Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR): An Image of the Near-Surface

September 8, 2023September 21, 2023 / Riley B.

Introduction Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a powerful tool that can help us understand what lies beneath the surface. GPR works by sending high-frequency electromagnetic waves into the ground and measuring the reflections that bounce back. The frequency of these electromagnetic waves is in the same general range of frequencies used by cell phones. The … Continue reading Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR): An Image of the Near-Surface

Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) Geophysics

August 2, 2023October 20, 2023 / Riley B.

What is ERT? Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) is a geophysical technique that uses electrical currents to image the subsurface. Don't let the name intimidate you, let's break it down: Electrical: an electrical field is passed through the ground (and measured along the way) Resistivity: we are interested in knowing how different materials "resist" that current … Continue reading Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) Geophysics

Earth Sciences on the Divide

March 11, 2021 / Riley B.

Today marks the one-year anniversary since the WHO declared a pandemic around the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2. This has changed the way we work, live, and socialize. In the short term, this has created a tremendous burden of pain and hardship for people around the world. In the long term, I imagine it will change … Continue reading Earth Sciences on the Divide

2020: A Year for the Books

January 29, 2021February 3, 2021 / Riley B.

As an historic pandemic ravaged the globe, Earth science as a whole has had to deal with major changes and delays...In spite of all the churn and change and challenges, we were still able to do some great work in geophysics and hydrogeology.

Earth Sciences: The World is at Your Feet

January 8, 2020March 11, 2021 / Riley B.

To finish out their semester, I facilitated a presentation at Monticello Middle School's Science Cafe in Monticello, IL in December 2019. Science Cafe is an excellent program that allows students to bring their lunch into one of the science classrooms to hear a presentation from a practicing science about what they do and why it matters to the students.