ASEG news - Issue 15, 28th June 2019

Dear Members,

In today's news you'll find information on:

AEGC 2019: Data to Discovery
News from the states
Upcoming events (National and International)
The latest in Exploration Geophysics
What's new in Preview?
Member Spotlight: Matthew Zengerer
Follow us on social media
Thanks to our corporate members

Don't forget to follow our social media accounts, for more regular updates on upcoming events and geoscience articles of interest.

AEGC 2019: Data to Discovery

Asia Pacific's leading conference on exploration geoscience, the Australasian Exploration Geoscience Conference (AEGC) 2019: Data to Discovery to be held 2 - 5 September at Crown Perth, is shaping up to be an event not to be missed. A strong response to the call for abstracts will see more than 350 presentations over the 3 days complemented by workshops and field trips pre and post conference. The organising committee is pleased to announce renowned and globally credentialled keynote speakers including Dr Clive Foss; Prof David Groves; Mr David Turvey; Prof Ken McClay; Prof Manika Prasad; Prof G Neil Phillips OAM and Dr Sandra Occhipinti will present latest advances in the field of geoscience.

Stay tuned to the conference web site aegc.com.au as the full conference program launches in the coming weeks. Early bird registration savings are available until Friday 5 July, so be sure to register early and take advantage of the savings.

Branch upcoming events

Details about ASEG events can be found on the ASEG website.

For a more complete calendar of events see Preview

The third issue for 2019 is out and the fourth issue is well under way with a variety of papers accepted for it. The AEM special issue is also progressing well with another paper accepted. We have a number of articles just posted online and a couple of them my caught my eye, this time I looked at some different aspects of geophysics.

From those currently online;

There is a succinct paper by Gordon Cooper looking at locating thin dykes while another paper by Lahti and co-authors looks at an AMT survey done in the Outokumpu ore belt in Finland.

Enjoy reading them.

Dr Mark Lackie

Exploration Geophysics Editor

Mark.Lackie@mq.edu.au

The June issue of Preview is now available online

This 200th issue of Preview features an article by James Grove and his colleagues on the widespread impact that historical gold mining has had on Victoria's riverine landscapes. It is no exaggeration to say that some of these landscapes have been completely reworked. Needless to say, the design and interpretation of near surface geophysical surveys in these regions would be a challenge, and the design and interpretation of near surface geochemical surveys an absolute nightmare!

This 200th issue also brings us a kaleidoscope of news and commentary from around Australia and around the world. Ken Witherly summaries the latest report on Exploration Trends and Developments, and Dick Irvine reviews Norm Paterson's book on Canadian mining geophysics. We have reports on a new national geophysical survey in Sierra Leone, and on new surveys, geophysical data and products from the Geological Surveys of Western Australia, South Australia and Tasmania. David Denham (Canberra observed) looks back at the Federal election that was. Michael Asten (Education matters) reminds students about the Frank Arnott Award, reports on the mentoring of early-career professionals in Victoria, and brings us news about the SEG Honorary Lecturer and the recently announced SEG Distinguished Instructor Short Course. Terry Harvey (Minerals geophysics) returns to the 'real' world of potential field modelling. Mick Micenko (Seismic window) revisits pitfalls in seismic processing. Tim Keeping (Data trends) takes a look at open data formats for a post DOS world. And, our new webmaster, Ian James, reviews the performance of the ASEG's website (Webwaves).

Finally, we announce the winner of our first crossword competition. The second competition is now up and running!

Proposed contributions for future issues can be submitted by email to the editor at previeweditor@aseg.org.au

Enjoy!!

Lisa Worrall

Preview Editor

PreviewEditor@aseg.org.au

This issue we get to know Matthew Zengerer, Principal, Gondwana Geoscience. He recently presented a poster that he had prepared for an international conference, to the SA/NT branch of ASEG. You can find a video of this talk here. To find out more about Matt, read on...

1. What is your current role?

I'm the Principal of Gondwana Geoscience, a small geophysical/geoscientific consultancy

2. For how long have you been a geophysicist?

For about 18 years

3. What do you like most about being a geophysicist?

The ability and perception that comes with understanding the physical processes that affect the Earth and the solar system on many different levels.

4. If you weren't a geophysicist what would you be?

Probably a bum haha. I would have enjoyed being a full time musician, mathematician or astronomer.

