REVIEW:
What is the intellectual
merit of the proposed activity?
How important is the proposed activity to advancing knowledge and
understanding within its own field or across different fields?
This project is significant in that it will examine the processes that
control the extraction and transfer of magma in contractional
orogens from the source region
to the level of emplacement from a structural, geochemical, and
isotopic perspective. The transfer of magma through the crust is likely
to have a significant role in affecting crustal
rehology Thus it will be
important to understanding how the crust responds during protracted
deformation events during periods of significant magma generation and
transport. This is an issue that is significant to all researchers
investigating orogenic events. In
addition, the composition of igneous rocks is commonly used by many
researchers to constrain the tectonic setting in which the magmatic activity and deformation occurred. Yet
the extent to which the composition of the magma is inherited from the
source region or significantly changed by processes operating during
transport and emplacement are poorly understood. The PI's will be
addressing this issue as well and have the potential to clarify the
extent to which geochemical and isotopic characteristics of felsic rocks can be used in unraveling the
geologic history of complex orogens.
Because of these two aspects, the results of this study will be of
broad interest to structural geologists, igneous petrologists,
isotope grochemists, and tectonists throughout the world.
How well qualified is the proposer
(individual or team) to conduct the project? (If appropriate, please
comment on the quality of prior work.)
PI Gary Solar is highly competent, very knowledgeable, and well
respected in the field of granite petrology. He has published several
interesting and provocative papers on the interplay between crustal anatexis,
deformation, and melt migration. It is
impressive what he has been able to do without the benefit of NSF
funding and while maintaining a heavy teaching load at an undergraduate
institution. PI Tomoscak is also a highly
respected isotope and innovative geochemist as well as an igneous petrologist. He has published several important
papers as a result of his NSF funded research on lithium isotopes. He
has also published several important papers concerning granite petrogenesis and regional tectonics from the
Paleozoic orogenies in New England. The two PI's form a very strong
team with complementary skills that are necessary to complete this
project, and at the same time are both knowledgeable enough to prevent
each other from straying too far!
To what extent does the proposed activity suggest and explore creative
and original concepts?
This type of study needs to be done. It involves fundamental aspects of
petrologic research; detailed field mapping, detailed petrography,
geochemical and isotopic analysis of well characterized samples, and
very careful geochronology. While none of this is original or creative,
it is required to solve the problem.
I could suggest that since the PI's recognize the importance of
constraining the third dimension to visualizing the connectivity of
melt transfer pathways that highly precise computer field mapping
techniques (e.g., reflectorless laser
range finders, differential GPS units, GIS) may be useful in solving
this problem. This approach may really help significantly in revealing
the third dimensional connections at several scales (hand sample,
outcrops, map scale). This is the only weak
area in the proposal.
How well conceived and organized is the proposed activity?
The two PIs have considerable experience in this area, know the geology
very well, and have published on it. Their work has stimulated
considerable discussion and the PIs have designed a project that will
test their ideas. The results of this work will advance the
understanding of the processes operating during crustal
anatexis, melt migration, and pluton formation during compressional
orogenies. They have a clear,
well organized plan for their field and laboratory work and while it
may not be flashy, it is good solid fundamental petrologic techniques
that are necessary to solve this problem. Both PIs have successfully
completed and published on projects that require a similar approach. I
am confident that with this kind of demonstrated experience both PIs
will be able to successfully complete this project as well.
Is there sufficient access to the necessary resources?
Yes. PI Tomascak is in the process of setting up a clean lab at his
institution and has good working relations with the isotopic
geochemistry lab at the University
of Syracuse.
Other analytical data are being farmed out to the University of Washington.
Both institutions have the other necessary equipment (computers,
microscopes, rock saws, etc.) to complete the study.
What are the broader impacts of the proposed activity?
How well does the activity advance discovery and understanding while
promoting teaching, training, and learning?
This proposal has very high merits on broader impacts because of the
PI's great success with mentoring undergraduate research projects. Many
of these students go on to attend graduate school or become Earth
Science teachers. In either case, being involved in a quality research
program provides them with many positive experiences which they will be
able to apply in graduate school or incorporate into their K-12
teaching.
How well does the proposed activity broaden the participation of
underrepresented groups (e.g., gender, ethnicity, disability,
geography, etc.)?
This was not well established in the proposal. However, with the large
number of undergraduate students mentored there is a very good chance
that several of them meet these criteria.
To what extent will it enhance the infrastructure for research and
education, such as facilities, instrumentation, networks, and
partnerships?
This collaborative effort will enhance partnerships between three
universities that should be sustained for many years to come given the
successful working relationship the two PIs have enjoyed in the past.
PI Tomascak is developing a clean lab which will greatly improve the
efficiency of processing samples for isotopic work and will provide
valuable experience for students planning on attending graduate school.
I imagine several undergraduate students may continue on at Syracuse University for graduate work
given the exposure to their facilities.
Will the results be disseminated broadly to enhance scientific and
technological understanding?
The PI's have an excellent publication record and have lead field trips
in this area. It is more than likely they will be able to continue
their good work.
What may be the benefits of the proposed activity to society?
Training of a highly skilled scientific work force for K-12 teaching,
industry, and for graduate school.
Summary Statement
I rated this proposal as Excellent for the following reasons: This is
an important scientific problem, the mechanism by which melt is
collected and transferred from the site of partial melting to the level
of emplacement where it collects again to form a pluton,
and the extent to which the geochemical and isotopic characteristics of
the rocks in this pluton have been
modified by these processes and can be used to infer characteristics of
the original source material and tectonic setting in which the melt was
generated. These issues have received considerable debate for a long
time, and this debate will clearly benefit from the results of real
honest to goodness detailed field work, petrography, and careful
geochemical and isotopic analyses. The two PI's works very well
together, have complimentary skills, and the necessary experience to
successfully complete this project and publish the results. In
addition, both PI's have success with providing a high quality research
experience for many undergraduate students. Their students go on to
graduate school (a substantial percentage) or become secondary school
educators in the Earth Sciences. The only weakness I could see was the
lack of incoprorating digital computer
mapping techniques, which are excellent for such detailed outcrop
studies, into their field work. They clearly could look into doing this
as they work on this funded proposal.
Finally, in my opinion, given PI's Solar's
strong publication record and success with mentoring undergraduate
students as an Assistant Professor without external funding, he is
clearly deserving of at least one funded proposal from the NSF before
going up for tenure review.
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