Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a greenhouse gas that traps radiation in the Earth’s atmosphere. Increasing levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere can lead to a warming of the Earth’s surface and can affect a number of processes that affect climate patterns. Terrestrial ecosystems contain 3 times more carbon than the atmosphere, and each year forests release more than 10 times the amount of CO₂ to the atmosphere through soil respiration than fossil fuel emissions. Although these large natural soil respiration fluxes tend to be balanced by fixation of atmospheric CO₂ through photosynthesis, the carbon balance of forests under future climate is still unknown. In order for scientists to better model the role of forests under future climate change, an improved understanding of the amount of carbon that is allocated and stored in different components of forest ecosystems is needed.This project aims to provide a more thorough understanding of whole-plant carbon allocation in temperate forests. While trees may allocate up to 50% of their photosynthetically fixed carbon belowground, carbon allocation belowground has been historically overlooked. In particular, very few studies have quantified the amount of carbon allocated to mycorrhizal fungi – the symbiotic fungi found on tree roots that provide the plant with water and nutrients in return for sugars (carbon). We employed three distinct methods (including new isotopic techniques) to quantify carbon allocation to mycorrhizal fungi across a range of New Hampshire forest types. Preliminary results show that in nutrient poor conifer forests, mycorrhizal fungi may receive as much as 30% of the total plant carbon. This is one of the first studies that will quantify carbon allocation to mycorrhizal fungi under a range of natural forests.

The source and fate of hazardous material released into rivers and estuaries is critically important to protecting environmental health, especially in highly industrialized areas such as the Puget Sound. This study focuses on determining the legacy of heavy metal distribution (Pb-Cu-Zn-As) from a demolished ASARCO smelter site in north Everett, WA near the mouth of the Snohomish River. The Snohomish is a complex riverine system with many potential point and non-point sources of contaminants. This site is the target of remedial actions under the Model Toxics Control Act cleanup regulation developed by the Washington Department of Ecology due to widespread As and Pb contamination in the early 1900’s. Previous studies showed a correlation between heavy metal concentrations in benthic sediment of Possession Sound and proximity to industrial sites near the mouth of the Snohomish River. If the source is the ASARCO smelter, we should be able to trace Pb contamination downstream from the site. No data are available from within the river to constrain the specific sources of anthropogenic metals. In our study, we use Pb isotope variability between natural and anthropogenic Pb to establish the extent of dispersion of contaminants derived from ASARCO. The sample suite we collected consists of: three one-meter-long river-bottom sediment cores collected 1) near the mouth of the Snohomish River, 2) near the ASARCO site, and 3) up river to compare natural baseline values with near site and downriver sites; and 4) slag samples to serve as reference isotopic signature of ASARCO Pb. Purification of Pb from the samples is complete, and the isotopic analyses of the Pb are in progress utilizing an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer under the advisory of Dr. Bruce Nelson at the University of Washington. This research will identify spatial and temporal relationships among fluvial processes and Pb deposition.

The Miocene epoch represents a hotbed of cetacean evolution; during the epoch, whales underwent a large radiation of morphological forms and ecological specialization. The superfamily Platanistoidea experienced high diversity, especially during the Miocene, with 47 extinct and extant species currently known to science. However, of these 47 species, the Ganges River Dolphin is the sole extant member of this once large clade. Here in Washington State, the University of Washington Burke Museum (UWBM) specimen 87105 is a probable representative of the Platanistoidea in the Pacific Northwest. The specimen consists of the posterior third of the skull, along with some non-diagnostic ribs and vertebrae. It is tentatively a member of the Squalodelphidae, and shares morphological similarities, namely thickened supraorbital bosses, with other members of the Platanistoidea, such as the Platanistids found in the Astoria formation in Oregon and in the Calvert Cliffs formation in Maryland. This project's goal is to describe UWBM 87105, and place it as either a member of the Squalodelphidae or the Platanistidae.  Research into the distinguishing synapomorphies of the Platanistoidea and its families is ongoing; from these synapomorphies, I am deriving a character matrix for UWBM 87105. UWBM 87105's place within the whale phylogeny will expand what we know about the cetaceans present in the Pacific Northwest during the Miocene. In addition, studying this specimen will shed light on the diversity of the Platanistoidea, diversity that is no longer present in the oceans today.

