Kristina Keating

I am interested in using geophysical methods to monitor ground water
contaminants by measuring geochemical changes in the near surface. My
research focuses on the link between the response of nuclear magnetic
resonance (NMR) and chemical changes of soils.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a measurement technique that is used in
medical imaging (MRI), chemistry (NMR spectroscopy) and geophysics for both
petroleum (NMR logging) and groundwater (surface NMR) applications. NMR can
be used to obtain information about molecular-scale properties of a wide
range of materials. My research focuses on proton NMR which affects the
hydrogen nuclei and has been used to find water table levels in the near
surface. The NMR response of hydrogen ions in is greatly dependant on the
geometry and magnetic properties of the soil in which they are contained.
Since the magnetic properties of geological materials can be altered with
changing chemistry and redox conditions in the subsurface, NMR can be used
to monitor chemical changes of soils.