Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Microbial-Induced Heterogeneity In The Acoustic Properties Of Porous Media, Caroline A. Davis, Laura J. Pyrak-Nolte, Estella A. Atekwana, D. Dale, Werkema, Marisa E. Haugen

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering Faculty Research & Creative Works

It is not known how biofilms affect seismic wave propagation in porous media. Such knowledge is critical for assessing the utility of seismic techniques for imaging biofilm development and their effects in field settings. Acoustic wave data were acquired over a two-dimensional region of a microbial-stimulated sand column and an unstimulated sand column. The acoustic signals from the unstimulated column were relatively uniform over the 2D scan region. The data from the microbial-stimulated column exhibited a high degree of spatial heterogeneity in the acoustic wave amplitude, with some regions exhibiting significant increases in attenuation while others exhibited decreases. Environmental scanning …