106: How geophysics can help provide freshwater to the world

In this episode, host Andrew Geary speaks with Kerry Key and Chloe Gustafson on their massive freshwater discovery off the East Coast of the United States. According to the United Nations, 60% of the world's population lives in places with high water stress, meaning that more water is being withdrawn than is currently available. In this crucial conversation, Kerry and Chloe discuss how they used existing geophysical techniques in a new way to discover freshwater off the United States' Atlantic Coast, the equivalent amount that would fill 1.1 billion Olympic-sized swimming pools. Kerry and Chloe also share how scientists in other parts of the world could utilize this discovery to find their own sources of freshwater and what the future could look like if electromagnetic methods get widely adopted for seeking freshwater. This is a fun and exciting conversation on how geophysics can help the world. You'll want to share this one with your family and friends! Visit https://seg.org/podcast for the links to the research and to see the discovery in action. BIOGRAPHIES Dr. Kerry Key is an Associate Professor at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University. His research interests include electromagnetic geophysics, marine geophysics, numerical and computational geophysics, hydrocarbon exploration, mid-ocean ridges, subduction zones, volcanoes, mantle dynamics, and instrumentation design. Dr. Chloe Gustafson is a postdoctoral researcher at Swansea University and investigates hydrogeologic systems hidden beneath oceans and ice sheets. Chloe primarily uses marine and polar electromagnetic methods to image the groundwater systems and integrates geochemical, geological, and other geophysical datasets to develop holistic integrated interpretations. SPONSOR This episode is sponsored by CGG. When searching for and developing freshwater resources, imagine what you could do with an effective map of what’s underground. CGG’s Multiphysics Imaging experts can use a range of methods to locate freshwater reserves and flag potential subsurface issues before they become bigger problems. Gain a fresh perspective with CGG’s proven technology and unmatched experience…and see things differently at https://www.cgg.com/. CREDITS Original music by Zach Bridges. This episode was hosted, edited, and produced by Andrew Geary at 51 features, LLC. Thank you to the SEG podcast team: Ted Bakamjian, Jennifer Crockett, Ally McGinnis, and Mick Swiney.