DEPARTMENT OF EARTH SCIENCES Introduction Established in 1968, the Department of Earth Sciences aims to fill the gap between geology and other branches of the natural sciences related to the research of earth materials and the exploration of natural resources on land and sea. A Master Degree program was added in 1990 and a Ph. D. Program in 1996. The Department has 15 full time and five adjunct faculty members. urrently we have about 150 undergraduates and 40 graduate students. List of Chairpersons 1. Chang, S.J. 3. Lu, H.T. (1968.8-1969-7) (1972.8-1973.7) 2. Su, T.J. (1969.8-1972.7) 4. Hu, C.H. (1973.8-1975.7) 5. Yang, H.Y. (1975.8-1981.7) 6. Chen, C.C. (1981.8-1987.7) 7. Yu, S.C. (1987.8-1993.7) 8. Sung, Q.C. (1993.8-1996.7) 9. Lee, P.J. (1996.8-1999.7) 10. Yu, S. C (1999.8-2001.7) 11.Huang, C. Y (2001.8-2004.7) Laboratories equipped with the following instruments: X-ray Diffractometers, Thermoluminescence System, Optical Microscopies, Polazing Microscopies, Atomic Absorption Spectrometry System (Varian A30), Scanning Electronic Microscope, High Temperature Furnace, Viscometer, Raman Spectrometer, CVD System (crystal synthesis), and Finnigan MAT262 Thermal Ionisation Mass Spectrometer. Instrumentations for geophysics research include Elastic Wave Generator (Bison EWG-III) and Seismograph (Geome-Wics EG & GR-48). Teaching Objectives The objectives of the Department is to provide the education for whoever will commit themselves to the studies of earth materials and earth activities. The earth materials are those that the earth are composed of including the minerals, rocks, mineral resources, fossils, ground-water, atmosphere, and the ocean. The earth activities include the phenomena and the processes of crystallization, magmatic 3-43 evolution, metamorphism, erosion, weathering, sedimentation, fossilization, biological evolution, deformation of the rock formation such as folding and faulting, mineralization, plate tectonics and basin evolution, seismics, and the activities of ocean water, atmosphere, and space and solar physics. Besides the fundamental studies related to the subject mentioned above, the Department proceeds to researches in various aspects, such as the studies of synthesis materials, ceramic materials, refractory materials, and the rock as the construction materials, others as the natural resources exploration, natural resource assessments, remote sensing, geochemical and geophysical exploration, environmental protection and hazards waste disposal, sanitary landfill and land reclamation, and the studies related to the engineering geology, hydrogeology, and geological engineering, i.e., the site investigation for nuclear power plant, dams bridges, tunnels, and some large constructions. Research Topics Basic Research 1.Minerals, ore deposits, and igneous and metamorphic petrology of Taiwan 2. Deformation of arc-continent collision 3. Crystal physics 4. Plasma physics 5. Paleonotology 6. Basin analysis 7. Geomorphology and landscapes 8. Ground water and seepage flow modeling 9. Reflection/refraction of shallow seismic exploration Applied Research 1. Crystal synthesis 2. Refractory materials 3. Theoretical and simulation studies of the formation and eruption of solar prominences 4. Applications of geodynamics to the formation of rock fabrics 5. Remote sensing applications 6. Water resources and contaminant transport 7. Subsiding of the Pingtung basin 3-44 8. Evaluation of Miocene gas plays of Taiwan 9. Geological structures of the Coastal range, Eastern Taiwan 10. Ground penetrating Rader (GPR) exploration 11. Origin of intraplate volcanism and mentle evolution Faculty Chi-Yue Huang (Ph.D., National Taiwan University, Taiwan) Specialized Field 1. Paleontology 2. Paleoceanography 3. Tectonics of Taiwan 1. The Evolution of Rivers in Taiwan 2. Integrated Ocean Drilling Program;IODP 3. International Marine Past Global Changes Study; IMAGES Current Research Areas E-mail: huangcy@mail.ncku.edu.tw Shu-Cheng YU (Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, USA) Specialized Field Current Research Areas 1. 2. 3. 4. Mineralogy X-ray Crystallography Crystal Physics Ceramic Science 1. Crystal Growth 2. Crystal Structure Analysis of Hokutolite at Elevated Temperature and Pressure Conditions E-mail: scyu@mail.ncku.edu.tw Jiin-Shuh JEAN (Ph.D., Purdue University, USA) 3-45 Specialized Field 1. 2. 