Information
Each year approximately
60,000 tourists visit the Galápagos archipelago. The Charles Darwin Research
Station (CDRS) in Puerto Ayora welcomes these tourists with information on active
research projects conducted by scientists from around the world. Presently, the
CDRS does not have an exhibit that highlights research related to the geology
of the Galápagos Archipelago. For this reason, a team of scientists and
students are developing an interactive exhibit that will allow Earth scientists
to present the results of their research in a format that is appealing to both
vacationers and to other scientists.
Our exhibit, Volcanic
Galápagos, will be one of five interactive displays that are being created
for the revitalization of the Charles Darwin Research Station visitors center.
The focus of our project is to educate visitors to the Charles Darwin Research
Station about the local geology and ongoing research related to the geological
formation and evolution of the Galápagos Archipelago. While our efforts
will focus on the geology of this unique archipelago, we are planning our efforts
so that they will complement other exhibits focussing on topics ranging from the
marine environment to species conservation.
We envision two main
components to the Volcanic Galápagos exhibit. The first is a real-time
display of seismic data recorded by seismic stations within the Galápagos,
including maps of significant earthquakes. This part of our project will allow
visitors to see how seismic data is used to monitor and understand volcanic and
tectonic processes. The second component of our exhibit will be a web-based interpretive
tour of geological features found in the Galápagos region. The interactive
web site will cover subjects that include the tectonics, geomorphology, volcanism,
and seismicity of the Galápagos hotspot and nearby Galápagos spreading
center. Visitors will learn about key concepts related to formation of ocean
islands and be able to compare the Galápagos with other ocean island chains,
such as the Hawaiian islands and Iceland. The interactive web site will be developed
using the VRV-ET tool (for Virtual Research Vessel as an Educational Tool).
We are currently in
the design stages and welcome all inquiries and comments. The completion date,
including installation, is forecasted for March 2002.
Please Send Feedback to:
For other reasons contact:
- Dr. Emilie E. E. Hooft
Toomey
Research Associate
Department of Geological Sciences
University of Oregon
emilie@newberry.uoregon.edu
(541) 346-5576
- Douglas R. Toomey
Associate Professor
Department of Geological Sciences
University of Oregon
drt@newberry.uoregon.edu
(541) 346-5576
- Janice E. Cuny
Associate Professor
Department of Computer and Information Science
University of Oregon
cuny@cs.uoregon.edu
(541) 346-4154
