CITATION

Bernard Marty has made major contributions to our understanding of the origins of volatile elements in the terrestrial planets. One could perhaps highlight four areas, centered on neon, carbon, nitrogen, and xenon. In parallel with Sarda and others, he showed that the neon isotopic composition of oceanic basalts is light relative to the atmosphere and argued that either the atmosphere was residual to a major fraction of lost volatiles or it was added later. He went on to show that some plume basalts have even higher ²⁰Ne/²²Ne than previously thought and used this to argue for a component of solar neon in the Earth. Using C/³He ratios of basalts, he estimated the mantle budget for carbon and demonstrated that budgets in arcs are dominated by recycling. With Dauphas he also made the observation that the nitrogen budget of oceanic basalts correlates with ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar and used this to infer that nitrogen in the mantle was dominated by subduction of clays. He also made groundbreaking discoveries of the zoned nitrogen isotopic composition of the solar system based on Genesis samples. What is most spectacular is his recent work on xenon, where he and his team have made major inroads into long-standing problems. Working on early sediments, he found evidence that the fractionated isotopic composition of the atmosphere has become more so over time and reflects progressive losses, possibly from early UV irradiation. His well gas studies resolved chondritic xenon in the mantle. Finally, with analyses from Comet 67P sampled by Rosetta, he showed that Pepin’s original prediction of U-Xe, the anomalous isotopic composition of Earth’s primordial xenon, is a feature of comets, adding powerful new evidence for a cometary component in heavy noble gases. For these and other contributions, Bernard Marty is an extremely worthy recipient of the 2017 Bowen Award.

—Alexander Halliday, University of Oxford, United Kingdom

RESPONSE

I am deeply honored to receive the prestigious Bowen Award, and I would like to thank the people who nominated me, the awards committee and all at AGU, for their selfless efforts. I am particularly indebted to Alex Halliday, who has always been keeping his eyes wide open to the magical mystery tour that is the geochemistry of noble gases. I was first introduced to this marvelous field by Minoru Ozima in Tokyo, and I have been inspired by some prominent scientists along my way, including Francis Albarède, Chris Ballentine, Keith O’Nions, Yuji Sano, Igor Tolstikhin, and many others in Paris, Cambridge, and Nancy. I have had the chance to work with fantastic colleagues, students, and postdocs at Centre de Recherches Pétrographiques et Géochimiques (CRPG) Nancy, and especially with Pete Burnard, with whom we developed a state-of-the-art noble gas laboratory at CRPG. Pete was a great noble gas geochemist as well as a true human being. I thank Annie, Louise, and Edwige for personal balance in a life busy with science.

The noble gases are fantastic tracers whose chemical inertness and radiogenic isotopes provide a quantitative approach for investigating mass balance at planetary scales. Their origins in planets have been traced back, thanks to their diverse cosmochemical signatures. However, there remained the need to calibrate “useful” volatile elements, such as water, carbon, and nitrogen, to noble gases to gain insights into their origins and cycles, something I have tried to do throughout my career. Interestingly, none of my research has been directly related to mineralogy and petrology, so I feel particularly humble and blessed to receive an award named after a petrologist as great as Norman Bowen, illustrating to me the fact that in science, our tools do not represent the end of the story but are instead keys for unlocking some of the universe’s mysteries.

 

