WA

The WA Branch of the Australian Society of Exploration Geophysicists invites you to attend the upcoming ASEG WA Tech Night presented by Dr. Andi A Pfaffhuber, Principal Geophysicist of NGI Perth.

Geophysics, the disruptive innovation for the geotechnical industry?

The talk's title is quoting a statement made by a geotechnical engineer at last year's International conference on geotechnical and geophysical site characterisation. In my talk I will illustrate how close we might be to that predicted disruption of the industry.

The presentation will use a range of case studies to illustrate how geophysical and remote sensing methods are being used innovatively to deliver geotechnical efficiency. Expect to be entertained with cases that show…

•    how radar satellite data is used to track infrastructure- and slope settlement to millimetre resolutions.
•    how terrestrial photo/lidar/radar methods are combined for geohazard assessment and urban infrastructure settlement.
•    how "geotechnical" airborne geophysics is used to.
•    perform soil investigations for geotechnical design of surface infrastructure. 
•    find major weakness zones along tunnel alignments.
•    classify hazardous quick clay.
•    find the base of massive debris- and rock slides.
•    and how LIDAR is applied in tunnelling to control and document rock properties, shotcrete and rock support.

Dr Andi Pfaffhuber has recently moved to Perth with two goals: to establish onshore activities at NGI's Perth office and to spend a sabbatical time away from NGI's main office in Oslo.

Andi has been with NGI for ten years and built up a Geosurveys section that provides the missing link between high quality survey data and complex, real life geotechnical challenges. This link and mutual understanding is the core benefit that the team's assembled expertise and experience provides in consulting and research projects anchored in NGI's building, construction, transportation and natural hazard market areas.

Representing NGI Andi has lead several projects using innovative technologies to map the earth's surface and subsurface with respect to settlement, bedrock topography, weakness zones, slope stability and contaminated ground.

Event website: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/aseg-wa-may-tech-night-tickets-33000305803

Registration closing date:  Monday 8^th May

Regsitration Costs: Free to members and non members

Magnetotellurics for Regional and Local Exploration

The talk will present a number of case studies from around the world showing the application of MT surveys at lithospheric, district and locals scales.

Shane Evans has a BSc (Hons) in Geophysics from Curtin University and a MSc (Geology and Geological Engineering) from Queens University (Kingston, Ontario). After gaining his MSc in 2003, Shane moved to Johannesburg, South Africa to work in the DeBeers Geoscience Centre. During his time at DeBeers, Shane researched the use of magnetotellurics for crustal and lithospheric mapping throughout Southern Africa, India and Canada.

In 2005 Shane set up Moombarriga Geoscience in Perth, with the aim to become a specialist MT geophysical contractor. In 2008 Moombarriga purchased 4 Phoenix recorders and acquired its first commercial MT dataset for KUTH Energy, Tasmania.

Since that time Moombarriga Geoscience has acquired over 3,000 MT sites for both energy and mineral interests; the client list includes universities, government geological surveys, exploration companies and energy companies throughout Australia and the world.

Please register prior to midday close Tuesday 7 March 2017

ASEG WA  Introduction to Ground Penetrating Radar Workshop
Dr. Jan Francke

Friday 23 September 2016
1:00 pm for 5:00 pm
(Registration from 12:30.  Drinks and nibbles 5 - 6 pm)
City West Function Centre, 45 Plaistowe Mews, West Perth WA 6005

$35 registration cost.  Please thank our sponsors Core Geophysics and Groundradar Inc. for assisting in keeping the price down.

Although a recent addition to the geophysicist’s toolbox, Ground penetrating radar (GPR) is now a well-established geophysical method in Australia.  Dozens of systems are deployed daily throughout the region, mainly for civil infrastructure projects.  In addition to being one of the easiest geophysical tool with which to collect data, it is also perhaps the most misinterpreted and oversold method. 

The concept of radar imaging of the subsurface is not new, with the principles having been well-established over the last century.  Technological advances in GPR technology have enabled deeper and faster imaging of larger areas with higher resolution.  The workshop will begin by introducing the history of GPR along with general EM theory.  The content covers various types of GPR instruments, suitable survey environments, along with interpretation and modelling pitfalls. 

The overall focus of the workshop will be on managing expectations with regards to GPR resolution and penetration, including examinations of several case studies from the region.  Recently, claims have been made of exceptional performance by devices which seemingly are outside of the bounds of physics.  These technologies will be examined and example data discussed, within the context of scientific principles. 

The workshop will be held by Dr. Jan Francke, who has worked exclusively with long-range GPR technologies for 25 years in 85 countries.  His experience spans thousands of projects in environments ranging from Arctic Sweden to southern Chile.  He conducts numerous workshops on GPR applications a year in a non-academic format, relying on real-world examples rather than complex mathematical modelling and theory. 

Biography

Dr. Francke is amongst the most experienced users of ground penetrating radar in the world, having spent his entire 25-year career working with deep GPR applications.  He holds a BSc from the University of British Columbia, an MSc from the University of Canterbury, and a PhD from Kings College London, all focusing on mineral exploration applications of GPR.  His field experience includes GPR projects in over 85 countries on six continents.  He has authored dozens of papers on the applications GPR to mining and geotechnical problems, and conducted numerous workshops teaching GPR principles and managing expectations on realistic GPR performance.

Please register by 21 September
 

18th International Association for Mathematical Geosciences Conference

On behalf of the International Association for Mathematical Geosciences (IAMG), we invite you to participate in our 18th Annual Conference, IAMG2017. The conference will be held in the historic port city of Fremantle in Western Australia, 2-9 September 2017.

The aim of the conference is to promote the advancement of mathematics, statistics and informatics in the geosciences. Areas of geoscience application include studies of the Earth, its natural resources and the environment.

IAMG2017 will provide a venue for the presentation of new research in the form of oral and poster presentations at the Esplanade Hotel. We invite researchers to submit abstracts via our abstract submission portal. We also welcome proposals for short courses and workshops associated with the conference. The IAMG2017 Scientific Committee, composed of distinguished experts, will ensure an outstanding technical level for the presentations at the conference. There will be exhibition space available for geoscience related industries to showcase recent technological developments, including software. The economy of Western Australia relies heavily on its mineral and energy resources and we particularly urge related industries to participate in this conference and support research.

More details at the Conference Website.