Deep Probe Project Explores Creation of Rocky Mountains

MEDIA ADVISORY

CONTACT: Philip Montgomery
PHONE: (713) 831-4792

DEEP PROBE PROJECT EXPLORES CREATION OF ROCKY MOUNTAINS

* Deep Probe is funded by the National Science Foundation and
involves about 95 researchers from the United States and Canada.

* The purpose of the project is to understand the deep underground
processes that created the Rocky Mountains and to study how seismic
waves travel across the Earth.

* Rice University is the lead institute for the experiment involving
about 95 researchers from the United States and Canada. Other
participating organizations from the United States include the
University of Texas El Paso, Purdue University, the University of
Oregon, the U.S. Geological Survey and others. Canadian
organizations include the University of British Columbia, the
University of Alberta and others.

* More than 780 seismographs from Canada and the United States will
be involved in the experiment. Seismographs will be located in
Riverton and Rock Springs, Wyo., Billings and Medicine Hat, Mont.,
and Grand Junction, Colo.

* The explosive material used for the experiments is a jelly like
compound specifically formulated for seismic testing. In the
southern New Mexico test, about 45,000 pounds of the explosive will
be divided among about 20 boreholes at the bottom of a mine. Each
borehole is about 650 feet below the surface.

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