—Bernard Marty, University of Lorraine, Nancy, France

CITATION

At a time when many of us focus on models of multidimensional chemical systems, pursue the first measurements of new isotope systems, analyze ever smaller samples, or write short, “silver-bullet” papers, Craig Manning brings exceptional rigor and simplicity to experimental geochemistry. As a result, his experimental results are timeless benchmarks for future work. The same results are timely contributions to understanding complex topics such as the evolution of aqueous fluids in subduction zones, and speciation in fluids at high pressure. This is a unique combination. In his dedication to a simple, physical chemistry approach, Craig stands alone among his generation of experimental petrologists. His insight into design of single-phase solubility experiments, and their application to multiphase, multicomponent systems, is unmatched. Craig’s work calls to mind the giants of experimental geochemistry: Norman Bowen, who merged observational geology with the rigor of chemical thermodynamics; George Kennedy, whose experiments brought similar discipline to hydrothermal systems; Hal Helgeson, who, like Bowen, brought physical chemistry to bear on the study of water–rock reaction; and Bruce Watson, whose innovative experiments showed a generation how mineral solubility data could be applied to real geologic problems. Craig is a sought-after and conscientious advisor, with many first-author papers by his students. He is an experienced field geologist who spent many seasons in Greenland and the Himalaya. He has published more than 95 papers during this century, so one might expect him to be something of a nerd. Yet this is far from the truth. Craig’s wife, Becky, is an accomplished filmmaker, producer, and professor at UCLA, and he spends much more time socializing with Becky’s interesting colleagues than with boring geoscientists. He’s a great reader, a generous friend, and a sophisticated traveler. Craig brings honor, credibility, and style to the Bowen award, AGU, and geoscience in general.

 

—Peter Kelemen, Columbia University of New York

RESPONSE

Thank you, Peter. Your eclectic list of geochemical greatness emphasizes my convoluted path, starting with Bowen’s The Evolution of the Igneous Rocks, assigned by Barry Doolan for my undergrad petrology class at the University of Vermont. I was hooked from the first phase diagram and probably should have foreseen my future as an experimentalist. Instead, I went to Stanford to work on ophiolites with Bob Coleman, then with Dennis Bird, who was rigorously applying thermodynamics to the fossil hydrothermal systems of East Greenland. I got hooked on that too, and we had so much fun discovering how they worked while defending ourselves in the Arctic. A newly minted aqueous geochemist cannot fail to notice the complex high-pressure veining of the Franciscan Formation, but it was frustrating to discover that the beautiful Helgesonian framework for solutes only worked to 5 kilobars. I persuaded Steve Bohlen to take me on for a postdoc at the U.S. Geological Survey. His enthusiasm and willingness to try anything spurred my initial attempts to measure high-pressure quartz solubility in water while I was not working on other things. I was too dumb or obstinate to accept the many failures. Finally, enough capsules held that upon arriving at UCLA I repurposed Art Montana’s piston cylinders for their true calling: determining high-pressure mineral solubility in fluids. Bob Newton eventually joined the fray; he has provided constant inspiration and lasting friendship. Meanwhile, An Yin and Mark Harrison indulged returns to my field roots in the deserts of central Asia. Like so many past recipients of this honor, I can testify that traveling the anastomosing paths of field and experimental study will always reward. Thanks to all of you, to my parents for creating a family of Earth and environmental scientists, and to Becky for companionship, insight, wit—and friends.

 

—Craig Manning, University of California, Los Angeles

Craig Manning and Bernard Marty will receive the 2017 Norman L. Bowen Award at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. The award recognizes “outstanding contributions to volcanology, geochemistry, or petrology.”

Craig Manning

Bernard Marty

David Mainprice will receive the 2017 Paul G. Silver Award for Outstanding Scientific Service at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. The award is given annually to recognize “a scientist who has made outstanding contributions to the fields of geodesy, seismology, or tectonophysics through mentoring of junior colleagues, leadership of community research initiatives, or other forms of unselfish cooperation in research.”

