Dr Emma Bramham

Profile

I am currently an Associate Professor of Geothermal Energy and Planetary Geoscience within the Institute of Applied Geosciences. My current research has two key focuses: geothermal energy across a range of low and high enthalpy settings and the potential for heat, cooling and energy storage in the subsurface and its potential role in the energy transition; volcanic systems and magmatically driven faulting both on Earth and on other planets such as Mars and Venus, using surface structures to model sub-surface systems and tectonic behaviour and understanding key similarities and differences across the range of terrestrial planets in our solar system.

Prior to starting my lectureship, I completed my PhD (LiDAR and InSAR analysis of deformation in the Krafla rift zone, NE Iceland) at Leeds working with Profs. Tim Wright and Douglas Paton as part of the COMET+ Afar consortium. The project involved investigating post-rifting surface deformation in the active Krafla volcanic region in Iceland and understanding fault growth behaviour in the associated fissure swarm using a combination of InSAR, LiDAR and GPS data analysis. In turn, this followed on from a career as an offshore geophysicist, working in the North Sea, North Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico, acquiring and processing 2D and 3D seismic surveys of the subsurface.

Research interests

My current Geothermal Energy research particularly focuses on understanding the potential for shallow to mid-depth geothermal energy provision, storage and cooling, optimising geothermal systems for long-term sustainability, de-risking geothermal exploration, and working together with and interdisciplinary team (geoscience, engineering and social sciences) to help drive forward geothermal energy use as aprt of a multi-faceted energy solution both in the UK and further afield. I actively focus on driving collaboration across public, industry and academic sectors to help enable the rapid change we need to tackle climate change through adopting new, clean and sustanable energy practices. Key projects are:

• Geothermal Campus: a living lab for geothermal energy
• GeoGrid: an Innovation UK funded OfGEM Strategic Innovation Fund project
• Geothermal City: A clean energy supply for Leeds PIPES: laying the pipeline to zero-carbon heat networks
• Geothermal City: Supporting UK-wide geothermal heat network deployment through a multi-layered, place-based analysis
  

My Planetary Geoscience research focuses on surface behaviour and sub-surface linkage to magmatically driven faulting, specifically in volcanic systems on Mars, such as Alba Patera, and understanding key links and differences between Martian systems and those of other planets, such as the Icelandic volcanic systems on Earth.

Some of the projects I am currently pursuing:

• Development of models of fault behaviour in active rifting regions with the aim of both linking to the underlying controllling plumbing system and identifying key ways of understanding sub-surface systems from patterns in surface structure
• Deciphering sub-surface volcanism on planets such as Mars using surface geomorphology and data such as CTX, MOLA and HiRISE.
• Examining elastic dislocation trends when applying stress to segmented fault systems to better understand potential future failure and hazard
• Investigating differences and similarities between Martian and Terran volcanic systems to better understand key controlling parameters using a combination of 3D seismic, LiDAR, CTX and MOLA data
• Understanding the influence of data resolution on interpretation and analysis of results and consequent analogue comparisons

Qualifications

• PhD, Geophysics and Structural Geology, University of Leeds
• MSc, Marine Geotechnics, School of Ocean Sciences, UCNW)
• BSc, Physics with Astrophysics, University of Leeds

Professional memberships

• Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society

Student education

I lead and teach ona third year undergraduate module ‘Geothermal Energy: Engineering, Societal and Governance Challenges’, an interdisciplinary module with a student cohort that spans a number of degree courses (including Geology, Sustainabliity and Environmental Management, Environmental Science, Geophysical and Atmospheric Sciences, Environmental and Business and Environmental Geoscience). I am also involved with teaching on the MSc Exploration Geophysics course. I was previously the Program Leader for the MSc Structural Geology with Geophysics for seven years, during which time my key teaching commitments aligned with the MSc, including teaching modules on Applied Geophysics, Integrated Sub Surface Analysis and leading the Individual Project module - with the latter involving engaging and working with our our industry collaborators to develop projects for the MSc students to complete each summer. I am also involved with student fieldwork and with the supervision of UG and MSc projects.

Research groups and institutes

• Basin Structure
• Applied Geophysics
• Geodynamics and Tectonics
• Institute of Applied Geoscience
• Planetary Exploration
• Institute of Geophysics and Tectonics
• Geosolutions Leeds

Current postgraduate researchers

• Thamer Alghamdi
• Aastha