{"componentChunkName":"component---src-create-pages-templates-blog-post-tsx","path":"/article/4c-seismic-explorer","result":{"data":{"markdownRemark":{"id":"a68ee608-2978-5f82-bedc-5fbf97372b50","excerpt":"When Jacob Richardson enters a field site, he never knows what he’ll find. As deputy principal investigator of the GEODES (Geophysical Exploration of the…","html":"\n

When Jacob Richardson enters a field site, he never knows what he’ll find. As deputy principal investigator of the GEODES (Geophysical Exploration of the Dynamics and Evolution of the Solar System) team at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Richardson has traveled the world conducting geological research. Through utilization of geophysics, his team explores lunar lava flows and tectonic features on Earth to determine how they might relate to conditions on other planets.

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This past April, GEODES took part in RISE2 Potrillo, an initiative funded by NASA that brought dozens of scientists to conduct experiments across New Mexico’s vast Potrillo Volcanic Field. The site hosts an array of volcanoes that have been dormant for nearly 20,000 years.

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“This sort of project is what I’ve been aiming for since I started grad school,” Richardson said.

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On April 23, the GEODES team hiked 30 minutes into Kilbourne Hole, the largest volcanic crater in the Potrillo Volcanic Field. The team focused primarily on analyzing seismic activity in the ground by laying out an electric geophone line. While one team member assessed the seismic wavelengths on the computer, another would strike a hammer into a metal plate to simulate seismic activity.

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Richardson takes a break between hammer strikes at Kilbourne Hole.
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The data collected from these human-made trials will provide better insight into the possibility of Moonquakes occurring on the Moon when astronauts are present and provide insight to how they can respond should this happen. According to Richardson, the lack of gravity on the Moon as compared to Earth might make quakes less of a hazard on the Moon. For example, a closed habitat might provide ample protection. Nonetheless, the ongoing research of his team has one goal: Safety.

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“We don't want to send people to another planetary body like the Moon without really knowing what that risk is,” Richardson said.

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After nearly five hours of data collection and numerous water breaks, Richardson excitedly suggested that the team take the scenic – and trickier – hike up and out of the crater. As the team took breaks throughout the climb, Richardson offered to take pictures, encouraging them to embrace the moment.

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Wike shares seismic data with Richardson at Hunt’s Hole.
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“Imposter syndrome is discussed a lot in our graduate program, especially between the female grad students, and I find it inspiring that I've never felt nervous to ask questions or felt inferior when I've interacted with Jacob,” Wike said.

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Wike helps remove stakes of the geophone line from the ground.
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Like many students entering college, Richardson hadn’t found his niche until a couple of semesters in. After taking a geology class, he became fascinated not only with science, but also the idea of studying the geophysical environment of other planets.

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After finding inspiration in being tasked to map out volcanoes on Mars at an internship with NASA Goddard, Richardson trained for five years to receive his Ph.D. in Geology. The process of mapping volcanoes on earth helps mitigate potential hazards that can affect communities all around the world.

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“We need to make sure that our evacuations or our safety procedures are the right ones and can save as many lives and as many people, property and livelihoods as possible,” said Richardson.

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His work has also brought him to colder climates including Iceland to study similar happenings through analyzing ice cores. Iceland’s conditions are favorable in that it doesn’t have vegetation and the lava flows can sometimes be between only one and five years old. However, Potrillo is one of few volcanic sites that are easily accessible, and also have very little erosion.

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With field work comes the necessary preparation for many factors including temperature, wind, hydration, and communication. As if hiking the arid, unpaved terrain of Potrillo isn’t enough, Richardson’s team was often tasked with carrying equipment that weighed upwards of seventy pounds in and out of field locations. Despite his supervising position, Richardson can be found filling any roles required.

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Richardson (L) helps his team carry electrical equipment to a new field site at Kilbourne Hole.
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With varying landscapes serving as their office space, GEODES is right where they need to be. Under Richardson’s leadership, the team will travel, explore, analyze, repeat, with hopes of gaining a better understanding of volcanic environments both on earth and up in space. As far as what comes next, Richardson expressed an eagerness to directly support astronauts in space.

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“I would totally like to build a geophysics instrument or help build a geophysical instrument that actually gets to be used by astronauts on the surface of another planet, that would be really, really spectacular,” he said.

","fields":{"slug":"/article/4c-seismic-explorer"},"frontmatter":{"title":"In his element: Exploring seismic features with Jacob Richardson","description":"When Jacob Richardson enters a field site, he never knows what he’ll find. As deputy principal investigator of the GEODES (Geophysical Exploration of the Dynamics and Evolution of the Solar System) team at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Richardson has traveled the world conducting geological research.","tags":["Lauren Canavan"],"img":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.7857142857142858,"src":"/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/f0a07/4c1.jpg","srcSet":"/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/39f27/4c1.jpg 600w,\n/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/a6c62/4c1.jpg 1200w,\n/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/f0a07/4c1.jpg 2400w,\n/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/b4fbb/4c1.jpg 2500w","srcWebp":"/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/ee7d3/4c1.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/6ef99/4c1.webp 600w,\n/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/a7c53/4c1.webp 1200w,\n/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/ee7d3/4c1.webp 2400w,\n/static/d3b6f532ae9d1884acd0076382586dda/6c338/4c1.webp 2500w","sizes":"(max-width: 2400px) 100vw, 2400px"}}},"imgAlt":"NASA Scientist Jacob Richardson at work in Potrillo Volcanic Field, April 2022","publishedDate":"2022-10-16T03:11:17.866Z"}},"allMarkdownRemark":{"edges":[{"node":{"fields":{"slug":"/article/overview"},"frontmatter":{"title":"“Analog sites” on Earth provide NASA with test runs for beyond our planet","description":"It just feels like we are on another planet. That was the consensus among the arriving students at Kilbourne Hole, New Mexico. On a swelteringly hot day in the middle of the desert, seemingly undisturbed by human settlement, one would not be alone in mistaking it for the famous desert planets of Tatooine from Star Wars or Arrakis from Dune. All that means is that NASA and the RISE2 team did their jobs right.","tags":["Ryan Magill"],"img":{"childImageSharp":{"fluid":{"base64":"data:image/jpeg;base64,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","aspectRatio":1.690909090909091,"src":"/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/f9d20/1a1.jpg","srcSet":"/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/6f6d0/1a1.jpg 93w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/32b74/1a1.jpg 185w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/f9d20/1a1.jpg 370w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/df115/1a1.jpg 555w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/581ea/1a1.jpg 740w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/efb44/1a1.jpg 2500w","srcWebp":"/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/5946c/1a1.webp","srcSetWebp":"/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/de122/1a1.webp 93w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/fb2eb/1a1.webp 185w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/5946c/1a1.webp 370w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/afba4/1a1.webp 555w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/25b08/1a1.webp 740w,\n/static/b798d7a832bb448f67dc9df30649316e/14078/1a1.webp 2500w","sizes":"(max-width: 370px) 100vw, 370px"}}}}}},{"node":{"fields":{"slug":"/article/4a-lunar-algorithms"},"frontmatter":{"title":"From Passion Project to NASA: How Putting Data In Context Changed One Engineer’s Career","description":"Ben Feist stood against the dusty wind at the Potrillo volcanic field. “Nothing like chasing your hat across the desert,” he quipped. 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