Marine EM Lab at Scripps IGPP Scripps Scripps Pier Cam


Biography

*In July 2017 I start a permanent position at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory at Columbia University. This webpage will be ported to LDEO in the near future.

Kerry Key
Associate Professor
Marine EM Laboratory
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics
Scripps Institution of Oceanography
University of California San Diego

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Research Interests

Marine magnetotelluric and controlled-source EM exploration, electromagnetic modeling with finite elements, electromagnetic inversion, mid-ocean ridges, subduction zones, hydrocarbon exploration, mantle dynamics, marine geophysical instrumentation design.

Education

Ph. D., Geophysics University of California, San Diego 2003
B.S., Earth Sciences University of California, San Diego 1998

Ph.D. Thesis
Ph.D. Thesis Advisor: Steven Constable

Professional Experience

Associate Professor, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia U. 2017-present
Visiting Associate Professor, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia U. 2017
Associate Professor, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD 2013-2017
Associate Researcher, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD 2012-2013
Visiting Scientist, Institute de Physique du Globe de Paris 2009
Assistant Researcher, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD 2008-2012
Postdoctoral Researcher, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD 2004-2008
   

Awards

Palomar College Alumnus of the Year 2014
Green Foundation Career Development Award 2012
Geophysics Outstanding Reviewer 2011
Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics Young Fellow Award 2004
Second Annual SIO Visualization Contest, 1st Place 2003
SEG Foundation Conoco Scholarship 2000, 2001
Gerald W. Hohmann Memorial Scholarship 1998, 1999

Professional Societies

American Geophysical Union, Society of Exploration Geophysicists

Teaching

Instructor, SIO113 Introduction to Computational Earth Science
Instructor, SIO239: Geophysical Field Methods (new course) 2015
Instructor, SIO182: Environmental and Exploration Geophysics 2013
Instructor, ESYS102: The Solid and Fluid Earth 2013-2016
Co-Instructor, SEG Continuing Education Course: Marine Electromagnetic Methods for Hydrocarbon Exploration 2006-2011

Graduate Student Advising

Christine Chesley advisor PhD, expected 2021
Daniel Blatter advisor PhD, expected 2020
Chloe Gustafson advisor PhD, expected 2020
Yuxiang Zhang advisor PhD, expected 2017
Georgianna Zelenak advisor Masters, 2016
Nate O’Flaherty advisor Masters, 2013
Anandaroop Ray advisor PhD, 2014, now at Chevron
Samer Naif advisor PhD, 2015, now Postdoc at LDEO, Columbia U.
Lindsay Smith committee member PhD, 2013, now at ESG Solutions
Vanessa Brown Scripps advisor visiting from IPGP, PhD, 2012, now at Chevron
Brent Wheelock co-advisor PhD, 2012, now at ExxonMobil
David Myer co-advisor PhD, 2012, now at BlueGreen Geophysics
Dylan Connell advisor Masters, 2011, now at Newmont Mining
Tetsuo Matsuno research advisor visiting post-doc, Aug/Sept 2010

Webmaster

marineemlab.ucsd.edu Marine EM Lab website webmaster

Safety Certifications

OPITO BOSIET Valid through September 2016

Patents

Refereed Publications (click on the titles to download the PDF)

