SERDP & ESTCP Webinar Series
SERDP and ESTCP have launched a webinar series to promote the transfer of innovative, cost-effective and sustainable solutions developed through projects funded in five program areas. The webinar series targets Department of Defense and Department of Energy practitioners, the regulatory community and environmental researchers with the goal of providing cutting edge and practical information that is easily accessible at no cost.
________________________________
Webinar #38 (07/28/2016)
Geophysics 101 – Realistic Expectations for Geophysics When Used for Site Characterization and Remediation Monitoring
Dr. Lee Slater and Dr. Judy Robinson, Rutgers University
Ms. Carole Johnson and Dr. Fred Day-Lewis, United States Geological Survey
Part 2: July 28, 2016
12:00 PM ET (9:00 AM PT)
Abstract
“Geophysics 101 – Realistic Expectations for Geophysics When Used for Site Characterization and Remediation Monitoring” by Dr. Lee Slater, Dr. Judy Robinson, Ms. Carole Johnson and Dr. Fred Day-Lewis
ESTCP project ER-201567-T2 has two primary objectives: (1) broaden the effective deployment of geophysical technologies to achieve DoD’s environmental performance goals, and reduce costs and timelines to resolve environmental issues at DoD sites through technology transfer (T2); and (2) develop effective T2 activities to communicate key information on geophysical technology performance to managers and decision makers involved in the stewardship of DoD sites. Project deliverables include 5 online training modules on using geophysics for site characterization and remediation monitoring. Two webinars will provide a platform for these online modules. On June 30, 2016, an overview of the online training will be provided followed by two modules discussing the fundamentals of geophysics and detailing geophysical tomography (imaging) tools. On July 28, 2016, a second webinar will present three modules on borehole geophysical logging, geophysical characterization of hydrogeological frameworks at remediation sites and geophysical monitoring of remedial treatments.
Information on the general capabilities and limitations of geophysics for remediation studies, pros and cons of geophysics versus direct invasive measurements, strategies to help decide when geophysical methods should be utilized, and decision-based tools to support cost-effective and appropriate use of geophysical technologies at contaminated sites are expected to save site remediation professionals thousands of dollars by alerting them to situations when geophysics should not be used due to unrealistic objectives or inappropriate sites conditions.
Speaker Biographies

Dr. Lee Slater is the Henry Rutgers Professor of Geophysics at Rutgers University in Newark, NJ. His current areas of research focus on the development of borehole-based geophysical technologies for improving understanding of rock properties control flow and mass transport, as well as geophysical monitoring technologies for tracking amendment delivery and long term biogeochemical alterations caused by contaminant degradation. He has served as the Principal Investigator on several research grants focused on the use of geophysical techniques, primarily electrical methods, for investigating flow and transport processes in numerous geological settings. He has coauthored 135 peer-reviewed research papers and book chapters, including several on site characterization and remediation monitoring. He earned a bachelor's degree in Environmental Science from University of East Anglia (1992), a master's degree from University College of North Wales (1993) and a doctoral degree in Environmental Science from Lancaster University (1997), all in the United Kingdom.

Dr. Judy Robinson is a Research Associate at Rutgers University in Newark, NJ. She has extensive experience collecting, analyzing and modeling large 2D and 3D surface and borehole electrical resistivity tomography datasets. Her current area of research involves the use of lab-based geophysical methods to extract hydrogeological properties that control flow and transport from fractured rock cores while comparing these measurements to borehole geophysical data. She is the author/co-author of 5 peer-reviewed research papers related to site characterization and tracer transport using electrical methods. She earned a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (1993), a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Johns Hopkins University (1994) and a doctoral degree in Environmental Science from Rutgers University (2014).

Ms. Carole Johnson is a hydrologist with the USGS Office of Groundwater, Branch of Geophysics, in Storrs, CT, where she provides leadership to USGS hydrologists nationally on the development and application of hydrogeophysical methods to USGS groundwater studies through applied research, training and policy development. Her research interests include the use of borehole- and surface-geophysical methods and hydraulic testing for the characterization of fractured-rock aquifers. She has co-authored approximately 40 USGS publications on the use of hydrogeophysical methods for aquifer characterization for water resources and contaminant investigations. Ms. Johnson has taught numerous webinars and more than 25 hands-on workshops for scientists on geophysical field methods, data processing and data analysis for groundwater investigations. She currently holds a professional geologist’s license in New Hampshire, and serves on the board of the Environmental and Engineering Geophysics Society. She has a bachelor's degree in geology from Bates College and a master’s degree in hydrology from the University of New Hampshire.

