There are seismic concerns where earthquakes can be generated through overstressing the subsurface when fracking. Hot spring chemicals, primarily sulfur related compounds, potentially migrating to the surface. However, since EGS does not target hydrocarbons and the risk of encountering gas pockets are quite low (a large concern in traditional fracking) as the subsurface targets are hot rocks in the basement rock. The purpose of FORGE, mentioned in the original article, is to provide a field lab to evaluate these questions and give better insight into EGS. Here are the publications coming out of FORGE https://utahforge.com/publicat...

Yes, the potential is there but depending on the heat in those wells will determine their viability to conversion. Here's a list of geothermal potential maps for North America https://www.smu.edu/dedman/aca.... The oil/gas plays are in areas with lower heat, due to the conditions to make the organic conversions to create those products. Eastern Utah has low temps but high natural gas, Wyoming and Texas are similar. Conversion would be ideal, if the heat is there to support it.

The extractive economy unearths inert to extremely hazardous stuff then the processing to concentrate the product exacerbates what already was toxic. In the case of EGS, the areas that are developed are evaluated for heat, not mineral or organic sources. In most cases, the heat is near the surface within volcanically derived bedrock with the primary concern of radioactive rock exposure, which is relatively low, among other volcanic chemical hazards. Long-term filtration through the rock would increase the concentration of these components in a closed system, which would need to be monitored. Sites are evaluated for these hazards, and samples are taken to evaluate the risks and determine the mitigative response needed to move forward with the site or not.

It is fracking, that's what EGS is. The system targets deep (~8000 feet) hot (~200C) impermeable rock that normally would not be viable for traditional geothermal production and creates pathways to extract the heat by connecting wells to circulate water. The seismic issue comes from the over-pressurization of reinjecting contaminated water from oil/gas production. In EGS, the fracking process targets specific pressures to generate the pathways and produces minimal to undetectable seismic surficial activity. The DOE-sponsored FORGE field lab in Utah, https://utahforge.com/laborato..., has been studying this process for the past few years and provides seismic data for the subsurface ground stimulations https://utahforge.com/seismic-.... Check out their data portal for more information. To answer your question of permanency, most fracking activities use a specific type of sand to fill in the generated cracks allowing the pathways to be maintained, depending on the material being fractured.

As a geologist mapping landslides and landslide potential, it is helpful to keep generating these types of data studies. As what appears to be obvious and apparent common knowledge, based on some of these comments, the correlation of landslide triggers can be challenging. Engineering Geologists and Geological Engineers know what can cause a landslide, some have calculated the window of failure pretty accurately (for smaller slides), but the data involved is massive. Knowing the material, moisture input/output, material response, air pressure influences, thermal expansion, etc, then calculating the exceedance of the factor of safety for the material is tricky, then do that over several miles. Groundwater influences have always been the key failure trigger, knowing how the interaction with the material brings it to failure is the challenge.

So it appears phase two of COVID reclusion will lead to a resurgence of Second Life. Conferences will be held there and corporations will generate their office space within. Phase three will be total immersion VR; dare I say we saw a preview with Ready Player One? God help us all.

These events are normally considered geologic hazards: earthquakes, landslides, floods, etc. These are hazards because of the impact they have on us and our way of life, same is considered with climate change, how much will this change impact us and are we okay with that. So the question is, how will this impact us and since it's up were people are not, nothing much will come from this other than more evidence there is a rapid change to the environment. We always need more data to improve our understanding, this gives us that.

Wait, it's 2017 and you've never heard of Linux or the GPL? Also, how is this net neutrality? This is a licensing problem you have and not net neutrality. Let me tell you what net neutrality is: Say Microsoft had an interest in all other OS downloads, they convince the ISPs to limit the speed/access to sites they dictate and/or redirect OS searches to their site instead. Thus preventing access to their competitors. Now MS starts an entertainment business and further convinces the ISPs to limit/redirect Youtube, Netflix, Amazon Streaming, Pandora, etc, etc to encourage consumers to use their FAST HD entertainment. So the ISPs decide to set up a business model to allow the other companies to compete for more access/speeds benefiting only them leaving little option for the consumer. OR they did with cable and offer tiered access to specific sites at various prices. They will go far further hurting the consumer then they ever did with bundling cable. Also, why do you feel justified in taking a community code without contributing back? I know capitalism is capitalism, but linux is for a better overall community not for a single profiteer. Make your own shit if you want that.

https://xkcd.com/1168/

From QuakeGuard technical page: "The QuakeGuard technology detects the non-destructive P-waves while filtering other sources of vibrations that can lead to false alarms. The elimination of false warnings is a result of QuakeGuard's patented DSP algorithms that filter detected vibrations to isolate the signature waveforms of a seismic event that has just occurred. Depending on the geological composition of the terrain and the distance from the epicenter of the seismic event, a warning of 10 to 60 seconds is possible."

Assuming this is the same QuakeGuard as mentioned in the article, here is their technical explanation http://www.seismicwarning.com/technology/waveseparation.php

Great thought, but the time to process lidar data takes a while. So planes and objects sure, but even the logistics to get this done takes time. Not sure about people, due to resolution over a vast area and again logistics. The bare-earth relief (which strips away a degree of vegetation) lidar offers is incredible. Cartographers and geologist have only recently really taken advantage of the technology. But in time and $, these other uses could definitely be considered, especially when resolution and processing is more developed.