GreatBREAK Workshop: Preparing for EarthScope in the Great Basin

John Anderson, (Chair) University of Nevada, Reno

Rick Aster, New Mexico Tech

Glenn Biasi, University of Nevada, Reno

Geoff Blewitt, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology

Jim Faulds, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology

Lew Gustafson, Independent Consultant

Gene Humphreys, University of Oregon

John Louie, University of Nevada, Reno

Jon Price, Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology

Phil Wannamaker, University of Utah

Steve Wesnousky, University of Nevada, Reno

Introduction

EarthScope ushers in a new era in exploring the Earth’s interior. The history of Earth science ubiquitously reveals that major advances in understanding have been driven by major advances in data collection. For example, the development of plate tectonics relied fundamentally upon the intensive exploration of the ocean floor following World War II. Viewing the next decade and beyond in this light, we believe that primary new data sets driving Earth Science on the continents and beyond will come from the EarthScope Observatory.

Major components of the EarthScope Observatory are scheduled to occupy the Great Basin in the time frame 2005-2007 and beyond. An enhanced scale of community self-organization will be necessary for the first Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction initiative in our field to achieve its full potential. We suggested for that reason that this was a propitious time for a regional workshop exploring key science and outreach issues. Thus, we proposed a workshop on the Great Basin and its Margins. The workshop was to be a multidisciplinary (geologic, geodynamic, seismic, gravity, magnetotelluric, geochemical) workshop structure.