233: Unveiling the Earth's Critical Zone through a Geophysics Lens

"The critical zone are the things that impact humans and animals on the earth, more so than a lot of other parts that geophysicists might study." Kamini Singha explores the fascinating world of the Earth's critical zone. This episode uncovers the significance of this thin skin of the Earth and its profound impact on human and ecological systems. In this episode, we talk about: > The definition and importance of the Earth's critical zone > Challenges in studying the critical zone and the need for cross-disciplinary collaboration > The role of geophysics as a "macroscope" to study large-scale subsurface processes > Specific examples of geophysical methods used to study critical zone processes > Insights from Kamini's research on solute transport and groundwater remediation > Emerging trends in hydrogeophysics and critical zone science > The importance of understanding geophysical measurements in complex Earth systems Listeners will gain a comprehensive understanding of the critical zone's role in addressing major Anthropocene issues such as freshwater supply, groundwater quality, and climate regulation. This episode is a must-listen for geophysicists and anyone interested in the intersection of geoscience and environmental sustainability. THIS EPISODE SPONSORED BY BLUWARE Bluware's InteractivAI is a human-powered AI seismic analysis tool, revolutionizing the way geoscientists extract value from seismic data. Unlike traditional seismic interpretation tools that just "check the box" for AI through black box algorithms, InteractivAI puts the interpreter in the driver’s seat by presenting an intuitive, live feedback loop. Users experience a faster and more comprehensive interpretation, leading to higher-confidence decision-making. Learn more at https://bluware.com. GUEST BIO Kamini Singha is a University Distinguished Professor and the Associate Dean of Earth and Society Programs at the Colorado School of Mines. Her research interests are focused on hydrogeology and environmental geophysics. Dr. Singha is an award-winning teacher, a recipient of a U.S. National Science Foundation CAREER award and the Early Career Award from the Society of Environmental and Engineering Geophysics, a Geological Society of America Fellow, and a former Fulbright Scholar. She served as the U.S. National Groundwater Association’s Darcy Lecturer in 2017 and was the AGU Witherspoon Lecturer in 2022. She earned her BS in geophysics from the University of Connecticut and her PhD in hydrogeology from Stanford University. LINKS * Learn more and register for the 2024 Near Surface Global Lecturer (30 September or 19 November) -> https://seg.org/education/lectures/near-surface-global-lecture-singha/ * Interview transcript -> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JmzLFHnHI2ugHVAZOd_pT3xRcg4YHsvo/view?usp=sharing SHOW CREDITS Andrew Geary at TreasureMint hosted, edited, and produced this episode. The SEG podcast team comprises Jennifer Cobb, Kathy Gamble, and Ally McGinnis. If you have episode ideas or feedback for the show or want to sponsor a future episode, email the show at podcast@seg.org.