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Earth Sciences

2015

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Articles 1 - 16 of 16

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Modeling Of Gas Production From Shale Reservoirs Considering Multiple Transport Mechanisms, Chaohua Guo, Mingzhen Wei, Hong Liu Dec 2015

Modeling Of Gas Production From Shale Reservoirs Considering Multiple Transport Mechanisms, Chaohua Guo, Mingzhen Wei, Hong Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Gas transport in unconventional shale strata is a multi-mechanism-coupling process that is different from the process observed in conventional reservoirs. In micro fractures which are inborn or induced by hydraulic stimulation, viscous flow dominates. And gas surface diffusion and gas desorption should be further considered in organic nano pores. Also, the Klinkenberg effect should be considered when dealing with the gas transport problem. In addition, following two factors can play significant roles under certain circumstances but have not received enough attention in previous models. During pressure depletion, gas viscosity will change with Knudsen number; and pore radius will increase when …

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Hierarchical Segmentation Of The Malawi Rift: The Influence Of Inherited Lithospheric Heterogeneity And Kinematics In The Evolution Of Continental Rifts, Daniel A. Lao-Davila, Haifa S. Al-Salmi, Mohamed G. Abdel Salam, Estella A. Atekwana Dec 2015

Hierarchical Segmentation Of The Malawi Rift: The Influence Of Inherited Lithospheric Heterogeneity And Kinematics In The Evolution Of Continental Rifts, Daniel A. Lao-Davila, Haifa S. Al-Salmi, Mohamed G. Abdel Salam, Estella A. Atekwana

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We used detailed analysis of Shuttle Radar Topography Mission-digital elevation model and observations from aeromagnetic data to examine the influence of inherited lithospheric heterogeneity and kinematics in the segmentation of largely amagmatic continental rifts. We focused on the Cenozoic Malawi Rift, which represents the southern extension of the Western Branch of the East African Rift System. This north trending rift traverses Precambrian and Paleozoic-Mesozoic structures of different orientations. We found that the rift can be hierarchically divided into first-order and second-order segments. In the first-order segmentation, we divided the rift into Northern, Central, and Southern sections. In its Northern Section, …

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A Joint Receiver Function And Gravity Study Of Crustal Structure Beneath The Incipient Okavango Rift, Botswana, Youqiang Yu, Kelly H. Liu, Cory A. Reed, Moikwathai Moidaki, Kevin Mickus, Estella A. Atekwana, Stephen S. Gao Oct 2015

A Joint Receiver Function And Gravity Study Of Crustal Structure Beneath The Incipient Okavango Rift, Botswana, Youqiang Yu, Kelly H. Liu, Cory A. Reed, Moikwathai Moidaki, Kevin Mickus, Estella A. Atekwana, Stephen S. Gao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Rifting incorporates the fundamental processes concerning the breakup of continental lithosphere and plays a significant role in the formation and evolution of sedimentary basins. In order to decipher the characteristics of rifting at its earliest stage, we conduct the first teleseismic crustal study of one of the world's youngest continental rifts, the Okavango Rift Zone (ORZ), where the magma has not yet breached the surface. Results from receiver function stacking and gravity modeling indicate that the crust/mantle boundary beneath the ORZ is uplifted by 4-5 km, and the initiation of the ORZ is closely related to lithospheric stretching. Possible decompression …

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Clustering Data Of Mixed Categorical And Numerical Type With Unsupervised Feature Learning, Dao Lam, Mingzhen Wei, Donald C. Wunsch Sep 2015

Clustering Data Of Mixed Categorical And Numerical Type With Unsupervised Feature Learning, Dao Lam, Mingzhen Wei, Donald C. Wunsch

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Mixed-type categorical and numerical data are a challenge in many applications. This general area of mixed-type data is among the frontier areas, where computational intelligence approaches are often brittle compared with the capabilities of living creatures. In this paper, unsupervised feature learning (UFL) is applied to the mixed-type data to achieve a sparse representation, which makes it easier for clustering algorithms to separate the data. Unlike other UFL methods that work with homogeneous data, such as image and video data, the presented UFL works with the mixed-type data using fuzzy adaptive resonance theory (ART). UFL with fuzzy ART (UFLA) obtains …