CITATION

As befits a Silver awardee, David Mainprice’s scholarship transcends boundaries of mineral physics, tectonophysics, and seismology, enabling improved understanding of S wave splitting, thermal diffusivity, phase transitions, and relations among deformation, elastic moduli, and seismic properties. David was directly connected to Paul Silver; they co-authored two influential papers and maintained a personal friendship. But more important in the context of this award are David’s intellectual generosity, enthusiastic mentorship, and kind cooperation with students and colleagues. Beginning in 1990, he committed to making his petrophysics programs and databases freely available. Nowadays, collaborating with Hielscher, Bachmann, Schaeben, and others, David is a major contributor and teacher of MTEX, an open-source code providing robust statistical assessments of crystal preferred orientation, seismic velocity anisotropy, and shear wave polarization. At any given meeting, there are always a spectacular number of posters displaying figures using MTEX or his older software. David’s generosity extends to hosting research visits in Montpellier and providing workshops worldwide. It was easy to collect heartfelt and eloquent quotations illustrating his influence as a mentor and collaborator. D. Prior, Otago University, said, “Mainprice’s contributions…to texture measurement have been trendsetting, yet openly available…. [His lab] made world-class EBSD instruments available to international users…. [When] launched 15 years ago, it included many components built in-house, sometimes out of commonly available household items (including coffee filters).” K. Michibayashi, Shizuoka University, commented, “I was very much inspired by David…[and] still rely on his products and basic ideas.” Q. Wang, Nanjing University, commented, “[Dave is] a generous teacher and friend. He helped to establish my career and taught me how to become an honorable scientist.” S. Misra, Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, quoted a Sanskrit aphorism: “Sharing knowledge gives humility; humility gives character.” Misra concluded that David Mainprice epitomized the essence of that saying.

 

—Brian Evans, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge —Andrea Tommasi, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France

Response

First, I thank Brian Evans and Andrea Tommasi, who wrote the citation. It is very humbling to have received this award associated with the name of Paul Silver, an extraordinary seismologist, genial colleague, and great friend who is greatly missed by all. I acknowledge the people who taught me many things, starting with lectures at Kingston Polytechnic based on practical work and fieldwork. Ernie Rutter at Imperial College, where my research started under his direction, is an exceptional person with unlimited talents. He taught me countless things, including tensors, which at the time was of little interest to me! I was fortunate to have Mervyn Paterson as my Ph.D. supervisor at Australian National University, a man with a very strong background in physics and a very critical eye for detail. He set the standards I tried to follow. Some years later I took a sabbatical in Brian Evans’s group at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where again I learned more about rock deformation from one of the masters of the subject. In addition to the names above, I have collaborated with many researchers who were young at the time. I will mention some of these people, as space is limited: Yvon Montardi, Shaocheng Ji, Philippe Blumenfeld, Jan Behrmann, Keith Benn, Geoff Lloyd, John Wheeler, Bernard Seront, Guilhem Barruol, Alain Vauchez, Hartmut Kern, Anke Wendt, Walid Ben Ismaïl, David Jousselin, Gwen Lamoureux, Benoit Ildefonse, Marcos Egydio-Silva, Luigi Burlini, Benoit Dewandel, Jerome Bascou, Benoit Gibert, Ela Pera, Katsuyoshi Michibayashi, Patrick Cordier, Philippe Carrez, Stanislav Ulrich, Fabrice Fontaine, Miki Taska, Manuele Faccenda, Arnaud Metsue, Qin Wang, Richard Law, Ralf Hielscher, Helmut Schaeben, Bjarne Almqvist, Razvan Caracas, Alex Mussi, Claudio Madonna, Lucille Bezacier, Marie Violay, Rolf Bruijna, Sylvie Demouchy, Santanu Misra, Luiz Morales, Victoria Shushakova, Ewin Frets, Takako Satsukawa, Mainak Mookherjee, Tanvi Chheda, Steve Peuble, Fabio Arzilli, José Alberto Padrón-Navarta, Thomas Chauve, Maurine Montagnat, Sandra Piazolo, and Baptiste Journaux.

 

—David Mainprice, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France

Walter Gonzalez will receive the Space Weather and Nonlinear Waves and Processes Prize at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. The award recognizes “cutting-edge work in the fields of space weather and nonlinear waves and processes.”

 

CITATION

The 2017 Space Weather and Nonlinear Waves and Processes Prize has been awarded to Dr. Walter Gonzalez of the Brazilian Space Research Institute (INPE) by the AGU Space Physics and Aeronomy section and the Nonlinear Geophysics focus group. Dr. Gonzalez has been a longtime leader in space weather research and related international collaboration.

