[ghsc-seminars] USGS-GHSC Seminar: Professor Adam Schulz, OSU, TODAY, Nov, 14th, 2pm

[Rigler, Erin (Josh)]

*"**Evaluating natural risks and resources from volcanic and geothermal
systems, subduction zones, and space weather; or saving the world one
magnetotelluric station at a time"*
​​
*Dr. Adam Schultz, Professor of Geophysics, Oregon State University*

The NSF EarthScope and GeoPRISMS Programs have led to an explosion of
high-density magnetotelluric (MT) data of unparalleled quality covering
much of the continental US and part of Alaska. By combining information
from the EarthScope long-period MT Transportable Array of stations, which
are spaced nominally 70-km apart on a regular grid covering much of the
continental US, with more targeted, tighter spaced long-period and wideband
MT station arrays (MOCHA, iMUSH, Yellowstone, INSPIRE/Alaska experiments),
new information is emerging on the accretional history of Cascadia, the
magmatic roots of its volcanic arc, the segmentation of its continental
margin, and the possible role of slab dehydration derived fluids in seismic
stress release; as well as the distribution of melt and hydrothermal fluids
beneath Yellowstone caldera, and the coupling between complex ionospheric
auroral electric fields and the crust and mantle in a region that
transitions from flat slab convergent margin to tectonic North America.
These large-array MT experiments, led by OSU but in a number of cases in
collaboration with USGS as well as other institutions, will be described
and initial findings presented.

In the past half-decade, a previously unanticipated outcome of MT
investigations of North America has been their relevance to mitigating
risks to built infrastructure; specifically geomagnetically induced
currents (GICs) arising from geomagnetic disturbances (GMDs). Most
recently, the relevance of studies of this phenomenon to the problem of
high altitude electromagnetic pulse, or HEMP weapons, whose late-phase (E3)
signatures bear some resemblance to GMDs, has become an issue meriting
attention by federal agencies and regulatory bodies.

In order to better address these vulnerabilities, a recently initiated NSF
project led by OSU, in collaboration with industry partners PingThings,
American Transmission Company, Central Maine Power, and the USGS
Geomagnetism Program will develop a Smart Service System (SSS) to enable
power utilities to mitigate against damage to the approximately 2200
high-power transformers that underpin the US power transmission network.
The SSS will assimilate information on the 3-D electrical conductivity
structure of the crust and mantle derived from the aforementioned MT
surveys, real-time data streams from the USGS magnetic observatory network
and from arrays of sensors installed on the power grid, to provide near
real-time predictions of reactive power loss due to GICs, providing power
grid operators new information to enable them to modify power grid
operations in a time frame meaningful to minimize damage and reduce the
likelihood of cascading failures that can seriously disrupt provision of
power to large regions of the US. This vulnerability represents a $1T risk
to the US economy.


*Tuesday, November 14th, 2017*
*2-3 pm​  (Mountain Time)*
*USGS, 1711 Illinois Street, Golden, CO*
*First Floor (Entry Level) Seminar Room*

*Note: Please arrive *~10 minutes early* and *bring photo ID* for
security measures
now in place at the USGS building.

Thank you,
GHSC Seminar Committee

Mirus, Ben - bbmirus at usgs.gov
Josh Rigler - erigler at usgs.gov
Oliver Boyd - oboyd at usgs.gov
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