Lamont Weekly Report – April 1, 2005

OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR
P.O. Box 1000, 61 Route 9W Palisades, New York 10964

<> REPORT SUMMARY <>

– Recent Grant Awards –
– Recent Publications –
– Recent New Hires –
– Current B & G Projects –
– Letter from the Director –
____________________________________

<> RECENT GRANT AWARDS
For the period 2/1/2005 - 2/28/2005

Kukla, G., ORBITAL IMPACT ON PAST AND FUTURE SEA LEVEL , NSF.

Juhl, A., COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH: ATTACHMENT/DETACHMENT OF ALGAE TO/FROM SEA ICE: MECHANISMS AND CONSEQUENCES FOR BIOGENIC FLUXES AND POLAR ECOSYSTEMS, NSF.

Takahashi, T., VIMS CHEMICAL ANALYSIS, Virginia

<> RECENT PUBLICATIONS
(The following list is derived from the Lamont Publications Database which identifies all publications that hold a Lamont contribution number, thereby qualifying the publications as a Lamont paper).

Cane, M.A. The evolution of El Nino, past and future; Earth and Planetary Science Letters, vol. 230, no. 3-4, pp. 227-240, February 15, 2005.

D'Arrigo, R., E.R. Cook, R.J. Wilson, R. Allan, and M.E. Mann. On the variability of ENSO over the past six centuries; Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 32, no. 3, Art. No. L03711, February 15, 2005.

D'Arrigo, R., G. Jacoby, R. Wilson, and F. Panagiotopoulos. A reconstructed Siberian High index since A. D. 1599 from Eurasian and North American tree rings; Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 32, no. 5,
Art. No. L05705, March 2, 2005.

Hales, B., D. Chipman, and T. Takahashi. High-frequency measurement of partial pressure and total concentration of carbon dioxide in seawater using microporous hydrophobic membrane contactors; Limnology and Oceanography-Methods, vol. 2, pp. 356-364, November, 2004.

Jarlan, L, Y.M. Tourre, E. Mougin, N. Philippon, and P. Mazzega. Dominant patterns of AVHRR NDVI interannual variability over the Sahel and linkages with key climate signals (1982-2003); Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 32, no. 4): Art. No. L04701, February 16, 2005.

Small, C. A global analysis of urban reflectance; International Journal of Remote Sensing, vol. 26, no. 4, pp. 661-681, February 20, 2005.

Sun, Y.F. and D. Goldberg. Dielectric method of high-resolution gas hydrate estimation; Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 32, no. 4, Art. No. L04313, February 25, 2005.

<> RECENT NEW HIRES
For the period 2/1/2005– 2/28/2005

Barsky, Shelley
02-21-05
Administrative Aide
Administration

Chai-Onn, Tricia
02-01-05
Sr. Research Staff Assistant

Goodwillie, Andrew
02-21-05
Associate Research Scientist
Marine Geology & Geophysics

Malinverno, Alberto
02-01-05
Sr. Research Scientist
Marine Geology & Geophysics

Purciel, Marnie
02-25-05
Casual
CIESIN

Shaw, Bryan
02-02-05
Casual
Geochemistry

Thorkelson, Catherine
02-14-05
Casual
CIESIN

<> CURRENT B&G PROJECTS

• Oceanography Emergency Generator:
  All prep work has been completed for the transformer pad wiring but weather and utility scheduling problems have delayed this project. The next step will be a scheduled shutdown during which our contractor will replace the main distribution panels and at the same time the utility company will complete the wiring installation on the new pole. When all this is complete the old transformers at the rear of the building will be removed and the generator installed in that location

• Front Entrance / Left Hand Turn Lane:
  The NJDOT contractor has resumed work on 9W to the south of our entrance. They will work the area across from our entrance next week while they pour the concrete base for the retaining wall. The concrete needs to cure for two weeks after which they will start assembling the wall. Once complete the barriers will be removed and the roadway will be blacktopped and striped.

  Power to the new Guard House is complete and all wiring between the Guard House and the new gate pedestals has been run. We expect the existing gates will be moved to the new location and be operational by mid-April.

• Geoscience Walk-In Freezer:
  All samples moved to refurbished box and rental trailer returned. Job complete.

• Marine Biology, Lab 2:
  All casework has been installed. Final plumbing hook-ups and electrical work are complete. Waiting for fume hood exhaust blower delivery to compete the work. At the same time a new D.I. water system is being installed to service this lab and others.

• Geochemistry, Room 10:
  Casework installation is complete. Electric and plumbing work complete.

• Tree Ring Lab:
  A storage area adjacent to the TRL Wood Shop has been renovated to create a larger, more useful wood processing shop. Job complete.

• Albin House:
  The house and two studios have been demolished and all debris removed from the site. Years of accumulated equipment left behind have also been removed and the site will be left to revert to its natural state. Job complete.

• Dr. Kelemen:
  Room 58 – Office space has been renovated.
  Room 51 & 52 – Center partition removed. A window was added, a door removed and the walls and ceiling have been patched and painted. New tile floor installed. Casework vendor has been selected and a purchase order issued.
  Room 32 – New ceiling, floor tile. Walls painted. Dividing wall constructed and pocket door installed. Rock sample storage cabinets have been constructed and installed.

• Miscellaneous:
  - Re-roofed and new gutters installed in the first addition of Geochemistry (by loading docks).

  - Re-roofed flat roofs, coated peaked roof and new gutters for Tree Ring Lab.
  New condensing unit installed for Seismology Computer Room A/C.

<> LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR

With a date of April 1st on top of this report one would expect that I would, with great cunning, bury some misleading information in the following report that would cause harmless embarrassment to innocent and gullible folk. So perhaps I will, but then again...

This week has been dominated by efforts to complete our annual budget in time for review by the Trustees later this spring, and by interviews of the three finalists for the new Assistant Director for Finance and Administration position. The decision on the latter will be made public next week - we have been blessed with candidates of such quality and experience that it will be difficult for me to make a bad decision.

I had a most enjoyable lunch with Thom Kleiner - the Orangetown Supervisor - on Monday, swapping stories of recent events in our respective bailiwicks, and greatly enjoyed Jeff Sachs passionate speech on Thursday night in the Low Library entitled the 'Faces of Poverty', during which he introduced his new book (on the subject of global poverty), and made choice and heart-warming remarks about the current administration in Washington.

Speaking of which I will spend Monday and Tuesday in that small town in my role as a Governor of Joint Oceanographic Institutions Inc. - back in the office on Wednesday.

On Friday next, just before our regular colloquium Ellen Smith ( CU Director of Government Relations) has agreed to come out and give us an overview of the Federal budget process for the coming year - this will be good - so if you are interested in learning the realities of where most of our money comes from, come to Monell Auditorium at 2:30 pm next Friday (April 8th) and listen to Ellen.

The view over the river from my office is at its best at this time of year - just before the leaves get in the way, and before the idle rich carve wakes with their over-powered motor yachts through the flat calm surface - but so much for soliloquizing. TGIF calls.

Have a great (if rainy) weekend,

– Mike

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