Megan R.M. Brown, Ph.D.

Research

Interests

  • Hydrogeology
  • Accessibility in the geosciences
  • Injection-induced seismicity

Current Projects

I am a hydrogeologist interested in the impacts of transport and retention of microplastics in groundwater, increasing accessibility for people with disabilities in the geosciences, and how fluids interact with and can induce earthquakes. I am currently looking for M.S. and/or Ph.D. students for fall 2024. In particular, I have a grant-funded position for a geoscience education research Ph.D. student starting in fall 2024.

Microplastics

Microplastics (plastic particles less than 5 mm) have become almost ubiquitously detectable in the environment. I use laboratory experiments, fieldwork, and numerical modeling to investigate the full impacts of the transport and retention of microplastics (MP) in groundwater. Current projects investigate potential changes in aquifer properties with the transport of MP in groundwater and the impact of agricultural processes on the occurrence of MP in surface and groundwater. NIU recently was awarded an NSF Grant for a new cutting-edge piece of equipment to study MPs in the environment – an Agilent 8700 Laser Direct Infrared (LDIR) Chemical Imaging System. This system will be operational in spring 2024.

Accessibility and Inclusion in the Geosciences

I have a particular interest in increasing inclusion and accessibility in the geosciences. This includes creating accessible fieldwork. Currently, I have an NSF-funded project investigating the motivation and attitudes of individuals who participate in a community of transformation focused on increasing inclusion of geoscientists with disabilities. This project will also study the attitudes of geoscience employers towards disabilities and what would make employers increase accessible job opportunities.

Induced Seismicity

Over the last decade, injection-induced seismicity has gained attention from scientists and the public alike. While only a small percentage of wastewater disposal wells have induced seismicity associated with them, the induced seismicity can cause a variety of problems including damage to property. I use numerical models to investigate the physical mechanisms that induce seismicity and how these relate to mitigation. I have explored the role of wells at large distances from the induced earthquakes to trigger the seismicity and the potential to use geodesy data that measures the surface deformation near an injection well to calibrate pore pressure models. My current work is focused on the role of earthquake interactions in triggering injection-induced seismicity.

Frequently Taught Courses

  • EAE 108 Environmental Geology
  • EAE 490/590 Hydrogeology
  • EAE 477 Field Methods in Environmental Geosciences

Publications

Stokes, S.M., S. Ge, M.R.M. Brown, E.A. Menezes, A.F. Sheehan, and K.F. Tiampo (2023), Pore Pressure Diffusion and Onset of Induced Seismicity, Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth, 128, e2022JB026012, doi: 10.1029/2022JB026012

Brown, M.R.M. (2022), The Beginning of the Beginning – Foundations of Injection-Induced Seismicity, The Mountain Geologist, 59, 183-200, doi: 10.31582/rmag.mg.59.3.183

Brown, M.R.M., S. Ge, and E. Screaton (2022), A Simple Relation to Constrain Groundwater Models Using Surface Deformation, Groundwater, 60, 410-417, doi: 10.1111/gwat.13148

Yeo, I.W., M.R.M. Brown, S. Ge, and K.K. Lee (2020), Causal mechanism of injection-induced earthquakes through the Mw 5.5 Pohang earthquake case study, Nature Communications, 11, 2614, doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-16408-0

Fairfax, E. and M.R.M. Brown (2019), Increasing Inclusion and Accessibility in Undergraduate Geology Labs Through Scenario-Based TA Training, Journal of Geoscience Education, doi: 10.1080/10899995.2019.1602463

Brown, M.R.M. and S. Ge (2018), Distinguishing Fluid Flow Path from Pore Pressure Diffusion for Induced Seismicity, Bulletin of the Seismological Society of American, 108, 3684-3686, doi: 10.1785/0120180149

Brown, M.R.M. and S. Ge (2018), Small Earthquakes Matter in Injection-Induced Seismicity, Geophysical Research Letters, 45, 5445-5453, doi: 10.1029/2018GL077472

Brown, M.R.M., S. Ge, A.F. Sheehan, and J.S. Nakai (2017), Evaluating the Effectiveness of Induced Seismicity Mitigation: Numerical Modeling of Wastewater Injection near Greeley, Colorado, Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth,122, 6569-6582, doi: 10.1002/2017JB014456

Brown, M.R.M. and M. Liu (2016), Injection-induced seismicity in Carbon and Emery Counties, central Utah, Geofluids, 16, 801-812, doi: 10.1111/gfl.12184

Megan R.M. Brown, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor

Davis Hall 417B
815-753-1943
mbrown18@niu.edu

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Colorado Boulder
  • M.S., University of Missouri Columbia
  • B.S., Arizona State University

Contact Us

Department of Earth, Atmosphere and Environment
Davis Hall, Room 312

815-753-1943 (undergraduate)
815-753-0631 (graduate)

815-753-1945 (fax)
askeae@niu.edu

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