Dr. Fred Day-Lewis is a Research Hydrologist with the USGS Office of Groundwater, Branch of Geophysics. Fred’s research focuses on the development and evaluation of geophysical technologies for aquifer characterization and monitoring natural and engineered hydrologic processes including aquifer remediation, groundwater/surface water interaction, and aquifer storage and recovery. Fred has served as principal and co-principal investigator on multiple research grants developing and testing new geophysical methods to aid in site characterization and performance monitoring. He has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. He has served as an associate editor for the journals Groundwater, Water Resources Research and Hydrogeology Journal. He currently serves as President of the American Geophysical Union’s Near Surface Geophysics Focus Group and is a former Vice President of the Environmental and Engineering Geophysics Society. He is a Fellow of the Geological Society of America. Dr. Day-Lewis received bachelor’s degrees in hydrology and English from the University of New Hampshire (1994) and a doctoral degree in hydrogeology from Stanford University (2001).
Past Webinars
- Installation Energy and Water (17)
- 07/09/2020 - Securing DoD Control Systems and Infrastructure from Cyber Threats
- 02/06/2020 - Battery Storage Resiliency Results from Installation Microgrid Simulations and Opportunities for Field Demonstration
- 01/14/2020 - Improving Energy Efficiency through Advanced Building Controls
- 08/08/2019 - Building Energy and Water Efficiency Solutions
- 02/21/2019 - Utilization of Advanced Conservation Voltage Reduction for Energy Reduction on DoD Installations
- 07/12/2018 - Innovative Low-Cost Building Automation Sensors and Controls
- 03/22/2018 - Cloud Computing Services for DoD - We Are Going to The Cloud!
- 11/16/2017 - Building Envelope Technologies
- 06/15/2017 - Coupling Geothermal Heat Pumps with Underground Seasonal Thermal Energy Storage
- 04/20/2017 - Solutions for Installations' Participation in Energy Markets
- 01/12/2017 - Award Winning Projects: Energy and Water
- 10/06/2016 - Cyber Security and its Impacts on Installation Energy Management
- 07/14/2016 - Remote Methods for Water Conservation
- 05/05/2016 - Cost Effective and Resilient Building-Scale Microgrid Solutions for Increased Energy Security
- 10/15/2015 - LED-ing the Way: Sophisticated and Energy Efficient Exterior Lighting Systems for DoD Installations
- 02/19/2015 - Raise the Roof: Increased Rooftop Solar Efficiency Beyond Flat Panel PV
- 12/18/2014 - Energy Audits: From Clipboard to Cloud
- Environmental Restoration (50)
- 04/08/2021 - Advances in Understanding PFAS Ecological Risks
- 02/25/2021 - Managing Chlorinated Solvents in Groundwater Using Biological Treatment
- 01/28/2021 - Improved Approaches for PFAS Sampling and Treatment
- 01/20/2021 - Development of a Decision Support Tool for Vadose Zone Remediation of Volatile Contaminants
- 12/10/2020 - Approaches for Managing Contaminated Sediments
- 11/19/2020 - Abiotic Degradation of Chlorinated Solvents in Subsurface Environments
- 10/22/2020 - Managing Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) Impacts to Subsurface Environments and Assessment of Commercially Available PFAS-Free Foams (Part 2)
- 10/08/2020 - Managing AFFF Impacts to Subsurface Environments and Assessment of Commercially Available PFAS-Free Foams (Part 1)
- 07/23/2020 - PFAS Fate, Transport and Treatment
- 06/18/2020 - Advances in the Treatment of 1,4-Dioxane in Mixed Contaminant Plumes
- 05/07/2020 - Innovative Technologies for PFAS Destruction in Investigation Derived Wastes
- 04/09/2020 - Ecological Risk Assessment Approaches at PFAS-Impacted Sites
- 03/12/2020 - Applying Compound-Specific Isotope Analysis to Document Contaminant Degradation and Distinguish Sources
- 12/12/2019 - Advances in Remediating Groundwater Contaminated with Chlorinated Solvents
- 11/07/2019 - Status of SERDP and ESTCP Efforts on PFAS and Innovative Approaches for Treatment of Waste Derived from PFAS Subsurface Investigations
- 10/24/2019 - Advances in Managing Contaminated Groundwater Using High Resolution Site Characterization and Contaminant Mass Flux Reduction
- 10/17/2019 - Managing AFFF Impacts to Subsurface Environments and Assessment of Commercially Available Fluorine-Free Foams
- 09/05/2019 - The Use of Advanced Molecular Biological Tools in Groundwater Contaminated with Chlorinated Solvents
- 06/20/2019 - Vapor Intrusion: Modeling Tools and Cost Effective Mitigation
- 05/23/2019 - Treatment Options for the Emerging Contaminants 1,2,3-Trichloropropane and 1,2-Dibromoethane
- 04/11/2019 - Managing Contaminated Sediments: Passive Sampling Methods and In Situ Treatment