This study investigated the effects of environmental pollution in Elliott Bay, central Puget Sound, by analyzing the microscopic biota collected from the sediment-water interface, in summer 1998 and 2007. The focus was on Foraminifera, single-cell microorganisms with shells made of calcium carbon or agglutinated sediment.  Many Foraminifera are sensitive to changes in the physical parameters of their environment and thus, they can be good indicators of pollution. Elliott Bay is surrounded by the city of Seattle with its large maritime industrial presence. City development and economic growth near Elliott Bay led to a focus on environmental concerns. On the southern shoreline of the Bay there are many heavy industries and Federal Superfund sites that had discharged large amounts of industrial pollution from the Duwamish River and Elliott Bay. In our study, sediment samples collected by the Washington State Department of Ecology were processed and the assemblage of Foraminifera species were obtained from  each of 16 samples. The species composition, species richness and density (number of individuals per sample) for each sample were analyzed.  Using this data, comparisons were made between those samples collected in 1998 and those collected from exactly the same sites in 2007. The results show that there are 12 different species found in the Bay, and the assemblages are dominated by the species Elphidiella hannai, Haplophragmoides planissimum, and the pollution-tolerant Eggerella advena. Large population of Eggerella advena in Elliott Bay, and the exclusion of other less tolerant species, indicates a physically stressed environment. By comparing foraminiferal assemblages from Elliott Bay with samples from less anthropogenically impacted locations within the Puget Sound, we can assess the degree of environmental damage to Elliott Bay.

Serpentinization, a geological process that occurs in many settings on Earth, generally involves the reaction of olivine, a mineral component of ultramafic, basaltic rocks, with water. The products of serpentinization reactions, including serpentine, carbonates, talc, and saponite, are mineralogical signatures which indicate geochemical environments and processes that are hospitable to microbial life. On Earth, these processes have been shown to sustain dense microbial communities. The identification of serpentine in particular uniquely indicates that serpentinization reactions have occurred. Therefore, the identification of the mineral serpentine on Mars has significant astrobiological implications. Previous studies have identified serpentine in three geologic settings on Mars using near-infrared spectral data collected by the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) on board the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Minerals are identified by their unique absorptions at specific wavelengths through the examination of CRISM surface reflectance data across 438 wavelengths from 1.0-3.9 microns. Unfortunately, spectral datasets like CRISM contain large volumes of data and each spectrum usually covers an area that contains several unique compositions, or spectral endmembers. Here, we have adapted and applied factor analysis techniques to CRISM data to confirm the previous detections of serpentine and search for new identifications in regions containing olivine-rich basalts. Our methods, factor analysis and target transformation, are more sensitive to subtle, characteristic absorptions as in the spectrum of serpentine than traditional analysis techniques and are a set of methodologies that allow for rapid and automated analysis of large spectral datasets. These methods can be used globally to both identify the number of individual components and test for the presence of and isolate individual endmembers from mixed spectral data. Ultimately, by applying this technique to the global CRISM dataset, we will have a more detailed understanding of aqueous processes like serpentinization on Mars.

High powered rocketry has a problem. Many individuals looking to deliver large payloads into the atmosphere have restrictive budgets. This project’s solution is a cluster rocket. These are rockets which use a group of smaller motors to deliver the same thrust as a larger motor. However, these smaller motors cannot deliver thrust for the same amount of time as the larger motors, resulting in a lower maximum altitude. A logical solution is a cluster rocket off another cluster rocket. In this study, an eleven motor cluster-on-cluster rocket is being designed with this in mind. This means that the rocket first fires seven motors simultaneously. After these motors have spent their fuel, the section containing them drops away and a second set of cluster motors fires. This more than doubles the maximum altitude of a single stage rocket. Because a rocket like this has never been launched at UW before, several experimental parts were designed for it. These include a flight computer a sixth the size of a traditional one, an internal cluster motor mount, and a transition capable of reinforcing a body tube internally. In order to complete this project, we utilized a wide variety of materials and construction techniques, from wet-lay carbon fiber to Kevlar to Popsicle sticks. We also put together one of the largest teams devoted to a single rocket, with members in the ME, AA, EE, IE, HCDE, and physics departments. This prototype was launched in March at Black Rock, NV and saw a reasonable amount of success. All motors ignited coming off the pad and the rocket maintained structural integrity until the recovery system on the first stage failed and it crashed. The second stage was recovered with no damage and will continue to be used as an example in the construction of internal clusters.

