Michael E. Wysession

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Michael Wysession
Michael Wysession office photo.jpg
Wysession Lecturing in 2015
Born (1961-12-06) December 6, 1961 (age 62)
Alma mater Northwestern University
Years active29
Website Web Page of Michael Wysession

Michael E. Wysession (born December 6, 1961) is a professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, [1] and author of numerous science textbooks published by Pearson Education, Prentice Hall and the Savvas Learning Corporation. Wysession has made many contributions to geoscience education and literacy, including chairing the inclusion of Earth and space science in the U.S. National Academy of Science report A Framework for K-12 Science Education [2] and the U.S. K-12 Next Generation Science Standards [3]

Contents

Education and research

Wysession earned his B.Sc. from Brown University in 1984 and his Ph.D. at Northwestern University in 1991, and has been on the faculty at Washington University since then. His research has focused on using seismic waves to identify the composition and structure of Earth's mantle, with a special focus on the boundary between the mantle and core. In 1996, Wysession created one of the first maps of the structure of Earth's core-mantle boundary, [4] and in 1999, he created the first accurate computer-generated animation of the way seismic waves propagate through Earth's mantle. [5] An example of his research was the identification with Jesse Lawrence of the lower mantle Beijing Anomaly. [6] [7]

Leadership

Wysession is chair of the National Science Foundation (NSF)-sponsored Earth Science Literacy Initiative, leading a research community-based effort that created a concise document of what all citizens should know about Earth science. He has been active for many years with the leadership of IRIS (Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology), including serving as chair of the Education and Outreach Program, working to advance global awareness of earthquakes and seismology. Wysession helped to create the NSF program on Computational Infrastructure for Geodynamics. He has been an editor of five scientific journals published by the American Geophysical Union and is currently editor-in-chief of Perspectives of Earth and Space Scientists.

Textbooks

Wysession has authored and co-authored many K-12 textbook programs including the K-8 national science programs Interactive Science [8] and Elevate Science [9] and the high school programs Physical Science: Concepts in Action, [10] Experience Chemistry [11] and Experience Physics. [12] He is also co-author of a leading undergraduate/graduate geophysics textbook with Seth Stein entitled Introduction to Seismology, Earthquakes, and Earth Structure. [13] Wysession is author of three video courses with Wondrium (formerly The Great Courses/The Teaching Company):, How the Earth Works , [14] The World’s Greatest Geological Wonders , [15] National Geographic Polar Explorations and The Science of Energy . [16] He is the designer and instructor of a 3-day course entitled Earth, Moon, and Mars that he presents at different NASA locations. Wysession is a frequent lecturer internationally at teacher organization meetings (such as the National Science Teachers Association), science centers, and other venues.

Awards

For his research, Wysession received a Packard Foundation Fellowship for Science and Engineering (1992) and a National Science Foundation Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE), awarded at the White House (1996). For his education and outreach, Wysession received the inaugural Ambassador Award from the American Geophysical Union (2014), the Frank Press Service Award from the Seismological Society of America (2016), and the Geosciences in the Media Award from the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (2021).

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seismology</span> Scientific study of earthquakes and propagation of elastic waves through a planet

Seismology is the scientific study of earthquakes and the generation and propagation of elastic waves through the Earth or other planetary bodies. It also includes studies of earthquake environmental effects such as tsunamis as well as diverse seismic sources such as volcanic, tectonic, glacial, fluvial, oceanic microseism, atmospheric, and artificial processes such as explosions and human activities. A related field that uses geology to infer information regarding past earthquakes is paleoseismology. A recording of Earth motion as a function of time, created by a seismograph is called a seismogram. A seismologist is a scientist works in basic or applied seismology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geophysics</span> Physics of the Earth and its vicinity

Geophysics is a subject of natural science concerned with the physical processes and physical properties of the Earth and its surrounding space environment, and the use of quantitative methods for their analysis. Geophysicists, who usually study geophysics, physics, or one of the Earth sciences at the graduate level, complete investigations across a wide range of scientific disciplines. The term geophysics classically refers to solid earth applications: Earth's shape; its gravitational, magnetic fields, and electromagnetic fields ; its internal structure and composition; its dynamics and their surface expression in plate tectonics, the generation of magmas, volcanism and rock formation. However, modern geophysics organizations and pure scientists use a broader definition that includes the water cycle including snow and ice; fluid dynamics of the oceans and the atmosphere; electricity and magnetism in the ionosphere and magnetosphere and solar-terrestrial physics; and analogous problems associated with the Moon and other planets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seismic wave</span> Seismic, volcanic, or explosive energy that travels through Earths layers