- 02/07/2019 - The REMChlor-MD Groundwater Transport and Remediation Model for Sites with Matrix Diffusion
- 11/15/2018 - Stormwater Impacts on Sediment Recontamination
- 10/18/2018 - Restoration of Chlorinated Solvent Contaminated Groundwater Sites: The Value of Information Challenge
- 10/04/2018 - Managing Groundwater Impacts at Chlorinated Solvent Sites
- 08/09/2018 - Energy Sustainable Wastewater Treatment Systems for Forward Operating DoD Installations
- 06/28/2018 - Managing Sites Impacted by 1,4-Dioxane: New Developments in Molecular Tools and Conceptual Site Models
- 09/07/2017 - Research and Development Needs for Management of DoD's PFAS Contaminated Sites
- 07/27/2017 - Management of Energetic and Propellant Material Releases on Testing and Training Ranges
- 05/18/2017 - High-Resolution Site Characterization at Chlorinated Solvents Sites
- 04/06/2017 - 1,4-Dioxane Impacts and Innovative Cleanup Technologies at DoD Contaminated Sites
- 03/09/2017 - Award Winning Projects: Environmental Restoration
- 02/23/2017 - Monitoring and Risk Assessment of Environmental Risks Posed by Munitions Constituents in Aquatic Systems
- 12/15/2016 - Advances in the Assessment and In Situ Treatment of Contaminated Sediments
- 11/03/2016 - Bioavailability of Contaminants of Concern in Soils at DoD-Impacted Sites
- 09/08/2016 - Practical Assessment and Optimization of Redox-Based Groundwater Remediation Technologies
- 07/28/2016 - Geophysics 101 – Realistic expectations for geophysics when used for site characterization and remediation monitoring - Part 2
- 06/30/2016 - Geophysics 101 – Realistic expectations for geophysics when used for site characterization and remediation monitoring - Part 1
- 06/02/2016 - Insensitive Munitions: Environmental Health Criteria, Fate and Transport
- 04/21/2016 - Long Term Monitoring Issues at Chlorinated Solvent Sites
- 01/28/2016 - Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs): Analytical and Characterization Frontiers
- 01/14/2016 - Vapor Intrusion: Regulatory Update and Advances in Assessment Tools
- 12/03/2015 - Emerging Contaminants: DoD Overview and State of Knowledge on Fluorochemicals and 1,4-Dioxane
- 10/29/2015 - Assessment and Treatment of Contaminated Sediments
- 08/20/2015 - Characterization and Remediation in Fractured Rock Environments
- 05/28/2015 - New Tools for Characterizing and Remediating Munitions and Energetics at Military Ranges
- 03/19/2015 - Quantitative Framework and Management Expectation Tool for the Selection of Bioremediation Approaches at Chlorinated Solvent Sites
- 01/08/2015 - DNAPL Source Zone Management Approaches
- 11/20/2014 - New Tools for Improving the Management of Contaminated Sediment Sites
- 10/30/2014 - Key Advances in Vapor Intrusion Assessments at Contaminated Sites
- Munitions Response (15)
- 02/11/2021 - Advances in the Detection of Submerged Unexploded Ordnance in Marine Environments
- 09/24/2020 - Munitions Mobility and Burial in Underwater Environments
- 04/23/2020 - Progress on Underwater Unexploded Ordnance Remediation
- 07/25/2019 - Understanding Underwater Munitions Mobility and Behavior on the Beach Face and in Shallow Muddy Environments
- 08/23/2018 - Sediment Volume Search Sonar Development
- 11/02/2017 - Platforms for Underwater and Near-Shore Munitions Surveys
- 06/01/2017 - Classification of Military Munitions using Electromagnetic Induction Data
- 02/09/2017 - Award Winning Projects: Munitions Response
- 06/16/2016 - Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for Advanced Geophysical Classification Investigations – Part 2
- 05/19/2016 - Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) for Advanced Geophysical Classification Investigations – Part 1
- 02/25/2016 - Recent Advances in the Classification of Underwater Munitions near a Water-Sediment Boundary
- 11/12/2015 - Munitions Response: Land Based Program Closeout
- 09/17/2015 - Munitions Response: Underwater Geophysical Sensors
- 05/07/2015 - Factors Affecting Munitions Mobility Underwater and In Situ Measurements
- 02/05/2015 - Acoustic Methods for Underwater Munitions
- Resource Conservation and Resiliency (26)
- 03/11/2021 - New Resource Conservation Paradigms on DoD Lands
- 11/05/2020 - Changes in Pathogen Exposure Pathways under Non-Stationary Conditions and Their Implications for Wildlife and Human Exposure on Department of Defense Lands
- 08/20/2020 - Addressing Threatened and Endangered Species on DoD Lands
- 05/21/2020 - Analysis of Defense Related Ecosystem Services
- 03/26/2020 - Long-Term Ecological Studies: Evaluating Responses to Ecosystem Restoration and Optimizing Recovery of Plant Communities
- 10/03/2019 - Variation in Phenological Shifts: How do Annual Cycles and Genetic Diversity Constrain or Enable Responses to Climate Change?
