Instituto de Geociencias de Honduras

Honduras Geosciences Institute/ El Instituto de Geociencias de HondurasOpen

Open house and dedication of the Instituto de Geociencias de Honduras, 9AM Jan 15, 2010 UPI - La Universidad Politécnica de Ingeniería, Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Contact: Luis Eveline email: leveline@yahoo.com

El Instituto de Geociencias de Honduras es una organización dedicada al desarrollo académico, investigación científica, desarrollo de estudios y proyectos, y a dar respuesta responsable a los principales problemas relacionados a las geociencias en la República de Honduras.El instituto nace como una iniciativa de la UPI, como una rama especializada en el tema de las geociencias y dentro de la Universidad; y como principales fundadores asociados son la empresa SERGEO, Dr. Valerio Gutierrez y Dr. Robert Rogers.El Instiituto será liderado por la UPI, con el apoyo de sus principales asociados, lo integrarán el Rector de UPI (Luis Eveline), y los representante de SERGEO, SERNA, Defomin, Asociación de empresas mineras, Asociación de Municipios de Honduras se invitarán a agencias internacionales de financiamiento (USAID, JICA, CIDA (Canada).

The Geoscience Institute of Honduras is an organization dedicated to academic development, scientific investigation, development of studies and projects and to provide answers to the main issues related to the geosciences in the Republic of Honduras.The Geoscience Institute was formed as an initiative of UPI – University Polytechnic of Engineering – with a field specializing in geosciences within the university; and its principle funding supporters associated with the SERGEO company, Valerio Gutierrez and Dr. Robert Rogers.The Institute will be led by UPI with the assistance of its principle associates that include the Rector of UPI (Luis Eveline), representatives of SERGEO, SERNA, DEFOMIN, Association of Mining Companies, Municipal association of Honduras, and will involve the international funding agencies (USAID, JICA (Japan), CIDA (Canada).

A Call for Geoscience Training in Honduras

Currently there are only a handful of Honduran geologists in Honduras and this has been the status in the 20 years that I have been involved in Honduras. No Honduran University offers a degree program in the geosciences. The few Honduran geologists have all received their education and training outside of Honduras at program in the US, Russia, Costa Rica, Mexico etc. Many do not return to Honduras. I commend and respect those that do and Honduras benefits from their skills and knowledge in seismology and hazards, mining, environmental review and siting of infrastructure project such as roads and power facilities. However there are simply not enough geoscientists to meet the needs of public (from national to municipal level) and private (extractive resources, project development) sectors. Geological survey type investigations (basic mapping of geological resources) have been left to sporadic non-Honduran entities including mainly U.S. Universities, the Peace Corps, and foreign assistance projects. Of the 32 published geological maps at 1:50,000 scale, only ONE was mapped by living Honduran geologist. Geoscience knowledge of Honduras has been outsourced. Because this expertize does not reside in Honduran this knowledge and experience is of limited access to Honduras. I am one of these foreign experts.

This needs to change. A critical step is to increase the number of Honduran geoscientists. Costa Rica provides a mature model and Nicaragua provides an "in progress" model. Both started by 1) recognizing the need and then sending a handful of students to get geoscience education abroad, then 2) establishing positions for these pioneers at local universities where they became the teachers in 3) a degree granting program in the geosciences.

There are initial plans for a geoscience degree program in Honduras....I will be using this forum to promote this idea put forth by Luis Eveline at the Universidad Politécnica de Ingeniería (UPI) in Tegucigapla. As this plan develops, I will be providing details and asking for written support for this proposal from those interested in the advancement of the geosciences in Honduras.

Dr. Robert Rogers,

California State University, Stanislaus

New Publication - A GPS and modelling study of deformation in northern Central America

Rodriguez M, DeMets C, Rogers R, Tenorio C,Hernandez D (2009) A GPS and modelling study of deformation in northern Central America. Geophysical Journal International

published online: 13 Jul 2009

http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/122510988/abstract

Honduras Geology on Facebook

For Facebook users, I've set up a Honduras Geology group.
-Rob Rogers

GeoHonduras 09 - Paleomag

Some of my photographs of June 2009 fieldwork in Honduras. We collected over 1000 samples of Jurassic, Cretaceous and Miocene rocks to determine the rotation history of Honduras and the Chortis block. Many thanks to Douwe van Hinsbergen (Norwegian Geological Survey) and Roberto Molina-Garza (UNAM National university of Mexico).

Paleomag_09

See photos from paleomag sampling in Honduras. June 2009. http://www.geo.uu.nl/~hins/Honduras_2009.htm

GeoHonduras 09 - Jurassic

Returning to Honduras in July to focus on Jurassic Agua Fria Fm. Lens-shaped fluvial channel/fan complex (>500 m thick, ~ 10 km wide) below marine sequence is target of mapping, measured sections and facies analysis.

More New Exposure

The road between Valle de Angeles and San Juan de Flores is paved. A nice non-dusty sequence of Canteranas and other Mesozoic strata (See Carpenter, 1954 GSA Bull) are exposed on road above San Juan de Flores.

Post EarthQuake GPS

Manuel Rodriguez UNAH just finished occupying Omoa, La Ceiba and San Pedro Sula GPS sites (all North Coast).

Email update

Normal email not working. Use hondorob@gmail.com until Wednesday, June 17.

New exposures: basement, Jurassic and Cretaceous

In Tegucigalpa for a few days. The road ftom Talanga to El Porviner is paved. Very good exposures of basement between El Porviner and Marale. Hondutel Cell towers (everywhere) have put new access to many higher elevaltion places across country. Near Victoria, Yoro there appears to be thick sub Atima (Jurassic) sands and bimodal volcanic sequence. The road to San Francisco de la Paz is pave - nice exposures of K Valle de Angeles Fm fluvial sequence. Between Danli and San Julian, El Paraiso and beyond is fresh exposure of upper marine facies of J Agua Fria marine facies containing rhyolite ash sands.
-RR

GeoHonduras 09 Paleomag

In Honduras with Roberto Molina and Douwe van Hinsbergen drilling cores for paleomag. We´re sampling the Cretaceous in Olancho and as well as the Eocene, Jurassic and Miocene elsewhere. Should have solution to rotation issues soon. Back to the field....

Honduras M 7.3 Swan Island Transform 05-28-2009

Honduras M 7.3 Swan Island Transform 05-28-2009
1) Technical updates/maps from USGS
2) Earthquake epicenter was on the Swan Island transform fault boundary between North America and Caribbean plates. The plate boundary is a zone of active faulting extending south from the Swan Island fault to the Nueva Esperanza fault located along the southern margin of the Aguan valley including numerous onshore and offshore faults (Rogers and Mann, 2007).
3) Expect aftershocks for next several weeks along the Swan Island transform and the faults to the south. One has already occurred on the Nueva Esperanza fault (USGS info on aftershock)
4) The Swan Island fault is the very steep southern boundary of the 5000+ meter deep Cayman Trough. Landslides can happen along this undersea escarpment. Aftershocks can trigger landslides. Landslides can trigger tsunamis. Coastal communities should keep watch on Caribbean Sea for next several weeks.
5) NUEVOS FOLLETOS Y CARTELES DE PROTEGE A TU FAMILIA DE.......http://www.redciencia.cu/cdorigen/arca/protegefam.html (from Manuel Iturralde-Vinent).

-Dr. Rob Rogers 5/29/2009