To escape Earth's atmosphere, traditional high powered rockets require significant amounts of fuel. Rocket fuel is very expensive and often consumes a majority of the budget allotted for a rocket. In the 1950's James Van Allen used weather balloons to lift rockets to high altitudes and take early video of solar activity. This rocket-balloon system, nicknamed the Rockoon, is a potentially cost-efficient way of conducting high altitude sounding experiments and putting low mass payloads in low earth orbit. By launching from high up in the atmosphere, the rocket uses less fuel because the distance to the desired altitude is shorter and the atmosphere is less dense, meaning less drag on the rocket. While Van Allen and others, such as JP Aerospace, have had successful Rockoon launches, they have all been sounding rockets (i.e. the rocket does not enter orbit but comes down after reaching apogee). The long-term goal of our research project is to use our Rockoon system to deliver a payload into a shallow orbit around the Earth. The Rockoon system uses two weather balloons to lift a two-stage high powered rocket and electronics package to a significant height. The rocket is remotely fired from the ground and recovered using GPS and radio frequency transmitters. In March of 2014, the two-stage rocket prototype was launched from an altitude of 5,000ft at Black Rock, NV. The rocket had a maximum velocity of Mach 2.2 and reached an apogee of ~45,000ft. The next phase of our research is to do an untethered launch at 100,000ft using a thermally insulated sounding rocket. By improving upon future iterations of the Rockoon, we can develop a system and instrumentation that can be used by a variety of professionals and amateurs as an affordable and faster method for delivering payloads to space.

The Advanced Propulsion Lab from the Earth & Space Sciences Department has developed a Pulsed Plasma Thruster (PPT) which utilizes a propulsion system ideal for operating in a low pressure and high altitude environment. In order to test the PPT, a high-altitude flight will be carried out at the end of May 2014. The structure housing the thruster is a zeppelin-type aircraft composed of two lifting balloons, a primary zeppelin balloon, and a supporting frame. There are several constraints that need to be fulfilled by the aircraft. The zeppelin frame needs to be strong and durable enough to support the thruster, while still light enough to fulfill the weight compliance from the FAA. In addition, the zeppelin needs to be able to raise the payload above the jet stream to an altitude of approximately 70,000 feet and maintain that height once reached. To achieve this, the structure uses two 800-g high altitude latex balloons with 150 cubic feet of helium providing the lifting force. Once the optimal height is reached, the two balloons will be separated from the main structure through the uses of NiChrome wire and the primary balloon will take over, providing neutral buoyancy at the desired location in order to accurately measure the thrust of the PPT. The main core of zeppelin is currently being fabricated in house using mylar as the primary material for the balloon and carbon fiber rod for the supporting frame by our team. Current calculations estimate the size of the zeppelin to be 45 feet horizontally with a 4.5 feet radius. There are several issues the zeppelin is currently facing such as the fragility of the material used, the expansion of the helium at high altitude, the weight of the payload, and the sheer size of the aircraft. We are currently testing various materials and structural designs that will house the payload in order to develop a lightweight and aerodynamic aircraft that will address these issues. 

The Missoula Floods were a series of cataclysmic floods resulting from glacial lake drainage during the last ice age. The floodwaters from Glacial Lake Missoula sculpted and transformed the Eastern Washington landscape, eroding the coulees and depositing huge quantities of sand, gravel, and boulders throughout the Columbia Basin. Flooding spanned a period of several thousand years, as indicated by several radiocarbon dates, interbedding of the flood deposits with those of the Bonneville Flood on the Snake River, and stratigraphic position of the deposits in relation to dated volcanic ashes. To improve the existing chronology, we are dating a number of Missoula Flood deposits and related glacial erratic boulders using cosmic-ray produced isotopes. We have measured concentrations of the radioactive isotope Beryllium-10, which have accumulated since final deposition in granite flood boulder samples from Ephrata, Priest Rapids, and Babcock Bench. Results are pending from analysis of several minimally eroded samples from the Waterville Plateau and Pateros. We plan to sample more glacial erratic boulders from atop Steamboat Rock to confirm that the calculated ages of the flood boulders are consistent with the glacial history of the Okanogan Lobe of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet, which controlled possible paths open to floodwaters.