3. Current Research Areas Hydrogeology Groundwater Modeling Environmental Geology Water Resources and Contaminant Transport E-mail: jiinshuh@sparc1.cc.ncku.edu.tw Chin-Liang Tseng (Ph.D., University of South Australia, Australia) Specialized Field 1. Geodesy 2. Global Position System Current Research Areas E-mail : Tseng@mail.sgrc.ncku.edu.tw Robert J. SUN (Ph.D., University of Texas at Dallas, USA) Specialized Field Current Research Areas 1. 2. 3. 4. Geophysics Seismic Exploration Wave Theory & Applications Numerical Analysis & Application 1. Reflection of Shallow Seismic Exploration 2. Detecting Active Faults 3. Reverse-time Migration E-mail: rjsun@mail.ncku.edu.tw Ching-Lang TSAI 3-46 (B.S., National Taiwan University, ROC) Specialized Field Current Research Areas 1. Optic Mineralogy 2. Metamorphic Petology 1. Study of the Igneous and Metamorphic Rocks of the Qilian Suture Zone, NW China E-mail: tsaicl@mail.ncku.edu.tw Kuang-Jyi CHUNG (M.S., National Taiwan University, ROC) Specialized Field Current Research Areas 1. Palaeontology 2. Geology 1. Geological Investigation of Landscapes 2. Study on Fagmental Fossils E-mail: kjchung@mail.ncku.edu.tw Ching-Weei LIN (Ph.D., Texas A&M University, USA) Specialized Field Current Research Areas 1. Structural Geology 2. Rock Mechanics 3. Field Geology 1. Deformation of Arc-Continent Collision 2. Geologic Structures of the Coastal Range, Eastern Taiwan E-mail: chingwee@mail.ncku.edu.tw Ming-Chee WU 3-47 (Ph.D., University of Missouri-Rolla, USA) Specialized Field 1. Environmental Geological Engineering 2. Hydrogeological Engineering Current Research Areas 1. Groundwater Seepage Flow Modeling 2. Groundwater Resources Investigation E-mail: mcwu@sparc1.cc.ncku.edu.tw Wei-Teh JIANG (Ph.D., University of Michigan, USA) Specialized Field Current Research Areas 1. 2. 3. 4. Mineralogy Clay Mineralogy Petrology Transmission Electron Microscopy 1. Low-grade Metamorphism of Clastic Rocks from Qilian Mountains and Taiwan 2. Mineralogical Application of Transmission Electron Microscopy E-mail: atwtj@sparc1.cc.ncku.edu.tw Cheng-Feng You (Ph.D., California Univ., USA) Specialized Field Current Research Areas 1. Isotope Geochemistry 2. Oceanography 1. Boron Isotopes in Carbonates 2. U and Th Series E-mail: cfy20@mail.ncku.edu.tw 3-48 Ruey-Juin Rau (Ph.D., Binghamton University) Specialized Field Current Research Areas 1. Geophysics 2. Global Tectonics 3. Seismology Mountain Building of Taiwan E-mail: raurj@mail.ncku.edu.tw Huai-Ren Yang (Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA) Specialized Field 1. Geochemistry 2. Petrology Current Research Areas E-mail:hjyang@mail.ncku.edu.tw Cheng-Chien Liu (Ph.D., University of London, UK) Specialized Field 1. 2. 3. 4. Remote sensing Ocean optics Modeling of oceanic system Numerical analysis and modeling Current Research Areas E-mail:ccliu88@mail.ncku.edu.tw 3-49 Sean Shieh (Ph.D., University of Hawai'i) Specialized Field 1. Mineral physics 2. Material-fluid interaction 3. Dynamics and structure of the Earth and other planets 4. EOS, phase transition, elasticity, strength, rheology and new phase of materials Current Research Areas E-mail:sshieh@mail.ncku.edu.tw Meixun Zhao (Ph.D., University of California San Diego Scripps Inst of Oceanographya) Specialized Field 1. 2. 3. 4. Organic Geochemistry Paleoceanography Chemical Oceanography Stable Isotope Current Research Areas E-mail:sshieh@mail.ncku.edu.tw Future Planning Laboratory To establish laboratory equipped with transmission electronic microscope To establish laboratories for high pressure and stable 3-50 isotope studies Teaching Programs To encourage students to take major (in geology) and minor (in sciences or engineering), or double majors To encourage students to take mathematics, physics, chemistry, or biology at the second year or high leve To expand the duration of field mapping training To increase contents of courses such as subsurface exploration Techniques To promote more seminars for special topics Research Programs To reduce teaching load To emphasize on team-oriented programs To encourage junior and senior students to participate departmental research programs To undertake more research programs from the National Science Council and industries Research Centres To establish research centre for studying of environmental geology and engineering of major cities To establish national centre for water resource research Geoscience Foundation To establish a geoscience foundation for supporting departmental research programs and scholarships 3-51