School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment

Laboratories

All of the faculty of the School of Earth, Ocean and Environment are actively involved in research and scholarly activities. If you're interested in a particular faculty member's laboratory, you can access that information on their profile page.

Seismology Laboratory

Seismology at the University of South Carolina is involved in the study of earthquakes and the internal structure of the earth from the crust to the core. We operate the South Carolina Seismic Network, a network of seismographs throughout the state to monitor seismicity in the region. In partnership with The Center for Earthquake Research and Information (CERI), the authoritative network for locating earthquakes in the southeastern US and with the USGS Advanced National Seismic System (ANSS) the SCSN detects and locates earthquakes within the state. Director: Dan Frost

Andean Geophysical Laboratory

The Andean Geophysical Laboratory (AGL) was founded in 1987 at the University of South Carolina to use geophysical methods to study the tectonic evolution of the Andean margin of South America. Director: James Kellogg

Coastal Processes & Sediment Dynamics Lab

Coastal Processes & Sediment Dynamics (CPSD) Laboratory

Shoreline evolution; nearshore and beach processes; surf-zone and continental shelf sediment transport; wave-current interaction; sediment re-suspension; hydrodynamic and turbulence measurements in the field and laboratory; time-series analysis; tidal propagation in estuaries and lagoons; numerical model applications to coastal zone; operational oceanography; HFR Surface Radar measurements.Director: George Voulgaris

Marine Biogeochem Lab

In my lab we examine the mechanisms of aquatic particle formation, export, and burial and how the composition of these particles changes both temporally and spatially. Much of this work focuses specifically on phosphorus and carbon biogeochemistry, but includes other elements and compounds ranging from mercury to the neurotoxin, domoic acid. We use a variety of geochemical techniques in our laboratory, including radiochemistry and mass spectrometry. My research sites span the globe, from coastal South Carolina to Venezuela to South Africa.

Satellite Oceanography Laboratory

Our lab trains undergraduate and graduate students, Post-doctoral Scholars and Visiting Scientists, and conducts research in Remote Sensing, Satellite Oceanography, Physical Oceanography, Ocean Dynamics, Air-Sea Interaction, Global Water Cycle, and Climate Change. Director: Subrahmanyam Bulusu

Tectonics and Sedimentation Laboratory

My students and I study the sedimentary record, which we use to better understand the evolution of tectonic plates, mountain belts, ocean circulation, climate and biogeography. We use sediment provenance, magnetostratigraphy, basin analysis, geochronology & thermochronology to meet these challenges. Director: David I. Barbeau, Jr.

Volcano Forensics Laboratory

We are a passionate research team working to unravel the mysteries of explosive volcanic eruptions and their far-reaching effects on society and climate. Our research explores how vast magmatic systems form, grow, and evolve deep within the Earth’s crust, and seeks to reconstruct the rhythm and pace of these powerful processes through time. Director: Alejandro Cisneros de León

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