The surface of Mars is dominated by wind-blown processes and sediment deposits. Dune fields are especially ubiquitous on the surface and record important information about atmospheric circulation patterns, chemical and mechanical weathering, and sediment deposition. Therefore, dune fields are crucial in an understanding of Martian properties such as surface processes, past and present climates, and geologic history. This research investigates the thermophysical properties of sediments composing equatorial dune fields using data from the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) on board the Mars Odyssey spacecraft. These data are accessed through JMARS, a geospatial information system developed by Arizona State University. The data are then used with other tools, including Hugh Kieffer’s KRC model, to derive the apparent thermal inertia of the fields. These thermal inertia estimates are the primary way of studying the grains for this research. A material’s temperature response during a diurnal, or daily, cycle can be used to approximate thermal inertia and subsequently be converted to an estimated sediment size. A variety of sizes is expected to be found within the dune fields. Grain size is an important characteristic that can indicate sediment source (local or regional), wind speed, and weathering history, ultimately leading to a better understanding of the surface and climate of Mars. Future research will focus on locating sediment sources and defining textural maturity for Martian sediments, which includes grain size and rounding. It will also focus on identifying inactive dunes, which may preserve historical climate indicators.

During the last glaciation (18,000–13,000 years ago) a lobe of the Cordilleran Ice Sheet advanced into the Puget Lowland, scouring and sculpting the previous landscape into the present-day topography. Prior to the Puget Lobe’s advance, Cascadian alpine glacial systems had reached their maximum extent and were depositing large volumes of sediment into the Puget Lowland basin. While the extensive glacio-fluvial (glacial meltwater) deposits that are preserved in the Puget Lowland indicate a thick sequence of sediment had filled the basin prior to the Puget Lobe’s advance, there has been no previous research on the source (or provenance) of these sediments. Much of this outwash sediment is currently attributed to the Puget Lobe, although a significant volume was likely deposited by Cascadian glacier sources prior to the Puget Lobe’s advance. I have collected samples from glacio-fluvial sediment and Puget Lobe till at bluff exposures on Whidbey Island, as well as alluvium from present-day Cascadian river drainages (a proxy for paleo-Cascadian glacio-fluvial outwash) that can be used to obtain a modal analysis of the basin fill. I analyze these samples using a microprobe to evaluate the proportional occurrence of source-indicative minerals in order to determine the provenance of Puget Lowland sediments. My expected results are for minerals present in the Cascadian drainage sediments, e.g., garnets, to occur in larger proportions than in the Puget Lobe sediments due to source-bedrock composition. For example, the result of high garnet (or other indicator mineral) content in Lowland sediments would indicate that the sediment was deposited by Cascadian glacio-fluvial source rather than by the Puget Lobe, redefining which depositional units are attributed to each source. Knowing the relative volumes of sediment deposited by these two sources will allow me to calculate alpine versus continental glacier sedimentations rates in the region during the last glacial maximum.

There is debate regarding whether the Earth has the same magnesium (Mg) isotopic composition as chondritic meteorites (chondrites). Chondrites are thought to be composed of material from the original solar nebula from which the Earth accreted. Several studies have analyzed the compositions of chondrites, basalts, and peridotite xenoliths, but there is discrepancy in the δ²⁶Mg values reported for the Earth’s mantle as well as for certain geostandards. One such geostandard is San Carlos olivine, a mineral found in San Carlos peridotite xenoliths from the San Carlos Apache Reservation in east-central Arizona. The role of a geostandard is to assess the accuracy of one lab’s data compared to those of other labs, so conflicting δ²⁶Mg values raises the question of whether the difference is due to analytical artifacts or to sample heterogeneity. This study examines olivine, orthopyroxene, and clinopyroxene minerals in San Carlos peridotite to determine if the peridotite is homogeneous with respect to Mg. Mg isotopic compositions will be measured by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS). The results will indicate if San Carlos olivine can be used as a geostandard for Mg isotopic analysis. Once there is reliable data for the Mg isotopic composition of the mantle, it can be determined whether the composition of the Earth is indeed chondritic, which has further implications in determining a model for the formation of the Earth.

