Cynthia Lynn Dinwiddie

Multi-temporal image analysis of historical aerial photographs and recent satellite imagery reveals evolution of water body surface area and polygonal terrain morphology in Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska

Multi-temporal image analysis of very-high-resolution historical aerial and recent satellite imagery of the Ahnewetut Wetlands in Kobuk Valley National Park, Alaska, revealed the nature of thaw lake and polygonal terrain evolution over a 54-year period of record comprising two 27-year intervals (1951?1978, 1978?2005). Using active-contouring-based change detection, high-precision orthorectification and co-registration and the normalized difference index, surface area expansion and contraction of 22 shallow water bodies, ranging in size from 0.09 to 179?ha, and the transition of ice-wedge polygons from a low- to a high-centered morphology were quantified. Total surface area decreased by only 0.4% during the first time interval, but decreased by 5.5% during the second time interval. Twelve water bodies (ten lakes and two ponds) were relatively stable with net surface area decreases of ?10%, including four lakes that gained area during both time intervals, whereas ten water bodies (five lakes and five ponds) had surface area losses in excess of 10%, including two ponds that drained completely. Polygonal terrain remained relatively stable during the first time interval, but transformation of polygons from low- to high-centered was significant during the second time interval.

Ground‐penetrating radar sounding in mafic lava flows: Assessing attenuation and scattering losses in Mars‐analog volcanic terrains

We conducted low-frequency (16 to 100 MHz) ground-penetrating radar surveys on the eroded lava flows at Craters of the Moon (Idaho, USA) volcanic field to evaluate the potential of future radar-sounding investigations on Mars to map shallow subsurface features. Radar-sounding profiles were obtained from three locations: above a lava tube, across a volcanic rift, and over a scoria cone. Results were combined with laboratory permittivity and magnetic permeability measurements of field-collected samples to deconvolve the electromagnetic attenuation and scattering losses from the total losses and therefore separately quantify both effects on the radar penetration depth. Our results demonstrate a constrained performance for low-frequency sounding radars to characterize mafic, arid volcanic terrains that contain a significant amount of ferro-oxides (∼14%), mainly in the form of olivine and magnetite. Penetration depths of 35 m were achieved at a frequency of 100 MHz, and depths of 80 m were achieved at 16 MHz, with an effective dynamic range of 60 dB. Results indicate that for frequencies below 100 MHz, the electromagnetic attenuation dominated the signal losses while above this frequency threshold the volume scattering dominated the losses. Over our frequency range, the observed electromagnetic attenuation and penetration depths were strongly dependent on the magnetic losses, ground porosities, and degree of heterogeneity rather than the sounding frequency. In light of these results, we suggest average attenuation and scattering losses measured in terms of dB/m and discuss the expected penetration depth for the Mars orbital radar-sounding instruments SHARAD and MARSIS in mafic volcanic terrains.

Sedimentology and Fractal-Based Analysis of Permeability Data, John Henry Member, Straight Cliffs Formation (Upper Cretaceous), Utah, U.S.A.

Interpretation of depositional environments combined with field measurement of permeability for a portion of the Upper Cretaceous Straight Cliffs Formation near Escalante, Utah, provides new results for understanding and modeling facies-dependent perme- ability variations. Offshore, transition-lower shoreface, upper shore- face, and foreshore environments are interpreted for part of the John Henry Member on the basis of outcrop investigation. Using a newly designed drillhole minipermeameter probe, permeability was measured for two of the facies within this unit: lower-shoreface bioturbated sand- stone and upper-shoreface cross-bedded sandstone. Approximately 500 permeability measurements at a sample spacing of 15 cm were made along four vertical profiles and three horizontal transects o na6m 3 21 m outcrop. Permeability ranges from 41 to 1,675 millidarcies (md) in the bio- turbated sandstone facies, which is massive-bedded, moderately to well-sorted, and very fine- to fine-grained. In contrast, permeability ranges from 336 to 5,531 md in the moderately to moderately well sorted, fine- to medium-grained, cross-bedded sandstone facies. A high degree of variability in permeability of the cross-bedded facies is caused by small-scale variations in grain size and structure related to depositional processes. The geometric mean permeability in the bio- turbated sandstone is 253 md, compared with 1,395 md in the cross- bedded facies. While the facies-dependent differences in permeability (k) are ap- parent and related to depositional and biological processes, fractal- based statistical analysis of the horizontal ln( k) increments yields near- ly identical results for the bioturbated facies and the cross-bedded fa- cies, possibly suggesting an underlying statistical commonality in the formation of both facies. Increment distributions from both facies ap- pear similar with peaking around the mean. Ln(k) increments from the smaller vertical data set appear similar also, but with a variance approximately 3.7 times larger than the horizontal value. Variance scaling analyses of horizontal and vertical data both yield a Hurst co- efficient near 0.26, which is characteristic of negative spatial correla- tion of the increments. The methodology developed herein offers a po- tential high-resolution alternative to existing methods for understand- ing and characterizing subsurface properties.

Deformation analysis of tuffaceous sediments in the Volcanic Tableland near Bishop, California

Small-scale brittle faults and fractures that cut bedded tuffaceous sediments of variable textures and grain sizes were studied in a 110-m-long cutbank exposure of poorly consolidated sediments at the southern erosional boundary of the Volcanic Tableland, Owens Valley, California. This study was motivated by the need to evaluate potential length scales for lateral flow in nonwelded bedded tuffs and tuffaceous sediments at Yucca Mountain, Nevada—the site of a potential high-level radioactive waste repository. Small-displacement ( 20 cm). Vertical fractures are present throughout the exposure, but fracture frequency is generally highest in the vicinity of larger faults. Fault zones are characterized by grain-size reduction and discrete slip surfaces, the number of which increases with increasing displacement. A semiquantitative stress field interpretation, based on tectonic constraints and reconstruction of overburden thicknesses, yields a simple history of burial, deformation, and exhumation under continuous tectonic extension. We interpret the deformation to include shear (faults), hybrid (faults, nonvertical fractures), and tensile (vertical fractures) failure of the tuffaceous sediments under conditions of low overburden stress (<2.5 MPa). The intersecting network of faults and fractures is characterized by grain comminution, cementation, and fracture dilation. These features, in conjunction with stratigraphic layering, likely produce anisotropic permeability, where maximum permeability is parallel to fault and fracture strike.

