Marine Geology and Geophysics

The Marine Geology and Geophysics Core Program supports research on all aspects of the geology and geophysics of the present ocean basins and margins, as well as those of the Great Lakes.


The Program supports science that includes:


Structure, composition, tectonics, and evolution of the oceanic lithosphere
Paleoceanography, paleoclimate, and sea level change
Submarine volcanology, petrology and geochemistry of the oceanic crust and upper mantle lithosphere
Marine hydrogeology, water-rock interaction, seeps and gas hydrates
Hydrothermal venting and in situ fluid processes, and associated geochemistry
Geochemical indicators of life operating below the seafloor
Marine sedimentology, stratigraphy, sediment transport, and diagenesis
Mid-ocean ridge spreading, back-arc rifting, transform processes, and ocean island/seamount formation and evolution
Submarine components of subduction zone systems and passive margins
Marine geohazards (e.g., earthquakes, faulting, mass wasting, geological aspects of tsunamis)
Coastal processes (e.g., geological aspects of hurricanes, sea-level change, erosion, offshore deposition)


The Marine Geology and Geophysics Program supports acquisition of new field data and the leveraging of and/or synthesis of existing data. The program supports analytical and laboratory experimental projects, methods development, and modeling. All activities should have relevance to and advance the understanding of marine geoscience processes. The Program interfaces with NSF programs across the Geosciences and across the Agency. For proposals that cross between Programs, proposers should contact the relevant Programs to seek guidance on submission.

The Marine Geology and Geophysics Core Program supports research on all aspects of the geology and geophysics of the present ocean basins and margins, as well as those of the Great Lakes.


The Program supports science that includes:

• Structure, composition, tectonics, and evolution of the oceanic lithosphere


• Paleoceanography, paleoclimate, and sea level change


• Submarine volcanology, petrology and geochemistry of the oceanic crust and upper mantle lithosphere


• Marine hydrogeology, water-rock interaction, seeps and gas hydrates


• Hydrothermal venting and in situ fluid processes, and associated geochemistry


• Geochemical indicators of life operating below the seafloor


• Marine sedimentology, stratigraphy, sediment transport, and diagenesis


• Mid-ocean ridge spreading, back-arc rifting, transform processes, and ocean island/seamount formation and evolution


• Submarine components of subduction zone systems and passive margins


• Marine geohazards (e.g., earthquakes, faulting, mass wasting, geological aspects of tsunamis)


• Coastal processes (e.g., geological aspects of hurricanes, sea-level change, erosion, offshore deposition)

The Marine Geology and Geophysics Program supports acquisition of new field data and the leveraging of and/or synthesis of existing data. The program supports analytical and laboratory experimental projects, methods development, and modeling. All activities should have relevance to and advance the understanding of marine geoscience processes. The Program interfaces with NSF programs across the Geosciences and across the Agency. For proposals that cross between Programs, proposers should contact the relevant Programs to seek guidance on submission.