Alexandra Matiella Novak
Alexandra has a PhD degree in Geology from Michigan Technological University. Her research was in volcanology and the monitoring of volcanic eruption ash clouds in the upper atmosphere (>10 km) using satellite data. These ash clouds are extremely hazardous to aircraft and can stay in the atmosphere for many days and travel many hundreds of kilometers from their source volcano.
Although she enjoys doing research on volcanoes very much, she feels that her true calling is in Geoscience education and public outreach. One way she is able to achieve this is through writing about the Geosciences and introducing the public to some of the great ongoing research in Earth and space sciences that sometimes stays in the realm of academia and never gets public exposure.
Alexandra is currently an Education and Public Outreach Specialist with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory. Through this position she is able to educate the public about NASA Solar System exploration missions and planetary geology.
Alexandra'sSuite 101 Editor's Choice award winning articles include:
Satellites See Kasatochi Eruption
Prehistoric Ice Sheets of Africa
The Geology of the Grand Canyon
Black Glaciers in the Himalayas
Halloween Geology - Gravestones and Graveyards
Latest Articles
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The Great Lakes - The Largest Freshwater System on Earth
The Great Lakes region has an abundance of freshwater, and millions of people depend on its resources.
Jan 10, 2012
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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Japanese Study of Carbon Dioxide Measurements - The Real Story
A recent study uses JAXA's GOSAT satellite data to better understand regional carbon dioxide emissions and uncertainties.
Nov 3, 2011
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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Halloween Geology – Gravestones and Graveyards
Local geology is considered when picking gravesites, and gravestones are made from a variety of rock types.
Oct 25, 2011
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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Geologic Causes of the August 2011 Virginia Earthquake
The Central Virginia Seismic Zone is known for its seismic activity, but the M 5.9 earthquake was stronger than expected for this region.
Aug 25, 2011
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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The Geology of Yucca Mountain
Yucca Mountain, a proposed and controversial site of nuclear waste storage, was created from large volcanic eruptions.
Jun 28, 2011
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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The Geology of Iceland
Iceland is one of the most volcanically active countries on Earth. The geology of Iceland is a clash between geothermal and glacial activity.
May 26, 2011
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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Earthquakes in China versus Earthquakes in Japan
Although earthquakes in both China and Japan are equally destructive, the causes of those earthquakes are quite different.
Mar 17, 2011
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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What Caused the March 11, 2011 Japan Earthquake?
Japan is known for being tectonically active. The March 11, 2011, earthquake was a result of movement along two major plate boundaries.
Mar 15, 2011
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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Hyrdrocarbon Formation in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve
NPRA, located within Alaska's North Slope, has a complicated geologic evolution, which has also led to large amounts of oil and gas accumulation.
Feb 16, 2011
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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The Geologic Layers of the Earth
The Earth is made up of multiple differentiated layers of material. The density and composition of these materials varies with depth.
Feb 9, 2011
- Alexandra Matiella Novak
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