OUR SCIENCE

• Applied Seismology: evaluation of seismic wave generation and propagation; analysis of critically stressed faults; earthquake triggering; explosion monitoring.
• Elasticity, Vibrations, and Acoustics (EVA) Laboratory specializes in:
  • using acoustic and elastic waves for material integrity characterization and nondestructive evaluation, including high-pressure fluid environments.
  • full 3D waveform measurements using laser vibrometry,
  • imaging and developing advanced ultrasonic techniques using time reversal and nonlinear elasticity.
• Geologic framework model development.
• Geomechanical Modeling: Combined finite- and discrete-element analysis of rock deformation; high strain-rate shock propagation; multi-scale analysis of the crustal state of stress.
• Data Analytics: application of machine learning techniques to improve the extraction of knowledge from data.
• Seismic and acoustic imaging:  microseismicity analysis; inversion theory; seismic and acoustic tomography.

PRIMARY EXPERTISE

• Earthquake triggering and earthquake processes.
• Ground-based nuclear detonation detection.
• Advanced data analytics to improve subsurface decision-making for national security and applied energy challenges.
• Seismic and medical imaging.
• Nondestructive evaluation using non-linear acoustic techniques.
• Combined finite- and discrete-element numerical modeling of solid-fluid interactions.

RECENT MAJOR PROJECTS

• Basic research associated with the non-linear elastic behavior of Earth and other materials.
• Carbon sequestration risk assessment:
  • National Risk Assessment Partnership (NRAP): prediction of carbon sequestration-induced seismicity.
  • State of stress: modeling to map from local to regional scale and monitor and assess risk.
• Determining the Earth’s state of stress and the critical stress state preceding failure of faults.
• Determining the effect of fluids on permeability in the crust.
• Elasticity, Vibrations, and Acoustics (EVA) Laboratory projects.
• Imaging non-linear elastic behavior in reservoirs.
• Medical imaging.
• Modeling to simulate and model propellant- and explosion-source fracture.
• Nonlinear Elasticity and Material Team.
• Nuclear nonproliferation:
  
  • Modeling to understand noble-gas seepage in fractured rock.
  • Multi-Phenomenology Explosion Monitoring (MultiPEM): nuclear treaty/explosion monitoring.
  • Subcritical experiments to ensure special nuclear material containment.
  • Multi-scale Seismo-acoustic nuclear detonation detection and wave propagation.
  • Regional Seismic Travel Time (RSTT) modeling and uncertainty estimation.
  • Seismic monitoring (passive and active).
  • Source Physics Experiment (SPE) to improve low-yield nuclear explosions’ event identification.