43. Key, K. and M. R. Siegfried (2017), The feasibility of imaging  subglacial hydrology beneath ice streams with ground-based electromagnetics, accepted to Journal of Glaciology.
42. Siegert, M. J., B. Kulessa, M. H. Bougamont, P. Christoffersen, K. Key, K. R. Andersen, A. D. Booth, and A. M. Smith (2017), Antarctic subglacial groundwater: a concept paper on its measurement and potential influence on ice flow, in Exploration of subsurface Antarctica uncovering past changes and modern processes, edited by M. J. Siegert, S. Jamieson, and D. White, Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 461, https://doi.org/10.1144/SP461.8.
41. Attias, E., R. L. Evans, S. Naif, J. Elsenbeck, and K. Key (2017), Conductivity structure of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary beneath the eastern North American margin, Geochem Geophy Geosy, 18(2), 676–696, doi:10.1002/2016GC006667.
40. Naif, S., K. Key, and S. Constable (2016), Porosity and fluid budget of a water-rich megathrust revealed with electromagnetic data at the Middle America Trench, Geochem Geophy Geosy, doi:10.1002/2016GC006556.
39. Key, K. (2016), MARE2DEM: a 2-D inversion code for controlled-source electromagnetic and magnetotelluric data, Geophys J Int, 207(1), 571–588, doi:10.1093/gji/ggw290.
38. Naif, S., K. Key, S. Constable, and R. L. Evans (2015), Water-rich bending faults at the Middle America Trench, Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, 16(8), 2582–2597, doi:10.1002/2015GC005927.
37. Constable, S., A. Orange, and K. Key (2015), And the geophysicist replied: “Which model do you want?,” Geophysics, 80(3), E197–E212, doi:10.1190/geo2014-0381.1.
36. Hoversten, G. M., D. Myer, K. Key, D. Alumbaugh, O. Hermann, and R. Hobbet (2015), Field test of sub‐basalt hydrocarbon exploration with marine controlled source electromagnetic and magnetotelluric data, Geophysical Prospecting, 63, 1284–1310, doi:10.1111/1365-2478.12278.
35. Wheelock, B., S. Constable, and K. Key (2015), The advantages of logarithmically scaled data for electromagnetic inversion, Geophysical Journal International, 201(3), 1765–1780, doi:10.1093/gji/ggv107.
34. Myer, D., K. Key, and S. Constable (2015), Marine CSEM of the Scarborough gas field, Part 2: 2D inversion, Geophysics, 80(3), E187–E196, doi:10.1190/geo2014-0438.1.
33. Ray, A., K. Key, T. Bodin, D. Myer, and S. Constable (2014), Bayesian inversion of marine CSEM data from the Scarborough gas field using a transdimensional 2-D parametrization, Geophysical Journal International, 199(3), 1847–1860, doi:10.1093/gji/ggu370.
32. Trainor-Guitton, W. J., G. M. Hoversten, A. Ramirez, J. Roberts, E. Juliusson, K. Key, and R. Mellors (2014), The value of spatial information for determining well placement: A geothermal example, Geophysics, 79(5), W27–W41, doi:10.1190/geo2013-0337.1.
31. Ray, A., D. Alumbaugh, G.M. Hoversten and K. Key (2013), Robust and accelerated Bayesian inversion of marine controlled-source electromagnetic data using parallel tempering, Geophysics, 78(6), E271–E280. doi: 10.1190/geo2013-0128.1
30. Myer, D., S. Constable and K. Key (2013), Magnetotelluric evidence for layered mafic intrusions beneath the Vøring and Exmouth rifted margins, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 220, 1-10.
29. Naif, S., K. Key, S. Constable, and R. Evans (2013), Melt-rich channel observed at the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary, Nature, 495, 356-359.
28. Key, K., S. Constable, L. Liu, and A. Pommier (2013), Electrical image of passive mantle upwelling beneath the northern East Pacific Rise, Nature, 495, 499-502.
27. Pommier, A., R.L. Evans, K. Key, J.A. Tyburczy, S. Mackwell and J. Elsenbeck (2013), Prediction of silicate melts viscosity from electrical conductivity: A model and its geophysical implications, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems, 14, 1685–1692, doi:10.1002/ggge.20103.
26. Ray, A. and K. Key (2012), Bayesian inversion of marine CSEM data with a trans-dimensional self parametrizing algorithm, Geophysical Journal International, 191, 1135–1151.
25. Key, K., S. Constable, T. Matsuno, R. Evans and D. Myer (2012), Electromagnetic detection of plate hydration due to bending faults at the Middle America Trench, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 351–352, 45–53.
24. Chen, J., G. Hoversten, K. Key, G. Nordquist, and W. Cumming (2012), Stochastic inversion of magnetotelluric data using sharp boundary parameterization and application to a geothermal site, Geophysics, 77(4), E265-E279, doi:10.1190/GEO2011-0430.1.
23. Myer, D., S. Constable, K. Key, M. Glinsky and G. Liu (2012), Marine CSEM of the Scarborough gas field, Part 1: Experimental design and data uncertainty, Geophysics, 77(4), E281-E299, doi:10.1190/GEO2011-0380.1.
22. Key, K. (2012), Is the fast Hankel transform faster than quadrature?, Geophysics, 77(3), F21–F30, doi:10.1190/geo2011-0237.1.