5. What is your best interview tip?

Try and avoid them, but be as clear as you can, make eye contact and try and know your subjects.

6. What's one thing that we wouldn't know about you?

My two grandfathers fought on opposing sides in WWII

7. Tell us about your best field meal?

Maybe not the most tasty, but fairly remarkable. I cooked pasta sauce for a bunch of random African villagers as well as camp crew in Mali once, meaning the village women didn't have to make the food for us for once.

8. Where was your best sunrise/sunset location?

Best sunset I have seen was on top of the mountain overlooking Dubrovnik in Croatia..

9. What are you reading at the moment?

The Anubis Gates by Tim Powers. An oldie but a fantasy/steampunk classic.

10. What made you decide to be a geophysicist?

It was a bit of a secondary direction for me. I was originally studying straight physics and maths, but had a few life hiccups and stopped studying for a while. When I returned, I picked up Earth Science as an extra topic and found that I enjoyed Geology a lot, so it seemed natural to pair it with my Physics background. I didn't think much at the time about what type of work I would ultimately be doing!!

11. What's one thing you wish someone had told you when you were at university?

Don't be too hard on yourself when things don't go your way. Stick to your strengths, and allow time to get back on track. Studying can be like being an athlete.

12. What's your most treasured textbook?

Physics of The Earth is a pretty great solid earth physics textbook

13. Your funniest or worst field memory?

Many involving my friend Andrew, possibly my 2nd year geology mapping trip to Weekeroo where he was imitating an emu in the bush, and then the emu started imitating him!

14. Your most respected geophysicist?

A very difficult question as I have met so many. Alan Reid would have to be up there.

15. What do you do in your spare time?

I play bass and guitar and sing. I enjoy gigs and festivals and the great outdoors and the beach.

16. What is a challenge you have overcome and how did you do so?

Hmmm, where do I even begin? Probably best to talk about the problem I am discussing at the ASEG Chapter talk. The problem is in interpretation of geophysical /sites/default/files. My thoughts on it go all the way back to 2004 when I was working on interpretation of magnetics data for the GSWA. I discovered a combination of filters (Tilt Angle and Analytical Signal Amplitude) could be draped over one another in ER Mapper, as a variation on standard sunshade TMI or colourdrape 1VD, and gave me amazing insight, but I didn't understand the physical meaning of what I was interpreting at the time and it bothered me. When I worked it out, I applied some similar concepts in understanding interpretation of gravity gradiometry datasets, but the principles of understanding came through performing a lot of 2D and 3D modelling of different objects in different geological settings and observing the characteristic responses, and then relating them back to interpretation /sites/default/files and their physical meaning. Painstaking but ultimately insightful.

17. What is a challenge that you see in geoscience today, and how do you see the community overcoming it?

I think there is an intergenerational problem creeping up where there is retirement or passing on of many geoscientists with traditional skills, and a younger generation with a slight over-reliance on computer software to teach them to understand geological and geophysical problems. I believe programming and mathematical training remain important teaching techniques for geophysicists, but you can't beat field mapping and structural geology to really teach you how to conceptualise problems in 3 dimensions, for anyone in geoscience.

18. What reaction do you mostly get when you tell someone that you are a geophysicist?

"You're a What??!!"

19. When you are asked "What's a geophysicist??" or "What does a geophysicist do?" what is your stock answer?

I usually thump my pint glass on the table and ask them to feel the vibration, then ask them how do they know what the table is made out of. That's if I get to offer a stock answer. Otherwise, I might just say, "I help find Uranium".

20. What is the best way that the ASEG could let the public know about geophysics and its benefit to the everyday life?

I actually think a travelling geoscience open day might be a good idea, or something as part of National Science Week, held in the Museum or somewhere public congregate. Would be good as an annual or biannual event. I also think the general public could get free day exhibition passes to AEGC, but a dedicated event might be more useful.

21. Where do you think exploration geophysics will head in the next 10-15 years?

I think we will see more implementation of satellite and drone technologies, as well as improvements in magnetic and gravity sensing at the quantum scale, and more undersea UAV surveys. Probably less fieldwork overall.

22. Do you think AI will take over your job or will the human element remain vital to exploration successes?

Having just been involved in the Explorer Challenge, I can guarantee the human element remains vitally important