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Seismic Surveying: Predicting Earthquake Hazard; Finding Geothermal Energy

Seismic Surveying: Predicting Earthquake Hazard; Finding Geothermal Energy. John N. Louie Nevada Seismological Lab oratory Dept. of Geological Sciences & Engineering www.seismo.unr.edu. Why do I care ? - Christchurch, New Zealand. >200 deaths, 1/3 of city’s buildings destroyed.

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Seismic Surveying: Predicting Earthquake Hazard; Finding Geothermal Energy

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  1. Seismic Surveying: Predicting Earthquake Hazard; Finding Geothermal Energy John N. Louie Nevada Seismological Laboratory Dept. of Geological Sciences & Engineering www.seismo.unr.edu

  2. Why do I care? - Christchurch, New Zealand • >200 deaths, 1/3 of city’s buildings destroyed Stuff.co.nz

  3. Could It Happen Here? Photos by Marilyn Newton, Reno Gazette-Journal It Already Did! Wells, Nevada, Feb. 2008

  4. How Do We Protect Nevada’s People and Economy from Earthquakes? This is what I want to accomplish • Do we stiffen building codes to strengthen buildings everywhere? No. • Would make construction too costly • We improve our understanding of earthquake shaking • What areas have high hazard? Put resources there. • Don’t waste money reinforcing safer areas

  5. ReMi Technology: Invented in Nevada How do I do it? Seismic Sensor Arrays Commercialized by Optim Facilities Downstairs in LME 207

  6. Surveyed by UNR & Optim with ReMi Earthquake Parcel Map by Clark County and City of Henderson 10,721 site measurements Add more detailed geological knowledge LV H

  7. Adding Physics • Verifiable computational results • Computer facilities sponsored by Optim • Methods also apply to geothermal exploration • Computed and plotted by interns! LV H

  8. Black Hills M6.5 Scenario Results Earthquake Recording Facilities This Floor in LME 323 What I’ve Learned: • Damaging shaking (yellow) bleeds into Las Vegas Valley from outside. • Parcel Map and other details essential for accurate prediction • Hazard maps developed in California don’t work in Nevada. LV H

  9. Seismic Explorationfor Geothermal Energy Why do I care? • Nevada could be the “Saudi Arabia of geothermal” • Exploration risk is too high; development is too slow now. What do I study? • How to find hot brine reservoirs- old earthquake faults! Seismic Reduces Drilling Risk

  10. How do we do it? Optim again!What we’ve found: Now we can see the faults carrying hot brine. Seismic Surveying Advanced Processing- Invented in Nevada Facilities Downstairs in LME 207

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