Himalayan Geologist

Faculty position in Neotectonics, Remote-Sensing, and Geodynamics

2012-02-03T06:44:00.000-08:00

The Missouri University of Science and Technology Department of Geological Sciences and Engineering invites applications for a full-time tenure-track position at the assistant professor level in Geology and Geophysics in the area of Neotectonics, Remote-Sensing, and Geodynamics to begin September, 2012.

(For details...)

Professor Augusto Gansser, http://www.telegraph.co.uk

2012-02-01T03:44:00.000-08:00

Professor Augusto Gansser, who has died aged 101, was a Swiss geologist and adventurer whose explorations led to new insights about the origins of great mountain ranges and the sources of petroleum.

(for details...)

MSA Workshop / DMG Shortcourse on "Application of Diffusion Studies to the determination of timescales in Petrology and Geochemistry"

2012-01-30T16:22:00.000-08:00

That course is directed at petrologists, geochemists and planetary scientists interested in retrieving information on timescales of processes from their rocks. Such information might include the residence times of magmas in their reservoirs, the cooling- or exhumation rates of rocks, the duration of terrestrial or extra-terrestrial (e.g. parent bodies of meteorites) metamorphism, the duration of fluid flow (e.g. metasomatism by fluids / melts in the crust or mantle), and the evaluation and application of closure temperatures. Our focus will be high temperature processes. Therefore "high temperature Thermochronometry" or "Geospeedometry" are related keywords that may describe the course contents.

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NERC-funded PhD project Investigating the closure of the Tethys Ocean as recorded by the Liuqu Conglomerate, Tibet.

2012-01-29T05:19:00.000-08:00

Closure of Tethys ocean, collision of India and Asia, and subsequent evolution of the Himalaya was a multistage process involving the accretion of more than one terrane. It has been proposed that the Paleogene Liuqu Conglomerates, which crop out discontinuously for many kms along strike along the Yarlung-Tsangpo suture zone between the Indian and Asian plates record the history of collision between India and an intra-oceanic arc.

(For details...)

Ph.D. position

2012-01-26T07:30:00.000-08:00

The Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences is the national Research Centre for Geosciences in Germany and a member of the Helmholtz Association.

In the framework of TIPTIMON we are seeking a candidate for a Ph.D. position (Reference No. 83/3/11 D) interested in studying landslide and mass movement processes in seismotectonically active mountain regions by means of experimental and numerical simulation.

(for details...)

Postgraduate Scholarship in Plate Tectonics/Geodynamics

2012-01-24T23:45:00.001-08:00

Applications are invited for a PhD scholarship in Plate Tectonics/Geodynamics working with Professor Dietmar Müller's EarthByte Group at the School of Geosciences, the University of Sydney, for the project "Towards a unified East Gondwanaland reconstruction and its implications for Himalayan Orogeny".
(for details...)

2012-01-24T23:36:00.000-08:00

My name is Basanta Raj Adhikari, born in Kaski district in western part of Nepal, one of the beautiful countries in the world. Born in the middle class family and in rural area, where technological facilities were rarely available. I had to struggle for my study since primary schooling. However; despite various obstacles I successfully completed secondary schooling from Begnas.
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Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun

2012-01-23T18:06:00.000-08:00

Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology (WIHG), Dehradun

WIHG, established in 1968 is an autonomous research Institute of the Department of Science & Technology, Govt. of India.
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Himalayan Geology

2012-01-23T16:57:00.000-08:00

URL: http://www.himgeology.com/himgeol/himalayan.htm

"Himalayan Geology", a biannual (January and July) periodical of the Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology, Dehradun, publishes original contributions on all aspects of the Geology of Himalaya. The papers may present new data and findings and good synthesis on geology and geophysics with dominant emphasis on the Alpine-Himalayan Mountain Belt and adjoining terrains, and processes related to mountain building activities.

PhD projectbased in the School of Geological Sciences, University College Dublin

2012-01-22T17:38:00.000-08:00

Isotopic and chemical evolution of hydrothermal sulphide chimneys

Dr Julian Menuge (UCD), DrBramleyMurton (NOC, Southampton), Dr Ian Butler (University
of Edinburgh) and Dr Adrian Boyce (SUERC)

This project will examine the spatial variationof Fe-Zn-S isotope compositions in the sulphide and sulphate minerals of black smoker chimneys, including an assessment of how these evolve with time and chimney architecture. The isotopic compositions will be closely integrated with textural observations and with minor element compositions. The objectsare to build up a model of how the isotopic and chemical variations come about, consider the implications for the formation and evolution of fossil volcanic massive sulphide deposits, and to suggest ways in which isotopic and geochemical analysis may aid in mineral exploration for VMS deposits.

The research will be lab-focussed, involving MC-ICP-MS isotopic analysis of Fe and Zn, laser ablation S-isotope analysis, electron microprobe analysis and use of thermodynamic modelling software (Geochemists' Workbench).

We are seeking applicants who are willing to apply for an Irish state-funded scholarship (IRCSET EMBARK postgraduate scholarship scheme: www.ircset.ie). The scholarship competition is very competitive and we are therefore seeking candidates with a first class honours BSc or Masters-level qualification in Geology or Geochemistry. Research experience in hydrothermal geochemistry, or in any of the above techniques, would be a distinct advantage but is not essential. Applicants of any nationality, country of residence and age are eligible to apply.

The deadline for submission of expressions of interest to Dr Julian Menuge (j.f.menuge@ucd.ie), from whom further information can be obtained, is Monday 6th February. Expressions of interest should include CV, the names and email addresses of three referees and a transcript showing the grades or marks obtained in all university courses completed to date.

Tenure-Track Position - Environmental Geosciences

2012-01-21T16:57:00.000-08:00

The Department of Earth and Environmental Systems (EES) at Indiana State University invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in Environmental Geosciences starting August 2012. Candidates with research interests in one or more of the following areas are encouraged to apply: lakes/wetlands, hydrology, sedimentology, and geomorphology. EES faculty teach interdisciplinary courses and conduct research that engages undergraduate and graduate students in active learning and the community. The successful candidate is expected to establish a substantial externally-funded research program, mentor undergraduates, supervise graduate students, and contribute to the earth and environmental sciences curriculum.

Candidates must apply at the university's job postings web site at https://jobs.indstate.edu/ and electronically attach a letter of application that includes a statement of research goals, teaching philosophy, curriculum vitae, copies of graduate/undergraduate transcripts, and contact information for three references. A PhD in the Geosciences or related fields is required at time of appointment. Review of applications will begin February 1, 2012, and will continue until position is filled. Questions should be directed to Dr. Sandra Brake (Sandra.Brake@indstate.edu). For more information about the department visit: www.indstate.edu/ees/.

Indiana State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and conducts its recruitment and hiring based solely upon job-related qualifications, without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status or citizenship status.

NERC PhD studentships for 2012/13

2012-01-21T16:49:00.000-08:00

The Lancaster Environment Centre (LEC) forms one of the largest centres for environmental research in Europe. LEC's inter-disciplinary research themes focus on atmospheric science, biodiversity and global change, catchment and aquatic processes, environmental geosciences and the relationships between the environment and society. The excellent research environment and facilities these themes offer provides the setting for our PhD training.

We are expecting to receive a number of NERC PhD studentships for 2012/13(6 in 2011/12) and the following projects are in competition for this funding, for which we are currently accepting applications.

