Boom, Doom and Rocks – The Intersection of Physics, Video Games and Geology

Geophysics is a field that incorporates the rigor of physics with the field methods of geology.  The onset and rapid development of the computer games that students play bring new hardware and software technologies that significantly improve our understanding and research capabilities. Together they provide unique insights to the subsurface of the earth in ways only imagined just a few short years ago.

3D geological visualization has become an integral part of many petroleum industry exploration efforts.  This technology is now being extended to increasing numbers of universities through grants from software vendors.  This talk will explore 3D visualization techniques and how they can be used for both teaching and research. 

Come see examples of 3D geophysical techniques used to: image the geology of ancient river systems off the coast of Brazil and in the Uinta Basin of Utah, guide archaeological excavations on the side of Mt. Vesuvius, Italy, and to study how volcanoes were formed off the coast of New Zealand.