up to 6 months/yr in
U.S. or Europe
• Broadband seismic stations will be installed or upgraded in
participating countries as part of a permanent “backbone” seismic
network (southern and eastern Africa)
• Data archived at IRIS DMC; open data policy
• temporary networks of seismic stations will be installed for focused
projects
• train technical personnel how to operate and maintain seismic stations
• data from the seismic stations will be used for student research
AfricaArray Implementation:
Phase 2 (years 4-6) & Phase 3 (years 7-10)
• build centers of excellence in geophysics at other African
universities (already started)
• expand training programs for technical staff
• expand network of permanent observatories and add other sensors
(GPS, meteorological, hydrologic, other environmental sensors)
•
expand the number of temporary seismometer arrays
• develop secondary school outreach programs
Progress so far
• Education program at Wits:
• 10 BSc honours students (4th yr)
• 1 MSc student
• 2 PhD students
• Backbone network of observatories
• 11 operational BB stations in South Africa with data
flowing to the IRIS DMC
• 20 additional BB stations by end 2006
• Temporary seismic network s
• 2005-2006 Cameroon (30 stations)
• 2007-2010 Uganda and Tanzania (40 stations)
AfricaArray
Permanent
Broadband
Seismic Stations
2005-2006
Progress so far
Science projects:
• General Theme “4D Imaging of the African Crust and
Mantle”
• African Superplume
• Bushveld Complex
• Congo Craton
• Cameroon Volcanic Line
• E. African rift basins
• Wits basin
Partnerships
Founding partners:
• School of Geosciences, University of Wits
• Council for Geoscience (S. African Geol. Survey)
• Penn State University
• IRIS
Other partners:
• Government organizations in Africa and the U.S.
• Many universities in Africa and the U.S. and Europe
• Many geological surveys in Africa
• Many companies
growing quickly!
Funding Partners
• In-kind support ($2M)
• Wits, CGS, PSU, IRIS
• New funding raised
• Gov’t: NSF, NRF (S. Africa), CGS, CSIR
• Private: ExxonMobil, Schlumberger, De Beers, ISSI,
Mineral Education Trust Fund (S. Africa)
AfricaArray and GEOSS
• Provides an example for how to link capacity building in
science to developing an “observing system”
• If we can do this in seismology we can do it in other related
science fields
• Potentially provides a model for developing sustainable
observing systems in developing countries
• Many Gov’ts are more interested in science training than
long-term monitoring of the environment
Increased gov’t buy-in
• Cost-sharing of O&M for multidisciplinary observatories:
logistics, infrastructure, power, communications, security are
expensive in many developing countries
Improved operations
GEOSS Capacity Building Goals: 2 Yrs
• Produce a comprehensive review and analysis of gaps and
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methodologies, based on existing and planned capacity-building
efforts.
Facilitate, together with existing efforts, the maintenance and
strengthening of education, training, research and
communication.
Facilitate, with developing countries……the establishment and
maintenance of baseline sites for global in situ and remote
sensing networks that cannot always be justified on national
grounds alone…
Develop a network of experts involved in existing capacitybuilding initiatives related to Earth observation, and encourage
users to access this knowledge base.
Encourage, in each societal benefit area, the development of
capacity-building components as a requirement for any network,
project, activity
Facilitate access to data and models, particularly for developing
countries.
GEOSS Capacity Building Goals: 6 Yrs
• Advocate funding of multinational projects to leverage the end-to-end
value of observations, including the establishment of necessary
infrastructure.
• Produce monitoring and evaluation mechanisms for capacitybuilding efforts.
• Facilitate education and training to provide a global base of
technical expertise.
GEOSS Capacity Building Goals: 10 Yrs
• Use Earth-observation data and products (e.g. process, integrate, model)
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following accepted standards.
Contribute to, access, and retrieve data from global data systems and
networks.
Analyze and interpret data to enable development of decision-support
tools and to advance understanding in societal benefit areas.
Integrate Earth-observation data and products with other data and
products, for a more complete view and understanding of problems and
derived solutions.
Improve infrastructure development in areas of poor observational
coverage.
Develop recommended priorities for new or augmented efforts in capacity
building.
Seismology
+
GEOSS