GOING UNDERGROUND: WHY GEOPHYSICS MATTERS EXPLORATION INDUSTRY E DUC AT ION A PPL IC AT ION I M PAC T Advancing Astronomy and Geophysics CONTENTS GOING UNDERGROUND This booklet was produced by the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS). The RAS is grateful for the support of the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) for this publication. www.ras.org.uk CONTENTS Managing editor: Robert Massey, RAS ([email protected]) Editor/writer: Sue Bowler, RAS ([email protected]) Design and production: Paul Johnson (www.higgs-boson.com) FOREWORD 5 Printed by: EPC Direct, Bristol © RAS February 2014 3 From the President of the Royal Astronomical Society Contributors to the booklet include: INTRODUCTION David Southwood (President of the RAS), David Beamish (British Geological Survey), Ciarán Beggan (BGS), Juliet Biggs (Univ. of Bristol), Christian Bird (TerraDat), Andy Chadwick (BGS), Jonathan Chambers 4 Geophysics: understanding the Earth (BGS), Kit Chambers (Rocktalk), Chris Chapman (Schlumberger Gould Research), Phil Christie (Schlumberger Gould Research), Roger VOLcanoes Clark (Univ. of Leeds), Peter Clarke (Univ. of Newcastle), Arwen Deuss (Univ. of Cambridge), Alex Eliott (Emu Ltd), Chris Green (Getech), 5 Exploding ideas 8 Richard Harrison (RAL Space), Tim Henstock (Univ. of Southampton), Sam Holloway (BGS), Richard Holme (Univ. of Liverpool), Simon THE deep eartH Hughes (TerraDat), James Jackson (Univ. of Cambridge), Howard Johnston, Simon Kelly (Open University), Mike Kendall (Univ. of Bristol), Geoff Kimball, Roland Leigh (Univ. of Leicester), Mark Lester 6 From the depths of the Earth (Univ. of Leicester), Phil Livermore (Univ. of Leeds), John Ludden (BGS), Dave Marsden, Susan MacMillan (BGS), Lisa McNeill (Univ. THE OCEAN FLOOR of Southampton), Rob Morrow (SAND Geophysics), Jurgen Neuberg (Univ. of Leeds), Barry Parsons (Univ. of Oxford), Sheila Peacock, 8 Under the sea Christine Peirce (Univ. of Durham), Jeremy Phillips (Univ. of Bristol), Alan Reid (Reid Geophysics), Roger Searle (Univ. of Durham), Matt Watson (Univ. of Bristol), Jim Wild (Univ. of Lancaster), Tim Wright continentaL deformation 9 (Univ. of Leeds), Anton Ziolkowski (Univ. of Edinburgh). 9 A shifting surface Image credits: p1 Getech. p3 D Southwood. p4 Geoid: ESA. Sentinel: ESA/ATG Medialab. THE ENVIRONMENT Quadbike: TerraDat. p5 Dr Susanna Jenkins. p6/7 Magnetic field: Phil Livermore, Univ. of Leeds. Aurora: ISS Expedition 23 crew/ISAL/NASA. Mini-magnetosphere: RAL Space/Univ. of York. HF radar: Univ. of 10 Supporting a sustainable society Leicester. p8 Wind turbines: London Array Ltd. Mid-Atlantic Ridge: fig. 4.5 of ‘Mid-Ocean Ridges’ by R Searle (Cambridge Univ. Press). p9 Afar NATURAL HaZards rift: Julie Rowland, Univ. of Auckland. L’Aquila: Richard Walters, COMET. p10/11 Railway: Network Rail. Sleipner West: Courtesy of BGS involvement 12 Our dangerous planet 10 in the SACS, SACS2 and CO2STORE projects. Collecting data: TerraDat. p12 Patong beach: Thorfinn Stainforth. Volcano: ESA. p13 CityScan spectrometer: Air Quality Group, Univ. of Leicester (www.leos.le.ac.uk/aq). Remote sensing Explosion: National Nuclear Security Admin./Nevada Site Office. p14/15 Oil platform: Erik Christensen. Magnetic Earth: Getech. p16 A Deuss: 13 Eyes in the skies A Deuss. Earth model: John Woodhouse/University of Oxford. p17 B Fox: B Fox. Japan tsunami/earthquake: US Navy/Mass IndustrY and innovation Communication Specialist 1st Class M M Bradley. p18 Seismometer: Bob White. P Christie: P Christie. Atlantic Ocean: R White. p19 C Beggan: C Beggan. Solar flare: NASA. Pylon: Benkid77/Wikimedia Commons. 14 Geophysics in the UK’s oil and gas industry p20 Earth’s core: C J Hamilton. CAREERS IN THE MODERN WORLD 12 Cover: The cover shows the free air gravity anomaly presented as 16 Exploring the depths of the Earth topography on the curved Earth surface, looking east along the Hawaii chain of volcanic islands and sea mounts. The image illustrates the concept of flexural isostacy: the weight of the volcanic 17 How much will a disaster cost? islands and seamounts (red peaks) warps the “elastic” oceanic crust downwards (adjacent blue troughs). The gravity field over the oceans 18 Pulling together is generated from processing the sea-surface topography mapped by satellite radar altimeters. 19 Keeping the lights on 2 UNDERGROUND, OVERGROUND: WHY GEOPHYSICS MATTERS FOREWORD FROM THE PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY t is a great pleasure to introduce this booklet make the best of a changing energy market. “Geophysics Ion the wider economic and social impact of That industry needs more geophysicists, is well placed geophysics – the study of our changing planet valuing them for their specialist skills, to continue its success, and its place in space. innovation and can-do attitudes. boosting The most obvious thing about Earth sciences At the same time, developments in national is that all of us live on and must share the geophysical imaging have revolutionized site prosperity same planet; not only is studying it humanly surveys and made environmental investigation and flying the important, but