8:30 Registration : Room 9-207
8:50 Welcome :
9:00 Dr. Stefan Cartledge, Dept of Physial Sciencess, MacEwan University
Where are the planets?
When Star Trek and Star Wars first came to TV and theatres, respectively, they were speculative fiction. At the time, there was no conclusive evidence that planets existed outside the Solar System, let alone life. In 1992, humanity was first able to show that extrasolar planets (those orbiting other stars) existed and since then we have confirmed the existence of more than 7000 worlds beyond the Sun. Nonetheless, this is anticipated to be a drop in the ocean of hundreds of billions of planets within the Milky Way galaxy. It is only now, 60 years after Star Trek aired, that we can live up to its opening statement: “…to explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no one has gone before.”
Our search for strange new worlds is based on surprisingly simple techniques – methods that are accessible for students from grade-school to grad-school. If you want to inspire the next generation of scientists, today I plan to offer you some concepts you can use in the classroom and beyond. I’ll also offer updates on our collective progress to-date.
10:00 Wellness Break
10:30 Dr. Martyn Unsworth, Dept of Physics, University of Alberta
Magnetotellurics : Using natural radio waves to look inside the Earth
Geophysical exploration uses a range of methods to image the interior of the Earth. This provides information that is important in resource exploration, studies of geohazards and investigations of how the Earth works. A range of geophysical techniques have been developed over the last century and can provide detailed images of subsurface structure from surface measurements. Gravity and magnetic surveys are passive measurements that are efficient at determining variations in density and magnetic properties. Seismic exploration has developed into the most widely used geophysical technique and is an invaluable tool in the search for oil and gas.
However, these geophysical methods do not answer all questions about Earth structure. An alternative method uses low frequency radio waves to image the electrical resistivity structure of the Earth. This rock property is sensitive to the presence of fluids and also a number of economically important minerals.
A range of electromagnetic (EM) techniques have been developed and applied in areas including hydrogeology, mineral exploration, geothermal studies and more. EM methods focused on near-surface exploration generate signals with a transmitter. For deeper exploration it is necessary to use natural EM signals in what is called the magnetotellurics (MT) method. This method can image from depths of a few hundred metres to hundreds of kilometers, simply by changing the frequency.
In this lecture I will describe the physics of the MT method and explain it can be used in a broad range of applications. These include mineral exploration, volcanology, geothermal exploration and tectonic studies. The lecture will emphasize (1) how MT is now capable of working in 3-D to develop realistic Earth models (2) how MT is most effective when used in combination with other geophysical methods and (3) introduce a number of applications of societal relevance.
11:30 Lunch - Robbins Atrium
12:30 Tour of MacEwan Labs
13:15 Workshop: MacEwan Physics Labs
Expanding Universe
Teachers will work through selected hands-on activities from this Perimeter Institute resource. These activities allow students to interpret spectra in order to determine the age of the universe and build and critique a physical model of the expanding universe.
Patterns in the Solar System
Teachers will work through selected hands-on activities from this just released Perimeter Institute resource and from Figuring Outer Space resource. These activities will allow students to explore the detection of exoplanets and the structure of our solar system compared to exosolar systems.
14:45 Wrap Up
Robbins Centre is on the Northwest Corner of 109 St and 104 Ave NW . Please note LRT construction is ongoing along 104 St.
