Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The National Science Foundation's Division of Earth Sciences (Geosciences program, CFDA 47.050) awarded $269,085 to the University of California, Berkeley for collaborative research on inner core dynamics. The award, effective July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, will deliver fundamental research findings on the mechanisms generating directional variation of seismic velocities in Earth's inner core. Primary research products include a coupled geodynamical model integrating thermal, mechanical, and seismic constraints to explain observed inner core anisotropy; peer-reviewed scientific publications presenting findings on how anisotropic thermal conductivity of iron crystals drives heat transport and generates temperature anomalies; and computational modeling datasets and software tools applicable to understanding planetary interior dynamics.

In addition to research outputs, the project will provide significant workforce development through training graduate and undergraduate students in computational geodynamics, seismology, and high-performance computing. The research will contribute to broader understanding of planetary interior behavior with implications for interpreting rocky planets throughout the solar system and beyond. As part of the NSF Geosciences program's commitment to strengthening the national scientific enterprise through expanded fundamental knowledge of integrated Earth systems, this collaborative research effort combines seismic wave analysis from earthquakes with advanced computational modeling to address poorly understood processes governing inner core complexity and evolution.