The purpose of this project is to develop and refine a technique for taking photographs to be included in an atlas of the foraminifera of Puget Sound. Foraminifera are shelled single-celled organisms that live at the sediment/water interface in marine environments. Their sensitivity to environmental conditions makes them useful in monitoring ecosystems on the sea floor. The atlas will contain photographs and detailed descriptions of each foraminifera species. Despite their importance as an environmental monitoring tool, foraminifera have never been comprehensively studied in Puget Sound. This catalogue will become a useful tool for future workers in research and environmental monitoring. Key to this atlas is the inclusion of clear, accurate photographs of each species of foraminifera. Scanning Electron Micrographs yield excellent images, but these often do not portray the organism as it is viewed through a light microscope. Thus, the inclusion of photomicrographs is essential. Photography becomes quite technical when dealing with objects of a microscopic scale while still trying to produce a clear image with depth of field. With the Puget Sound Foram Project we work with specimens that can be as small as a tenth of a millimeter in size, so producing a high quality publishable picture takes time and a specialized technique. Using a light microscope, each specimen has to be photographed several times, focusing at a different depth each time. Once all of the layers have been captured, the pictures are then synchronized and edited in such a way that we get one final image that has both clarity and depth of field. In addition, each specimen must be photographed from two or more angles to illustrate critical features. Photography for research purposes can be a complicated and lengthy process but is essential for not only supplementing data but conveying vital information.

Products of silicate mineral dissolution play important roles in geochemical cycles and biologic processes including secondary mineral precipitation and microbial and plant growth, respectively. Understanding the mechanisms and stoichiometry of silicate weathering are therefore important in relating weathering rates to global ion budget. In abiotic systems, silicate dissolution often begins as a non-stoichiometric reaction dependent on solution pH. In acidic versus alkaline solutions, forsterite leaches cations and silica, respectively, resulting in a surface enriched with the counter ion. Microbes are, however, ubiquitous in water-rock systems where active silicate weathering occurs. Recent evidence shows a dramatic increase in forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄) dissolution rate that correlates with the presence of dormant bacterial endospores. The mechanisms driving enhanced dissolution in the presence of a complex organic surface and its effect on mineral surface chemistry is unknown. We investigate the effects of Bacillus subtilis endospore enhanced dissolution on the surface chemistry of forsterite grains using Attenuated Total Reflectance- Fourier Transform Infra-red (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy. ATR-FTIR is a technique that measures mid (MIR) to far (FIR) infrared absorption of a sample over a shallow penetration depth. Forsterite (Fo₉₀, Mg_1.8Fe_0.2SiO₄) powder was incubated with B. subtilis endospores for 40-80 days at pH ~ 7.5 under oxidizing conditions. We compare MIR and FIR ATR-FTIR spectra of un-reacted forsterite, abiotically reacted controls, and biotically weathered forsterite to determine how the surface has changed from the weathering processes. MIR and FIR ATR-FTIR spectral scans of forsterite grains incubated with endospores display peak shifts relative to the controls. Small amounts of Fe(II) present in the forsterite likely precipitated as iron oxide coatings on the mineral and endospore surfaces. Variations in FIR peaks may indicate the presence of iron oxides. Results from this research will advance our understanding of how bacterial surfaces affect chemical weathering in the environment.

This study aimed to analyze benthic foraminiferal assemblages to determine if environmental changes from pollution and other factors have affected the health of the Bremerton area marine ecosystems. Foraminifera are shelled, single-celled microorganisms that can act as good indicators of environmental change. Sinclair and Dyes Inlets border Bremerton and are connected by the Port Washington Waterway in Kitsap County, Washington. Bremerton is the home of Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and is listed as a federal Superfund site due to accumulations of industrial pollution. Additionally, agricultural and residential pollutants have been released into Dyes Inlet from local streams. Foraminifera were collected from 40 sediment samples provided by the Washington State Department of Ecology from 1998-2012. Samples were analyzed for foraminiferal species composition, diversity, and density (number of inidividuals/gram sediment). Results show 22 species were found, however most samples had low diversities and densities. Ten samples contained no foraminifera. In addition, numerous euhedral gypsum crystals were found in 13 samples in both inlets. Gypsum is a calcium sulfate mineral, and occurrences of subaquatic gypsum crystals in non-evaporitic settings are unusual. Samples with gypsum showed either lower foraminiferal densities or no foraminifera present. Sulfur isotope analysis of the crystals indicates they formed in a sulfate-reducing environment. The comparitively high Total Organic Carbon (TOC) values in gypsym-containing samples suggests that decomposition of organic material may lead to this sulfate-reduction. Additionally, significant dissolution observed in the calcium carbonate shells of many foraminifera indicates pH values of the sediment were low. This can also result from the degradation of organic matter. Thus, foramiferal assemblages within Sinclair and Dyes Inlets are responding markedly to conditions in sediments, establishing the efficacy of using foraminifera as a tool for monitoring benthic ecosystems in Puget Sound.

