Overview of Africa Array Africa Array

§ Overview of Africa. Array § Africa. Array Science § Broader Impacts § Milestones § Next steps § Discussion/questions/feedback

AESEDA Alliance for Earth Sciences, Engineering and Development in Africa § October 2003 Kick-off Symposium § Paul Dirks, Head, School of Geosciences University of the Witwatersrand, S. Africa § Oil company reps - workforce issues, lack of well trained African scientists § Discussions about new seismic projects (Angola, Uganda, South Africa) Africa. Array

Africa. Array: Training a Scientific Workforce for Africa’s Natural Resource Sector (White paper, November 2003) Workshops Wits, Feb. 2004 Houston, May 2004 Wits, July 2004 Target launch date January 1, 2005

Africa. Array Goal: § Establish a unique in-situ geophysics training and research program to help build a scientific workforce § As part of this training and research program, create a shared scientific facility (broadband seismic network, GPS) to promote education, research, and community building in geophysics

How will Africa. Array achieve these goal? Africa. Array will tightly couple education and research programs in geophysics with recording stations (seismic intially) across Africa over a 20 year period for: § In-situ training of a new generation of African scientists, § developing facilities within African institutions, § promoting community building among African scientists, § increasing basic knowledge of earth structure. “Africa. Array” = array of stations + array of training programs + array of research projects + array of partnerships and collaborations

Africa. Array will be implemented in 3 phases Phase 1 (years 1 -3, starting 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 § seismic stations will be installed or upgraded in participating countries as part of a permanent “backbone” seismic network § train technical personnel how to operate and maintain seismic stations § data from the seismic stations will be used for student thesis research

Africa. Array Implementation Phase 2 (years 4 -6) & Phase 3 (years 7 -10) § Expand training programs § build centers of excellence in geophysics at other universities § Expand network of permanent seismic stations § “flexible” seismometer arrays will be installed § Develop outreach programs

Degree Training Program at Wits (oil and mining company interests) § Degrees (US/European standard training in Africa) § § BSc (geology with physics; 3 yrs) BSc Honours (geophysics; 1 yr) MSc (geophysics; 2 -3 yrs) Ph. D. (geophysics; 4 -6 yrs) § Fee structure -- no buy-in costs; research support § § § included in fee structure Sandwich program for MSc and Ph. D. students - spend up to 6 months/yr at US or European University 2005: 10 BSc students; 1 MSc; 2 Ph. D. Students come from 5 African countries

Recent improvements in training program § Added to part-time staff (faculty) § Seismic reflection and mine seismology § Ground penetrating radar § Sandwich program set up for MSc and Ph. D students (4 U. S. universities; 2 European universities)

Data Policy for AA stations (as per July 04 workshop) § Data from Africa. Array stations must be archived at the IRIS DMC § Data can be archived at other data centers at the same time § Data must be made open after a set period of time (2 years probably)

HOW is Geophysics relevant to the development of Africa MINISTER NGCUKA (Minister of Minerals & Energy, SA) GEOSCIENCE AFRICA 2004 CONFERENCE, WITS UNIVERSITY In her opening address THE MINISTER mentioned the high cost to South Africa of oil and gas imports. She challenged the audience to: • Assist in making new oil & gas discoveries • Promote mineral exploration • Promote mine safety issues • Promote man power development

Endorsement by Minister Ngcuka GEOSCIENCE AFRICA 2004 CONFERENCE, WITS UNIVERSITY Minister Ngcuka specifically endorsed Africa. Array and mentioned it as: ‘an example of a collaborative project worthy of support’.

Partnerships § § § School of Geosciences, University of Wits ($900 K) Council for Geoscience ($800 K) Penn State University ($20 K) ($1. 7 M in-kind support) § Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) § Countries: South Africa, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana, § § § Ethiopia, Uganda, Zambia, DRC, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Angola, Nigeria Participating educational and government organizations Many universities in Africa and the U. S. Many geological surveys Africa growing quickly

Support § Establish a PUBLIC-PRIVATE funding partnership Funding Agencies: Public: NSF, DOE, USAID, NRF, DST, DME, other government organizations Private: foundations, Multinational corporations working in Africa (primarily oil and mineral) Funding Partners (so far): Private: Schlumberger, ISSI, CSIR/Mining. Tek, Exxon. Mobil, Mineral Education Trust Fund (S. Africa) Public: NSF, NRF GOAL: $2. 7 M for Phase 1

Science Objectives § Theme “ 4 D Imaging of the African Crust and Mantle” § many geological targets of economic, academic and societal interest § extremely old (Archean) to very recent (active faults), § very large (sub-continental scale) to very small (individual faults within a basin or intrusive complex) § very deep (lower mantle) to very shallow (near-surface aquifers). Africa. Array science will investigate a wide range of targets spanning much of geologic time and many spatial scales using data from the Africa. Array scientific observatories, plus geophysical, geochemical, and geological data available from other sources. Africa. Array science encompasses all geophysics, not just seismology

Imaging the African Superplume § Largest seismic anomaly in § § § the mantle The largest flow structure in the mantle Poorly imaged with current seismic data due to limited ray coverage Structure may hold the key to unraveling the nature of convection in the mantle Improving the seismic images of the superplume is difficult without additional data Africa. Array is positioned to provide the definitive seismic data set for imaging the superplume NSF funding

Projects under development § Imaging the Bushveld Complex (David James, Matt § § § Fouch, Univ. of Wits) Imaging the deep structure of the Congo Craton (Nyblade and diamond exploration companies) Lithospheric structure of African basins (Nyblade and Exxon. Mobil) Structure and tectonics of the SW East African rift system (Belgium lead) Structure, tectonics and uplift of the Ruwenzori Mts. , Uganda (Germany lead) Structure of the Wits basin (S. Africa lead)

Broader Impacts § Enhancing diversity in the Geosciences § History § Mining Charter Act and pressures within South Africa to train students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds § How does Africa. Array address this problem? Solution: Summer geophysics field course to introduce science, engineering and math students to geophysics

Broader Impacts (cont. ) § Links to NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development). Africa. Array has been well received by NEPAD officials. § Tsunami warning system for the Indian Ocean. Africa. Array is well positioned to provide critical data. § Vehicle to further cooperative research: A model that can be easily adapted to other science and technology fields

Milestones § Africa. Array is up and running in just 1 year! § Three successful workshops in 2004 § High visibility at NSF: presentation to GEO § § January 24, 2005 High visibility within South Africa: NRF, NEPAD, DME High visibility within science community: news article in NATURE Web site launched end of 2004 First AA students at Wits, January 2005

A few next steps…. . § First data to IRIS DMC within a few weeks § New stations in: Angola, Namibia, Mozambique § § and Malawi Fund raising: SEG Foundation, Oil company foundations, mining companies, AID organizations Tsunami warning system for Indian Ocean? Set up an advisory board Develop further the governance structure

Workshop goals § to provide information about Africa. Array to § § § interested parties; to encourage participation in all aspects of Africa. Array by European scientists; to define short-time strategies for improving the Africa. Array seismic network through collaborations with European scientists and network operators; to define long-term strategies for obtaining funding and other forms of support for Africa. Array from European organizations and companies. § Workshop product: A report that includes specific action items addressing goals 3) and 4).

Agenda § Informational talks on networks and data management § Working group assignments - answer specific questions § WG leaders report back to whole group § Group discussion of WG recommendations § Draft report with action items