Probing Complex Geophysical Geometries With Chattering Dust

Probing complex geophysical geometries with chattering dust

Laura J. Pyrak-Nolte, William Braverman, Nicholas J. Nolte, Alan J. Wright, David D. Nolte

Mapping flow paths through fractures is important to the modern energy economy and environmental infrastructure. Flow paths in rock are difficult to detect and monitor because rocks are opaque to most probes. Here we apply chattering dust to study fractures and flow paths. The dust consists of chemically reactive grains that contain pockets of pressurized carbon dioxide that emit acoustic signals when they burst. An array of external ultrasonic sensors track the dust movement through a fracture system. The dust particles travel through locally varying fracture apertures with varying speeds and provide information about internal fracture geometry, flow paths and bottlenecks.

Nature Communications volume 11, Article number: 5282 (2020)
Corresponding Author: Laura J. Pyrak-Nolte