Geophysicist Maureen Long awarded grant from the National Science Foundation

Yale geophysicist Maureen D. Long has won a $106,108 grant from the National Science Foundation for her continuing study of the Earth's interior. An expert in the structure and dynamics of the Earth's middle layer, or mantle, Long is focused on the movements of subducting tectonic plates, or slabs. "Subduction zones - where one plate dives beneath another plate into the mantle - are very important features here on Earth's surface, because they are prime sites for earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunami hazards," said Long, an assistant professor of geology and geophysics. "Subduction is just as important for understanding how the Earth's deep interior works, because subducting slabs are a major driver for mantle processes." The recent grant will support her group's study of the way subducting plates interact with surrounding mantle as they sink from the surface. "It's crucially important to understand this interaction if we are going to understand the Earth's mantle as a dynamic system." The NSF said it expected to continue to renew Long's grant, through the agency's CAREER program, at varying levels through its 2016 fiscal year. Long joined the Yale faculty in 2009. David Bercovici, chair of the Department of Geology and Geophysics, called her "a rapidly rising star in the world of earthquake seismology." "She is already recognized as a leader in understanding the structure and dynamics of subduction zones, where tectonic plates dive into the mantle and cause the Earth's most dangerous earthquakes and volcanoes," he said.