What can Antarctica tell us about global sea level rise? On Wednesday, April 24, 2024, at 7:30 p.m. PT in Caltech's Beckman Auditorium, Zhognwen Zhan, professor of geophysics and a member of Caltech's Seismological Laboratory, will explain how understanding the behavior of the Antarctic ice sheet at its base is crucial to forecasting future ocean levels.

In a public talk called "Voices of the Ice: A Seismic Odyssey to the South Pole" that continues the 101st season of the Watson Lectures, Zhan will describe a monthlong research expedition he took to Antarctica in December 2022 to explore an innovative method for detecting seismic waves in ice. By using telecommunication lines buried in ice to pick up vibrations, he aims to learn more about the physics and deep structure of glaciers and ice sheets, and how the polar regions are changing amid ongoing climate change. In this talk, Zhan will also share some of the personal experiences of the journey that reshaped his perspective, not just on geophysics but on life as a scientist.

"The South Pole trip certainly was a transformative one," Zhan says. "You suddenly switch from a busy environment to a vast wide continent that's so empty. The only thing you can focus on is your experiment, your research. It's interesting to see how scientists work in an exotic place, learning about critical processes that are important to our Earth, to human society."

Starting at 6 p.m. outside Beckman Auditorium, representatives of the Seismo Lab will be available to answer questions about seismologic advances and their applications around the world.

Originally from China, Zhan earned a PhD in geophysics from Caltech in 2013. Prior to joining the faculty at Caltech in 2015, he was a postdoctoral researcher at UC San Diego. Zhan's research focus is on two geophysical topics, ambient seismic noise and subduction zone processes. He and his lab use fiber-optic sensing technologies to build next-generation seismic networks, both on land and in the ocean, which also have applications in areas outside conventional geophysics, such as global ocean warming, groundwater monitoring, and cryoseismology.

The Watson Lectures offer new opportunities each month to hear how Caltech's premier researchers are tackling society's most pressing challenges and inventing the technologies of the future. Join friends and neighbors outside Beckman Auditorium to enjoy food, drinks, and music together before each lecture. Interactive displays related to the evening's topic will give audience members additional context and information. The festivities start at 6 p.m. Guests are also encouraged to stay for post-talk coffee and tea as well as the chance to converse with attendees and researchers.

Learn more about the Earnest C. Watson Lecture Series and its history at Caltech.edu/Watson.

Watson Lectures are free and open to the public. Register online. A recording will be made available after the live event.