*** The MATLAB codes from this paper are freely available at the SEG software library: http://software.seg.org/2012/0003/
21. Selway, K., S. Thiel, and K. Key (2012), A simple 2-D explanation for negative phases in TE magnetotelluric data, Geophysical Journal International, 188, 945–958, doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05312.x.
20. Brown, V., M. Hoversten, K. Key, and J. Chen (2012), Resolution of reservoir scale electrical anisotropy from marine CSEM data, Geophysics, 77(2), E147–E158, doi:10.1190/geo2011-0159.1.
19. Connell, D., and K. Key (2013), A numerical comparison of time and frequency-domain marine EM methods for hydrocarbon exploration in shallow water, Geophysical Prospecting, 61, 187-199.
18. Shahin, A., K. Key, P.L. Stoffa and R.H. Tatham (2012), Petro-electric modeling for CSEM reservoir characterization and monitoring, Geophysics, 77(1), E9–E20, doi:10.1190/geo2010-0329.1.
17. Brown, V., K. Key and S. Singh (2012), Seismically regularized controlled-source electromagnetic inversion, Geophysics, 77(1), E57-E65.
16. Key, K. (2012), Marine electromagnetic studies of seafloor resources and tectonics, Surveys in Geophysics, 33(1), 135–167, doi:10.1007/s10712-011-9139-x.
15. Key, K., and J. Ovall (2011), A parallel goal-oriented adaptive finite element method for 2.5-D electromagnetic modelling, Geophysical Journal International, 186(1), 137–154, doi:10.1111/j.1365-246X.2011.05025.x.
14. Key, K. and S. Constable (2011), Coast effect distortion of marine magnetotelluric data: Insights from a pilot study offshore northeastern Japan, Physics of the Earth and Planetary Interiors, 184, 194–207.
13. Myer, D., S. Constable, and K. Key (2011), Broad-band waveforms and robust processing for marine CSEM surveys, Geophysical Journal International, 184, 689-698.
12. Zhdanov, M.S., L. Wan, A. Gribenko, M. Cuma, K. Key, and S. Constable (2011), Large-scale 3D inversion of marine magnetotelluric data: Case study from the Gemini Prospect, Gulf of Mexico, Geophysics, 76, F77-F87.

10. Key, K. (2009), 1D inversion of multicomponent, multifrequency marine CSEM data: Methodology and synthetic studies for resolving thin resistive layers, Geophysics, 74, F9–F20.

***The Occam1DCSEM source code I wrote for this paper is publicly available here.***
9. Orange, A., K. Key, and S. Constable (2009), The feasibility of reservoir monitoring using time-lapse marine CSEM, Geophysics, 74, F21–F29.
8. Constable, S., K. Key and L. Lewis (2009), Mapping offshore sedimentary structure using electromagnetic methods and terrain effects in marine magnetotelluric data, Geophysical Journal International, 176, 431–442.
6. Key, K. and C. Weiss (2006), Adaptive finite element modeling using unstructured grids: the 2D magnetotelluric example, Geophysics, 71, G291–G299.
5. Key, K. W., S. C. Constable, and C. J. Weiss (2006), Mapping 3D salt using the 2D marine magnetotelluric method: Case study from Gemini Prospect, Gulf of Mexico, Geophysics, 71, B17–B27.
4. Weitemeyer, K., S. Constable, K. Key, and J. Behrens (2006), First results from a marine controlled-source electromagnetic survey to detect gas hydrates offshore Oregon, Geophysical Research Letters, 33.
3. Evans, R. L., S. C. Webb, W. Crawford, C. Golden, K. Key, L. Lewis, H. Miyano, E. Roosen, and D. Doherty (2002), Crustal resistivity structure at 9N on the East Pacific Rise; results of an electromagnetic survey, Geophysical Research Letters., 29, 6–1 to 6–4.
2. Key, K. and S. Constable (2002), Broadband marine MT exploration of the East Pacific Rise at 950’N, Geophysical Research Letters, 29, 11–1 to 11–4.
1. Heinson, G., A. White, S. Constable, and K. Key (1999), Marine self-potential exploration, Exploration Geophysics, 30, 1-4.

 

Unrefereed Publications

Myer, D., S. Constable, and K. Key, 2010, A marine EM survey of the Scarborough gas field, Northwest shelf of Australia: First Break, 28, 77–82.
Weitemeyer, K., S. Constable and K. Key, 2006, Marine EM techniques for gas-hydrate detection and hazard mitigation, The Leading Edge; May 2006; v. 25; no. 5; p. 629-632; DOI: 10.1190/1.2202668.
Key, K., S. Constable, J. Behrens, G. Heinson, and C. Weiss, 2005, Mapping the northern EPR magmatic system using marine EM, Ridge 2000 Events, 3, 35–37.

 

Selected Abstracts

Key, K., Marine electromagnetic studies of seafloor resources and tectonics,  invited review paper at the 20th Workshop on Electromagnetic Induction in Earth, Giza, Egypt, 2010.
Goto, N., K.  Key, S. Constable, H. Mikada, and K. Suyehiro, Marine magnetotelluric investigation of the subduction zone offshore Sanriku, Japan,  18th Workshop on Electromagnetic Induction in Earth, El Vendrell, Spain, 2006.
Key, K., and S. Constable, Mantle Upwelling Beneath the East Pacific Rise at 9º 30’N, Eos Trans., AGU, 2006.
Key, K., Y. Li and C. Weiss, Adaptive finite element modeling for 2D electromagnetic problems using unstructured grids, MARELEC Conference, Amsterdam, 2006.
Key, K., Joint interpretation through combined visualization of marine electromagnetic and seismic data,  Proceedings of the Offshore Technology Conference, 2005.
Key, K., Marine MT: strengths, limitations, future directions, invited, SEG Marine Controlled-Source EM Forum, Ucross, Wyoming, 2005.
Key, K., and S. Constable, Broadband marine magnetotelluric exploration of the crust at a petroleum prospect and a mid-ocean ridge, invited, EGU-1st General Assembly, Nice, France, 2004.
Key, K., S. Constable, and C. Weiss, Mapping 3D salt with 2D marine MT: Case study from Gemini Prospect, Gulf of Mexico, 3DEM-III Workshop, Adelaide, Australia, 2003.