it is also inevitably international a growth sector on land and sea. Increased research flag for the UK on the in scope. That doesn’t mean we Britons can leave environmental awareness – driven, in large world stage” it to others! UK researchers are – and need to part, by growing scientific evidence of a be – world players, often taking leading roles in changing climate from Earth observation particular strategic viewpoint and now, as major international projects from studies of the satellites – has also boosted demand for remote President of the Royal Astronomical Society, I Earth’s interior to satellite missions that observe monitoring of land, sea and air. can see that UK geophysics is very well placed Earth from space. A developed country such as The UK geophysics community, while to continue its success, boosting national ours needs to undertake such science, not only to relatively small, benefits from close and active prosperity and flying the research flag for the contribute to the general good of humanity, but links with the international community and UK on the world stage. also to ensure our own economic security. with industry – one of the reasons for its I hope that you will enjoy reading this booklet The economic importance and impact continual successful innovation. As Head of and finding out more about geophysics in the UK of geophysics is self-evident. Outside the Earth Observation Strategy at the European and how it supports our society and economy. academic research sector, UK geophysics Space Agency, I had the opportunity to work supports and is supported by a successful closely with the space industry and with the hydrocarbons industry thriving on all scales, European Commission and other international from multinational players such as BP to small bodies, trying to make a seamless pull-through Prof. David Southwood consultancies and specialist companies that from Earth science to applications relevant President, Royal Astronomical Society make the sector as a whole flexible enough to to managing our planet better. From that 2012–2014 GOING UNDERGROUND: WHY GEOPHYSICS MATTERS 3 INTRODUCTION GEOPHYSICS: undersTAnding THE EARTH What is geophysics? What do geophysicists do? How does it help us in our everyday lives? And what part does the UK play in this inherently worldwide science? Read on to learn about the increasingly vital investigation of Earth and its environment, from the inner core, out to plate tectonics and the changing surface features and up into space. odern geophysics has flourished since the estab- changing surface is now under scrutiny from satellites “Geophysics is relatively small Mlishment of the theory of plate tectonics, some 50 as well as on the ground; fieldwork and remote sensing thriving in the community in the years ago, yet the study of Earth has been part of broader together have shown how the subtler effects of plate move- UK fosters collaboration, scientific exploration for hundreds of years. What changed ments work on human timescales (page 9). Exploration UK, thanks to a within research and between research and in the 20th century was a revolution in technology: instru- of the seas around the UK has shown how oceans form strong research industry, with successful outcomes including world- ments, data storage and analytical power have all improved – and how those processes affect the eruption of volca- community leading roles for UK researchers. The British Geophysical beyond measure, giving today’s geophysicists a much noes in Iceland, for example (page 5, 8). And UK geo- allied with Association (www.geophysics.org) represents academic better and broader view of Earth. physicists are investigating volcanic activity geophysicists, under the umbrella of two learned societies, worldwide, finding reliable indicators a powerful the Royal Astronomical Society (www.ras.org.uk) and the Broad subject of imminent eruption and ways to industry” Geological Society of London (www.geolsoc.org.uk). Geo- Geophysics is a broad, multidiscipli- track the progress of their often physics is also within the remit of the British Geological nary subject, covering all physical disruptive plumes of ash (page Survey (www.bgs.ac.uk), a national organization funded aspects of examining and meas- 12). The effects of these natural by the NERC that employs geophysicists to monitor the uring the Earth and its place in phenomena are often hazard- Earth and provide information to industry and business. Big data about the space. Government funding ous to people nearby – but in ▲ Earth – collected for geophysics research is today’s interconnected world with satellites and at Education administered largely through the effects can be felt world- ground level – makes Geophysics is thriving in the UK, thanks to a strong research the Natural Environment wide. Geophysicists help to geophysics a powerful community allied with a powerful industry. The subject Research Council (NERC). understand these events, moni- tool for understanding inspires young people and the training is valued by employ- UK geophysicists are active in tor and mitigate their effects, as our planet.