A multiproxytephrochronology for the Antarctic Peninsula and Scotia Sea: constraining Antarctic deglaciation during the Holocene.
Supervisors: Dr Mark Hounslow, Dr Jennie S Gilbert and Dr Dominic A. Hodgson (British Antarctic Survey).
A novel technique for Be-7 determination, a tracer of significant environmental processes.
Supervisors: DrJackie Pates, Prof John Quinton, Dr Phil Barker and Dr Stephen Maberly (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Lancaster).
Bottom up melting of the Icelandic glaciers. Supervisors: Dr Peter Wynn, Dr Mike James and Dr Hugh Tuffen; with informal supervisory collaboration with Dr DavidRippin (York University).
Carbon storage in grasslands - the impact of atmospheric nitrogen pollution.
Supervisors:Dr Carly Stevens and Prof Richard Bardgett.
Investigating the closure of the Tethys Ocean as recorded by the Liuqu Conglomerate, Tibet.
Supervisors: Dr Yani Najman and Dr Greg Holland.
Investigating the efficiency of reforestation approaches in restoring rainforest biodiversity and function.
Supervisors: Dr Rosa Menendez and Dr Kate Orwin.
Novel stable isotope techniques based on phosphate oxygen to trace the biogeochemical cycling of macronutrients in lake ecosystems.
Supervisors: Dr Ben Surridge, Dr Peter Wynn, Dr Andrew Folkard and Dr Stephen Maberly (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology Lancaster).
The Dispersal of Volcanic Pollutants in the Atmosphere.
Supervisors: Dr Jennie Gilbert, Dr Oliver Wild and Dr Anne-Marlene Blechschmidt.
Understanding gully erosion through rapid 3d data acquisition (Spain).
Supervisors: Dr Mike James and Dr John Quinton.
Using noble gases to determine groundwater quality and flow paths.
Supervisors: Dr Greg Holland, Dr Ben Surridge, Dr Phil Barker and Prof Andrew Binley.
Academic Requirements: First-class or 2.1 (Hons) degree, or Mastersdegree (or equivalent) in an appropriate subject for the project you apply to.

Funding: Full studentships(fees and maintenance grant (£13,590 (2011/12) tax free, per year) who have been ordinarily resident in the UK throughout the 3-year period immediately preceding the date of an award. EU candidates who have not been ordinarily resident in the UK for the last 3 years are eligible for "tuition fees-only" awards (no maintenance grant). Unfortunately studentships are not available to non-UK/EU applicants.

Application Deadline: Midnight Sunday 26 February 2012
Provisional Interview Date: Friday 16 March 2012
Start Date: October 2012

Application process: Please send a CV and a covering letter outlining your background and suitability for this project, along with two references (Download the reference form: http://www.lec.lancs.ac.uk/docs/LECPG/PG_Reference_Form_LEC.docx) and email to Andy Harrod, Lancaster Environment Centre, (lec.pg@lancaster.ac.uk). Please pass the reference form to your two referees and ask them to send their completed reference direct to Andy Harrod.

Due to the limited time between the closing date and the interview date, it is essential that you ensure references are submitted by the closing date or as soon as possible.

Please do not apply via the online application system.

Further information: http://www.lec.lancs.ac.uk/postgraduate/pgresearch/research-degree-opportunities.php

Consultant Level Civil Engineer

2012-01-19T10:54:00.000-08:00

SRK Consulting is an independent, international consulting Practice, providing globally integrated consulting services to the international mining and metals sector. The SRK Group employs over 1,300 professional consultants internationally and has 44 offices on 6 continents. SRK has been providing its clients with innovative, practical and cost effective solutions for over 35 years. Our client base covers a wide range of industries, particularly within the resources and engineering sectors.

SRK Consulting (UK) Ltd is a leading international operation with the UK headquarters based in the vibrant capital of Wales - Europe's youngest capital city. We offer a variety of interesting and challenging projects working from a capital city location. Many of our projects are of an international nature and utilise SRK's international consulting network.

Due to our positive forward workload we require a Consultant Level Civil Engineer to provide competent consulting services to support SRK project teams and clients.

Essential Requirements of the role include:

Minimum of honours degree in a Civil Engineering;
A postgraduate qualification in Civil or Geotechnical Engineering;
Experience gained with major heavy civil engineering (infrastructure) & geotechnical projects with prior exposure to design; construction and monitoring of major hydraulic structures (dams, reservoirs);
Excellent communication skills;
Competent report and proposal writing skills requiring strong English language skills (verbal and written); and
Effective organisation and time management skills.
Desirable Requirements:
Chartered Engineer or approaching Chartered Status (or equivalent PE / PEng) with a recognised professional body;
Experience dealing with geotechnical issues relating to major construction projects;
Experience with geotechnical exploration;
Overseas experience;
Additional language(s)
Experience in working outside the UK; and
Microsoft office, MS Project, AutoCAD, GIS Software
This position involves working in multi-disciplinary teams on a range of projects in the UK and overseas and international travel will form a significant part of the role.

In return, we offer an attractive salary package, including Performance based bonus, group personal pension scheme, employee share participation as well as optional private medical and health screening schemes. The SRK Group is an independent group, owned by its employees.

Working with SRK can offer you:

An opportunity within an established Global "Employee Owned" Consulting Group.
Diversity of Projects and Clients.
Flexible work practices.
Please submit your detailed CV to:

B Gallimore, Recruitment Co-ordinator
E-mail: jobs@srk.co.uk
SRK Consulting (UK) Limited
5th Floor Churchill House
17 Churchill Way
City and County of Cardiff
CF10 2HH
URL: www.srk.co.uk
Telephone: + 44(0) 29 2034 8150
Please visit our website on: www.srk.co.uk for further information about SRK.

Closing date: 27th February 2012

Salary Scale (Inclusive of Pension): £25,000 to £35,000 depending on skills

Ph.D. position - "Experimental sedimentological study of carbonate oozes "

2012-01-18T21:44:00.000-08:00

The Department of Geography and Geology (DGG) at the Faculty of Science, University of Copenhagen hereby offers a fully funded Ph.D. position.

We seek a highly motivated candidate to participate in an experimental sedimentological study of the basic physical behaviour of carbonate mud with special reference to chalk ooze. The main tasks of the Ph.D. student will be to develop experimental techniques as well as designing and producing suitable experimental sediments. The project will be carried out within the framework of the newly established joint DGG and Maersk Oil Research Centre which will host five PhD students and two assistant professors in addition to the permanent staff at DGG and Maersk Oil. Project participants have backgrounds in sedimentology, geophysics, stratigraphy, numerical modelling, geochemistry, paleontology/paleoecology and engineering. The ultimate aim of the research centre is to improve the qualitative and quantitative understanding of chalk depositional systems and heterogeneity of chalk reservoirs.

Job description

The purpose of the project is to explore the little investigated field of using experimental methods to develop an improved understanding of the physical behaviour of fine-grained pelagic carbonates (chalk ooze). This requires careful considerations on the acquisition/production, variation, and control of experimental oozes, and subjecting these to a range of physical experiments to measure properties such as resuspension thresholds and rheology. The main tasks of the Phd. student will be to develop experimental techniques as well as designing and producing suitable experimental sediments.

Qualifications

We are seeking a creative and innovative student with experience with experimental sedimentology/fluid dynamics or monitoring of natural sedimentary/fluid systems. Relevant backgrounds include physical geography, engineering, fluid dynamics, environmental sciences, marine sciences, geology or similar. We expect that the candidate will publish in international peer?reviewed journals, write a Ph. D. thesis within the project duration of three years and assist in teaching within the Department. The scholarship is open for two alternative Ph.D. arrangements:

A regular 3-year program; here the candidate must hold a M.Sc. degree,
A special 4-year program; here the candidate must hold a B.Sc. degree and have completed one year of the M.Sc. program (equivalent to 60 ECTS).
Terms of employment

In the regular 3-year program, the successful Ph.D. candidate will be offered a full-time Ph.D. position for a period of three years, contingent on a satisfactory performance, with the specific intent that it results in a Ph.D. degree and scientific publications. In the 4-year program, the successful Ph.D. candidate will be paid in accordance with the Danish State Education Grant and Loan Scheme Authority Order for the first two years until awarded a M. Sc. and as a full-time Ph.D. for the remaining two years.

The salary depends on seniority, as agreed between the Ministry of Finance and the Danish Confederation of Professional Associations, and is within the range of 23,000-30,000 DKK/month (approximately 3,100-4,000 Euro/month) in the 3-year program and 10,000-12,000 DKK/month for the first two years of the 4-year program.

Further information can be obtained from Professor Lars Stemmerik, (e-mail: ls@geo.ku.dk). General information on the Department of Geography and Geology can be found at www.geo.ku.dk.

How to apply

Applications, including (i) a motivation for the application (0.5 A4 page), (ii) a statement of research interests, (iii) curriculum vitae including list of publications, (iv) a copy of MSc diploma or equivalent, (v) a short abstract of the M.Sc. thesis or equivalent, and (vi) the names, e-mails, telephones and addresses of 2-4 referees, must be uploaded when you apply online on this address: http://www.ku.dk/stillinger/vip/.

