Special Guest Seminar fall-2024

Abstract: Several critical technologies associated with the Energy Transition and climate change mitigation, such as Geologic and Marine Carbon sequestration, Hydrogen generation, critical mineral discovery, and geothermal, rely on an accurate understanding of geological and geochemical processes. For instance, multiple subsurface technologies require effective permeability control through subsurface fracture networks to optimize fluid-rock interaction across a diverse set of temperature, stress, and material conditions. However, to rapidly scale these technologies to the required commercial scales, we need a good predictive, real-world applicable model for optimization and feasibility analysis. This model, in turn, requires addressing the challenges posed by the spatial heterogeneity in natural geologic systems. In this talk, I will introduce two case studies to illustrate this concept and approaches my group is developing for these problems : (a) Rheology/Constitutive model for fractured rocks across the brittle-ductile transition (Geothermal), (b) Basalt mineralization - scaling from lab scale measurements of reaction rate data to field-scale lava flows (Carbon Capture & Storage, relevant for hydrogen generation also). In addition to theory development, we need low-cost measurements of geophysical and geochemical properties that can be used to validate the models and/or provide near real-time control system feedback. Due to the natural heterogeneity, the traditional approach of making a few very precise and expensive measurements isn't sufficient. Following the case studies described above, I will describe a new data fusion approach we are developing that combines fast & cheap methods (e.g., hyperspectral imaging; seismo-acoustic data) with various measurement methods (handheld XRF, LIBS, LA-ICP-MS) that are sequentially restricted to smaller sample sets. Overall, my work highlights the need to incorporate real geologic heterogeneity when considering various new technologies, as well as the opportunity to leverage the expertise in Earth Science for these systems built upon decades-centuries of observations. Bio: Assistant Professor in the Geoscience Department at Penn State. Ph.D., UC Berkeley in Spring 2020; Crosby Postdoc Fellow at MIT from 2020-2022. Research Focus: (A) Volcano Science (Modeling magmatic processes and Submarine volcanism), (B) Planetary geophysics (Planet formation and geodynamics, Planetary science), and (C) Volcano/tectonic-climate interactions (Understanding the impact of solid Earth process on the ocean-atmosphere system across a range of timescales - months to Myr), (D) Geofluids & Geomechanics (Understanding rock rheology and fluid-rock reactions on a micro-scale and developing thermodynamically consistent upscaled models; using seismic information in the lab & field to investigate processes in real-time for detailed process understanding), (E) Earth science knowledge for various applications related to energy transition - geothermal energy (especially enhanced geothermal systems at high temperatures), critical mineral discovery (Li, REE, Copper), geologic carbon sequestration (enhanced rock weathering, basalt carbon sequestration), and hydrogen production (reactive transport). Development of new geophysical and geochemical characterization methods (and associated data processing tools) - e.g., hyperspectral imaging, acoustics, and LIDAR that can be applied at scale, both in terms of the number of samples as well as the spatial coverage, cost-effectively and rapidly in field settings. Please sign up using the link below to meet with the speaker. Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1rq_VqrLvy2HIFjmq0sRJ1ukfyY3xml0x4DPbOGvhqWk/edit?usp=sharing