Seminar Write-Up
The seminar I recently attended about the future of hydro geophysics, presented by Dr. Kennedy from North Arizona University, was actually quite fascinating. The focus was on how to measure the change in gravity in an effort to better monitor soil moisture, infiltration, and the flow of groundwater. The beginning portion of the seminar focused on the concepts related to predicting the future of the field of hydro geophysics. The presentation approached this topic from the perspective that any improvement in measurement resolution is not likely to lead to any better information becoming available to the scientist.
The process of obtaining these measurements is already well developed, and any future improvements from a technological perspective would only result in minor improvements that will not affect the overall ability to make sound observations. It was also talked about how learning more about the impact of gravity has been rather limited (Kennedy 2016). This is because of the overall expense and time that is necessary in order to collect sufficient data. Dr. Kennedy went on to talk about ways that the speed of data collection can be increased using the changes in quantity when observing the spatial distribution of water. This appears to be a new possibility in research that could certainly provide interesting moving forward.
I found the section of the seminar that focus on the past, present, and future of this topic to be most revealing. It was interesting to see how data was collected in previous generations, as this has lead to where we are today. At the same time, new technology is constantly being introduced, so Dr. Kennedy was able to present what the future of data collection in this area is going to look like. It is quite fascinating and interesting to think how I will be a part of this as I progress in my career after graduation.
One of the more interesting components of the presented was the detail given about airborne sensors. This is a great way of measuring airborne gravity and gravity gradiomety that has only recently arrived on the scene. At the same time, there are limitations to using them for this purpose as gravity is rather sensitive to changes in elevation (Kennedy 2016). As such, a flight path cannot reliably be repeated, nor can it be positioned in such a way that will allow for accurate time-lapse applications. Because of this, Dr. Kennedy believes that airborne sensors will not be that useful for the purpose of terrestrial and space applications any time soon.
Overall, this seminar was extremely beneficial and it reinvigorated my passion for this course of study. I will put this information to use in my future engineering career as I strive to design new ways of measuring gravity and the impact on our planet, and space. This is yet another step on my path to life long learning, and the seminar also reinforced the importance of professionalism in all that I do in my career.
It is important to work together as a team, as Dr. Kennedy demonstrates in his work at NAU. This is how engineering breakthroughs occur. We still have a great deal to learn. We have hit a wall in many areas, and technology alone will not be able to break through the barriers. By attending seminars and learning together in a collaborative manner, more research can be conducted and the future of the field will continue to shape in a progressive manner.
Communication is key. The findings that Dr. Kennedy presents are important, and they need to be relayed to the engineering community. This furthers the academic body of knowledge available in the field, which can spur future research studies that will shape the field for generations to come. It would be my goal to continue attending seminars such as this one, and to one day even present my own.
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.