- 08/22/2019 - Pacific Island Ecology and Management: Recovery of Native Plant Communities Following Removal of Non-Native Species
- 06/20/2019 - Developing Adaptation Strategies to Address Climate Change and Uncertainty
- 05/09/2019 - Roles of Soil Microbial Communities in Ecosystem Restoration
- 03/14/2019 - Determining the Temporal and Spatial Scales of Non-Stationarity in Temperature and Precipitation across the Continental United States
- 11/01/2018 - Plant Diversity and Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Longleaf Pine Ecosystems at Military Installations
- 09/20/2018 - Plant Diversity and Biological Nitrogen Fixation in Longleaf Pine Ecosystems at Military Installations
- 09/06/2018 - Informing Restoration Programs for Threatened and Endangered Plant Species
- 06/14/2018 - Approaches to Managing Threatened, Endangered and At-Risk Bird Species
- 05/03/2018 - Overview of the Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program (DCERP)
- 03/08/2018 - Quantifying and Modeling Fugitive Dust Emissions from DoD Activities
- 12/07/2017 - Management of Novel Hawaiian Ecosystems
- 10/05/2017 - New Resource Conservation Insights to Desert Environments
- 06/29/2017 - Future Vulnerabilities to Alaskan Ecosystems and Tools for Permafrost Assessment
- 02/23/2017 - Award Winning Projects: Resource Conservation and Resiliency
- 10/20/2016 - DoD Decision Making and Climate Change
- 09/22/2016 - Managing the Brown Treesnake Headache: Assessment of the Aerial Acetaminophen Bait Drop on Guam
- 04/07/2016 - Use of Climate Information for Decision Making and Impacts Research
- 12/17/2015 - Watershed Assessment and Stormwater Management Optimization Tools
- 03/26/2015 - Innovative Tools for Species Inventory, Monitoring, and Management
- 11/06/2014 - New Tools for Advancing Our Understanding of Marine Mammal Behavioral Ecology
- Weapons Systems and Platforms (24)
- 03/25/2021 - Advancing Coating Systems for Army Tactical Assets: A Fred Lafferman Tribute Webinar
- 09/10/2020 - Reducing Hazardous Materials in Weapons Systems: Advances in Waterjet Applications and Cold Spray Technologies
- 06/04/2020 - Waste Reduction and Treatment in Armed Forces Vessels
- 02/27/2020 - Advances in the Development of Environmentally Friendly Pyrotechnic and Propellant Formulations
- 10/31/2019 - Developing and Demonstrating Non-Toxic and Sustainable Coating Systems for Military Platforms
- 09/19/2019 - Life Cycle Assessment and Developmental Environment Safety and Occupational Health Evaluation: Tools for Sustainment and Health
- 06/06/2019 - Developing and Demonstrating Non-Toxic and Sustainable Coating Systems for Military Platforms
- 04/25/2019 - Accelerated Corrosion and Ageing Studies
- 05/31/2018 - Resonant Acoustic Mixing of Energetic Material Formulations
- 04/05/2018 - Advanced Nanocrystalline Alloys as Alternatives for Repair and Replacement of High Wear Parts
- 02/08/2018 - Improved Methods to Evaluate Aerial Emissions and Develop Pollutant Emission Factors
- 10/19/2017 - Laser De-Paint and Surface Preparation Mechanism and Technologies
- 08/17/2017 - Zinc Nickel Dip and Brush Plating
- 05/04/2017 - Novel Coatings Systems for Use as High Performance Chemical Resistant Powder Topcoats
- 01/26/2017 - Award Winning Projects: Weapons Systems and Platforms
- 08/11/2016 - An Environmentally Acceptable Alternative for Fast Cook-Off Testing, Demonstration, Validation and Implementation Efforts
- 03/24/2016 - Cadmium and Chromate Elimination Efforts: Implementation Plans and Strategic Roadmaps for Three DoD Depots
- 02/11/2016 - Chromate/Hazardous Material Free Coating Systems for Military Aircraft and Ground Support Equipment
- 10/01/2015 - Hexavalent Chrome Elimination from Hard Chrome Surface Finishing
- 07/16/2015 - Sustainable Pyrotechnics: Flares and Projectiles
- 04/16/2015 - Blast Noise Measurements and Community Response
- 03/05/2015 - Understanding and Mitigating the Risks Associated with Lead-Free Electronics
- 01/22/2015 - Bio-Based Methodologies for the Production of Environmentally Sustainable Materials
- 12/04/2014 - Waste to Energy Options for Base Camps: Efficient Tar Management and Rotary Kiln Gasification
Featured Initiatives
The latest developments in science, engineering, and technology.