The deadline for application is February 15th 2012.

The University wishes our staff to reflect the diversity of society and welcomes applications from all qualified candidates regardless of personal background.

10 Doctoral Researchers in Germany

2012-01-18T21:40:00.000-08:00

The International Research Training Group (IRTG) "Integrated HydrosystemModelling" at the Universities of Tübingen (Germany), Hohenheim (Germany), and Waterloo (Canada) targets at developing and applying numerical models of flow and reactive solute transport in coupled hydrosystems comprising of land-surface and subsurface compartments. These models are needed to assess the impacts of environmental change on water quantity and quality at catchment scale.

The IRTG offers a structured PhD program at the German partner universities with joint international training and supervision. The main work place is in Tübingen; a six-month research stay at Waterloo is integral part of the training. The program starts on 1stJune 2012.In particular we are searching for:

10 Doctoral Researchers (3 years, 75% TV-L E13 according to German public salary system)
for one of the following topics, ordered by research themes:

Theme A: Flux Balances at the Land Surface
A.1Water Transport through Plants
A.2Groundwater Recharge under Climate and Land-Use Change
A.3Soil Uptake and Emissions of Atmospheric Pollutants
Theme B: Biogeochemical Reactions in Catchments
B.1Validity of Travel-Time Based Reactive Transport Models
B.2Slow Microbial Transformations in Oligotrophic Aquifers
B.3Compound-Specific Isotope Fractionation at Catchment Scale

Theme C: Uncertainty Assessment of Large-Scale Models
C.1Prioritising Uncertainty Sources in Coupled Hydrosystem Models
C.2Optimal Design of Monitoring in Coupled Hydrosystems
C.3Assimilation of Land-Surface Observations in Coupled Hydrological Models
Theme D: Evolution of Catchments

D.1Physics-Based Modelling of Erosion at Catchment Scale
D.2Chemical Weathering at Catchment Scale
D.3Modelling of Vegetation Dynamics Coupled to Physics-Based Hydrology
1 Postdoctoral Researcher(2 years, 100% TV-L E14)

following his/her own research agenda in at least one of the four research themes and contributing to the integration of the IRTG. Candidates for the postdoctoral position are requested to submit a research plan.

Applicants for the PhD positions must hold a MSc or equivalent degree in quantitative geosciences, civil and environmental engineering, physics, applied mathematics, or another field of science and engineering with appropriate specialization. They should have a demonstrated interest and some initial experience in the field of hydrosystemmodelling. The postdoc must have finished his/her PhD in the research field of the IRTG, show a good publication record, and should have gained specialized knowledge in process analysis or hydrosystemmodelling within one of the four research themes of the IRTG. We expect an independent, documented research agenda fitting into the topics of the IRTG, willingness to train and collaborate with doctoral candidates, and very good communication skills. Experience in an international research context is preferred.

The participating universities want to increase the number of female researchers, particularly in the field of modelling, and specifically encourage female candidates to apply. Special gender-equality measures will be emplaced within the IRTG. Disabled persons will be preferred in case of equal qualification.

Applications should include a letter of motivation, a CV, transcripts or degree certificates including grades, proof of special qualifications, prints of publications if applicable, and a list of at least three referees. Applications to the PhD positions should indicate the preferred topic, applications to the postdoc position need to include a research plan. Applications are to be submitted until 19th February 2012 to:

University of Tübingen, Department of Geosciences
c/o Monika Jekelius
Hölderlinstr. 12, 72074 Tübingen, Germany
E-mail: monika.jekelius@uni-tuebingen.de
More information on the IRTG can be found at: www.hydromod.uni-tuebingen.de

Call For Proposals: Disaster Risk Reduction in South Asia

2012-01-17T15:05:00.000-08:00

URL; http://start.org/news/call-for-proposals-disaster-risk-reduction-in-south-asia.html

START, with funding from CDKN, is pleased to announce a Call for Proposals (CFP) for research on integrating disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation for resilient development in South Asia. We expect to fund up to five research projects of a maximum $100,000 USD for up to 19-months’ duration. The geographical scope of the CFP is Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.

DEADLINE: 29 February 2012at Midnight (2400 hours) US Eastern Standard Time at the International START Secretariat office. Please submit electronically to: proposals@start.org.

European Geosciences Union

2012-01-16T17:23:00.000-08:00

URL; http://www.egu.eu
Dedicated to the pursuit of excellence in the geosciences and the planetary
and space sciences for the benefit of humanity.

European Geosciences Union
General Assembly 2012
Vienna | Austria | 22 – 27 April 2012

Aims & Scope

The EGU General Assembly 2012 will bring together geoscientists from all over the world into one meeting covering all disciplines of the Earth, Planetary and Space Sciences. Especially for young scientists, it is the aim of the EGU to provide a forum where they can present their work and discuss their ideas with experts in all fields of geosciences. The EGU is looking forward to cordially welcoming you in Vienna.

Critical comments on Trends in Himalayan Geology, Gerhard Fuchs

2012-01-15T17:14:00.000-08:00

1. STRATIGRAPHY AND TECTONICS IN THE LESSER HIMALAYA

For decades there was dispute whether the unfossiliferous rock complex was Palaeozoic or Precambrian. On the basis of rare fossil finds and age data it is now generally accepted to be Precambrian to Early Cambrian (UPRETI, 1996; BHARGAVA et al., 2011).

In my view not yet settled is the correlation of the thick carbonate complexes of the Lesser Himalaya. SAKAI (1983), UPRETI (1996) and others regard the Kerabari and Krol Carbonates of the frontal zone (Parauthochtonous Unit, FUCHS, 1975) as Neoproterozoic. The Surtibang-, Dhading-, Shali-, and Deoban Carbonates of the inner zones are considered to be Midproterozoic (BHARGAVA et al., 2011). From the great lithological similarity and associated series a correlation of the two above named complexes should not be excluded.

Certainly a difficulty in the Stratigraphy is the confusion in nomenclature. Most authors introduce new names and their own scheme. My aim was to use the already existing and well-known terms like Chail, Shali, Krol etc from the type localities in India also in Nepal (FUCHS, 1967, 1977 and 1982; FUCHS & FRANK, 1970). These units can be traced along the Himalaya and are not confined by political borders. But my suggestion was not accepted.

Attempts have been made to subdivide the Kuncha-Chail complex by means of some conspicuous quartzite horizons (e.g. Fagfog Quartzite, STÖCKLIN, 1980). The quartzites, however, are of rather limited lateral extent. Thick conglomerate-quartzite bodies pass into pure phyllite series over a short distance along the strike. Probably they represent delta deposits and are not suitable for stratigraphical subdivision.

Closely connected with stratigraphy are tectonic problems. HAGEN (1969) proposed a complicated system of nappes. But he did not characterize their rock content and how they were discerned. The knowledge of the primary succession is necessary.

In the Hiunchuli region of West Nepal we found one of the rare occurrences where the stratigraphic order is still preserved (FUCHS & FRANK, 1970). Careful studies of the formation boundaries showed that they were stratigraphic, and the sedimentary structures indicated upright order. From bottom to top we find:

Green and white quartzites and phyllites (Chail, Kuncha).
Red and white quartzites and metapelites (Khaira, Nourpul).
Red and green slates and carbonates.
Black phyllites (Shali Slates, Benighat).
Blue and grey stromatolitic dolomites (Shali, Surtibang, Dhading).
This succession forms Chail Unit 1 (C1). After a thrust this sequence is repeated, but in reduced thickness W of Jangla Bhanjyang (C2), and above another thrust again phyllites and quartzites (Chail-Kuncha) follow representing C3. They are the topmost beds of the Lesser Himalaya immediately below the Main Central Thrust (MCT).

Towards the E the described successions pinch out and in the Kali Gandaki-Pokhara region we find only monotonous Kuncha-Chail Formation of vast extent. Carbonate marker horizons appear again in the Nawakot Complex W of the Kathmandu-Synclinorium (STÖCKLIN, 1980, map). These carbonates indicate thrusts at their top and make it probable that such tectonic planes exist also where the Chail-Kuncha rocks seem to form a uniform complex.