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Seismic-Hazard Map Of Southeast Missouri And Likely Magnitude Of The February 1812 New Madrid Earthquake, Jaewon Chung, J. David Rogers Aug 2015

Seismic-Hazard Map Of Southeast Missouri And Likely Magnitude Of The February 1812 New Madrid Earthquake, Jaewon Chung, J. David Rogers

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The New Madrid seismic zone lies beneath the upper Mississippi Embayment, straddling the border between southeastern Missouri and northwestern Tennessee. In late 1811 and early 1812, it produced five earthquakes of magnitudes >6.5, violently shaking the central and eastern United States (CEUS). Its magnitude and recurrence are of concern to today's central United States regions. By considering the effects of local geology, deterministic scenario maps (Mw 7.3 and 7.7) were produced for ground motions intended to simulate the 7 February 1812 event (NM3), which was the largest felt. These maps include spatial estimates of peak ground acceleration and of …

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No Thermal Anomalies In The Mantle Transition Zone Beneath An Incipient Continental Rift: Evidence From The First Receiver Function Study Across The Okavango Rift Zone, Botswana, Youqiang Yu, Kelly H. Liu, M. Moidaki, Cory A. Reed, Stephen S. Gao Jul 2015

No Thermal Anomalies In The Mantle Transition Zone Beneath An Incipient Continental Rift: Evidence From The First Receiver Function Study Across The Okavango Rift Zone, Botswana, Youqiang Yu, Kelly H. Liu, M. Moidaki, Cory A. Reed, Stephen S. Gao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Mechanisms leading to the initiation and early-stage development of continental rifts remain enigmatic, in spite of numerous studies. Among the various rifting models, which were developed mostly based on studies of mature rifts, far-field stresses originating from plate interactions (passive rifting) and nearby active mantle upwelling (active rifting) are commonly used to explain rift dynamics. Situated atop of the hypothesized African Superplume, the incipient Okavango Rift Zone (ORZ) of northern Botswana is ideal to investigate the role of mantle plumes in rift initiation and development, as well as the interaction between the upper and lower mantle. The ORZ developed within …

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Study Of Displacement Efficiency And Flow Behavior Of Foamed Gel In Non-Homogeneous Porous Media, Yanling Wang, Jiafeng Jin, Baojun Bai, Mingzhen Wei Jun 2015

Study Of Displacement Efficiency And Flow Behavior Of Foamed Gel In Non-Homogeneous Porous Media, Yanling Wang, Jiafeng Jin, Baojun Bai, Mingzhen Wei

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Field trials have demonstrated that foamed gel is a very cost-effective technology for profile modification and water shut-off. However, the mechanisms of profile modification and flow behavior of foamed gel in non-homogeneous porous media are not yet well understood. In order to investigate these mechanisms and the interactions between foamed gel and oil in porous media, coreflooding and pore-scale visualization waterflooding experiments were performed in the laboratory. The results of the coreflooding experiment in non-homogeneous porous media showed that the displacement efficiency improved by approximately 30% after injecting a 0.3 pore volume of foamed gel, and was proportional to the …

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Pore Pressure Evolution And Fluid Flow During Visco-Elastic Single-Layer Buckle Folding, Andreas Eckert, X. Liu, P. Connolly May 2015

Pore Pressure Evolution And Fluid Flow During Visco-Elastic Single-Layer Buckle Folding, Andreas Eckert, X. Liu, P. Connolly

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Pore pressure and fluid flow during the deformational history of geologic structures are directly influenced by tectonic deformation events. In this contribution, 2D plane strain finite element analysis is used to study the influence of different permeability distributions on the pore pressure field and associated flow regimes during the evolution of visco-elastic single-layer buckle folds. The buckling-induced fluid flow regimes indicate that flow directions and, to a lesser degree, their magnitudes vary significantly throughout the deformation and as a function of the stratigraphic permeability distribution. The modelling results suggest that the volumetric strain and the permeability distribution significantly affect the …

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Determining Crustal Structure Beneath Seismic Stations Overlying A Low-Velocity Sedimentary Layer Using Receiver Functions, Youqiang Yu, Jianguo Song, Kelly H. Liu, Stephen S. Gao May 2015

