Sophie E. Baker

Staff Geomorphologist

Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences

Email: Sophie.Baker@dri.edu

Education

Professional Interests

Ms. Baker’s research interests lie in Quaternary geology and geomorphology, with a focus on arid and semi-arid environments. Her master’s thesis research comprised field and office-based geomorphic analysis of a section of the Andean foreland in Argentina. This project involved the use of field mapping and surveying, cosmogenic nuclide (10Be) dating, and tephra correlation to determine the stratigraphy, paleo-long profiles, and chronological framework of a suite of piedmont river terraces formed by one of the major rivers draining the southern central Andes. Currently, her work focuses on the characterization of desert terrain in the U.S. southwest, and involves gathering data on desert landforms and their associated soil characteristics using literature review, image analysis, and field investigations.

Research

Areas of Interest and Expertise

• Quaternary geology
• Landscape evolution
• Fluvial and tectonic geomorphology
• Desert soils and soil-landform relations

Current Projects

• Integrated Forecasting of Desert Terrain Conditions for Military Operations
• Catalogue of Analogs: Identifying Terrain Similarities between the World's Deserts and the US Army's Desert/Hot Weather test site, Yuma Proving Ground (YPG), southwestern Arizona

Selected Publications

Papers

Baker, S.E., Gosse, J.C., McDonald, E.V., Evenson, E.B., and Martinez, O. In review.

Quaternary history of the piedmont reach of the Rio Diamante, Argentina. Journal of South American Earth Sciences (SAMES-D-07-00053).

Bacon, S. N., McDonald, E. V., Baker, S. E., Caldwell, T. G. and Stullenbarger, G., In review.

Desert terrain characterization of landforms and surface cover within vehicle test courses at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, USA. Journal of Terramechanics (JTERRA-D-07-00039).

Abstracts

Bacon S. N., E.V. McDonald, S.E. Baker, T.G. Caldwell, and G. Stullenbarger, 2007.

Desert Terrain Characterization of Landforms and Surface Cover within Vehicle Test Courses at U.S. Army Yuma Proving Ground, USA. Proceedings from the Joint North America, Asia-Pacific ISTVS Conference and Annual Meeting of Japanese Society for Terramechanics, Fairbanks, Alaska U.S.A. June 23-26, 2007.

Baker, S.E. and Gosse, J.C., 2003.

Quaternary bedrock incision history of the Rio Diamante, Mendoza Province, Argentina: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, vol. 35, no. 6, pp. 63, Nov 2003.

Baker, S.E. and Gosse, J.C., 2003.

Plio-Quaternary fluvial incision history of the Rio Diamante, Mendoza Province, Argentina: CANQUA/CGRG 2003 joint meeting, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Abstract volume.

Mulhall, C.M., Baker, S., Boyce, A.J. and Sevastopulo, G. D., 2001.

Regional Dolomite at Newcastle West, Co. Limerick, Ireland and its implications for the models of fluid flow related to base-metal mineralization in Ireland: Abstracts with Programs - Geological Society of America, vol. 33, no. 6, pp.338, Nov 2001.