Classes started this week for Virginia Tech students, and it's been interesting to see the campus fill up with people. Dr. Hole and I went over the various graphs sorting the 1979 USGS survey shots by size, location, and other conditions. I've been writing down some of the results and trends we have observed, so when the project takes place in 2010 the shots will be appropriately sized and spaced throughout the Salton Trough. So far, the data confirm that shot sources in the valley floor produce much better shot coupling than those in the wash surrounding the valley. I am in the process of writing a draft of my abstract, and it will detail the upcoming survey and explain the conclusions reached from the 1979 survey analysis. I didn't know people wrote abstracts for projects that have not yet occurred, but Dr. Hole says it happens sometimes.

This week has been very rainy, and I am definitely looking forward to going home for a few days. After that, I will be joining Dr. Keller of the University of Oklahoma in eastern Oregon for his high lava plains project. Dr. Hole set me up with that survey, and I am looking forward to getting some more field experience!