 

Research Cruises

Cruise Vessel Date
Days
MT at Gemini & Mahogany Prospects, Gulf of Mexico R/V Pelican 06/1997
14
Self-potential (SPOTI) tows offshore San Onofre, California R/V Melville 10/1997
4
SWELL: MT and OBS recovery, offshore Hawaii R/V Moana Wave 12/1997
12
SWAGGIE: MT and SP offshore Eyre Peninsula, Australia R/V Franklin 04/1998
14
MT at Gemini Prospect, Gulf of Mexico R/V Pelican 07/1998
11
L-Cheapo hydrophone recovery, Kauai 30 ft fishing boat 02/1999
1
MT, MMR, compliance at East Pacific Rise, 9°50’ N R/V Melville 02/2000
30
MT deployments (to 5.5 km depth) offshore Sanriku, Japan R/V Kaiyo 06/2000
3
MT recoveries offshore Sanriku, Japan R/V Kaiyo 06/2000
10
1st CSEM for oil exploration, offshore Angola with STATOIL RRS Charles Darwin 10/2000
42
MT comparison with EMI instruments, San Diego R/V Sproul 01/2001
2
APPLE: MT and CSEM, 1000 km west of San Diego R/V Thompson 02/2001
18
MT at Gemini Prospect, Gulf of Mexico R/V Longhorn 03/2001
6
ISL Inc., deployments offshore San Diego Acoustic Explorer 06/2001
2
APPLE: long period MT recovery, 1000 km west of San Diego R/V New Horizon 08/2001
10
APPLE3: MT on continental shelf, offshore San Diego R/V Sproul 10/2001
3
GERD RWMC: shallow water MT, offshore San Diego R/V Sproul 03/2002
2
SUESI transmitter and antenna test, offshore San Diego R/V Sproul 07/2002
1
Instrument recovery, San Diego, Chief Scientist R/V Sproul 12/2002
1
CSEM and more MT at Gemini Prospect, Gulf of Mexico R/V Gyre 01/2003
11
East Pacific Rise 9° N, 69 MT and CSEM sites R/V Revelle 02/2004
36
Hydrate Ridge, offshore Oregon, 25 CSEM and MT sites R/V New Horizon 08/2004
7
San Diego Trough, SUESI endurance test R/V New Horizon 09/2004
3
San Diego, NSF ship inspection, shallow EM and CSMT R/V New Horizon 11/2004
1
Transmitter test, San Diego R/V Revelle 08/2005
2
Catalina Crater MT and CSMT, San Diego Trough CSEM R/V New Horizon 05/2006
5
Loihi Seamount EM tomography, Hawaii R/V Revelle 07/2006
5
EM receiver recovery, San Diego Trough, Coronado Bank R/V Sproul 01/2007
1
Vulcan and Barracuda tests with SUESI, San Diego Trough R/V New Horizon 05/2007
2
Instrument test in the San Diego Trough R/V Sproul 04/2008
1
Offshore Morro Bay MT/EM Deployment and CSEM tows R/V New Horizon 11/2008
10
Offshore Morro Bay MT/EM Receiver Recovery R/V Sproul 01/2009
7
Scarborough Gas Field Survey (144 Rx, 320 km CSEM tows) R/V Revelle 05/2009
32
SERPENT CSEM, MT, LEMS & Vulcan, Chief Scientist R/V Meville 04/2010
28
San Nicolas Basin hydrate survey with towed array CSEM R/V New Horizon 05/2013
3
MOCHA marine MT deployment off Oregon and Washington R/V Oceanus 05/2014
7
MOCHA marine MT recovery off Oregon and Washington R/V Oceanus 06/2014
11
Santa Cruz Basin hydrate survey with towed array CSEM R/V New Horizon 06/2014
7
Marine MT deployment across Aleutian arc at Umnak Island R/V Thompson 06/2015
4
Marine MT recovery, Aleutian arc at Umnak Island R/V Sikuliaq 06/2015
6
CSEM for groundwater off New Jersey & Martha's Vineyard R/V Langseth 09/2015
10
    Total
385

 

 

 

email: kkey@ucsd.edu
Last modified: January 18 2018 18:51.