Dr. Kennedy was fascinating to listen to. As a professor from Northern Arizona University he presented a unique topic on the future hydro geophysics. What really resonated with me was the manner in which he began by exploring the history of the field, where we are today, and where technology is likely to take us in the future. At the same time, he revealed the reality that technology is not likely to impact the limitations we currently face in measuring gravity, as we have already refined that process to the fullest extent possible. It is not everyday that you hear that science is ahead of technology, but in this case it appears that we are.
In large part, the seminar focused on the function of gravity and hydrology. This entailed a review of Newton’s Law of Gravitation, which was helpful in order to gain a fresh perspective on this important scientific principle that is deeply applicable to the discipline of engineering. Dr. Kennedy also reminded us that gravity is difficult to measure as one moves deeper into space, which precludes the full use of air borne sensors for this purpose. In terms of measuring sensitivity, it one needs to discretize the mass change, and then to apply Newton’s Law of gravity to each element. It is important to remember that this assumes a stable value being reported for any change in density (Kennedy 2016).
Beyond what was just mentioned, Dr. Kennedy devoted part of his presentation to explaining some of the key implications of Newton’s Law as they relate to the measurement of gravity today. The first item that was noted is that we are given the change is mass density, then it is possible to then identify the region over which it occurs. This can also be applied in the opposite direction, but it is important to note that you cannot do both, which means do depth resolution is possible (Kennedy 2016).
A second implication of Newton’s Law that we mentioned in the seminar is that the region of sensitivity, or the support volume, is actually known to be static. As such, it does not vary as mass change occurs, which is certainly interesting to note. It was also noted that the support volume is infinite. This principle teaches us that there is no distance where sensitivity will actually drop to zero. This is because the gravimeter will actually sense changes over a large space or region (Kennedy 2016). In addition, the seminar taught me that sensitivity to any particular hydrologic model can be calculated rather easily.
This seminar was beneficial to me for many reasons, one of which it provided me the opportunity to connect with other scholars in this field and to learn from their expertise. It reinforced to me the notion that attend professional presentations such as this one allows me to network with others in the field, which will only serve to improve my future career prospects as an engineer. There is an infinite amount of knowledge out there for me to learn, with new discoveries constantly being made. These seminars provide a venue to share these discoveries, exchange information, and add to the academic body of knowledgee. This promotes further research opportunities, which should in turn lead to future scientific discoveries.
The presentation, and the surrounding event, reiterated to me the importance of professionalism in this industry. As a student, I want to continue learning all that I can to further my knowledge. This will benefit as I am plan to enter the profession, as it is important to understand the future technology that will be required, combined with scientific laws and principles that will enable to progress. My goal is to one day be a presenter in my own regard and to enhance the minds of others.
Works Cited
Kennedy, Jeff. “The Future of Hydrogeophysics: Measuring Gravity Change to Monitor Soil
Moisture, Infiltration, and Groundwater Flow.” Northern Arizona University School of
Earth Sciences and Environmental Sustainability Seminar. 8 March 2016.
