Washington TrapRock Geophysical Research Surveys

About this Research

The Washington Department of Commerce (Research, Development, and Demonstration program) has awarded funding for a research study using remote sensing to study a large group of rocks known as the Columbia River Basalt Group (CRBG). The CRBG is a thick sequence of volcanic rocks created by massive lava flows that occurred in the Pacific Northwest between 15 million and 5 million years ago. In some areas of Washington, the tops of the ancient lava flows are exposed at the surface; in others, the flows are buried up to several miles underground.

This research study aims to create an underground map covering roughly 500 square miles, mainly beneath southern Benton County, but also extending into eastern Klickitat County and southeastern Yakima County. We will use low-frequency, low-intensity sound waves for the seismic survey and radio waves for the airborne survey—both by passively sensing background signals and by actively emitting waves and measuring their reflections—to non-invasively map the properties of underground rock formations, without the need for drilling. The technologies to be used for this study are similar to ultrasound scans and MRIs used in medicine to monitor the human body.

The seismic survey uses truck-mounted equipment and sensors in contact with the ground to transmit and receive sound waves. The airborne survey uses gear and sensors towed approximately 100 feet above the ground by a helicopter, to emit and sense electromagnetic (radio) waves and magnetic fields. This study expands on an airborne survey conducted in 2024.

The seismic and airborne surveys will be conducted during summer and fall 2025. The resulting data will be integrated with existing public datasets gathered by the Washington Geological Survey and the US Geological Survey (USGS) to create a subsurface map of the CRBG and groundwater flow through the rocks (what earth scientists call a region’s “hydrogeology”).

Hydrogeology influences the availability and sustainability of groundwater resources for human consumption and irrigation and contributes to understanding runoff patterns during extreme weather events. It also informs the potential use of the CRBG subsurface to safely store carbon dioxide injected deep underground.

This research project is being supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act. Carbon Containment Lab (CC Lab), a non-profit that spun out of Yale University in 2024, is leading this study in partnership with Washington Geological Survey, Carbfix, Hannon Clean Energy LLC, Schlumberger-Doll Research (SDR) for SLB, and Geotech Ltd.

Please see below for more detailed information and FAQs about this research study. For questions or feedback, contact: GeoResearch@cclab.org.

Objectives: 

  • The main objective of this research study is to map the hydrogeology of the CRBG in southern Benton County and neighboring regions. This type of characterization usually requires drilling hundreds of wells in a region and taking rock and water samples. By contrast, this study aims to demonstrate that non-invasive geophysical remote sensing, calibrated by data from a small set of existing wells in the region, can create a hydrogeologic map.

  • A key aim of the research is to assess the CRBG in this region of Washington as a potential geologic reservoir for safe, permanent sequestration of carbon dioxide. This research study will use the hydrogeologic model developed from the seismic and airborne surveys’ measurements to computationally simulate what happens when carbon dioxide is injected at different depths underground. For example, we should gain an understanding of how fluid CO2 would dissolve into and flow with groundwater below the depth of potable water and how CO2 would react with rocks to form solid minerals in a process called carbon mineralization (the safest and most permanent form of carbon sequestration). This research study consists of strictly surveying, computer modeling, and data analysis; it will not involve any injection of CO2 for sequestration.

  • The hydrogeologic map created by this research study will be made publicly available for other beneficial uses, such as to inform municipal water supply and agricultural practices in Washington.

Survey Dates: 

The seismic and airborne surveys will take place this summer. This date range was selected after discussions with community members. Once final dates are confirmed, they will be announced here.

  • Seismic Survey: The target time frame is mid-August 2025. The seismic survey will take approximately two weeks.

  • Airborne Survey: The target time frame is between mid-June to late-July 2025. The airborne survey will take between 20 to 40 days depending on weather and flight conditions.  

If you have concerns or questions about the timing of the surveys, please reach out to us at the email address at the end of this webpage.

Locations: 

As illustrated in the figure below, the CRBG encompasses over 81,000 square miles of Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.  You can learn more about the geological history of the CRBG by visiting the USGS website here.

This research will study a smaller region (around 500 square miles) underlying mostly Benton County in southeastern Washington, but also parts of Yakima and Klickitat counties. The map below shows the approximate locations of the two geophysical surveys. The small orange square is the area that will be surveyed by the seismic survey. The three purple sections represent the areas that will be studied by the airborne survey (the exact areas may be subject to minor changes). The dashed area in blue was studied by an airborne survey in January 2024.

FIG 1 | Map of the Columbia River Basalt Group Source: Idaho State University

FIG 2 | Location of geophysical remote sensing surveys Source: Carbon Containment Lab

  • Airborne Survey. Geotech Limited, a contractor specializing in airborne geophysical surveys, will perform the airborne survey by towing sensors that are approximately 100 feet above the ground. The helicopter flies approximately 250 feet above the ground and avoids, as much as possible, flying over major highways, power lines, and areas with a high density of buildings. One set of sensors records tiny variations in Earth’s natural magnetic field caused by metallic (mainly, iron) objects on or under the ground; another set records the reflected response to low-frequency radio waves emitted by a radio transmitter surrounding the recording sensors. Radio waves at these frequencies are no different than AM radio broadcasts and have been demonstrated to be harmless to humans and wildlife.

