What if the coldest, darkest craters on the Moon are quietly storing a record of solar system history and the resources that could power future exploration?

In this episode, we dive into the science of lunar permanently shadowed regions (PSRs): craters near the Moon’s poles that sunlight hasn’t touched for potentially billions of years. Dr. Jeffrey Zurek is joined by Dr. Katlyn (Caitlin) Ahrens (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center) to unpack what PSRs are, how volatile molecules migrate and freeze there, and why these ultra-cold environments are targets for future missions.

We explore how the Moon’s 1.5-degree axial tilt creates shadowed traps, what the lunar exosphere means for molecule transport, and how researchers balance “easy mode” science with high-risk, high-reward targets. It also illuminates why some of the most exciting discoveries happen in places sunlight never reaches.

Topics Covered

• PSRs & Cold Trapping: Why sunlight hasn't touched these poles for billions of years.
• Lunar Exosphere: Surface processes and molecule migration.
• Mission Logistics: The hurdles of "Pluto-cold" sample return and CLPS landers.
• Geotechnical Risks: Moon-slides, virtual lava tubes, and soil mechanics.
• STEM Outreach: The impact of FIRST Lego League.

Episode Chapters

• (00:00) Intro: The Riddle of Lunar Darkness
• (01:51) The Physics of 1.5° Axial Tilt & PSRs
• (04:04) Meet Dr. Katlyn Ahrens (NASA Goddard)
• (09:33) The Lunar Exosphere vs. Atmosphere
• (15:30) Diverse Volatiles: Water, Methane, & CO2
• (22:38) Logistical Challenges: Cold Sample Return
• (26:18) Double PSRs: Craters within Craters
• (34:14) VIPER Rover & The Future of Lunar Mining
• (41:14) Flour & Dust: Lunar Soil Mechanics
• (46:40) Moonslides & Virtual Lava Tubes
• (49:50) STEM Outreach: FIRST Lego League
• (55:08) The Infamous Science Joke

Links & Resources

• Featured Paper: Diverse lunar polar permanently shadowed regions and environmental metrics for site planning decision making.
• FIRST Lego League
• Support: Pateron
• Socials: Bluesky | Instagram | Facebook

Whimsical Wavelengths: Deep-dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time. Hosted by Dr. Jeffrey Zurek (P.Geo).

A return to Mount Meager—this time focusing on risk reduction, sediment hazards, and what can be done to protect downstream communities. Jeff talks with resilience researcher Veronica Woodruff about sediment‑rich rivers, engineered logjams, and the human side of hazard mitigation.

Whimsical Wavelengths: deep‑dive conversations where a working scientist unpacks how we know what we know, one paper, one idea, or whimsical detour at a time.

Two weeks ago, Dr. Glyn Williams‑Jones walked us through Meager’s eruptive history and why the mountain is unstable due to geothermal alteration, permafrost melt, and retreating glaciers. It's the the site of Canada’s largest recorded landslide.

Today, we shift from volcanic behaviour to risk reduction, exploring what can be done to protect downstream communities like Pemberton from increasing sediment loads, changing river dynamics, and rising flood hazards.

Our guest, Veronica Woodruff—environmental professional, resilience researcher, and UVic alum—joins Jeff to discuss how hazards, sediment, and human decision‑making intersect in the Lillooet River system. Veronica’s work focuses on the human side of natural hazards: communication, community resilience, and the challenge of turning scientific data into meaningful action.

We dig into how the 2010 landslide dramatically increased sediment supply, creating braided channels, altering flow paths, and raising flood risk. With climate‑driven changes to snowpack, melt timing, and extreme rainfall, these challenges are only growing.

A major focus of this episode is mitigation—what can actually be done. We explore a range of strategies, from behavioural changes to engineered solutions, including one of the most promising tools: engineered logjams (ELJs). These structures mimic natural wood accumulations, slowing water, trapping sediment, and helping stabilize channels without over‑engineering the landscape. ELJs are emerging as a key approach for reducing long‑term flood hazards in sediment‑rich rivers like the Lillooet.

Topics Covered

• Mount Meager’s instability and geologic setting
• The 2010 landslide and its long‑term impacts
• Sediment hazards, braided rivers, and flood risk
• Human modifications to river systems
• Risk communication and community resilience
• Engineered logjams as a mitigation strategy
• How to advocate for proactive hazard reduction

Guest Veronica Woodruff — environmental professional, resilience researcher, and advocate for community‑driven hazard mitigation.

Veronica's book: "BLIND DRUNK A sober look at our boozy culture"

Links

Previous episode

Veronica & Glyn’s Whistler talk

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Canada has volcanoes — and one of the most hazardous sits just 150 kilometres north of Vancouver.

In this episode of Whimsical Wavelengths, host Jeffrey Zurek is joined by volcanologist Dr. Glynn Williams-Jones, Professor of Earth Sciences at Simon Fraser University, for an in-depth look at Mount Meager, one of Canada’s most active — and least understood — volcanic systems.

Mount Meager is part of the Cascade Volcanic Arc, the same tectonic chain that includes Mount St. Helens and Mount Baker. Subduction zones don’t stop at international borders, and neither do volcanic hazards. Together, we unpack why Mount Meager qualifies as a Cascade volcano, how magma is generated beneath western Canada, and why this system deserves far more public attention than it receives.

The episode explores Meager’s most recent eruption approximately 2,400 years ago, an explosive event comparable in style (though smaller in magnitude) to the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. That eruption produced ash columns, pumice falls, lava domes, and fast-moving pyroclastic density currents that travelled into the Lillooet River valley.

One of the most striking outcomes was a natural damming of the river by volcanic deposits, creating a temporary lake that later failed catastrophically. The resulting outburst flood left lasting geological evidence still visible in the landscape today — a reminder that volcanic hazards don’t end when eruptions stop.

But eruptions aren’t the only concern.

Mount Meager is also the site of Canada’s largest recorded landslide, which occurred in 2010 and involved roughly 53 million cubic metres of rock. Volcanic alteration, steep topography, glaciers, and climate-driven instability combine to make landslides one of the most immediate risks associated with the volcano — even during periods of volcanic quiet.

We discuss how scientists monitor Mount Meager today, including seismic networks, satellite measurements, and visual observations, as well as why many Canadian volcanoes remain under-instrumented compared to similar systems elsewhere in the world.

Along the way, the conversation touches on scientific mentorship, the realities of academic research, and why understanding volcanic risk is less about fear and more about preparedness, communication, and informed decision-making.

If you think Canada doesn’t have dangerous volcanoes, this episode may change your mind.

Besure to check out the center for natural hazards at SFU

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