Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/Z50371X/1
Ocean-Bottom Broadband Seismic Imaging: Understanding our Dynamic Earth
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor C Peirce, Durham University, Earth Sciences
- Grant held at:
- Durham University, Earth Sciences
- Science Area:
- None
- Overall Classification:
- Unknown
- ENRIs:
- None
- Science Topics:
- None
- Abstract:
- UK researchers are world-leaders in the use of seismic signals propagating through the Earth. On land, NERC's GEF provide many tens of instruments of various types. No similar capability exists for the oceans, despite >70% of Earth's surface being water covered. The result is large gaps in models and in our understanding of not only whole Earth processes such as plate tectonics, but also those of societal and environmental concern such as volcanic eruption, tsunami initiation, large sediment flows at the edges of continents that break seabed cables, and even the noise impact of offshore wind farms on which the UK's green power transition founds, or global shipping routes that traverse our territorial waters delivering and exporting goods that support the UK's lifestyle and economy. Furthermore, processes that leach and deposit metallic minerals on which modern technology is dependent (lithium for batteries, rare Earth metals for solar panels, LEDs, PCBs and low power screens etc.), that result in chemical reactions that absorb water, sequester CO2 (a greenhouse gas) and release hydrogen (a green fuel), and that would enable injection, containment and monitoring of carbon capture within storage sites as part of the mitigation of climate change, all occur at or below the seabed. Yet we have no means to "see" them. Our aim is to plug the marine gap by extending GEF's world-leading capability in at-sea instrumentation operations into the lower frequency, broadband, realm. Based on a completed first step of proof-of-approach followed by fitness-for-purpose community appraisal, which tested both operationally viability and recorded data suitability, Nanometrics' Abalone broadband seabed instruments have been selected. Our objective is to now initiate a longer-term and progressive transformation in seabed acquisition capability for the next generation, by first doubling the number of seabed broadband instruments in GEF. We will procure more Abalones, at-sea commission them into service, and adapt a sea freight container to enable their shipping to any area of scientific focus globally, easily, but most importantly, economically. GEF's R&D capability will be brought to bear on significantly minimising the cost of each deployment enhancing sustainability. Since bringing the first instruments into service, GEF has received a 900% increase in requests for broadband data acquisition, particularly from non-traditional user disciplines who also, in turn, broaden the user base and research communities that GEF supports. Furthermore, now having long-recording, heavy and stable platform capability also opens up possibilities of never-before-contemplated developments such as seabed measurements of the Earth's gravity field, as recently included in a NERC Independent Research Fellowship application. Although a small first step, this application to expand the UK's broadband passive seabed seismic recording capability nevertheless represents an essential step forward towards addressing the long-standing lack of broadband seismic seabed infrastructure available in the UK to underpin the world-leading research undertaken by an entire community. It brings with it the capability to address a swathe of forefront research problems whether they be traditional whole Earth process studies, appraisal and understanding of the impact man is having in his environment, and even our understanding and mitigation of the impact global gas emissions have on the climate. This proposal gains value from, is directly compatible with and supportable by an existing NERC Facility, whose knowledge, skills, R&D capability and experience will enable best use for least cost. It also adds value to that Facility by expanding the user base beyond the traditional communities, whilst also facilitating blue skies technological developments such as those with potential to make the UK the only source of instrumentation for seabed gravimetric geodesy.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/Z50371X/1
- Grant Stage:
- Awaiting Start Confirmation
- Scheme:
- Research Grants
- Grant Status:
- Accepted
- Programme:
- Capital Call
This grant award has a total value of £749,954
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Exception - Equipment |
|---|
| £749,953 |
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