Walter conducted early pioneering work on magnetic reconnection with Prof. Forrest Mozer. Reconnection is the fundamental process that largely governs the interaction between the solar wind and the magnetosphere. This work has been essential to the development of various coupling functions that try to quantify the energy transfer from the solar wind to the magnetosphere.

Walter is best known for his work on magnetic storms. His 1994 Journal of Geophysical Research paper “What is a geomagnetic storm?” is a seminal work. Many of Walter’s other papers quantified the solar wind input that leads to magnetic storms and the interplanetary origin of those features. Among these contributions is work done with Bruce Tsurutani that identified the effect on the magnetosphere of large-amplitude Alfvén wave trains in high-speed streams. Another paper is the first modern analysis of the great magnetic storm of 1859, the Carrington Event, which is the largest magnetic storm on record and the presumed upper limit for the most extreme space weather event that can befall our civilization. Walter has also been a leader in international collaboration in the study of magnetic storms and reconnection, organizing many workshops on these topics.

His contributions to the study of space weather extending over 40 years make him exceptionally well suited to receive this award.

—Ramon E. Lopez, University of Texas at Arlington

RESPONSE

I am greatly honored to receive the 2017 AGU Space Weather and Nonlinear Waves and Processes Prize. I would like to thank the related AGU award committee as well as my nominator, Dr. Ramon Lopez, and supporters for this award. Dr. Lopez is a brilliant space physicist who has strongly contributed to many important areas of space research, especially in magnetospheric physics.

For the two main topics of magnetospheric research related to space weather in which I have worked, magnetopause reconnection and magnetic storms, I would like to especially acknowledge the contribution of Prof. Forrest Mozer of UC Berkeley (my Ph.D. thesis adviser) and of Dr. Bruce Tsurutani of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Prof. Mozer’s insight and experimental support were crucial for the elaboration of our first quantitative model on component reconnection at the magnetopause. Similarly, the important and extensive contribution of Dr. Tsurutani in our joint work on magnetic storms over the years has resulted in many achievements toward the definition and development of research in space weather.

I would also like to thank Prof. Vytenis Vasyliunas of the Max Planck Institute, Prof. Yoshuke Kamide of Nagoya University, Prof. Eugene Parker of Chicago University, and Dr. David Sibeck of NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for their encouragement and help.

Finally, I would like to give special thanks to my wife, Dr. Alicia Gonzalez, and to the other research members of the Brazilian National Institute of Space Research for their important contributions during my research career.

 

—Walter Gonzalez, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, São Paulo, Brazil

Sigrid Close will receive the 2017 Space Physics and Aeronomy Richard Carrington (SPARC) Education and Public Outreach Award at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. The award is given “in recognition of significant and outstanding impact on students’ and the public’s understanding of our science through their education and/or outreach activities.”

 

CITATION

This award is given in recognition of significant and ongoing activities exposing audiences of all ages and backgrounds to the study of space science and engineering.

 

—Larry Paxton, President, Space Physics and Aeronomy Section, AGU

RESPONSE

I am honored and humbled to be selected for the SPARC Award from AGU. Teaching is a great responsibility; the difference between a positive and a negative learning experience can drastically redirect a student’s career and life. Teaching moments occur not only in the classroom and laboratory but also in everyday experiences throughout our careers. In science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, building a connection between abstract theory and physical reality can be crucial to enhancing understanding. I therefore have strived to approach teaching as an ever-present aspect of the roles that I fill in my professional and personal life. My vision is to inspire and engage people of all ages and to foster equal opportunity so that diversity can be achieved in the core engineering and science fields.