Determining Crustal Structure Beneath Seismic Stations Overlying A Low-Velocity Sedimentary Layer Using Receiver Functions, Youqiang Yu, Jianguo Song, Kelly H. Liu, Stephen S. Gao

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

The receiver function (RF) technique has been widely applied to investigate crustal and mantle layered structures using P-to-S converted (Ps) phases from velocity discontinuities. However, the presence of low-velocity (relative to that of the bedrock) sediments can give rise to strong reverberations in the resulting RFs, frequently masking the Ps phases from crustal and mantle boundaries. Such reverberations are caused by P-to-S conversions and their multiples associated with the strong impedance contrast across the bottom of the low-velocity sedimentary layer. Here we propose and test an approach to effectively remove the near-surface reverberations and decipher the Ps phases associated with …

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Introduction To Special Section: China Shale Gas And Shale Oil Plays, Shu Jiang, Hongliu Zeng, Jinchuan Zhang, Neil S. Fishman, Baojun Bai, Xianming Xiao, Tongwei Zhang, Geoffrey S. Ellis, Xianjie Li, Bryony Richards-Mcclung, Dongsheng Cai, Yongsheng Ma May 2015

Introduction To Special Section: China Shale Gas And Shale Oil Plays, Shu Jiang, Hongliu Zeng, Jinchuan Zhang, Neil S. Fishman, Baojun Bai, Xianming Xiao, Tongwei Zhang, Geoffrey S. Ellis, Xianjie Li, Bryony Richards-Mcclung, Dongsheng Cai, Yongsheng Ma

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

No abstract provided.

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Azimuthal Anisotropy Beneath North Central Africa From Shear Wave Splitting Analyses, Awad A. Lemnifi, Kelly H. Liu, Stephen S. Gao, Cory A. Reed, Ahmed A. Elsheikh, Youqiang Yu, Abdala A. Elmelade Apr 2015

Azimuthal Anisotropy Beneath North Central Africa From Shear Wave Splitting Analyses, Awad A. Lemnifi, Kelly H. Liu, Stephen S. Gao, Cory A. Reed, Ahmed A. Elsheikh, Youqiang Yu, Abdala A. Elmelade

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

This study represents the first multistation investigation of azimuthal anisotropy beneath the interior of north central Africa, including Libya and adjacent regions, using shear wave splitting (SWS) analysis. Data used in the study include recently available broadband seismic data obtained from 15 stations managed by the Libyan Center for Remote Sensing and Space Science, and those from five other stations at which data are publicly accessible. A total of 583 pairs of high-quality SWS measurements utilizing the PKS, SKKS, and SKS phases demonstrate primarily N-S fast orientations with an average splitting delay time of approximately 1.2 s. An absence of …

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A Systematic Comparison Of The Transverse Energy Minimization And Splitting Intensity Techniques For Measuring Shear-Wave Splitting Parameters, Fansheng Kong, Stephen S. Gao, Kelly H. Liu Feb 2015

A Systematic Comparison Of The Transverse Energy Minimization And Splitting Intensity Techniques For Measuring Shear-Wave Splitting Parameters, Fansheng Kong, Stephen S. Gao, Kelly H. Liu

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Over the past several decades, shear-wave splitting (SWS) analyses have been increasingly utilized to delineate mantle structure and probe mantle dynamics. However, the reported splitting parameters (fast polarization orientations and splitting times) are frequently inconsistent among different studies, partially due to the different techniques used to estimate the splitting parameters. Here, we report results from a systematic comparison of the transverse minimization (TM) and the splitting intensity (SI) techniques. The study was motivated by the fact that recent comparative studies led to conflicting conclusions, which include the suggestion that TM, which is arguably the most widely used SWS-measuring technique, performs …

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Thermal Perturbations Beneath The Incipient Okavango Rift Zone, Northwest Botswana, Khumo Leseane, Estella A. Atekwana, Kevin Lee Mickus, Mohamed G. Abdel Salam, Elisha M. Shemang, Eliot A. Atekwana Feb 2015

