Dr. Poppeliers Receives NSF Grant

Dr. Christian Poppeliers, Associate Professor of Physics, has just been awarded a research grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant, titled “Deployment of Simultaneous Broadband Gradiometers to Quantify the Effects of Aperture and Near-Surface Geology on Gradient-Derived Wavefield Attributes" will allow Dr. Poppeliers and his undergraduate research students to deploy an array of seismometers to study how array design factors affect the accuracy and uncertainty of the measurement of seismic wavefield gradients as well as parameters calculated from them. The instruments deployed will record local, regional, and global earthquakes for approximately 24 months. The data collected will then be analyzed by his research group. The ultimate goals of this project are to rigorously evaluate how placement of seismic instrumentation and local geologic conditions can affect the accuracy and reliability of parameters that are calculated from seismic wave gradients. This will have application to earthquake hazard analysis, underground nuclear explosion monitoring, and determination of deep-Earth structure.

Congratulations to Dr. Poppeliers!