In order to encourage gender and racial diversity within STEM fields, we need to engage children at an early age. We can further their interest in these subjects or perhaps inspire new students to pursue degrees in these fields by exposing them to exciting, current research undertaken by AGU members. Finally, it is important to present and interpret science and engineering to the general audience, including adults who are not necessarily working in a related field. An improved understanding of the particular challenges faced in our research can allow the public to make more informed decisions in terms of policy, their own lives, and how parents talk about science and engineering to their children. I am thankful that AGU reflects these values through its commitment to recognizing efforts in the community to engage in outreach and education.

 

—Sigrid Close, Stanford University, Stanford, Calif.

Hong Zhao will receive the 2017 Fred L. Scarf Award at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. This award is given annually to “one honoree in recognition of an outstanding dissertation that contributes directly to solar–planetary science.”

 

CITATION

Hong Zhao of the University of Colorado produced an extremely impressive Ph.D. dissertation titled “Unveiled characteristics of energetic electrons and ions: The inner radiation belt, slot region, and ring current.” It contains a number of important science results: (1) discovery of a peculiar pitch angle distribution with a minimum at 90° of relativistic electrons in the inner radiation belt based on the new high-resolution measurements from the NASA Van Allen Probes mission, which has led to a great deal of theoretical interest; (2) detailed investigation of the penetration of relativistic electrons into the low L region that displays a correlation with the geomagnetic storm intensity; (3) thorough analysis and explanation of the penetration of hundreds of keV electrons into the low L region by inward radial transport using solar wind–dependent radial diffusion coefficients that are very different from those of previous studies; and (4) determination of the contributions of electrons and oxygen ions to the total ring current energy density and their roles in the dynamics during geomagnetic storms. These results have helped further our understanding of the physics of radiation belt electrons, the ring current, and magnetospheric dynamics. The work has resulted in six first-author publications in the Journal of Geophysical Research or Geophysical Research Letters. Many of her papers are already very well cited.

 

—Larry Paxton, President, Space Physics and Aeronomy Section, AGU

RESPONSE

I would like to thank the award committee and the AGU Space Physics and Aeronomy section for the great honor of being selected for this year’s Fred L. Scarf Award. I am grateful to many people who helped me along the way. Specifically, I would like to thank my Ph.D. advisor, Prof. Xinlin Li, for encouraging me to study abroad and join the University of Colorado at Boulder, offering me excellent guidance on my research, and giving me valuable career advice. I would also like to thank my other advisors from various stages in my career, Prof. Qiugang Zong, Dr. Reinhard Friedel, and Prof. Daniel Baker, for their valuable inspiration, guidance, and support. As my first research mentor and my undergraduate advisor, Prof. Zong taught me the essentials of space physics, mentored me with great patience, and encouraged me to start my current career path. Dr. Reinhard Friedel, as my research mentor at Los Alamos National Laboratory, provided me insightful inspiration and guidance for my research. Prof. Daniel Baker, as one of my doctoral committee members and my postdoctoral advisor, provided valuable advice and support for me to pursue my research. I also owe many thanks to my colleagues and collaborators, from whom I have benefited and learned a lot, for all the insightful discussion, advice, and encouragement. Finally, I would like to thank my family for their love and unwavering support.

 

—Hong Zhao, University of Colorado Boulder

Lauren Blum will receive the 2017 Basu United States Early Career Award for Research Excellence in Sun–Earth Systems Science at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. This award is given annually to “one early career scientist (no more than 3 years post-degree) from the United States in recognition of significant work that shows the focus and promise of making outstanding contributions to research in Sun–Earth systems science that further the understanding of both plasma physical processes and their applications for the benefit of society.”

 

 

Lauren received her B.A. in physics from Dartmouth College in 2007 and an M.A. in astronomy from Boston University in 2010. She completed her Ph.D. in aerospace engineering sciences under the supervision of Xinlin Li at the University of Colorado Boulder in August 2014. Her research interests include wave–particle interactions and their influence on the evolution and dynamics of Earth’s radiation belts, as well as energetic particle detector and small satellite development.