Survey Technologies: 

  • Seismic Survey. Vantage Geophysical has been contracted by Washington Geological Survey to carry out the seismic survey. In this type of remote sensing, a mechanical vibrator mounted onto a truck sends low-frequency (mostly inaudible) sound waves into the ground, which are reflected back toward the surface by changes in the rock layers. The reflected waves, called seismic echoes, are recorded by a large collection of sensors laid out in a regular pattern surrounding the truck and are processed by software to create 3D images of the rock structures, similar to ultrasound images of the human body. These waves are harmless to humans and wildlife. The survey will also “listen” to background vibrations of the Earth. 

FIG 3 | Seismic vibrator truck used in seismic surveys. Source:Vantage Geophysical Corporation

FIG 4 | Geotech helicopter used in airborne surveys. Source: Cowboy State Daily

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Carbon Containment Lab is a non-profit organization leading this research study. The Principal Investigator is Dr. Michael Oristaglio, a senior technical advisor to the CC Lab and a lecturer in Earth and Planetary Sciences at Yale University. Many other staff members of the CC Lab are participating in different parts of the work, including outreach to the communities involved.

    Other organizations are partners with CC Lab in the work, including Washington Geological Survey (WGS), Carbfix, Schlumberger-Doll Research, and Hannon Clean Energy. WGS is leading the seismic work. The other partners will work mostly on interpreting the remote sensing data and developing the 3D hydrogeologic model.

    Findings from the study will be made public once complete and peer-reviewed.

  • Our main purpose is to map the hydrogeology of the CRBG in Benton County and neighboring areas using non-invasive remote sensing. Hydrogeology influences the availability and sustainability of groundwater resources for human consumption, irrigation, and other uses. This study will focus on understanding the capacity of the CRBG to safely store or ‘sequester’ carbon dioxide (CO2 ) injected underground, such as after capture at power plants and other industrial sites, as a means of mitigating climate change and supporting the State’s climate commitments. 

  • This research study is being funded under the Washington Climate Commitment Act and will provide insight into the suitability of the CRBG for permanent geologic sequestration of carbon dioxide. The hydrogeologic map developed by the study will have many other uses, as described above.

  • The seismic survey will be conducted by a contractor to WGS  entirely on private property with the permission of the landowner. Sound waves transmitted into the subsurface during seismic surveys are generally imperceptible outside the immediate region of the survey.

  • If you own property or live within the survey zone, a helicopter operated by Geotech Ltd. will fly over that area. The sensors and equipment mounted to the helicopter will be as low as 100 feet, but the helicopter moves at about 50 to 60 miles per hour and, therefore, does not remain overhead for long. The wavelengths used for the geophysical survey are in the same frequency range as AM radio broadcasts. You might hear the helicopter flying by, but you will not feel anything. Because helicopter noise can sometimes disturb herds of animals, we will alert stakeholders keeping livestock about flight times by updating this webpage, and we recommend considering housing animals, if possible, during flight hours.

  • Both the airborne and ground-based surveys consist of transmitting and measuring waves—radio and sound, respectively. Neither survey will impact groundwater, surface water, soil, plants, animals, or other resources (beyond some temporary noise).

    The research team is reaching out to Indian Tribes to ensure that cultural resources and landscapes are not impacted by the study. The survey area does not include reservation lands of any Indian Tribe.

  • The data, 3D models, simulations, and final report prepared as part of this research study will be made public once processed and peer-reviewed.

  • WA Geological Survey is a division of the Department of Natural Resources. WGS collects, develops, uses, distributes, and preserves geologic information to promote the safety, health, and welfare of the citizens of Washington, to protect the environment, and to support the State’s economy. For this study, they are designing and leading the seismic survey. WGS has contacted Vantage Geophysical to support implementation of the survey.

  • Carbon Containment Lab is a research and educational 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation. The CC Lab’s mission is to develop and support emergent climate solutions by applying scientific, entrepreneurial, and investment expertise. The CC Lab is leading this research study.


    Learn more about the CC Lab’s efforts to understand the potential for carbon storage in the CRBG here.

  • Carbfix is an Icelandic company advancing permanent carbon sequestration using a proprietary technique of injecting CO2 dissolved in water into basaltic rocks where it mineralizes to form solid carbonate minerals like limestone. Carbfix’s mission is to significantly contribute to climate recovery through worldwide scaling and further development of underground carbon storage.


    Learn more about Carbfix’s technology and research projects here.

  • Geotech is a Canadian company and global leader in technological innovation for airborne geophysical survey mapping, interpretation, and analysis. Geotech will perform the airborne survey. 


    Read Geotech’s technical papers for proven airborne geophysical survey results here.

  • Hannon Clean Energy provides consulting services for clean energy projects, including carbon management, nuclear waste, and environmental applications. HCE is providing research and analytical support.

  • SDR is a premiere research division of the international oilfield services and renewable energy company SLB. For this research study, SDR is providing research and analytical support.

Participants

Lastly, Project TrapRock is supported with funding from Washington’s Climate Commitment Act (CCA). The CCA supports Washington’s climate action efforts by putting cap-and-invest dollars to work reducing climate pollution, creating jobs, and improving public health. Information about the CCA is available at www.climate.wa.gov.