Thermal Perturbations Beneath The Incipient Okavango Rift Zone, Northwest Botswana, Khumo Leseane, Estella A. Atekwana, Kevin Lee Mickus, Mohamed G. Abdel Salam, Elisha M. Shemang, Eliot A. Atekwana

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

We used aeromagnetic and gravity data to investigate the thermal structure beneath the incipient Okavango Rift Zone (ORZ) in northwestern Botswana in order to understand its role in strain localization during rift initiation. We used three-dimensional (3-D) inversion of aeromagnetic data to estimate the Curie Point Depth (CPD) and heat flow under the rift and surrounding basement. We also used two-dimensional (2-D) power-density spectrum analysis of gravity data to estimate the Moho depth. Our results reveal shallow CPD values (8-15 km) and high heat flow (60-90 mW m-2) beneath a ∼60 km wide NE-trending zone coincident with major …

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Evaluation Of Rock Fall Hazards Using Lidar Technology, Norbert H. Maerz, Travis Kassebaum, Kenneth J. Boyko, James Otoo Jan 2015

Evaluation Of Rock Fall Hazards Using Lidar Technology, Norbert H. Maerz, Travis Kassebaum, Kenneth J. Boyko, James Otoo

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Lidar (light detection and ranging) is a relatively new technology that is being used in many aspects of geology and engineering, including researching the potential for rock falls on highway rock cuts. At Missouri University of Science and Technology, we are developing methods for measuring joint orientations remotely and quantifying the raveling process. Measuring joint orientations remotely along highways is safer, more accurate and can result in larger and more accurate data sets, including measurements from otherwise inaccessible areas. Measuring the nature of rock raveling will provide the data needed to begin the process of modeling the rock raveling process. …

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Electrical Resistivity Imaging For Long-Term Autonomous Monitoring Of Hydrocarbon Degradation: Lessons From The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Jeffrey W. Heenan, Lee D. Slater, Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis, Estella A. Atekwana, Babu Z. Fathepure, Sonal Dalvi, Cameron Ross, D. Dale Werkema, Eliot A. Atekwana Jan 2015

Electrical Resistivity Imaging For Long-Term Autonomous Monitoring Of Hydrocarbon Degradation: Lessons From The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Jeffrey W. Heenan, Lee D. Slater, Dimitrios Ntarlagiannis, Estella A. Atekwana, Babu Z. Fathepure, Sonal Dalvi, Cameron Ross, D. Dale Werkema, Eliot A. Atekwana

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Conceptual models for the geophysical responses associated with hydrocarbon degradation suggest that the long-term evolution of an oil plume will result in a more conductive anomaly than the initial contamination. In response to the Deepwater Horizon (DH) oil spill into the Gulf of Mexico in 2010, an autonomous resistivity monitoring system was deployed on Grand Terre, Louisiana, in an attempt to monitor natural degradation processes in hydrocarbon-impacted beach sediments of this island. A 48-electrode surface array with a 0.5-m spacing was installed to obtain twice-daily images of the resistivity structure of the shallow subsurface impacted by oil. Over the course …

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Nonmarine Time-Stratigraphy In A Rift Setting: An Example From The Mid-Permian Lower Quanzijie Low-Order Cycle Bogda Mountains, Nw China, Jonathan Obrist-Farner, Wan Yang Jan 2015

Nonmarine Time-Stratigraphy In A Rift Setting: An Example From The Mid-Permian Lower Quanzijie Low-Order Cycle Bogda Mountains, Nw China, Jonathan Obrist-Farner, Wan Yang

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

Sedimentological and stratigraphic studies of seven stratigraphic sections of Permian Hongyanchi (HYC) and Quanzijie (QZJ) low-order cycles (LCs) in the Tarlong-Taodonggou half graben and Dalongkou area in Bogda Mountains, NW China, demonstrate effective approaches and methodology in cyclo- and time-stratigraphic analyses of complex fluvial-lacustrine deposits in an intracontinental rift setting. A new synchronous stratigraphic unit, the lower QZJ LC is defined. The lower and upper boundaries of this cycle include a regionally correlative disconformity, erosional unconformity, and conformity, across which significant and abrupt changes in palaeoenvironments and tectonic and climatic conditions occurred. The lower boundary is an erosional unconformity and …

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