| NSF Org: |
CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | August 14, 2009 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | June 14, 2011 |
| Award Number: | 0928249 |
| Award Instrument: | Continuing Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Richard Fragaszy
CMMI Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation ENG Directorate for Engineering |
| Start Date: | August 15, 2009 |
| End Date: | July 31, 2013 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $66,001.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $66,001.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
FY 2010 = $24,861.00 FY 2011 = $16,416.00 |
| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
3009 BROADWAY NEW YORK NY US 10027-6909 (212)854-2708 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
3009 BROADWAY NEW YORK NY US 10027-6909 |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): |
Instrumentation & Facilities, GEOMECHANICS & GEOMATERIALS |
| Primary Program Source: |
01001011DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT 01001112DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT |
| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.041 |
ABSTRACT
This project will develop a preliminary design and work-breakdown-structure for a large-scale subsurface experimental facility to investigate coupled thermal-hydrological-mechanical-chemical-biological processes in fractured rock at depth. The experiment will be part of the proposed Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) in the Homestake Mine, South Dakota. Many natural and engineered earth systems involve coupling of multiple processes in rocks that vary across a wide range of scales. The most pervasive process in the Earth?s crust that gives rise to strongly coupled phenomena is the flow of fluids (water, CO2, hydrocarbons, magmas) through fractured heated rock under stress. Understanding changes in the reactivity, deformability, life-supporting and transport properties of rocks that fluids infiltrate is important in a broad range of geological engineering and geological science endeavors. Despite this fundamental importance, the interactions remain poorly understood.
The project will: (1) Determine properties of Homestake rocks: geological, geochemical, mechanical, thermal, isotopic, and reactivity. (2) Upscale these data to elucidate transport mechanisms (conductive versus convective), natural reaction rates in fractures, and microbial community evolution. (3) Evaluate monitoring strategies, in-situ probes and sampling methods, and necessary measurements. (4) Select a candidate site for the evaluating coupled processes. (5) Develop a work-breakdown-structure. (6) Develop a coupled numerical model to evaluate potential effects on the rock mass and optimal heater configuration, power, and monitoring borehole orientations.
The models and insight from these experiments will have broad applicability to engineered systems, e.g., enhanced geothermal systems, CO2 sequestration and subsurface contaminant transport. Educational outreach will involve facility tours and a traveling benchscale ?mock-up? demonstration experiment.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
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PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
The goal of this work was to develop a method to improve microbial sampling of subsurface environments in order to understand the controls on life in extreme environments. In particular we wanted to sample the carbon isotopes of cell wall material to determine the sources of carbon for microbial growth. What is the source of carbon for subsurface organisms? In particular we focused on the of Phospholipid fatty acids (PLFAs) of the microbial cells walls. In order to sample and extract the PLFA’s it requires a filter that is free of organic carbon contamination. We designed and built a filter made from aluminum coated glass wool in a stainless steel holder. The filter was designed and tested as part of an undergraduate based class at Barnard College. The filter is baked at 450°C for 24 hours to remove contaminants before deployment. The system was utilized in the Gold Mines of South Africa during initial testing and we were able to filter over 4000 gallons while it was left unattended for 4 days. Ample material was collected for radiocarbon analysis of PLFAs. Initial results are showing a diverse range of carbon utilized by the microorganisms in this environment. The filter is now being utilized for other projects including sampling of groundwater wells.
Last Modified: 11/20/2013
Modified by: Brian J Mailloux
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