Characterization and Monitoring

Scope:

This Research Area focuses on research and development of advanced field technologies and interpretation techniques for characterizing subsurface systems.  Of particular interest is the mapping of fracture systems, faults, permeability structure, fluid saturations, and geomechanical stress.  Our characterization and monitoring efforts are in both unsaturated and saturated systems.  Approaches span the range from manual measurements made by researchers in tunnels and drifts, to remote in situ measurements in boreholes, to non-invasive geophysical techniques.  Interests include remote control, real-time analysis and feedback, and robotics.  Recent advances in micro-electronic mechanical systems (MEMS) and wireless sensor technologies are of particular interest.  We endeavor to apply advanced methods for hydrologic, geophysical, and geochemical measurements to form an integrated approach to subsurface characterization. 

ESD Activities:

The recent efforts of ESD researchers in characterizing the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, constitute the largest sustained effort in this area in ESD.  Long-term field campaigns have been conducted for monitoring heater tests, seepage into drifts, fracture flow, and to measure air-permeability.  Significant parts of field experiments were designed by ESD researchers to be remotely controlled so that researchers could attend to the experiment even while located here at LBNL.  Recently a team of ESD researchers invented a modular, microprocessor-controlled intelligent borehole packer system that moves all the valves, pressure sensors, and inflation and injection controls into the packer sections.  This packer system has been tested and will be deployed in the field shortly.  This technology is also available to private industry for licensing.  An innovative portable CT scanner has been developed to do on-site imaging of core retrieved during exploration drilling projects.  The motivation for developing this portable system was to image methane gas hydrates, which are highly unstable at surface pressures and temperatures, and therefore require imaging immediately after retrieval to evaluate methane hydrate content and distribution.  In another project, we are using In Situ Permeable Flow Sensors (ISPFSs) in a sandy unconfined aquifer to characterize groundwater flow velocity and its changes in response to groundwater production from nearby wells.  In summary, a variety of advanced technologies are being developed and applied in ESD.  This Research Area seeks to encourage further applications and development of these approaches for subsurface characterization and monitoring.

Contact:

Kenzi Karasaki
ph: 510.486.6759
email: kkarasaki@lbl.gov