There are also authors who deny nappes in the Lesser Himalaya (ARITA et al., 1984). They accept the crystalline outliers as allochthonous, but the underlying Midland complex they take as autochthonous, affected only by vertical movements. That implies that the succession observed in the latter is stratigraphic. This assumption is disproved by our work (FUCHS, 1977) in the Galwa Window (HAGEN, 1969). In the core of this large dome we find stromatolitic dolomite with varicoloured carbonates and metapelites (C1). This unit is overthrust by Kuncha-Chail Formation succeeded by varicoloured conglomerates and quarzites, which in turn are overlain by thick dolomite (C2). Above another thrust Kuncha-Chail Formation follows (C3) forming the top of the Lesser Himalayan sequence under the MCT (FUCHS, 1977, Plate 1). The lowest of these units (C1) may be autochthonous, the upper units definitely are nappes (C2, C3); dragged by the overthrusting Crystalline Nappes the C3 shows the largest width of transport with outliers on the Mahabharat Range (S of Daban, Phalabang; FUCHS & FRANK, 1970, Plate 1). C3 has also wide extent in Ranimatta-Dailekh area N of Surkhet (FUCHS, 1977, Plate 1). The quartzites, phyllites and metabasics of the Kuncha-Chail Formation are also accompanied by granites. The latter intruded the Chails and are frequent in the Western Himalaya. Their ages cluster around 1800 Ma (FRANK et al., 1995).

Another problem is the Krol belt – is it a nappe or a frontal folded wedge of the Lesser Himalaya? I have introduced the term Parautochthonous Unit for it. It overthrusts the Tertiary Zone along the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT), but always has formed the southernmost part of the Lesser Himalaya. The frequent occurrence of Gondwana and Tertiary beds shows its proximity to the Indian Craton (Garhwal-, Tansing Synclines). There are no outliers or relics of a “Krol Nappe” N of the frontal range, at the base of the Crystalline klippes or the MCT. The superposition of the Chail Nappes is evident from the outliers of Satengal, Banali, Lansdowne and the Mahabharat Range (FUCHS & FRANK, 1970; FUCHS & SINHA, 1978). The Parautochthonous Unit is not metamorphosed or of only low grade. The assumption of a Krol Nappe implies that this unit would be intercalated between the greenschist metamorphosed Midland complex (Chail Nappes) and the amphibolite facies grade Crystalline Nappes. This was nowhere observed, rather an increase in metamorphic grade from lower to upper structural units (inverse metamorphism). Thus I regard the Krol belt as a folded wedge zone in the frontal part of the Lesser Himalaya.

2. CORRELATION CENTRAL CRYSTALLINE - CRYSTALLINE OUTLIERS

UPRETI (1995) hesitates to accept the Central Crystalline as a root zone of the crystalline klippes in the Lesser Himalaya, because of a series of differences.

Contrary I should like to stress that in eastern Nepal and Sikkim the root zone is still connected with the frontal parts of the Crystalline Nappe. In the western Himalaya the Crystalline Nappes with their sedimentary cover – the Kashmir and Chamba Synclinoria – can be traced to their roots in the High Himalaya Crystalline (HHC). It can be observed there that the highly migmatized gneiss complex becomes reduced towards the south and is replaced by less metamorphosed Salkalas. If we consider that the frontal portions of the Crystalline Nappe have been exposed to cooling when rocks of the root zone were still in the center of the regional metamorphism, differences are easily explained. Further it is a common experience that the basal portions of a nappe are frequently kept back by friction and the upper beds are enriched in the frontal parts (e.g. Kashmir Nappe). This may account for the smaller thickness of the gneiss-migmatite complex in the klippes.

Differences in the facies of the basal Tethyan sedimentary cover of the klippes (e.g. Kathmandu, Jaljala Dhuri) to the Tethyan Zone are explained by the fact that there are also facies changes within the Tethyan Zone. From the Nilgiri in the E to Kanjiroba in the W the silt content increases considerably. Similar changes in N-S direction can not be excluded.

Thus I see no necessity to introduce the term Mahabharat Thrust (UPRETI, 1995) at the base of the Kathmandu Klippe. We may safely take it as the MCT.

3. EARLY PALAEOZOIC OROGENY

At the beginning of my research in Nepal (FUCHS, 1967) I recognized the gradation from the Central Crystalline into the Cambro-Ordovician sediments of the Tibetan Zone by passing away of the metamorphism. Further I found a significant break in the sedimentary development at the Ordovician-Silurian boundary: Continental slope sedimentation (as we would say today) changed to a variety of platform facies. In context with the Ordovician unconformity in the W Himalaya (HAYDEN, 1904) I concluded the existence of a Caledonian Orogeny in the Himalaya, which was responsible for a different development of the Tibetan- and Lesser Himalaya (FUCHS, 1967). This idea was new and was not accepted by most geologists. In the following decades the importance of the Tertiary metamorphism was well substantiated and generally accepted (see LE FORT, 1975).

Most granites in the Crystalline, however, were dated as about 500 Ma. The interpretation of these Early Palaeozoic ages was that epirogenetic movements related with the Pan-African event have caused the granitic intrusions (LE FORT et al., 1986).

In recent years an increasing number of arguments for an Early Palaeozoic orogeny were proposed (FRANK et al., 1995; GEHRELS et al., 2003, 2006): Eoproterozoic-Ordovician metasediments were folded before the intrusion of the 500 Ma granites, related regional metamorphism reached at least garnet grade, exhumation and erosion of this complex followed. Further evidence is the angular unconformity in Spiti (HAYDEN, 1904), which was traced by all following workers in the Tethyan Zone of the NW-Himalaya. In my view the Ordovician Conglomerate correlates also with the Ralam Conglomerate between Martoli- and Garbyang Formations in Kumaun (FUCHS, 1967). Thus recent research substantiates my ideas proposed in 1967, but without reference to it.

BHARGAVA et al. (2011) suggest Early Palaeozoic thrust tectonics also in the Lesser Himalaya (Tons area). The thrust transport of ca 50 km, however, appears not convincing.

4. THE SOUTH TIBETAN DETACHMENT SYSTEM (STDS)

Since BURCHFIEL & ROYDEN (1985) discovered an extensional zone along the southern margin of the Tibetan Plateau many workers studied the STDS (see the references compiled by HODGES, 2000, p.338). I know personally the Sarchu- and Zanskar Faults in the NW-Himalaya, which belong to this system. There is a marked hiatus in the material and metamorphic grade on both sides of the faults, locally there is also cataclastic deformation. In maps the STDS is mostly shown as a continuous tectonic line. Actually it is a zone with faults on various levels replacing each other along the strike.

Apparently it has become a must among geologists to find the STDS, even in areas where it is not indicated by any observations. Mostly the STDS is assumed between the HHC and the Tethyan sedimentary sequence. In this way gradations and the primary connection of metamorphics and sediments are ignored. This was frequently the case at the base of the Dolpo-Manang Synclinorium, further in Kumaun, where GANSSER (1964) described passages, and in Spiti. The STDS is an extensional zone caused by differential movements of the Tibetan Plateau and the growing Himalaya. The sedimentary basins named above are part of the Himalayan block, thus the STDS is expected further N, in Nepal in the region N of Mustang-Palchung Hamga Himal.

6. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My colleague and friend Dr. Manfred Linner prepared my manuscript for digital publication. Many thanks for this and for fruitful discussions.

7. REFERENCES

ARITA, K., SHIRAISHI, K. & HAYASHI, D. (1984): Geology of Western Nepal and a Comparison with Kumaun, India. – J. Fac. Sci., Hokkaido Univ., Ser. IV, 21, 1-20, Hokkaido.

BHARGAVA, O.N., FRANK W. & BERTLE, R. (2011): Late Cambrian deformation in the Lesser Himalaya. – J. Asian Earth Sci., 40, 201-212, Amsterdam.

BURCHFIEL, B. C. & ROYDEN, L. H. (1985): North-south extension within the convergent Himalayan region. – Geology, 13, 679-682, Washington.

