GERC - Virginia Tech Collaboration: Ellen Gilliland
By Ellen Gilliland; Geophysics Research Associate at the Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research
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| Hello from London |
I am a geophysics research associate at the
GERC-affiliated Virginia Center for Coal and Energy Research (VCCER) in
Blacksburg, Virginia, USA, and a part-time Ph.D. student in the Mining and
Minerals Engineering Department at Virginia Tech. I spent an eventful
three weeks at the University of Nottingham in July of 2015 through an exchange
program for engineering students, the International Research Experience for
Students (IRES) program, sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
I met first with GERC director, Dr. Matt
Hall, who welcomed me to UoN with a tour of the main campus and showed me one
of GERC’s laboratory facilities for high-resolution imaging and rock sample
analysis. Over the course of my visit, Dr. Hall introduced me to several
GERC-affiliated researchers, including members of the British Geological
Survey, and we discussed opportunities for collaborations with Virginia Tech
and the VCCER. Outside of work, the GERC staff and graduate researchers
entertained me with multiple outings and evenings on the town.
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| A raw image from a single TerraSAR-X data acquisition over the field site in Buchanan County, Virginia |
Most of my time at UoN was spent working
with Dr. Andy Sowter at the Nottingham Geospatial Institute (NGI) on Jubilee
Campus. Dr. Sowter developed the Intermittent Small Baseline Subset
(ISBAS) method for processing radar imagery collected by satellite. The
VCCER is currently collecting radar imagery from the German TerraSAR-X
satellite as part of the monitoring program for a carbon storage/enhanced gas
recovery project in Buchanan County, Virginia, USA. The project, which is
funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, involves injecting up to 20,000 tonnes
of CO2 into a depleted coalbed methane reservoir. One element of my PhD
research includes using the satellite data to look for possible surface
deformation (uplift) caused by the CO2 injection. The unstable terrain at
the test site is a challenge for traditional differential analysis
(interferometry), but the ISBAS method uses a modified algorithm to generate
more complete solutions in such settings.
I was excited to have a chance to learn
directly from Dr. Sowter and practice ISBAS processing using his Punnet
software on existing data sets. The technique requires a large number of
images, and at the time of my visit, our own data set was not sufficient to process.
However, I plan to meet with Dr. Sowter again in fall of 2016, once our full
data set has been collected, to continue the collaboration and obtain results
for our test… so, stay tuned! We think
this is an interesting case study for the technology and could have
implications for a number of industries whose operations affect land surfaces.
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| Freddie, self-appointed ambassador of Wales |
Dr. Sowter was a great mentor, and I
appreciate that he made so much time for me during my visit. He impressed me with his research knowledge
and enthusiasm, patience with my endless questions, and a remarkable ability to
rebound instantly from any technical complication or setback with a “maaaan” before
continuing (or starting over) unfazed. In addition to the valuable
mentorship, I enjoyed daily tea breaks with Dr. Sowter and his research group,
often joined by Dr. Stuart Marsh of NGI, where we spent time troubleshooting
individual projects and chatting about families, travels, and the best classic
rock bands.
Other highlights of my trip to Nottingham
included exploring the city with the lively IRES cohort (I especially enjoyed
the pubs and the Kitty Café), crumpets for breakfast, and a visit from my
parents at the end of my study. I took advantage of my proximity to other
sights and made weekend bus trips to London and Paris (and learned that buses
can ride ferries). After my program at UoN, my parents and I took a
longer trip to the Welsh countryside where we enjoyed the scenic views and
friendly locals.
Many thanks to Dr. Hall and GERC, Dr. Sowter and NGI, and the IRES program for a great research experience and a fun visit to Nottingham!
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