 Little is known about the conditions that permitted photosynthetic life to survive the global glaciation events known as Snowball Earth events. During this time, sea glaciers covered the Earth’s oceans, prohibiting the transmission of light. Without liquid water and sunlight, where did photosynthetic life survive? Research has shown that under certain climatic conditions, areas of sufficiently thin ice known as refugia could have existed at the landward ends of narrow channels where sea glaciers would be unable to penetrate. The idealized channels used in sea-glacier flow models allow for refugia under a restrictive range of climate conditions. However, experiments varying the channel entrance width have shown that a less restrictive range of climate conditions are needed for these refugia than has been previously thought. I hypothesize that moderate variations in channel entrance and sidewall geometries could both 1) expand the range of climate conditions that allow for a refugium at the landward end of the sea glacier and 2) generate thin ice zones in additional locations within the channel, likely near the entrance and on leeward sides of promontories. Utilizing finite element modeling techniques to simulate rectangular, trapezoidal, and round-sided channel entrances and promontories,  I will determine the locations of regions of zero or near-zero ice thickness in idealized channels. Combined with reconstructions of real-world Neoproterozoic geomorphology, these results could help us understand the conditions under which photosynthetic life survived Snowball Earth and even help to locate evidence of Snowball Earth-era photosynthetic life on the modern Earth.

Understanding what people know about the topic of climate change is important to develop better strategies for informing and teaching the public about important environmental concerns. To understand people’s knowledge and personal perspectives on climate change, I used a series of surveys to answer four important research questions regarding this subject matter. 1. Do people with the most negative opinions about climate change tend to be less informed about the science surrounding this subject? 2. Is the college/university experience by itself enough for people to have an understanding about this subject matter? 3. Do people who think that climate change is a serious problem have a strong background in environmental sciences or studies? 4. What are the media or literary sources predominantly used by the people with the most misinformation about climate change? The surveys were given to several classes across the UW campus as well as to an outside adult population and to two local high schools. The survey data provided important information regarding the diversity of the sample group, including age, major, educational level, where they grew up and previous classes. This study should also provide important information regarding potential relationships between educational level and academic background to their respective knowledge about climate change. This study may also provide information about the potential information sources that people use as the basis of their understanding of climate science.

Every year millions of Washingtonians depend on winter snowfall contributing to their main source of drinking water. Seattleites alone make up 22% of the states population, and 70% of those residents use water from the protected Cedar River Watershed in their homes and businesses. I am analyzing and monitoring snow depth and hydrologic sensors in western Washington maintained by the state Department of Ecology to create a graphical and quantitative model of available water resources that will predict the availability of clean water for years to come. My study will provide a model for the maintenance of sustainable usage for our area as population increases and water availability due to climate change over time decreases. The Cascades’ annual snowfall is diminishing enough to raise concerns about future availability of water and its effects on daily life. Regions of Washington that depend on ice and snowmelt are the most affected by global warming, and some models predict that western Washington may have a problem with water shortages as early as 2040. I will be providing an independent look at the shortages we can expect to face in the near future based on trends over the last 40 years.

In this project, I will compare river channel patterns, both in profile and in planform, of drainages that flow across mapped faults in Peninsular Malaysia. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the degree of fault-slip activity throughout the region. Peninsular Malaysia is a tropical country located ~300km to 600km from the seismically active Sumatra subduction zone. Despite this close proximity, Peninsular Malaysia is considered a tectonically stable terrain because of low seismic activity. Based on previous seismotectonic maps, most of the earthquakes are less than magnitude 4 and concentrated in the southwest of Peninsular Malaysia, with exception to the magnitude 3.8 Baling earthquake, which occurred in the northwest. Recent fault reactivation that is triggered by the active Sumatra subduction zone may have caused these earthquakes, but this hypothesis has been difficult to test due to overall rapid erosion rates and the small magnitude of the earthquakes. I will use open source digital elevation models (ASTER GDEM V2), along with previously published geologic and seismotectonic maps of Peninsular Malaysia to complete a regional GIS assessment. Fault activity will be assessed using fluvial and topographic metrics useful in identifying active structures. In particular, I expect to find knickpoints and overall steeper rivers as well as changes in hillslope and local relief near to active faults. This reconnaissance is a part of a larger project in Malaysia to incorporate geomorphic data with Southeast Asia active fault mapping in Earth Observatory of Singapore (EOS). The results of this work will be incorporated further with the Global Earthquake Model (GEM) for earthquake hazards.