Fenna Bergmann

In my PhD project I work with the integration of multichannel seismic data with IODP Expedition 354 drilling results with a scientific focus on the source-to-sink system Himalaya – Bengal Fan. Although I did not participate in IODP Exp. 354 myself, I attended the post cruise meeting taking place in May 2017. During this meeting, I was able to establish a close cooperation with several colleagues, two of them being Dr. Peter Selking from the University of Washington (UW) in Tacoma and Brendan Reilly from the Oregon State University (OSU) in Corvallis.

Thanks to the support from GLOMAR, I was able to visit both of them during a research stay taking place from the 29th of January until the 28th of February 2018. I spent one week with Dr. Selkin at the UW and three weeks with B. Reilly at the OSU. The research stay was ideal to deepen our cooperation, discuss the results of my first and second manuscript, and to work towards two joint publications.

Dr. Selkin is an associate professor at the Science and Mathematics division of the School of interdisciplinary Arts and Science at the UW in Tacoma. As a geologist specialized in Paleomagnetism he, among others, works with the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) as a paleocurrent indicator. The application of AMS to IODP Exp. 354 Site U1454 is very closely related to the subject of my first PhD manuscript. During my time at UW, I was able to meet Dr. Selkin on a regular basis to discuss the outcome of my manuscript as well as my contribution to his work as co-author.

Brendan Reilly is affiliated with the College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Science at OSU. He is a PhD candidate in the Paleomagnetic and Environmental Magnetic Research Laboratory of Dr. Joseph Stoner. For his PhD thesis, B. Reilly is working on the development of a core-seismic integrated age model for the IODP Exp. 354 drilling transect. The seismic-based relative stratigraphy I developed during my PhD is one of the important constrains for this age-depth model. The research stay allowed for an immediate communication and thus cooperation and thereby the age-depth model and our both manuscripts were improved significantly.

During my stay I was introduced to the geological community of OSU and joined a number of seminars held by local and guest scientist of a diverse geological background. Furthermore, I was invited to present my PhD work during the weekly Geology and Geophysics seminar.

Overall, visiting UW and OSU was a great experience personally as well as scientifically. I had the chance to establish and deepen an international network with renowned scientists and increase my visibility in the scientific community. My PhD project greatly benefitted from the scientific discussion with my hosts. I would like to thank them for inviting me and GLOMAR for their financial support making my research stay possible.