monday, february 2, 2004
news
the university daily kansan
7A
Scientists share unique friendship work together to help environment
By Samia Khan
skhan@kansan.com
Kansas staff writer
When Jerry deNoyelles and Ed Martinko throw around phrases like "satellite remote sensing," they don't expect the average person to be enthralled. Their scientific jargon may slip under the satellites of common public concern, but after more than two decades of working together and researching, the two scientists are finding ways to help the future of Douglas County.
Martinko and deNoyelles' paths at the University have remained in step since the late 1970s. Both served concurrent terms as director of the Environmental Studies program in the 1980s. In 1985, Martinko became director of the Kansas Biological Survey and deNoyelles accepted the associate director position. They continue their work together for the University and the Biological Survey, helping students and researching environmental problems for the state.
In addition to teaching, the two scientists develop research
proposals and gather data for the Biological Survey. Together they design ways to study environmental issues in the area and help find solutions.
Reservoirs, like Clinton Lake, are filling with silt and may eventually disappear. Sixty percent of the population in Kansas gets drinking water from these reservoirs, deNoyelles said.
"It's an issue the students should know about," Martinko said. "There isn't going to be water available for their grandchildren if it continues at this rate."
The Biological Survey reports directly to the state. Martinko and deNoyelles see their research as work that captures their interests, but more importantly makes a difference to the community.
"We work on the problems we feel we can help with and help find a solution for," deNoyelles said.
Their most significant research involves using satellites to monitor environmental conditions. They can use the data to monitor and predict crop conditions and yields. The satellite images can
"There isn't going to be water available for their grandchildren if it continues at this rate."
Ed Martinko Director of the Kansas Biological Survey
also be used to solve problems in land and water conditions. They are a key in helping with the problems occurring in area reservoirs, Martinko said.
The upper basin of Perry reservoir is so shallow now that deNoyelles said his boat was once stuck for three hours during a research venture. The research team had to get out of the boat and drag it to safety.
Despite the risk involved in field work, both find the challenge rewarding and enjoyable. Even in the face of unpleasant tasks, deNoyelles said he found reward in the impact he was making on the well-being of the citizens of Kansas.
"With this work you might not
always do things you enjoy, but you always do things that are important," deNoyelles said.
Both agree that their work at the Biological Survey is made easier by their relationship dynamic.
"We've never gotten in what I would consider an argument," deNoyelles said. "We've never yelled or raised our voices at each other."
Martinko said there was always a risk of fighting in such a close working relationship, but they managed to make work more enjoyable and effective by getting along.
aong. Karl Brooks, interim director of the Environmental Studies Department, said he appreciated the care the two scientists put in making their research matter to everyone in the community.
"They're finding out that we are going to have serious environmental policy decisions to make, really soon," he said. "All of us could learn a lot from they way they collaborate, both as scientists and as friends."
Edited by Nikki Nugent
NASA's Opportunity lands on Mars
The Associated Press
PASADENA, Calif. — NASA's Opportunity rolled off its lander and onto the rusty soil of Mars early Saturday, a week after the six-wheeled rover arrived on the Red Planet — and just hours after confirmation of its first major geologic discovery.
its intrinsic geography. Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory erupted in cheers as the first photograph taken by Opportunity following its roll-off appeared on a screen in mission control. More pictures flooded in minutes later to continued cheers and applause.
The images, received shortly after 3 a.m., confirmed Opportunity had joined its twin, Spirit, on the ground.
"Two for two, one dozen wheels on soil," flight director Chris Lewicki said.
Hours earlier, scientists confirmed that the rover discovered gray hematite, a mineral that typically forms in water — a finding that could indicate the dry and dusty Red Planet was once wetter and more hospitable to life.
Rowdy, jubilant scientists filled the back of the auditorium for an early morning news conference, sipping champagne as they listened.
The initial black-and-white picture taken by Opportunity's rear hazard camera showed the rover's empty lander and a parallel set of tracks leading away from it, traced in the pebbly martian dirt 128 million miles from Earth.
Opportunity took 83 seconds to cover the 10 feet to the dark floor of the 72-foot-wide crater where it landed.
"That was probably the scariest part of the drive we'll have on Mars," said mission manager Jim Erickson, adding there were
no spotters on the planet to catch the rover if it toppled, as there had been during tests on Earth.
The roll-off went without a hitch, other than a wobble to the lander that caused the rover to slightly veer to its right while in motion, said Kevin Burke, who gave the roll forward command to Opportunity.
Mission plans called for Opportunity to spend several days parked beside its lander after rolling off, allowing it to conduct further chemical and elemental analysis of the martian soil.
Democrats canvass country for votes
The Associated Press
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Democratic presidential rivals worked across several time zones yesterday to sway undecided voters in states with contests early this week.
U. S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) pressed his front-runner's advantage in North Dakota and U.S. Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) concentrated on South Carolina, a state he says he must win. Edwards trails Kerry in six of the seven states holding primaries or caucuses on Tuesday, except in his native South Carolina.
Arizona, Delaware, Missouri Oklahoma and South Carolina hold primaries Tuesday, along with caucuses in New Mexico and North Dakota. At stake are a total of 269 pledged delegates to the Democratic convention, more than 12 percent of the 2,162 needed to win the party's presidential nomination.
While polls show Kerry with comfortable leads in the states, except South Carolina, as many as one in five voters remain undecided two days before the contests, according to the surveys.
In New Mexico, a new Albuquerque Journal poll showed Kerry ahead with 31 percent support, but with 27 percent of likely voters undecided.
Dean and Kerry of Massachusetts both opted to skip public financing, meaning they are not subject to spending limits but are not getting the federal matching money that is flowing to rival campaigns.
Dean told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he regretted burning through most of the $41 million his campaign raised last year. Dean was the third-place finisher in Iowa and runner-up to Kerry in New Hampshire. Kerry also won in Iowa.
campaign Dean said he wasn't ready to leave the race and was focused on winning delegates, of which he
has more at this point than Kerry. Dean has 114 delegates, to Kerry's 103, according to an Associated Press tally.
Kerry, fulfilling a pledge to campaign in all of Tuesday's states, spent the day in Fargo, N.D., where he accused the Bush administration of an "incredible cave-in" to drug companies at taxpayers' expense, citing the dramatically higher cost estimate for the new Medicare overhaul.
In Columbia, S.C., Edwards attended morning services at the predominantly black Bible Way Church. He also predicted the race in the state would be close despite his expected advantage as a next-door neighbor, representing North Carolina in the Senate
At one point, someone told Edwards: "I think you should ask Senator Kerry whether he's interested in being vice president," a reference to Edwards' insistence that he has no interest in being anyone's pick for vice president, especially Kerrv's.
Clark campaigned in Oklahoma with Mike McClintic, who pushed him to the ground and protected him after the now retired Army general was shot during a mission in the jungles of Vietnam in 1970. Clark and McClintic had not seen each other since that day.
The campaign trail reunion was similar to one Kerry had two days before the Jan. 19 Iowa caucuses with Jim Rassmann, a fellow serviceman Kerry rescued 35 years ago in Vietnam.
Lieberman welcomed newspaper endorsements from two South Carolina publications — The State of Columbia and the Greenville News — along with the Seattle Times. All highlighted Lieberman's centrist views.
"What this says is that I have national support." Lieberman told reporters after attending church services in Wilmington, Del.
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