Student Opportunities for Future Research
Glenn Spinelli, Assistant Professor of Geophysics

    I have one opportunity for a graduate student beginning in 2009 or 2010. Some basic information about the project is given below. Feel free to contact me if you are interested in working on this project.

Sediment cementation and deformation in the Nankai margin accretionary prism
    This project involves examining cementation of sediment entering the accretionary wedge off southern Japan. The hypothesis to be tested is that a small amount of opal cement dramatically affects the deformation of hemipelagic sediment on this margin - specifically, the cement inhibits fracturing of this accreted sediment. This has implications for the hydrogeology of the margin, as fractures greatly enhance the permeability of the margin wedge sediment. A student working on this project will determine the degree of opal cementation of sediment samples using a variety of laboratory methods (e.g., electron microprobe, alkaline leaching of silcates). Ultimately, the student will collaborate with colleagues performing geotechinical engineering tests on the same sediments to gain an understanding of the cement's effect on sediment strength and deformation.