FUCHS, G. (1967): Zum Bau des Himalaya. – Denkschr. Österr. Akad. Wiss., math. naturwiss. Kl., 113, 211 S., Wien.

FUCHS, G. (1975): Contributions to the Geology of the North-Western Himalayas. – Abh. Geol. B.-A., 32, 59 S., Wien.

FUCHS, G. (1977): The Geology of the Karnali and Dolpo Regions, Western Nepal. – Jb. Geol. B.-A., 120, 165–217, Wien.

FUCHS, G. (1977a): Traverse of Zanskar from the Indus to the Valley of Kashmir – a preliminary note. – Jb. Geol. B.-A., 120, 219–229, Wien.

FUCHS, G. (1982): Geologic-Tectonic Map of the Himalaya 1:2,000,000. – Geol. B.-A., Wien.

FUCHS, G. & FRANK, W. (1970): The Geology of West Nepal between the Rivers Kali Gandaki and Thulo Bheri. – Jb. Geol. B.-A., Sdb. 18, 103 S., Wien.

FUCHS, G. & SINHA, A.K. (1978): The Tectonics of the Garhwal-Kumaun Lesser Himalaya. – Jb. Geol. B.-A., 121, 219–241, Wien.

FRANK, W., GRASEMANN, B., GUNTLI, P. & MILLER, Ch. (1995): Geological Map of the Kishtwar-Chamba-Kulu Region (NW Himalaya, India). – Jb. Geol. B.-A., 138, 299–308, Wien.

GANSSER, A. (1964): Geology of the Himalayas. - Interscience Publishers, 289 pp., London (John Wiley & Sons).

GEHRELS, G.E., DECELLES, P.G., MARTIN, A., OJHA, T.P., PINHASSI, G. & UPRETI, B.N. (2003): Initiation of the Himalayan Orogen as an Early Paleozoic thin-skinned Thrust Belt. – GSA Today, 13, 4-9, Boulder.

GEHRELS, G.E., DECELLES, P.G., OJHA, T.P. & UPRETI, B.N. (2006): Geologic and U-Pb geochronologic evidence for early Paleozoic tectonism in the Dadeldhura thrust sheet, far-west Nepal Himalaya. – J. Asian Earth Sci., 28, 385-408, Amsterdam.

HAGEN, T. (1969): Report on the Geological Survey of Nepal. Vol. 2: Geology of the Thakhola. – Denkschr. Schweiz. Naturforsch. Ges. 86, 1-185, Zürich.

HAYDEN, H.H. (1904): The Geology of Spiti, with parts of Bashahr and Rupshu. – Mem. Geol. Surv. India, 36, 1-129, Calcutta.

HODGES, K.V. (2000): Tectonics of the Himalaya and southern Tibet from two perspectives. – Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 112, 324-350, Boulder.

LE FORT, P. (1975): Himalayas: The Collided Range. Present Knowledge of the Continental Arc. – Amer. J. Sci., 275-A, 1-44, New Haven.

LE FORT, P., DEBON, F., PÊCHER, A., SONET, J. & VIDAL, P. (1986): The 500 Ma magmatic event in alpine southern Asia, a thermal episode at Gondwana scale. – Mem. Sci. Terr., 47, 191-209, Nancy.

LYDEKKER, R. (1883): The Geology of the Kashmir and Chamba Territories and the British District of Khagan. – Mem. Geol. Surv. Ind., 22, 1-344, Calcutta.

SAKAI, H. (1983): Geology of the Tansen Group of the Lesser Himalaya in Nepal. – Mem. Fac. Sci. Kyoto Univ., Ser. D (Geology), 25, 27-74, Kyoto.

SAKAI, H. (1985): Geology of the Kali Gandaki Supergroup of the Lesser Himalaya in Nepal. – Mem. Fac. Sci. Kyoto Univ., Ser. D (Geology), 25, 337-397, Kyoto.

STÖCKLIN, J. (1980): Geology of the Nepal and its regional frame. – J. Geol. Soc. London, 137, 1-34, London.

UPRETI, B.N. (1995):The Lesser Himalayan Crystalline Nappes: Are they exotic slices? – J. Nepal Geol. Soc., 12, 10-12, Kathmandu.

UPRETI, B.N. (1996): Stratigraphy of the western Nepal Lesser Himalaya: A synthesis. – J. Nepal Geol. Soc., 13, 11-28, Kathmandu.

PhD position on kinetic isotope effect in atmospheric VOC oxidation

2012-01-15T17:07:00.001-08:00

Within the Helmholtz graduate school HITEC we are calling for applications for the following PhD project:

On the temperature dependence of the kinetic isotope effect

Stable carbon isotopic analyses, complementary to concentration measurements, are effective tools for characterizing the sources of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and understanding the processes governing their distribution in the atmosphere. The average physical age of an individual VOC in the atmosphere can be determined from the observed isotopic composition, when the source isotopic composition of the VOC and the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) of oxidation reactions involved in the atmospheric VOC degradation are known. A recent pilot study showed that below 273K KIE increases. Applying temperature dependent KIE has significant impacts on the interpretation of ambient observations.

In this project the KIE will be investigated as function of temperature. To this end the successful candidate will plan and conduct experiments of VOC oxidation, apply isotope mass spectrometry and interpret results with the help of chemical models. Laboratory findings will be complemented by measurements in the atmosphere. The results of this project will contribute to advance process understanding in atmospheric chemistry. The use of stable isotopes for process understanding in atmospheric research is a highly innovative field.

Requirements: Master degree (or equivalent) in Chemistry, Physics, or Atmospheric Science; Very good experimental skills; experience in physical chemistry and/or isotope mass spectrometry are helpful

For further information see:

http://www.fz-juelich.de/portal/DE/Leistungen/WissenWeitergeben/hitec/ausschreibungen.html
Or contact: PD Dr. Astrid Kiendler-Scharr A.kiendler-scharr@fz-juelich.de
Please submit your electronic application to: B.koester@fz-juelich.de

FIELD GEOLOGISTS: VACANCY AT CASP

2012-01-13T21:08:00.000-08:00

If you love fieldwork and the great outdoors, are looking for a friendly and flexible
working environment and relish stimulating academic discussions and challenges,
this may be the opportunity for you.

CASP is a geological research organisation that is affiliated to the Department of Earth Sciences at the University of Cambridge. Funded almost entirely by the international hydrocarbon industry, CASP is widely valued by its sponsors for combining original field-based research in remote areas with innovative regional synthesis.

We are seeking to recruit a motivated field geologist with a broad geological background and an ability to investigate the evolution of sedimentary basins from a structural view point.

Candidates will have completed a PhD and preferably a period of post-doctoral research. Applicants should be enthusiastic field geologists ready to carry out fieldwork in Greenland and potentially areas as diverse as the Arctic, Russia, North Africa or the Middle East.

This permanent position requires the ability to work in a team, to interact with academic and industry contacts, and to take responsibility for project and research development. As well as writing reports for company sponsors, all CASP geologists are required to present their results at workshops and conferences and are strongly encouraged to publish their research and develop/maintain an academic profile.

Salaries are broadly in line with the University of Cambridge scales (Grades 7-8) and include additional benefits. For further details about CASP, please visit: www.casp.cam.ac.uk

Please send a CV (naming 2 referees) and a covering letter explaining your motivation to tina.walker@casp.cam.ac.uk

Hydropower in Nepal

2012-01-11T18:08:00.000-08:00

URL: http://www.ippan.org.np/HPinNepal.html

Nepal has a huge hydropower potential. In fact, the perennial nature of Nepali rivers and the steep gradient of the country's topography provide ideal conditions for the development of some of the world's largest hydroelectric projects in Nepal. Current estimates are that Nepal has approximately 40,000 MW of economically feasible hydropower potential. However, the present situation is that Nepal has developed only approximately 600 MW of hydropower. Therefore, bulk of the economically feasible generation has not been realized yet. Besides, the multipurpose, secondary and tertiary benefits have not been realized from the development of its rivers.

Although bestowed with tremendous hydropower resources, only about 40% of Nepal's population has access to electricity. Most of the power plants in Nepal are run-of-river type with energy available in excess of the in-country demand during the monsoon season and deficit during the dry season.

