I use physics models and machine learning for my research in volcanoes, earthquakes and groundwater systems.
Qualifications
Research Interests
My research group tackles some big challenges that arise when managing extreme groundwater systems in a safe and sustainable way.
Steam-driven volcanic eruptions - we use machine learning techniques to identify seismic signals that suggest an imminent eruption from shallow hydrothermal systems. Using this, we have developed a real-time warning system for Whakaari.
Human-triggered earthquakes - we model how fluid injection and extraction in hydrocarbon projects changes stress on faults. By matching the rate of earthquakes in the past, we can predict the future earthquake rate for different operation styles.
Geothermal reservoir imaging - we study the interaction of solar electromagnetic signals with the Earth to understand where, how large and how powerful our geothermal systems are.
Carbon sequestration - we use models to demonstrate safe and efficient ways to pump large amounts of CO2 underground so that it doesn't contribute to climate change.
Recent Publications
- Ardid A., Dempsey D., Caudron C., Cronin SJ., Miller CA., Melchor I., Syahbana D. and Kennedy B. (2023) Using template matching to detect hidden fluid release episodes beneath crater lakes in Ruapehu, Copahue and Kawah Ijen volcanoes. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2023jb026729.
- Dempsey DE. and Suckale J. (2023) Physics-Based Forecasting of Induced Seismicity at Groningen Gas Field, The Netherlands: Post Hoc Evaluation and Forecast Update. Seismological Research Letters 94(3): 1429-1446. http://dx.doi.org/10.1785/0220220317.
- Steinke B., Jolly AD., Carniel R., Dempsey DE. and Cronin SJ. (2023) Identification of Seismo-Volcanic Regimes at Whakaari/White Island (New Zealand) Via Systematic Tuning of an Unsupervised Classifier. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 128(3) http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022JB026221.
- Titus KA., Dempsey DE. and Peer RAM. (2023) Carbon negative geothermal: Theoretical efficiency and sequestration potential of geothermal-BECCS energy cycles. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 122 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijggc.2022.103813.
- Yu P., Dempsey D., Rinaldi AP., Calibugan A., Ritz VA. and Archer R. (2023) Association Between Injection and Microseismicity in Geothermal Fields With Multiple Wells: Data-Driven Modeling of Rotokawa, New Zealand, and Húsmúli, Iceland. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth 128(4) http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2022JB025952.