EAC Focus - Ruth Gonzalez Ruth Gonzalez is an expert in seismic
imaging methods. Working with seismic data collected on the
surface of the earth, she develops algorithms that perform
calculations to produce images of the underlying geology. Since
1980, she has applied this technology to help discover oil and
gas reservoirs for Exxon. "We use sound energy to help us
determine exactly what the earth looks like beneath its surface,
much like doctors use ultrasounds to take a peek at an unborn
child, or x-rays of your body to help in diagnosing medical
problems," she explains of the seismic process. "Our wave
equations describe how waves propagate through different
materials such as rocks, water, and air. This means that
mathematics allows us to see several miles into the earth
without invasive processes." According to Gonzalez, a typical 3D
seismic dataset contains about 400 gigabytes of data. "We make
simplifying assumptions, use massively parallel computers like
the Cray T3D with 256 processors, and rely on hi