Earth and Environmental Sciences Area Logo Earth and Environmental Sciences Area Logo
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Logo
Menu
  • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Organizational Charts
    • Virtual Tours
    • EESA Strategic Vision
  • Our People
    • A-Z People
    • Alumni Network
    • Area Offices
    • Committees
    • Directors
    • IDEA Working Group
    • Paul A. Witherspoon
    • Postdocs & Early Careers
    • Search by Expertise
  • Careers & Opportunities
    • Careers
    • Intern Pilot w/CSUEB
    • Mentorship Program
    • Recognition & Funding Opps
    • EESA Mini Grants
    • S&E Metrics for Performance and Promotion
    • Student Opportunities
    • Supervisor EnRichment (SupER) Program
    • Promotion Metrics (Scientific)
  • Research
    • Area-Wide Program Domain
      • Earth AI & Data
    • Our Divisions
    • Climate & Ecosystem Sciences Division
      • Environmental & Biological Systems Science
        • Programs
        • Environmental Remediation & Water Resources
        • Ecosystems Biology Program
        • Bioenergy
      • Biosphere-Atmosphere Interactions
        • Programs
        • Climate Modeling
        • Atmospheric System Research
        • Terrestrial Ecosystem Science
      • Climate & Atmosphere Processes
        • Programs
        • Climate Modeling
        • Atmospheric System Research
      • Earth Systems & Society
        • Programs
        • Climate Modeling
    • Energy Geosciences Division
      • Discovery Geosciences
        • Programs
        • Basic Energy Sciences (BES) Geophysics
        • Basic Energy Sciences (BES) Geochemistry
        • Basic Energy Sciences (BES) Isotope
      • Energy Resources and Carbon Management
        • Programs
        • Carbon Removal & Mineralization Program
        • Carbon Storage Program
        • Geothermal Systems
        • Hydrocarbon Science
        • Nuclear Energy & Waste
      • Resilient Energy, Water & Infrastructure
        • Programs
        • Water-Energy
        • Critical Infrastructure
        • Environmental Resilience
        • Grid-Scale Subsurface Energy Storage
        • National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI)
    • Projects
    • Research at a Glance
    • Publication Lists
    • Centers and Resources
    • Technologies & National User Programs
  • Departments
    • Climate Sciences
    • Ecology
    • Geochemistry
    • Geophysics
    • Hydrogeology
    • Operations
  • News & Events
    • News
    • Events
    • Earth & Environment Newsletter
  • Intranet
  • Safety
    • EESA Safety
  • FoW
  • Search

  • all
  • people
  • events
  • posts
  • pages
  • projects
  • publications

Geophysics 

Advanced Geophysical Instrumentation

The focus of this research area is the development of innovative geophysical hardware and methodologies for subsurface imaging and monitoring, such as high-resolution borehole tomographic tools (radar and seismic), and micro-earthquake monitoring systems. Specific examples include the following:

  • development of low-cost passive seismic sensor arrays
  • development of both passive and active seismic systems for utilizing micro-hole technology (boreholes that are smaller diameter and less expensive to drill)
  • development of an optimum electromagnetic system for detecting and identifying unexploded ordnance

In support of this capability, researchers throughout EESA and Berkeley Lab have access to the Geosciences Measurement Facility, a DOE-supported facility designed to develop and maintain a variety of geophysical and geoscience instrumentation and measurement equipment.

Additionally, the Geophysics Department continues development of seismic sources, with recent focus on permanent sources including a surface source using orbital vibrator technology, and the piezo-tube, a tubing-deployed seismic source. Permanent sources allow continuous active-source seismic monitoring during fluid injection/withdrawal. Other development includes multisource arrays and a small-diameter high-frequency orbital-vibrator shear source for crosswell and single-well seismic imaging applications.

Furthermore, Department scientists have developed electromagnetic (EM) instrumentation including crosswell EM tools for reservoir imaging/monitoring, and a multi-sensor electromagnetic system (BUD, Berkeley UXO Discriminator) that quickly determines the location, size, shape, and metal content of buried unexploded ordnance (UXO) and more importantly differentiates explosive from harmless metal.

Innovations within the Department’s core capabilities has led to R&D 100 Awards for the Berkeley UXO Discriminator (2007) and more recently the Continuous Active-Source Seismic Monitoring (CASSM) in 2015.

Team stands with BUD multi-sensor
Team with Berkeley Unexploded Ordnance Discriminator (BUD). Left to right: Erika Gasperikova, Frank Morrison, Torquil Smith, Alessandro Ratti, Robin Lafever, Jim Greer, Alex Becker, Harold Yaver, Larry Doolittle, and Jean-Francois Beche (absent).
Geophysical imaging technology CASSM
Geophysical imaging technology CASSM (Photo credit: Berkeley Lab)

People

Thomas Daley
Affiliate

Craig Ulrich
Principal Scientific Engineering Associate

  • Our People
    • Area Offices
    • Committees
    • Directors
    • Organizational Charts
    • Postdocs
    • Staff Only
    • Search by Expertise
  • Departments
    • Climate Sciences
    • Ecology
    • Geochemistry
    • Geophysics
    • Hydrogeology
  • Research
    • Climate & Ecosystem Sciences Division
    • Energy Geosciences Division
    • Program Domains
      • Programs
    • Projects
  • Contact
    • 510 486 6455
    • eesawebmaster@lbl.gov
    • Our Identity

Earth and Environmental Sciences Area Logo DOE Earth and Environmental Sciences Area Logo UC

A U.S. Department of Energy National Laboratory Managed by the University of California

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory · Earth and Environmental Sciences Area · Privacy & Security Notice