Nepal's electricity generation is dominated by hydropower, though in the entire scenario of energy use of the country, the electricity is a tiny fraction, only 1% energy need is fulfilled by electricity. The bulk of the energy need is dominated by fuel wood (68%), agricultural waste (15%), animal dung (8%) and imported fossil fuel (8%). The other fact is that only about 40% of Nepal's population has access to electricity. With this scenario and having immense potential of hydropower development, it is important for Nepal to increase its energy dependency on electricity with hydropower development. This contributes to deforestation, soil erosion and depletion, and increased flooding downstream in the Ganges plain. Shortage of wood also pushes farmers to burn animal dung, which is needed for agriculture. Not only this, the development of hydropower will help to achieve the millennium development goals with protecting environment, increasing literacy, improving health of children and women with better energy. Growing environmental degradation adds a sense of urgency.

PhD Scholarship Opportunities

2012-01-11T05:25:00.000-08:00

PhD research scholarship opportunities are now available in the Connected Waters Initiative Research Centre, University of New South Wales(UNSW). We are looking for dedicated, well-motivated and enthusiastic students interested in climate-surface-ground water interactions.

At UNSW, an extensive range of research facilities are available to students via the UNSW Analytical Centre, as well as specialised facilities such as stable isotope mass spectrometers, a geotechnical centrifuge for investigating aquitard hydrology, high-performance computer modelling and access to extensive field-based borehole and climate monitoring infrastructure. PhD students would be expected to take the opportunity of affiliating to the National Centre for Groundwater Research and Training (NCGRT), a multimillion dollar investment into groundwater research and training in Australia. Additional top-up scholarships are available from the NCGRT.

Projects are available in a wide range of fields, including:

Characterising fractured rock systems
Heat as a tracer for groundwater flow
Combining multiple tracers in ground and surface water interaction
Novel application of stable isotopes in the hydrological cycle
Stalagmite proxies of paleo groundwater recharge and paleoclimate
Characterising specific storage in silts and clays using seismic and gravity methods
Aquitard hydrology at accelerated gravity
Computational geoscience
Modelling the impact aquifer heterogeneity
Cellular automata modelling of eco-hydrological dynamics
Remote sensing of the hydrological system
Coupled groundwater-surface-vegetation-atmosphere modelling
Heat as a tracer in highly karstified aquifers
More specific information about the Connected Waters Initiative Research Centre can be found at: http://www.connectedwaters.unsw.edu.au

International and Domestic students of exceptional quality can apply now for scholarships at: http://research.unsw.edu.au/international-research-candidate-scholarships.
And:
http://research.unsw.edu.au/domestic-research-candidate-scholarships

Closing date for both schemes is 2nd March 2012 for a PhD start date in mid-2012.

Successful PhD applicants must hold a 4-year Bachelor's degree with Honours class 1, or their equivalent, and must demonstrate relevant additional research experience or prizes for academic excellence. Research publications in international journals will provide strong support for scholarship applications. All successful applications would be eligible for an additional NCGRT scholarship.

International applicants must demonstrate their eligibility for scholarships: details can be found at:
http://research.unsw.edu.au/sites/all/files/related_files/regular_page_content/international_scholarship_guidelines.pdf.

For further information on the PhD projects and the scholarships available, please contact Prof. Andy Baker (unsw12011@earthworks-jobs.com), attaching your cv and evidence of eligibility.

GRADUATE STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES Ore Deposits Geochemistry/Marine Biomineralization Geochemistry

2012-01-10T17:04:00.000-08:00

We anticipate new opportunities for M.Sc. studies in the Dept. of Earth Sciences, with enrollment for the 2012-2013 academic year. Successful applicants will join existing teams of students and collaborating faculty undertaking research in:

Ore Deposits Geochemistry: Integrated mineralogical, fluid inclusion, trace element and stable isotope studies of hydrothermal and magmatic ore deposits. Candidates should be available for field work as soon as late May/early June 2012.

Marine Biomineralization: Microanalytical and morphological studies of marine biomineralization - specifically, cold-water corals - with applications to paleoclimate proxies, environmental monitoring and population studies.

Electronic applications strongly encouraged by February 3, 2012 - to facilitate full enrollment for Fall 2012. Follow "Graduate Opportunities" link at: www.mun.ca/earthsciences/Our_People/Faculty/Layne/

Further information and expressions of interest: Prof. Graham Layne (gdlayne@mun.ca)

Memorial University of Newfoundland is committed to employment equity and encourages applications from qualified women and men, visible minorities, aboriginal people and persons with disabilities.

Nominations for GSA Subaru Outstanding Woman in Science Award, 1 Feb

2012-01-10T16:34:00.001-08:00

*GSA encourages nominations for the Subaru Outstanding Woman in Science
Award.*

The Subaru Outstanding Woman in Science Award is awarded to a woman that has impacted the field of the geosciences in a major way based on their Ph.D. research. Women are eligible for the first 3 years following their degree.

In partnership with Subaru and in memory of Doris M. Curtis, GSA makes
an annual Outstanding Woman in Science Award as a means to encourage and celebrate women in the geosciences. It is open to any field of the
geosciences and nominees need not be a member of GSA.

Nominations are due 1 February 2012. The easy online nomination requires a nomination letter and CV for the candidate. For information on how to nominate, please see http://www.geosociety.org/award/nominations.htm. If you have questions, please contact Ms. Diane Lorenz-Olsen at GSA- dlorenz@geosociety.org or the committee chair, Prof. Doug Walker - jdwalker@ku.edu.

Please nominate a deserving candidate and continue to encourage and
celebrate women in the geosciences.

Himalayan-Karakoram-Tibet Workshop (HKT) 2012 in Kathmandu

2012-01-10T04:40:00.000-08:00

URL:http://ngs.org.np/web/hkt-2012
Nepal Geological Society is pleased to announce that it is hosting the 27th Himalaya- Karakoram-Tibet (HKT) workshop in Kathmandu, Nepal, during November 28-30, 2012. The HKT workshops have been a forum instrumental in the advancement of geologic understanding of this part of the earth. Geoscientists from across the world have contributed and have benefited from each other during such workshops in the past. It is expected that this forthcoming event will add again one more building block in furthering the geosciences and the understanding of the geologic phenomena in this part of the globe. After the 9th workshop in 1994, this is the second time that the HKT workshop is going to be held in Nepal – a popular destination for all natural scientists as well as tourists from all over the world alike. The workshop is a forum of all geoscientists for a collegial discussion and sharing of their new findings from research in the HKT region. The Nepal Geological Society invites the HKT geosciences community from all over the world to participate and make the event successful.

Deadlines:
Workshop pre-registration form submission: June 30, 2012
Abstract submission: July 31, 2012
Workshop and field trip registration and payment (All registrations after this date shall incur a late fee): September 15, 2012
Full paper submission: October 30, 2012

Formation of Himalaya

2012-01-10T04:38:00.000-08:00

URL: http://library.thinkquest.org/10131/geology.html

ENGINEERING GEOLOGY LECTURE NOTES by Stephen J. Martel

2012-01-10T04:33:00.000-08:00

URL:http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/martel/Courses/GG454/index.html
LECTURES
Class schedule 2002
1-Introduction
2-Properties of rocks
3-Characteristics and uses of rock
4-Structures in rock
5-Quaternary deposits
6-Soils
7-Earthquake case histories(1)
8-Earthquake case histories(2)
9-Surface faulting
10-Magnitude & Intensity
11-Mechanics: Stress(1)
12-Mechanics: Stress(2)
13-Characterizing earthquake sources
14-Seismic shaking
15-Characterizing ground response
16-Response of structures to shaking
17-Paleoseismology
18-Recurrence intervals & probability
19-Teton Dam
20-Landslide case histories(1)
21-Landslide case histories(2)
22-Landslide case histories(3)
23-Landslide case histories(4)
24-Landslide classification
25-Landslide recognition
26-Mechanics: Effective stress
27-Limit Equilibrium Analysis
28-Landslide characterization
29-Case histories: coastal processes
30-Mechanics: The wave equation
31-Mechanics: Wave refraction
32-Coastal Landforms
33-Hurricanes
34-Coastal hazards and risk
35-Ground subsidence case histories 1
36-Ground subsidence case histories 2
37-Consolidation
38-The diffusion (heat flow) equation
39-Numerical solution for 1-D flow
40-The 1-D consolidation equation
41-Examples of 1-D consolidation
42-Subsidence in three dimensions
43-Review of ground subsidence
44-Nuclear waste disposal

Faculty Non - Tenure Track 9 mo. Geology

2012-01-10T04:21:00.000-08:00

Opportunity for a full-time, nine-month, non-tenure track position as Assistant Professor of Geology, beginning FALL semester 2012. Responsibilities include teaching introductory courses and laboratories in Geology, which may include physical and historical geology, oceanography and environmental geology. The teaching load is 15 semester hours per term.

