Cooperative Agreement for affiliated Partner with Southern Appalachian Mountains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) | G23AS00322

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1) What agency is offering this funding opportunity?

This opportunity is offered by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS).

2) What is the main purpose of this grant opportunity?

The purpose is to support research on submarine and sublacustrine (lakefloor) slope stability in tectonically active, earthquake-prone subduction zone settings, with a focus on understanding why and where underwater slopes fail during earthquakes.

3) What type of award is being used?

The funding instrument is a Cooperative Agreement.

4) What does it mean that the award is a Cooperative Agreement?

A Cooperative Agreement generally indicates USGS expects substantial involvement in the project. Based on the opportunity description, that involvement may include coordination on data use, research methods, and/or project deliverables rather than a fully hands-off grant structure.

5) What scientific setting is the work focused on?

The research is focused on subduction zone environments that are tectonically active and prone to earthquakes, including underwater slopes on the seafloor and lakefloor.

6) What is meant by submarine and sublacustrine slope stability?

Submarine slope stability refers to the stability of underwater slopes on the seafloor, while sublacustrine slope stability refers to the stability of underwater slopes on a lakefloor. In both cases, the work focuses on how these slopes behave and potentially fail during earthquake shaking.

7) What datasets or materials is the project built around?

The project is built around newly collected sediment cores along with high-resolution multibeam bathymetry and related geophysical datasets.

8) What is the central research idea behind the project?

The central idea is to link the physical and mechanical properties of seafloor and lakefloor sediments to observed underwater landslide patterns and to modeled slope behavior during earthquake shaking, in order to better understand the causes and locations of slope failure.

9) What research disciplines does USGS expect applicants to combine?

The opportunity is explicitly cross-disciplinary. Applicants are expected to combine:

• Sedimentology and source characterization (sediment composition, origin, and depositional processes)
• Geotechnical/geomechanical measurements (e.g., strength, stiffness, and other deformation/failure parameters)
• Numerical modeling of slope stability under earthquake loading

10) What kinds of measurements are emphasized in the description?

USGS highlights measuring geomechanical properties from sediment samples collected along subduction margins, and then using those measured parameters in simulations of submarine and sublacustrine slope stability under earthquake loading.

11) What is the role of numerical modeling in this opportunity?

Numerical modeling is expected to be used to simulate slope stability under earthquake shaking, using geomechanical parameters measured directly from sediment samples. The modeling is meant to connect measured sediment behavior with observed landslide distributions and inferred shaking conditions.

12) How does the research connect to underwater landslides?

The work aims to systematically characterize sediments and compare those characteristics with the distribution of known underwater landslides, helping explain where landslides occur and how sediment properties may influence failure during earthquakes.

13) Why is USGS interested in linking landslides to earthquakes?

The stated goal is to improve the use of submarine landslides as proxies for past earthquake shaking and to strengthen ground-motion and hazard predictions.

14) Which USGS program does this opportunity align with?

This opportunity sits within the USGS Coastal and Marine Hazards and Resources Program (CMHRP).

15) What is CMHRP’s mission in relation to this work?

CMHRP focuses on identifying and characterizing marine and coastal geohazards (including earthquakes, tsunamis, and landslides) and translating that science into probabilistic hazard assessments that can inform national risk reduction.

16) Are there any applied or industry-relevant benefits mentioned?

Yes. USGS notes that the resulting data and interpretations may be valuable to the offshore wind energy sector because parts of the study area overlap with newly released offshore wind lease areas where seabed stability and geohazards can affect planning and development.

17) What partnership framework is this award issued under?

The award is issued under the Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit (CESU) Program, which is described as a partnership framework supporting research, technical assistance, and education collaborations with federal agencies.

18) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is limited to organizations that are participating partners of the Southern Appalachian Mountains CESU.

19) What is the Funding Opportunity Number (FON)?

The Funding Opportunity Number is G23AS00322.

20) What is the CFDA number listed for this opportunity?

The opportunity is listed under CFDA 15.808.

21) What activity category is associated with this opportunity?

The activity category is Science and Technology and other Research and Development.

22) What is the maximum award amount (ceiling)?

The stated award ceiling is $490,000.

23) When was the opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on 2023-03-23.

24) What was the original closing date for applications?

The original closing date was 2023-05-05.

25) Does the description specify particular deliverables?

The description does not list specific deliverables in detail, but it indicates USGS expects substantial involvement typical of a Cooperative Agreement, including coordination on data use, methods, and/or deliverables.

26) Does the description state where the sediment cores and geophysical data come from?

It states that the project is built around newly collected sediment cores and includes high-resolution multibeam bathymetry and related geophysical datasets, with sediment sampling emphasized along subduction margins. It does not provide more specific locations in the information provided.

27) What is meant by using landslides as proxies for past earthquake shaking?

In the context of this opportunity, it means using the presence, distribution, and characteristics of submarine landslides to infer aspects of historical earthquake shaking, with the goal of improving reconstructions of past events and strengthening hazard and ground-motion predictions.

28) Is the work limited to ocean settings only?

No. The opportunity explicitly covers both submarine (seafloor) and sublacustrine (lakefloor) environments.