Geostatistical Rock Physics Inversion for Predicting the Spatial Distribution of Porosity and Saturation in the Critical Zone

Grana, Dario; Parsekian, Andrew D.; Flinchum, Brady; Callahan, R. P.; Smeltz, Natalie Y.; Li, Ang; Hayes, J. L.; Carr, Brad J.; Singha, Kamini; Riebe, C. S.; Holbrook, W. S.

doi:10.1007/s11004-022-10006-0

Cited by 14 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 73 publications

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“…Geophysical tools rely on either active or passive sources of energy that pass through rock; the response of this energy as it moves through the subsurface can then be interpreted based on our knowledge of rocks and fluids. It is important to note two issues that arise around interpreting geophysical inversion data for CZ properties of interest: (a) the non‐uniqueness of inversion images (e.g., Day‐Lewis et al., 2005) and (b) the application and applicability of rock physics models used (e.g., Grana et al., 2022). Below, we describe some geophysical tools that may be uniquely capable of detecting the base and thickness of the CZ.…”

Section: Current Approaches To Constrain the Base And Thickness Of Th...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Expanding the Spatial Reach and Human Impacts of Critical Zone Science

Singha,

Sullivan,

Billings

et al. 2024

Earth's Future

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Two major barriers hinder the holistic understanding of subsurface critical zone (CZ) evolution and its impacts: (a) an inability to measure, define, and share information and (b) a societal structure that inhibits inclusivity and creativity. In contrast to the aboveground portion of the CZ, which is visible and measurable, the bottom boundary is difficult to access and quantify. In the context of these barriers, we aim to expand the spatial reach of the CZ by highlighting existing and effective tools for research as well as the “human reach” of CZ science by expanding who performs such science and who it benefits. We do so by exploring the diversity of vocabularies and techniques used in relevant disciplines, defining terminology, and prioritizing research questions that can be addressed. Specifically, we explore geochemical, geomorphological, geophysical, and ecological measurements and modeling tools to estimate CZ base and thickness. We also outline the importance of and approaches to developing a diverse CZ workforce that looks like and harnesses the creativity of the society it serves, addressing historical legacies of exclusion. Looking forward, we suggest that to grow CZ science, we must broaden the physical spaces studied and their relationships with inhabitants, measure the “deep” CZ and make data accessible, and address the bottlenecks of scaling and data‐model integration. What is needed—and what we have tried to outline—are common and fundamental structures that can be applied anywhere and used by the diversity of researchers involved in investigating and recording CZ processes from a myriad of perspectives.

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Section: Current Approaches To Constrain the Base And Thickness Of Th...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Expanding the Spatial Reach and Human Impacts of Critical Zone Science

Singha,

Sullivan,

Billings

et al. 2024

Earth's Future

Self Cite

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“…However, the estimation of petrophysical properties-such as porosity, lithology, and fluid saturations-can be formulated as an inverse problem. In this case, they are usually referred to as petrophysical inversions (in seismic exploration, they are sometimes also known as rock-physics inversion-e.g., Grana, Parsekian, et al, 2022). In the deterministic frameworks, a physical relationship mapping the rock properties to the geophysical parameters is often necessary (Cao et al, 2023;Foged et al, 2014;Mastrocicco et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Probabilistic Petrophysical Reconstruction of Danta's Alpine Peatland via Electromagnetic Induction Data

Zaru,

Silvestri,

Assiri

et al. 2024

Earth and Space Science

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Peatlands are fundamental deposits of organic carbon. Thus, their protection is of crucial importance to avoid emissions from their degradation. Peat is a mixture of organic soil that originates from the accumulation of wetland plants under continuous or cyclical anaerobic conditions for long periods. Hence, a precise quantification of peat deposits is extremely important; for that, remote‐ and proximal‐sensing techniques are excellent candidates. Unfortunately, remote‐sensing can provide information only on the few shallowest centimeters, whereas peatlands often extend to several meters in depth. In addition, peatlands are usually characterized by difficult (flooded) terrains. So, frequency‐domain electromagnetic instruments, as they are compact and contactless, seem to be the ideal solution for the quantitative assessment of the extension and geometry of peatlands. Generally, electromagnetic methods are used to infer the electrical resistivity of the subsurface. In turn, the resistivity distribution can, in principle, be interpreted to infer the morphology of the peatland. Here, to some extent, we show how to shortcut the process and include the expectation and uncertainty regarding the peat resistivity directly into a probabilistic inversion workflow. The present approach allows for retrieving what really matters: the spatial distribution of the probability of peat occurrence, rather than the mere electrical resistivity. To evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed probabilistic approach, we compare the outcomes against the more traditional deterministic fully nonlinear (Occam's) inversion and against some boreholes available in the investigated area.

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“…However, the estimation of petrophysical properties -such as porosity, lithology, and fluid saturations -can be formulated as an inverse problem. In this case, they are usually referred to as petrophysical inversions (in seismic exploration, they are sometimes also known as rock-physics inversion -e.g., Grana et al, 2022b). In the deterministic frameworks, a physical relationship mapping the rock properties to the geophysical parameters is often necessary (Mastrocicco et al, 2010;Foged et al, 2014;Cao et al, 2023).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Probabilistic petrophysical reconstruction of Danta's Alpine peatland via electromagnetic induction data

Vignoli,

Zaru,

Silvestri

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Peatlands are fundamental deposits of organic carbon. Thus, their protection is of crucial importance to avoid emissions from their degradation. Peat is a mixture of organic soil that originates from the accumulation of wetland plants under continuous or cyclical anaerobic conditions for long periods. Hence, a precise quantification of peat deposits is extremely important; for that, remote-and proximal-sensing techniques are excellent candidates. Unfortunately, remote-sensing can provide information only on the few shallowest centimeters, whereas peatlands often extend to several meters in depth. In addition, peatlands are usually characterized by difficult (flooded) terrains. So, frequency-domain electromagnetic instruments, as they are compact and contactless, seem to be the ideal solution for the quantitative assessment of the extension and geometry of peatlands. Generally, electromagnetic methods are used to infer the electrical resistivity of the subsurface. In turn, the resistivity distribution can, in principle, be interpreted to infer the morphology of the peatland. Here, to some extent, we show how to shortcut the process and include the expectation and uncertainty regarding the peat resistivity directly into a probabilistic inversion workflow. The present approach allows for retrieving what really matters: the spatial distribution of the probability of peat occurrence, rather than the mere electrical resistivity. To evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed probabilistic approach, we compare the outcomes against the more traditional deterministic fully nonlinear (Occam's) inversion and against some boreholes available in the investigated area.

show abstract

Geostatistical Rock Physics Inversion for Predicting the Spatial Distribution of Porosity and Saturation in the Critical Zone

Cited by 14 publications

References 73 publications

Expanding the Spatial Reach and Human Impacts of Critical Zone Science

Expanding the Spatial Reach and Human Impacts of Critical Zone Science

Probabilistic Petrophysical Reconstruction of Danta's Alpine Peatland via Electromagnetic Induction Data

Probabilistic petrophysical reconstruction of Danta's Alpine peatland via electromagnetic induction data

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