Qualifications: A Ph.D. in Geology (or a foreign degree equivalent) with evidence of scholarship and teaching experience required. ABD candidates will be considered provided clearance for graduation with the Ph.D. can be documented before the position start date. One to two years of demonstrated excellence in undergraduate teaching is also preferred. Experience devising lab exercises is a plus.

To apply, please visit http://jobs.kent.edu/hr. You must complete an academic data form, attach a letter of interest, but not limited to, experience and research, and curriculum vitae. In addition, please submit by USPS, official transcripts and three letters of recommendation to:

Kent State University at Stark
6000 Frank Ave NW
North Canton, OH 44720
Attn: Associate Dean’s Office

For a complete description of this position and to apply online, visit our jobsite at http://jobs.kent.edu,

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer

Assistant professor in Sedimentology and Organic Geochemistry

2012-01-10T04:18:00.001-08:00

Department of Earth Sciences - University of Science and Technology of Lyon
Lyon Geology Lab : Earth, planets, environment

TEACHING:

The job is designed to fulfil specialised teaching imperatives at the Licence and Master academic levels in the field of Organic Geochemistry applied to the study of sedimentary (paleo)environments and of oil/petroleum systems. There is currently no teacher-researcher in Organic Geochemistry at the University of Lyon. He (She) will be involved in the organisation and the management of lectures and teaching including:

Licence Sciences and Technology, mention Earth Environment: (L2 Chemistry - Geochemistry; L3 Environmental Geochemistry; L3 Field school - Sedimentology).
Master in Earth Sciences (University Lyon 1 / ENS of Lyon) : M1 Biosignatures; M1 Formation, evolution and characterisation of hydrocarbons; M2 Biogeochemical markers; M2 Cycles, events and climates.
Licence Sciences and Technology, mention Biology: L2 Sedimentary Petrology.
Training in Education in SV-STU (Living Sciences and Earth and Universe Sciences): M2 Fossil Combustibles.
Prep-Agregation SV-STU: Energy Ressources.
RESEARCH:

The candidate will strengthen a scientific discipline developed during the last years within the Department of Earth Sciences and the Geology Lab. of Lyon thanks to the arrival of a researcher (CNRS Senior Scientist), in order to develop organic matter sedimentology. The studies are based on the use of organic biomarkers (molecular fossils) to study sedimentary (paleo)environnements as well as present and past interactions between biosphere and geosphere.

Preferably, he/she will be a specialist of molecular signatures in some of the following fields: Biogeochemistry, Microbial Geochemistry, Paleoceanography, Petroleum Geochemistry. Solid skills in analytical techniques used for the study of organic biomarkers (GC-MS, LC-MS, GC-C-IRMS, etc.) will be preferred. The candidate will have good knowledge in sedimentary dynamics (deposition and preservation of organic matter). Expertise in complementary techniques applied to organic matter (palynofacies, mineralogy, isotope geochemistry, etc.) will constitute an advantage. The candidate will have to demonstrate a good integration into the national and the international scientific communities.

Research School of Earth Sciences Post-doc in Structural Geology and 4D Tectonic Reconstruction

2012-01-10T04:04:00.000-08:00

Are you interested in a one year post-doc with the Structure Tectonics Team at the Research School of Earth Sciences, ANU?

We are an active and dynamic group engaged in a number of different projects, and many of these involve 4D tectonic reconstruction. We need someone to come work with us focused on this aspect. If you are interested and able - and can start more or less immediately - please send us an expression of interest. You need to have a PhD, and it would be preferable if you had at least one first author published paper, so we can read it and measure your mettle. The position may or may not be advertised, depending on circumstances.

Expressions of interest should be sent to gordon.lister@anu.edu.au

Biostratigrapher - Palynologist/Senior Palynologist

2012-01-10T04:01:00.000-08:00

Location: Cheshire, UK

Introduction:

Ichron Limited is an integrated stratigraphic consultancy providing multi disciplinary services onshore and offshore for the upstream oil and gas industry. Ichron was established in 1995 and we have been expanding steadily with over 50 employees today serving our two main divisions (Biostratigraphy, Reservoir Geology) located in Cheshire, UK.

Through the quality of its work and demand for its personnel, Ichron has a large and varied portfolio of clients from around the world including large multinationals to smaller independent oil companies. Due to the ever increasing demand for our services, we are continually looking to expand our biostratigraphy division.

Responsibilities:

This is an important role within the division and you will primarily be responsible for the identification of palynomorphs and the interpretation of the data. You will be expected to integrate this data with other biostratigraphic disciplines (nannopalaeontology and micropalaeontology) and with other geological data including sedimentology and chemical stratigraphy. You will be expected to provide this interpreted data in a concise written report. As a stratigrapher, you shall be responsible for project management and coordination of a portfolio of ongoing assignments. There is the potential for follow up meetings, workshops and presentations with clients as part of your defined role. Mentoring and supervision of junior staff, contribution to divisional strategy and business development may form part of your daily duties depending on your level of experience. Certain aspects of this role may also require you to undertake analysis at wellsite.

Requirements:

A post-graduate degree in palynology or related geoscience discipline;
Excellent communication skills, with good spoken and written English;
Working knowledge of software packages such as MS Office, StrataBugs and ODM would be advantageous;
Previous industrial/consultancy experience in the International arena would be a distinct advantage;
A willingness to undertake wellsite work.
Benefits:

Include; highly competitive salary commensurate with experience and qualifications, wellsite bonus scheme, contributory pension scheme, 25 days holiday and relocation package.

Interested candidates should send their cv and covering letter in the first instance to Gavin Howarth gavin.howarth@ichron.com or visit our website www.ichron.com for further contact details. Closing date: 24th February 2012.

Ichron are an equal opportunities employer and invite applications from all qualified people.

PhD Studentships

2012-01-10T03:58:00.000-08:00

The Earth Sciences department of Durham University seeks applications for >20 PhD projects. Please see here for a list of project descriptions. Top-ranked applicants will be considered for a NERC algorithm studentship (full awards open to UK residents only), a Durham Doctoral Studentship (DDS, open to outstanding candidates from the UK, EU and overseas), or a Faculty of Science overseas fee waiver (open to Chinese applicants holding a China Scholarship Council award).

Applications need to be submitted by 7th February, 2012 via our online application form.

For more information, see http://www.dur.ac.uk/earth.sciences/postgraduate/.

The 24th Himalaya- Karakorum-Tibet Workshop

2009-03-02T06:03:00.000-08:00

About the Joint Conference
Under the auspices of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the 5th International Symposium on Tibetan Plateau Research will be held together and simultaneously with the 24th Himalaya-Karakorum-Tibet Workshop (HKT) on August 11 to 14, 2009. Since the successful 4th International Symposium on Tibetan Plateau Research in Lhasa, the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research has gained wide support in running national programs for basic research and resource surveys, achieving noticeable progress in fundamental studies as well as practical applications. Hosting the 5th International Symposium will thus provide a platform for international scientific staff to share research achievements and academic thoughts on study of the Tibetan Plateau.During the 23rd HKT in India the decision was made to hold the 24th Himalaya-Karakorum-Tibet Workshop in 2009 in China, and this decision has been approved by the Chinese Academy of Science. These two meetings will be held jointly in Beijing on August 11-14, 2009 with the goal of enhancing multidisciplinary scientific studies, promoting international cooperation and enhancing information exchange related to academic research on the Tibetan Plateau. Some invited keynote talks from
international scholars will be given at this joint conference.

