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Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences
Welcome to Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences, one of the largest and most diverse departments of its kind in the world. Our research and teaching interests span the history of the Earth and the evolution of its structure from core to stratosphere. Overview of dept
The Department administers majors, honours and applied science programs that offer challenges to students at all levels. Prospective Students -
NEW Earth Sciences Building
The planned Earth Sciences Building will incorporate the latest technologies to create a flexible learning environment, enabling us to further our success and to continue offering the best education to our students. The Faculty of Science is now working with our supporters in the resource industries and professional communities to fund this initiative. see this pdf.
NewsFlash, April 25 -
MDRU -- Mineral Deposit Research Unit
The Mineral Deposit Research Unit (MDRU) is a collaborative venture between the mining industry and UBC's department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences.
MDRU is an internationally recognized research group devoted to solving mineral exploration-related problems. It is part of an integrated geologic and geophysical research program at UBC devoted to training students for employment in the industry and to solving research questions of interest to the community. MDRU's home page
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PCIGR Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research
The PCIGR is an integrated analytical facility dedicated to innovative research and training in the earth, environmental, oceanographic, atmospheric and biological sciences, and specializes in high-precision radiogenic and stable isotope ratios, elemental concentrations, laser ablation and geochronology. After nearly 10 years since its establishment at UBC, and relocation to EOAS in 2005, the PCIGR has more than doubled its analytical capacity and become a world-class facility with a pool of instruments that is unmatched in North America.
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EESF -- Environmental Earth Sciences Facility
EESF studies the medium and large-scale dynamics of the lake, ocean, and atmospheric systems. The guiding principle in our work is that an understanding of physical mechanisms is key to eventual understanding of not only their physical evolution but also of at least some aspects of their bio/chemical evolution. EESF primary members are the research groups of Drs. Susan Allen, William Hsieh, Richard Pawlowicz and with colaboration with Dr. Roger Pieters. Read More -
GDCFD Geophysical Disaster Computational Fluid Dynamics Centre
The GDCFD (GeoDisaster Centre) at UBC studies weather-related and other natural disasters, with an ultimate goal of enhancing the Canadian economy and saving lives. The major tool of the GeoDisaster Centre is a massively-parallel high-performance computer (HPC), which is used to solve fluid-flow equations describing weather, avalanches, forest fires, earthquakes and other natural phenomena. This research focuses on disasters that affect the complex mountainous and coastal terrain of Western Canada. GDCFD's home page
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Electron Microbeam / X-Ray Diffraction Facility
The Electron Microbeam/X-ray Diffraction Facility is an integration of three laboratories comprising the following instruments: Cameca electron microprobe, Philips XL-30 scanning electron microscope / Princeton Gamma-Tech energy- disperision X-ray spectrometer, a Bruker X-ray powder diffractometer, and a Philips X-ray generator for powder and single-crystal cameras. Two preparation laboratories with a carbon evaporator unit, micronising mill, and other miscellaneous equipment, support these operations. Read More -
CESL Centre for Experimental Study of the Lithosphere
The experimental examination of mechanical and transport properties is one of the most active and dynamic research fields in the geosciences. This facility contributes to a wide range of research programs including: 1) deformation of crustal and mantle rocks, 2) the study of fluid-rock interactions and transport phenomena, 3) physical property measurement of crustal and mantle materials, and 4) properties and physical chemistry of magmatic systems.
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PME -- Pacific Museum of the Earth
Discover the long history of the Museum, beginning with its first incarnation as the M.Y. Williams Geological Museum, through its connection with downtown's Pacific Mineral Museum, and culminting with the current Pacific Museum of the Earth. PME's home page
FAQs
(Research - May 7/13)
Nature Communications: Pyroclastic passage zones in glaciovolcanic sequences
Kelly Russell, Ben Edwards and Lucy Porrit recently published the first description of a passage zone (stratigraphic surfaces marking major transitions in depositional environments) preserved entirely within pyroclastic deposits (in Nature Communications; see http://science.ubc.ca/news/702). Their discovery requires extension of the passage zone concept to accommodate explosive volcanism and guides future studies of hundreds of glaciovolcanic edifices on Earth and Mars.
(Research - Mar 14/13)
Dr. Stull wins research support from CSSP
Dr. Roland Stull,
a professor in the UBC Dept. of Earth, Ocean, and Atmospheric
Sciences (EOAS), wins research support from the Canadian Safety and Security
Program (CSSP), as announced 12 March 2013 by The Honourable Peter MacKay,
Minister of National Defence.
Collaborating with Natural Resources Canada,
British Columbia's Ministry of Environment, and Parks Canada, Stull's research
team will help enhance Canada's ability to predict and track smoke from forest
fires and provide guidance to health agencies with regards to evacuation decisions.
For the past six years, Stull's team has run the BlueSky wildfire smoke
forecasts for western Canada, initially supported by the BC Ministry of Environment,
and more recently with support from all the western provinces.
(See http://www.bcairquality.ca/bluesky/ and
for more on other projects funded by CSSP)
(Facilities - Nov 16/12)
Earth Sciences Building Official Opening
On Nov 16th the official opening of our long-awaited Earth Sciences Building happened. We gathered to celebrate the hard work that has been done by so many people and the synergies that will certainly come from bringing diverse groups of faculty, staff and students together in this beautiful new teaching and research facility, designed to foster interaction and collaboration.
(Research - Oct 14/12)
Strength and geometry of the glacial Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation
Work of EOAS graduate student Yiming Luo and seven colleagues, including Professors R. Francois and S. Allen, appeared on the Nature Geoscience website this week. They constrain the magnitude of Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation during the last glacial maximum. Circulation depth has been known for many years to be shallower than today, but it has been much harder to estimate the volume flux of water circulating. Using isotope data and a model created by Yiming, it has now been shown that volume flux during the last glacial maximum must have been larger than it is now.
(Museum - Oct 1/12)
The Pacific Museum of the Earth ...new website!
The museum website has been given a facelift in anticipation of renovations happening in the museum. The new site is much easier to navigate, more colourful and conforms to the latest UBC look and feel.
(Renovation - Sep 26/12)
The Pacific Museum of the Earth ... facelift!
The museum and giftshop are currently closed for renovations, which are expected to be completed by Nov-Dec. The result will give the Pacific Museum of the Earth a modern feel, more in line with the state of the art new Earth Sciences Building now open next door. Thank you for your patience while we improve this facility.
(Research - Aug 20/12)
NASA approves funding for InSight Mars Lander
NASA have approved funding for the InSight Mars Lander mission, which will gather seismic data from the Red Planet. Professor Catherine Johnson serves as Co-Investigator on the Science team.
Also see front page entries from 2011, 2012
Welcome Prospective Students
The Department administers majors, honours and applied science programs that
attract over 300 undergraduate and 160 graduate students.
Our programs offer challenges to students at all levels.
To learn more see;
prospective students
current undergraduate students
undergraduate brochure