Quanqi Shi will receive the 2017 Sunanda and Santimay Basu Early Career Award in Sun–Earth Systems Science. He will present a talk and will be formally presented with the award at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. This award recognizes “outstanding contributions to research in Sun–Earth systems science that further the understanding of both plasma physical processes and their applications for the benefit of society.”

 

 

Quanqi Shi received his B.S. in 2000 and M.S. in space physics in 2003, from Peking University in China, under the supervision of Prof. Zuyin Pu. He obtained his Ph.D. in space physics from Peking University in 2010 under the supervision of Prof. Zuyin Pu and Prof. Qiugang Zong. He is currently working in Shandong University, Weihai, Shandong, China. His research interests include the study of solar wind interactions with magnetospheres.

Lucia Gualtieri will receive the 2017 Keiiti Aki Young Scientist Award at the 2017 American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting, to be held 11–15 December in New Orleans, La. The award recognizes “scientific accomplishments of young scientists in the field of seismology.”

 

CITATION

Lucia Gualtieri earned her B.Sc. and M.Sc. cum laude in physics from the University of Bologna (Italy) and a double Ph.D. degree from the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris (France) and University of Bologna (Italy) in 2014. As a graduate student, she was the recipient of a Marie Curie Fellowship in the framework of the EU Initial Training Network QUEST (Quantitative Estimation of Earth’s Seismic Sources and Structure). Since 2015, she has worked at Lamont–Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University, where she holds a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Earth, environmental, and ocean sciences.

Lucia works on a variety of topics, such as seismic tomography, ambient seismic noise, and seismic signals due to mass-wasting events. Lucia’s research encompasses theory, computational simulation, and data analysis and makes use of different geophysical data sets (notably, seismic and oceanographic data sets). During her Ph.D., she did some original work on the understanding of the generation mechanism of ambient seismic noise, contributing to showing how ocean wave models can be used deterministically to predict the time–space varying spectrum of seismic ambient noise. She has obtained novel results that clarified theoretical fundamental issues about the generation mechanisms of seismic ambient noise and the coupling between the oceans and the solid Earth. As a postdoctoral fellow, she expanded her research interests and started working in another interdisciplinary field, the characterization and modeling of seismic signals generated by mass-wasting events.

Lucia is an excellent young scientist who has made significant contributions to the understanding of the time–space varying spectrum of seismic ambient noise. She is a worthy choice for the Keiiti Aki Young Scientist Award, which recognizes the significance of her early-career accomplishments and anticipates further outstanding contributions in the future.

 

—Eléonore Stutzmann, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, Paris, France

RESPONSE

I am humbled to receive the 2017 Keiiti Aki Young Scientist Award, and I thank the section for this recognition. I have always been impressed by the breadth of Keiiti Aki’s pioneering work and inspired by his skill in combining observations and theory. It goes without saying that it is an incredible honor to receive this award bearing his name. It is also a great privilege to be put in the company of the previous recipients of the award.

I am truly grateful to my family, friends, and colleagues who have contributed to my personal and scientific growth so far. In particular, I would like to thank my Ph.D. advisor, Eléonore Stutzmann, for her constant guidance and for motivating me to pursue exciting research, and my Ph.D. co-advisor, Andrea Morelli, for providing me with my very first look at seismology and with continuous support throughout the years. I would also like to thank Göran Ekström, my postdoctoral advisor, for giving me freedom to develop my own ideas and for helping me to grow as a scientist. I was very fortunate to be a Ph.D. student within the framework of the EU Initial Training Network QUEST, which gave me the opportunity to establish several international connections and meet many colleagues around the world. I am grateful to all of them.

I consider myself privileged to have had the opportunity to work in different countries and institutes, and to have been often challenged to get out of my personal and scientific comfort zone. The research I have been doing often overcomes the boundaries of traditional seismology and brings me into contact with people in diverse fields. I believe that interdisciplinary research involving seismology and other fields in geophysics will have the potential to substantially advance our knowledge of the Earth moving forward.

 

—Lucia Gualtieri, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