Main Topics:
This joint conference will focus on uplift of the Tibetan Plateau(including Himalaya and Karakorum ranges), its environmental evolution and the sustainable development of the region. It will include the following topics:
1) Lithosphere geodynamics and continent-continent collision of the Plateau
2) Geological evolution and mineral resource development on the Plateau
3) Uplift of the Plateau and its environmental evolution
4)Climatic and environmental changes on the Plateau and their mechanisms
5) Responses and influences of land surface processes on the Plateau to global changes
6)Resources, environment and social-economic development in the Plateau region

Details on
http://www.itpcas.ac.cn/5istp_24hkt

Nice website for Photos of Himalaya and around

2009-03-02T02:40:00.001-08:00

Please follow the website of Steve Razzetti.Steve traveled most of the Himalayan places.
http://www.razzetti.com/main.php

A Trip to Graz, Austria

2009-03-01T11:11:00.001-08:00

I just back from 4 days trip in Leitring/Steiermark, Austria after taking part on a seminar “Alternative Technology and Renewable Resources for a sustainable Development” from 25.02.2009 to 28.02.2009. It was so informative seminar about how to use the limited resources in changing world. That seminar was organized by Afro-Asian Institute Graz Afro-Asian Institute Salzburg, Afro- Asian Institute Vienna, Austrian Latin America Institute. OeAD-GmbH and Austrian Association for the Middle East. Scholar from more than 28 countries took part in that conference. We visited the Graz city on the second last day of our conference. Graz is the capital city of Steiermark and second biggest city in Austria. It was the very important city in 19th century for the trade. The representative of the city council gave us reception party and AAI Graz also gave party at in the evening. I was so happy that because I met lots of scholars around the world. I gained lots of knowledge specially about Africa.

Information is available on this website.
http://www.graz.at/

A Trip to Graz, Austria

2009-03-01T10:34:00.000-08:00

A geological tour of Jomsoom in picture

2009-02-10T06:28:00.000-08:00

Prof. Dr. Augusto Gansser-Biaggi

2009-02-07T04:40:00.000-08:00

Augusto Gansser-Biaggi was born in Milan in 1910. He studied Geology at Zürich University, and at the age of 24, before having completed his course, he joined a scientific expedition to East Greenland. In 1936 he obtained his geological degree at Zürich and in the same year he took part in the first Swiss geological expedition to the Himalaya and Southern Tibet, including a geological excursion, disguised as a pilgrim, around the sacred mountain Kailas.

An extensive series of scientific journeys was carried out by Dr. Gansser during the years that followed: to the Andes, the Canadian Arctic, the Norhern Ural, Patagonia, Antarctica, the Middle East, Afghanistan, and in Roraima. In 1958 Dr. Gansser obtained a Professorship, and he was appointed Head of the Geological section of the Federal Institute of Technology and the Zurich University. During that period he carried out further explorations in various regions of the Himalaya, Northern Pakistan, Ladakh, Nepal, Southern Tibet, and especially in Bhutan. The results of his researches were retained in a large number of publications. His now classical book Geology of the Himalaya earned him the Award of the Patron's Medal of the Royal Geographical Society London.

Professor Gansser is a member of the National Academy of Sciences (USA), as well as the Academia Nazionale dei Lincei (Rome). Amongst other honours which he has received Augusto Gansser was awarded the title "Baba Himalaya" (father of the Himalaya) by the University of Peshawar (Pakistan).

Augusto Gansser now lives in Lugano, which is his home town.

Toni Hagen: The great hero for Nepal

2009-02-06T09:42:00.000-08:00

URL: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1428276/Toni-Hagen.html

Toni Hagen, who has died aged 85, was one of the first foreigners to explore the Kingdom of Nepal and became a leading figure in the field of development aid.

Hagen, a Swiss geologist, first set foot on Nepalese soil in 1950 as a member of a Swiss foreign aid mission which had been invited by the government of Nepal at a time when the country was still "forbidden" to outsiders. He was the first foreigner to be granted access to areas which, even today, are not readily accessible.

Starting from the Tarai plains, then still malarial, he crossed Nepal's populated midland region and travelled up to and beyond the Himalayas. At first he was provided with 200 porters carrying everything from portable showers to teapots and bone china dinner services, but progress was so slow, he soon reduced his retinue to a few selected porters and Sherpa Aila, who became his trusty companion.

Later, over nine years, he walked a total of 14,000 miles, enduring everything from icy blizzards to torrential monsoon rains, while carrying out the first geographical and geological surveys of the country for the Nepalese government and for the United Nations.

During this period, Hagen's interest switched from the geology of Nepal to its inhabitants. He was instrumental in persuading the Swiss government to begin humanitarian assistance and development aid, especially for the building of roads and bridges (Nepal is now a major beneficiary of Swiss development aid), and took a particular interest in the plight of Tibetan refugees fleeing the country after the annexation of Tibet by the Chinese.

In co-operation with the Dalai Lama, he developed a concept of self-help and took the lead in setting up camps and establishing carpet-weaving units to provide the refugees with work and an income. After the failure of the Tibetan uprising in 1959, he brought between 1,000 and 1,500 refugees to Switzerland, establishing a colony which now numbers some 2,000.

Hagen's Nepal: The Kingdom in the Himalayas, first published in 1961, revealed the dramatic landscape and the people of a country which, while no longer "forbidden", was still unknown to most of the outside world. The book became a classic and went into several editions, the last of which, lavishly illustrated, was published in 1998.

Later Hagen became an adviser to the UN's Development Programme and, in the 1960s and 1970s, led missions to trouble spots around the world. He was widely credited with being responsible for the modern pattern of development aid, which he had pioneered in Nepal under the slogan "wages not handouts", a philosophy set out in his books Paths and Wrong Paths in Foreign Aid (1989) and Building Bridges to the Third World (1992).

Toni Hagen was born on August 17 1917 in Lucerne. After taking a diploma in engineering and geology from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, he took a doctorate in the geology of the Welsh mountains, then became a research assistant at the Zurich Geological Institute.

After his first visit to Nepal in 1950-51, Hagen worked as a guest of Mohan Shamser, the last Rana ruler of Nepal, as a government geologist. In 1959 he was appointed director of the Basic Survey Department of Nepal on behalf of the UN, and was involved in carrying out aerial surveys, planning road schemes, building power stations and administering foreign aid plans. In 1961-62 he worked as chief delegate of the International Red Cross, arranging for the aid and resettlement of Tibetan refugees in Nepal and Switzerland.

Hagen left Nepal in 1963 to work as UN representative in Bolivia, advising on the development of the country's oil reserves. From 1966 to 1971, as adviser to the UN's Development Programme, he was given a special mission as "trouble shooter" in crisis-hit areas throughout the world, and travelled widely in Africa, the Middle East and Asia.

From 1969, as Special Representative of the UNDP, he undertook three missions to Peru to manage the emergency relief effort after a series of devastating earthquakes; he was chairman of the UNDP reconstruction programme in North Yemen after the seven-year civil war; and in 1971, he led the relief operations in East Pakistan, remaining in the country after the end of the civil war when it became Bangladesh.

Hagen retired from the UN in 1972 to work as a freelance adviser for organisations involved in foreign aid. Two years later, he returned to the Federal Institute of Technology at Zurich where he lectured on the problems of the developing world.

Travelling remained his passion and Hagen made regular visits to Nepal. In the early 1980s he established the Toni Hagen Foundation to promote democratic reforms and better understanding between different ethnic groups in the country. In 1984, at a ceremony in Kathmandu, King Birendra of Nepal awarded him the Birendra Pragya Alankara, Nepal's highest honour, for his service to Nepal.

Nearly 50 years after his first visit, in 1999, Hagen returned to Nepal accompanied by a film crew in order to return a ring, known as "the Ring of the Buddha," to an old friend, the Buddhist monk Chogye Trichen Rimpoche, the last surviving teacher of the Dalai Lama. Rimpoche had given Hagen the ring 40 years earlier as a token of appreciation for his tireless commitment to the welfare of Tibetan refugees.

A documentary feature film The Ring of the Buddha, recounting Hagen's life's work, is now playing in German and Swiss cinemas.

Hagen died on Good Friday, three days after his wife, Gertrud. He is survived by a son and two daughters.