Earth & Climate Archives - Page 6 of 28

Dallas Morning News: Fracking-related activities have caused majority of recent Texas earthquakes

$earthquake, causes, SMU, oil, fracking, seismology$ Science journalist Anna Kuchment with The Dallas Morning News covered the research of SMU seismologists on the historical record of North Texas earthquakes and their causes. The SMU seismology team on May 18 published online new evidence of human involvement in earthquakes since the 1920s in the journal Seismological Research Letters. The study found that human-caused earthquakes have been present since at least 1925, and widespread throughout the state. While they are tied to oil and gas operations, the specific production techniques behind these quakes have differed over the decades, according to Cliff Frohlich, Heather DeShon, Brian Stump, Chris Hayward, Mathew J. Hornbach and Jacob I. Walter.

Margaret Allen 2016-10-17T16:56:40+00:00 May 17, 2016|Categories: Earth & Climate, Energy & Matter, Researcher news, SMU In The News, Technology|Tags: Brian W. Stump, Chris Hayward, Heather R. DeShon, Matthew J. Hornbach|

Study: Humans have been causing earthquakes in Texas since the 1920s

$earthquake, causes, SMU, oil, fracking, seismology$ Earthquakes triggered by human activity have been happening in Texas since at least 1925, and they have been widespread throughout the state ever since, according to a new historical review of the evidence publishing online May 18 in Seismological Research Letters. The earthquakes are caused by oil and gas operations, but the specific production techniques behind these quakes have differed over the decades, according to Cliff Frohlich, the study’s lead author, and co-authors Heather DeShon, Brian Stump, Chris Hayward, Mathew J. Hornbach and Jacob I. Walter.

Margaret Allen 2017-01-12T15:17:19+00:00 May 17, 2016|Categories: Earth & Climate, Energy & Matter, Researcher news, Technology|Tags: Brian W. Stump, Chris Hayward, Heather R. DeShon, Matthew J. Hornbach|

Live Science: Fearsome Dinosaur-Age ‘Hammerhead’ Reptile Ate … Plants?

Science journalist Laura Geggel tapped the expertise of SMU Earth Sciences Professor Louis L. Jacobs for a recent article about a prehistoric plant-eating reptile. A professor in Dedman College's Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, Jacobs is a world-renowned vertebrate paleontologist. He joined SMU's faculty in 1983 and in 2012 was honored by the 7,200-member Science Teachers Association of Texas with their prestigious Skoog Cup for his significant contributions to advance quality science education.

Margaret Allen 2016-10-17T16:56:40+00:00 May 10, 2016|Categories: Earth & Climate, Fossils & Ruins, Plants & Animals, Researcher news, SMU In The News|Tags: Dedman College, Louis L. Jacobs, Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences|

Dallas Morning News: Could Texas’ dirty coal power plants be replaced by geothermal systems?

Biz Beat Blog reporter Jeffrey Weiss at The Dallas Morning News covered the 2016 SMU Geothermal Conference, “Power Plays: Geothermal Energy in Oil and Gas Fields.” The conference was April 25-26 on the SMU campus in Dallas. The eighth international conference focused on using the oilfield as a base for alternative energy production through the capture of waste heat and fluids.

Margaret Allen 2016-10-17T16:56:41+00:00 April 28, 2016|Categories: Earth & Climate, Energy & Matter, Researcher news, SMU In The News, Technology|Tags: Dedman College, Maria Richards, Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, SMU Geothermal Laboratory|

Nearby massive star explosion 30 million years ago equaled brightness of 100 million suns

A giant star that exploded 30 million years ago in a galaxy near Earth had a radius prior to going supernova that was 200 times larger than our sun, say astrophysicists at SMU. The massive explosion, Supernova 2013j, was one of the closest to Earth in recent years. Analysis of the exploding star's light curve and color spectrum found its sudden blast hurled material from it at 10,000 kilometers a second.

Margaret Allen 2016-10-17T16:56:41+00:00 April 26, 2016|Categories: Earth & Climate, Energy & Matter, Slideshows, Student researchers, Videos|Tags: Dedman College, Govinda Dhungana, Robert Kehoe, SMU Department of Physics|

SMU “Power Plays” conference to promote development of oil and gas fields for geothermal energy production

SMU’s renowned SMU Geothermal Laboratory will host its eighth international energy conference April 25-26 on the Dallas campus, focused on using the oilfield as a base for alternative energy production through the capture of waste heat and fluids. In addition to oil and gas field geothermal projects, experts will discuss coal plant conversion for geothermal production, the intersection of geothermal energy and desalination, and large-scale direct use of the energy source produced by the internal heat of the earth.

Margaret Allen 2016-10-17T16:56:42+00:00 April 22, 2016|Categories: Earth & Climate, Energy & Matter, Learning & Education, Technology|Tags: Dedman College, Geothermal Map of North America, Maria Richards, Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences, SMU Geothermal Laboratory|

SMU seismology team response to March 28, 2016 U.S. Geological Survey hazard forecasts

The United States Geological Survey (USGS) today released maps showing potential ground shaking from induced and natural earthquakes, including forecasts for the DFW metropolitan area. The North Texas Earthquake Study at Southern Methodist University provided data, and SMU scientists co-authored peer-reviewed publications cited in the report.

Margaret Allen 2016-10-17T16:56:48+00:00 March 28, 2016|Categories: Earth & Climate, Fossils & Ruins, Researcher news|Tags: Beatrice Magnani, Brian W. Stump, Chris Hayward, Dedman College, Heather R. DeShon, Matthew J. Hornbach, Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences|

Daily Mail: Earth’s moon threw a ‘wobbly’ after it formed: Lunar poles wandered 125 MILES as volcanic bubbles threw them off balance

Science reporter Richard Gray with The Daily Mail covered the research of SMU planetary scientist and research assistant professor Matthew Siegler and a team of scientists who discovered the moon wandered off its axis billions of years ago due to a shift in its mass most likely caused by volcanic activity. The article, "Earth's moon threw a 'wobbly' after it formed: Lunar poles wandered 125 MILES as volcanic bubbles threw them off balance," published March 23.

Margaret Allen 2016-10-17T16:56:49+00:00 March 25, 2016|Categories: Earth & Climate, Energy & Matter, Researcher news, SMU In The News|Tags: Dedman College, Matthew Siegler, Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences|

Wired: The Moon used to spin on a different axis

Wired reporter Emily Reynolds covered the research of SMU planetary scientist and research assistant professor Matthew Siegler and a team of scientists who discovered the moon wandered off its axis billions of years ago due to a shift in its mass most likely caused by volcanic activity. The article, "The Moon used to spin on a different axis," published March 24. A report on the discovery of the rare event was published today in Nature.

Margaret Allen 2016-10-17T16:56:49+00:00 March 25, 2016|Categories: Earth & Climate, Energy & Matter, Researcher news, SMU In The News|Tags: Dedman College, Matthew Siegler, Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences|