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Research & Resources

Faculty

G. Allen Burton, Jr.Paul Wolfe
Professor (Emeritus)

Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences
242 Oelman Hall
Wright State University
3640 Colonel Glenn Highway
Dayton, OH 45435

E-mail:
Dept phone: (937) 775-2201
Dept fax: (937) 775-4997

Courses Taught

EES 4230/6230 Introduction to the Oceans (Online Course)

Research
  • Ground Water Geophysics
    Ground water resources in the central United States, Florida and the Bahamas are studied with a range of geophysical techniques. Resistivity, electromagnetic and seismic techniques are used to study the anisotropy of near-surface rocks to infer preferred ground water flow directions.
  • Environmental Geophysics
    Magnetic and acoustic characteristics of unexploded ordnance (UXO) are being studied in cooperation with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers. The purpose is to improve methods of locating and identifying the class of buried UXOs. Basic understanding of the characteristics is necessary for effective clean up of inactive military bases.
  • Basement Seismic Reflection
    Structure in the Precambrian basement of west-central Ohio is being investigated with the seismic reflection method to understand the Grenville Front and sedimentary basins of Cambrian or Precambrian age. This study involves seismic data acquisition, interpretation and modeling.
  • Oil Reservoirs
    Gravity, seismic reflection, and seismic velocity anisotropy studies are being combined in an attempt to find better techniques for locating oil traps in Ohio. 
  • Seismoelectric Research
    The seismoelectric effect is being investigated in an attempt to develop a new subsurface exploration technique. The current phase of the research is to measure the effect in known geologic settings and then to optimize the technique to provide the most useful subsurface characterization.
  • Infrastructure Studies
    Cooperative research efforts are being carried out with Civil and Environmental Engineering departments in southwest Ohio to find effective ways to use geophysics to solve Ohio's infrastructure problem. Particular target areas are highways, bridges, and dams.