A seismic wave is a mechanical wave of acoustic energy that travels through the Earth or another planetary body. It can result from an earthquake, volcanic eruption, magma movement, a large landslide and a large man-made explosion that produces low-frequency acoustic energy. Seismic waves are studied by seismologists, who record the waves using seismometers, hydrophones, or accelerometers. Seismic waves are distinguished from seismic noise, which is persistent low-amplitude vibration arising from a variety of natural and anthropogenic sources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohorovičić discontinuity</span> Boundary between the Earths crust and the mantle

The Mohorovičić discontinuity – usually called the Moho discontinuity, Moho boundary, or just Moho – is the boundary between the crust and the mantle of Earth. It is defined by the distinct change in velocity of seismic waves as they pass through changing densities of rock.

Seismic tomography or seismotomography is a technique for imaging the subsurface of the Earth with seismic waves produced by earthquakes or explosions. P-, S-, and surface waves can be used for tomographic models of different resolutions based on seismic wavelength, wave source distance, and the seismograph array coverage. The data received at seismometers are used to solve an inverse problem, wherein the locations of reflection and refraction of the wave paths are determined. This solution can be used to create 3D images of velocity anomalies which may be interpreted as structural, thermal, or compositional variations. Geoscientists use these images to better understand core, mantle, and plate tectonic processes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P wave</span> Type of seismic wave

A P wave is one of the two main types of elastic body waves, called seismic waves in seismology. P waves travel faster than other seismic waves and hence are the first signal from an earthquake to arrive at any affected location or at a seismograph. P waves may be transmitted through gases, liquids, or solids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Earth's inner core</span> Innermost part of Earth, a solid ball of iron-nickel alloy

Earth's inner core is the innermost geologic layer of the planet Earth. It is primarily a solid ball with a radius of about 1,220 km (760 mi), which is about 20% of Earth’s radius or 70% of the Moon's radius.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don L. Anderson</span> American geophysicist

Don Lynn Anderson was an American geophysicist who made significant contributions to the understanding of the origin, evolution, structure, and composition of Earth and other planets. An expert in numerous scientific disciplines, Anderson's work combined seismology, solid state physics, geochemistry and petrology to explain how the Earth works. Anderson was best known for his contributions to the understanding of the Earth's deep interior, and more recently, for the plate theory hypothesis that hotspots are the product of plate tectonics rather than narrow plumes emanating from the deep Earth. Anderson was Professor (Emeritus) of Geophysics in the Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He received numerous awards from geophysical, geological and astronomical societies. In 1998 he was awarded the Crafoord Prize by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences along with Adam Dziewonski. Later that year, Anderson received the National Medal of Science. He held honorary doctorates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Paris (Sorbonne), and served on numerous university advisory committees, including those at Harvard, Princeton, Yale, University of Chicago, Stanford, University of Paris, Purdue University, and Rice University. Anderson's wide-ranging research resulted in hundreds of published papers in the fields of planetary science, seismology, mineral physics, petrology, geochemistry, tectonics and the philosophy of science.

The EarthScope Consortium operates the Seismological Facility for the Advancement of Geoscience (SAGE) which manages some of the Global Seismographic Network stations and the Geodetic Facility for the Advancement of Geoscience (GAGE) which operates the Network of the Americas (NOTA). The EarthScope Consortium represents the merger of the former Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) and UNAVCO efforts and continues a portion of the EarthScope project which concluded in March 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shadow zone</span> Area not reached by seismic waves from an earthquake

A seismic shadow zone is an area of the Earth's surface where seismographs cannot detect direct P waves and/or S waves from an earthquake. This is due to liquid layers or structures within the Earth's surface. The most recognized shadow zone is due to the core-mantle boundary where P waves are refracted and S waves are stopped at the liquid outer core; however, any liquid boundary or body can create a shadow zone. For example, magma reservoirs with a high enough percent melt can create seismic shadow zones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Dziewonski</span> American seismologist (1936–2016)

Adam Marian Dziewoński was a Polish-American geophysicist who made seminal contributions to the determination of the large-scale structure of the Earth's interior and the nature of earthquakes using seismological methods. He spent most of his career at Harvard University, where he was the Frank B. Baird, Jr. Professor of Science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lunar seismology</span> Study of ground motions of the Moon

Lunar seismology is the study of ground motions of the Moon and the events, typically impacts or moonquakes, that excite them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of geophysics</span> Topics in the physics of the Earth and its vicinity

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to geophysics:

Hrvoje Tkalčić is Australian and Croatian scientist (geophysicist) and Professor E2 at the Australian National University in Canberra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Inner core super-rotation</span> Concept in geodynamics

Inner core super-rotation is the eastward rotation of the inner core of Earth relative to its mantle, for a net rotation rate that is usually faster than Earth as a whole. A 1995 model of Earth's dynamo predicted super-rotations of up to 3 degrees per year; the following year, this prediction was supported by observed discrepancies in the time that p-waves take to travel through the inner and outer core.

Maureen D. Long is an observational seismologist studying mantle and Mesosphere dynamics. She currently serves as a professor at Yale University within the Department of Geology and Geophysics.

Miaki Ishii is a seismologist and Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences at Harvard University.

Karen Fischer is an American seismologist known for her research on the structure of Earth's mantle, its lithosphere, and how subduction zones change over geologic history.

Annie Souriau is a French seismologist from the commune of Saint-Cloud Paris. She is primarily known for her research into Earth's inner and outer cores, specifically her work examining seismic activity within and around the Pyrenees mountains. Through her and her colleague's research and studies, she has made notable advances to how humans understand the inner workings of the Earth's core while also winning many awards in the process.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seismic velocity structure</span> Seismic wave velocity variation

Seismic velocity structure is the distribution and variation of seismic wave speeds within Earth's and other planetary bodies' subsurface. It is reflective of subsurface properties such as material composition, density, porosity, and temperature. Geophysicists rely on the analysis and interpretation of the velocity structure to develop refined models of the subsurface geology, which are essential in resource exploration, earthquake seismology, and advancing our understanding of Earth's geological development.

References

  1. ↑ Sciences, Department of Earth and Planetary (2017-05-04). "Michael E. Wysession". Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
  2. ↑ National Research Council, A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas, The National Academies Press, 385 pp., 2012. doi : 10.17226/13165.
  3. ↑ National Research Council, Next Generation Science Standards: For States, By States, The National Academies Press, 532 pp., 2013. doi : 10.17226/18290.
  4. ↑ Wysession, M. E., "Large-scale structure at the core-mantle boundary from core-diffracted waves", Nature, 382, 244-248, 1996.
  5. ↑ Wysession, M. E., and S. Baqer, Earthquake Animation: Visualizing the propagation of seismic shear waves through the mantle, ©1999 (A 20-minute narrated movie in VHS format).
  6. ↑ Huge 'Ocean' Discovered Inside Earth Livescience
  7. ↑ J.F. Lawrence, M.E. Wysession; Seismic Evidence for Subduction-Transported Water in the Lower Mantle
  8. ↑ Padilla, M., D. Buckley, Z. Miller, K. Thornton, and M. E. Wysession, Interactive Science [18 Volumes, grades K-8], Pearson Education, 2011.
  9. ↑ Miller, Z., M. Padilla, and M. E. Wysession, Elevate Science [12 Volumes, grades K-8], Pearson Education, 2017.
  10. ↑ Wysession, M.E., D. Frank, and S. Yancopoulis, Physical Science: Concepts in Action, Prentice-Hall, 925 pp., 2004, 2006, 2008.
  11. ↑ 1Moore, C., M. E. Wysession, and B. Lutes, Experience Chemistry, Two volumes, 746 pp., Savvas Learning, 2020. ISBN   978-1-4183-2718-7 , 978-1-4183-2719-4.
  12. ↑ 1Cochran, G., C. Moore, J. Sterlace, and M. E. Wysession, and Experience Physics, Savvas Learning, 736 pp., 2021. ISBN   978-1-4183-3396-6.
  13. ↑ Seth Stein, Michael E. Wysession (2003). An introduction to seismology, earthquakes, and earth structure. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN   0-86542-078-5.
  14. ↑ Wysession, M. E., How the Earth Works [A video course of 48 half-hour lectures], The Teaching Company, Chantilly, VA, 2008.
  15. ↑ Wysession, M. E., The World’s Greatest Geologic Wonders [A video course of 36 half-hour lectures], The Teaching Company, Chantilly, VA, 2013.
  16. ↑ 1Wysession, M. E., The Science of Energy: Power and Resources Explained [A video course of 24 half-hour lectures], The Teaching Company, Chantilly, VA, 2016.
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