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.

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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)

Presentation Slides

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).

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