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The butterfly effect describes how slight changes in a system can lead to catastrophic events. Join us and explore how we record these changes in two dynamic, complex environments, and how they may lead to storm-battered coastlines and earthquake-stricken cities.
This venue is not wheelchair accessible.
This venue is not wheelchair accessible.
No Great Shakes? How Seismic “Noise” Can Actually Provide Useful Information and What It Tells Us About the Earth
Dr David Thompson
(Lecturer, Geodynamics, Cardiff University)
When recording earthquakes, it is desirable to only record ground motions associated with said earthquake. If a seismometer is located in an urban environment, the noise will mask the real signal and limit the inferences we can make. But what if the “noise” actually carries information? I will give an overview of how we get “signal” from “noise” and the huge impact this has had on seismology. I will also highlight the range of exciting applications that this methodology can be useful for (e.g. volcanoes, ice mass variations, dam stability, active fault zones, geothermal energy).
The Storms That Shook The Southwest
Dr Claire Earlie
(Lecturer, Coastal Processes, Cardiff University)
The violent winter of 2013-2014 brought with it some of the most energetic storm conditions the country has seen for over 60 years. Claire will discuss some of the impacts the storms had along the coastline, in terms of flooding and erosion. During this particular winter, Claire and her team were undertaking scientific coastal experiments, measuring wave impacts to cliffs in the southwest of England. The results showed coastal cliff erosion and ground motions an order of magnitude greater than measured before, proving an insight into how our coastline responds to extreme storm waves.
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