Computing Facilities
Hardware and Network
Both research and teaching computing facilities are state-of-the-art, and outstanding for a department of less than 100 grad students. These facilities are centered around a Windows Server network. The research cluster has access to almost two terabytes of redundant networked storage and multiple servers, as well as networked printers and scanners. The teaching cluster provides interactive computing resources for 26 students on networked privacy workstations. Classroom demonstration facilities are available in the teaching labs as well as in other classrooms. The research cluster includes workstation-class Windows XP machines. Both clusters are linked across the Windows intranet to the University backbone. Ethernet cabling reaches every lab, office, and classroom in the building. Pending additions include a 30-workstation graduate/undergraduate multimedia lab.
Software Resources
The Department maintains software for instructional and research usage. A full range of common applications software is available on all network machines. In addition, statistical packages (SAS, Minitab, NTSYS) allow students to undertake detailed statistical analysis, while graphical analysis packages (Surface III, Mapping Contour System, TruFlite, Surfer) enable users to render both 2D and 3D surfaces. GIS licenses include ArcInfo and ArcView, accessible to students for integration of complex geological and geophysical data. ERDAS IMAGINE provides a suite of image processing tools for analyzing remotely-sensed data. Dynamic Graphics EarthVision provides an interactive 3D visualization environment. AutoCAD, CorelDraw, and other graphics design packages allow accurate rendering of technical diagrams.
State-of-the-art geophysical modeling and processing software are available for instructional and research use. Landmark Geophysical's GeoGraphix and Seismic Micro Technology's Kingdom Suite 2D/3D Pak help in the analysis of seismic reflection data and well logs. Seismic processing is performed using Parallel Geoscience Corporation's Seismic Processing Workbench. We use Sensors and Software's EKKO View Deluxe software for processing and display of ground penetrating radar data. Interpex's IXID software is available for forward and inverse modeling of resistivity and terrain conductivity data. Northwest Geophysical Associates' GM-SYS software is used in the forward and inverse modeling of gravity and magnetic data.
Software for groundwater simulation includes both public-domain and state-of-practice commercial packages, applied to both research and professional training. Supported are aquifer characterization packages (AQTESOLV), finite-difference flow codes (MODFLOW), particle-tracking and pathline analysis codes (MODPATH3), and solute-transport codes (MT3D, MODFLOWT, MODFLOW Surfact). Commercial preprocessors (Groundwater Vistas) and postprocessors (SURFER, EarthVision) are available for visualization of modeling results. Streamflow modeling capabilities includes HEC-2 step-backwater and peak value flood frequency software.
Lab & Field Instrumentation
Geophysical
The department owns a Geonics very low frequency (VLF) EM meter (Phoenix and Geonics EM16) and an EM34 terrain conductivity meter. Along with the EM16 we have the EM16R resistivity attachment. We also have magnetometers and a resistivity meter. Through a working relationship with CONSOL Energy we have loan arrangements for use of an EM31 terrain conductivity meter. For seismic work we have a Bison Instruments 12
Channel Seismograph with a variety of geophones (including 3 component) along with 120 and 600 foot long receiver cables. We anticipate donation of a ground penetrating radar system and a 24 channel seismograph in the near future. The geophysics facility also offers large format plotting on 24-42 inch HP plotters. Additional survey equipment includes a Leitz Model 2100 Total Station Survey System and a 2-station GPS Traveler. For additional details contact Dr. Tom Wilson (Tom.Wilson@mail.wvu.edu).
Geochemical
Department laboratories own a Philips PW1800 X-ray diffraction unit for solid-state mineral analyses and a Philips PW9550 energy dispersion spectrometer for elemental analyses. A complete suite of equipment is available for the analysis of organic-rich materials including a Leco sulfur analyzer, a Leco proximate analyzer for moisture, carbon, and ash content and a Leco CHN analyzer for coal and shales, a Leco calorimeter, and a Biorad FTIR with microscope attachment to do FTIR analysis of microscopic entities in rocks. Water analytical facilities include a Dionex 100 Ion Chromatograph, a Beckmen Autotitrator, and a Perkin-Elmer Sequential ICP. For additional details contact Dr. Jack Renton (John.Renton@mail.wvu.edu).
Hydrogeological
Groundwater field equipment includes an array of Global Water vented pressure transducer/datalogger instruments, Grundfos 4" and Redi-Flo 2 pumps, Geotech peristaltic pumps and flow-through sampling cells, and analog well recorders, as well as a variety of generators, sampling pumps, flumes, pH and conductivity meters, and bailers. For additional details contact Dr. Joe Donovan (Joe.Donovan@mail.wvu.edu).
Remote Sensing
Remote sensing software includes PC and workstation versions of ERDAS Imagine, ENVI/IDL, and ARC/INFO image analysis and GIS software . Computer facilities include two Sun UltraSparc workstations (48 GB total storage, and 128 and 384 MB RAM respectively), 2 Pentium workstations, a large format digitizer, and a photo-realistic large-format printer, and a 4x CD writer. The remote sensing field program is supported by two portable full-range (0.4 to 2.5 micrometer) spectroradiometers and a dual Nikon aerial small format photography system. WVU supports a digital ADAR infra-red aerial acquisition system. For additional details contact Dr. Tim Warner (Tim.Warner@mail.wvu.edu). |