Hydrogeologic heterogeneity of faulted and fractured Glass Mountain bedded tuffaceous sediments and ash-fall deposits: The Crucifix site near Bishop, California

Lithologic, macrostructural, microstructural, geophysical, and in situ gas permeability data from a natural exposure of highly porous, faulted and fractured tuffaceous sediments and interbedded ash-fall deposits near Bishop, California, are presented and analyzed in relation to published geologic information. This natural analog study was motivated by the need to evaluate potential length scales over which lateral flow diversion might occur above and within the nonwelded Paintbrush Tuff at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Lateral diversion of flow in the overlying Paintbrush Tuff was previously proposed by others as a natural barrier that might protect a proposed high-level radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel repository from percolating water. Because the length scale for capillary barrier breakthrough and leakage is decreased in the presence of subvertical structural heterogeneities, we characterized a horst-bounding fault, small-displacement normal faults within a footwall deformation zone, and secondary heterogeneities within two beds dissected by the faults. Critical deformation-related features that may influence fluid flow within bedded tuffaceous sediments include (1) permeability anisotropy imposed by steeply dipping faults and stratigraphic layering; (2) fault zone widths and styles, which are dependent on bed thickness and ash, glass, and clay content; and (3) fracture intensities and overprinting mechanisms (associated with fault deformation and vertical and nonvertical fracture orientations), which strongly influence the hydrogeologic heterogeneity of units they dissect. Microstructural analysis reveals structurally induced porosity variations at the micrometer to millimeter scale, gas permeability data show the influence of deformation on permeability at the centimeter to tens of centimeters scale, and resistivity and ground-penetrating radar data show lateral variations on the meter to tens of meters scale in horizontally bedded layers. All together, these observations and data show heterogeneity over seven orders of magnitude of length scale. Structurally enhanced porosity and permeability heterogeneities will tend to limit the length scale of lateral flow diversion, redirect flow downward, and enhance vertical fluid movement within the vadose zone.

QUANTITATIVE METHODS FOR RESERVOIR CHARACTERIZATION AND IMPROVED RECOVERY: APPLICATION TO HEAVY OIL SANDS

Improved prediction of interwell reservoir heterogeneity has the potential to increase productivity and to reduce recovery cost for Californias heavy oil sands, which contain approximately 2.3 billion barrels of remaining reserves in the Temblor Formation and in other formations of the San Joaquin Valley. This investigation involves application of advanced analytical property-distribution methods conditioned to continuous outcrop control for improved reservoir characterization and simulation, particularly in heavy oil sands. The investigation was performed in collaboration with Chevron Production Company U.S.A. as an industrial partner, and incorporates data from the Temblor Formation in Chevrons West Coalinga Field. Observations of lateral variability and vertical sequences observed in Temblor Formation outcrops has led to a better understanding of reservoir geology in West Coalinga Field. Based on the characteristics of stratigraphic bounding surfaces in the outcrops, these surfaces were identified in the subsurface using cores and logs. The bounding surfaces were mapped and then used as reference horizons in the reservoir modeling. Facies groups and facies tracts were recognized from outcrops and cores of the Temblor Formation and were applied to defining the stratigraphic framework and facies architecture for building 3D geological models. The following facies tracts were recognized: incised valley, estuarine, tide- to wave-dominated shoreline, diatomite, and subtidal. A new minipermeameter probe, which has important advantages over previous methods of measuring outcrop permeability, was developed during this project. The device, which measures permeability at the distal end of a small drillhole, avoids surface weathering effects and provides a superior seal compared with previous methods for measuring outcrop permeability. The new probe was used successfully for obtaining a high-quality permeability data set from an outcrop in southern Utah. Results obtained from analyzing the fractal structure of permeability data collected from the southern Utah outcrop and from core permeability data provided by Chevron from West Coalinga Field were used in distributing permeability values in 3D reservoir models. Spectral analyses and the Double Trace Moment method (Lavallee et al., 1991) were used to analyze the scaling and multifractality of permeability data from cores from West Coalinga Field. T2VOC, which is a numerical flow simulator capable of modeling multiphase, multi-component, nonisothermal flow, was used to model steam injection and oil production for a portion of section 36D in West Coalinga Field. The layer structure and permeability distributions of different models, including facies group, facies tract, and fractal permeability models, were incorporated into the numerical flow simulator. The injection and production histories of wells in the study area were modeled, including shutdowns and the occasional conversion of production wells to steam injection wells. The framework provided by facies groups provides a more realistic representation of the reservoir conditions than facies tracts, which is revealed by a comparison of the history-matching for the oil production. Permeability distributions obtained using the fractal results predict the high degree of heterogeneity within the reservoir sands of West Coalinga Field. The modeling results indicate that predictions of oil production are strongly influenced by the geologic framework and by the boundary conditions. The permeability data collected from the southern Utah outcrop, support a new concept for representing natural heterogeneity, which is called the fractal/facies concept. This hypothesis is one of the few potentially simplifying concepts to emerge from recent studies of geological heterogeneity. Further investigation of this concept should be done to more fully apply fractal analysis to reservoir modeling and simulation. Additional outcrop permeability data sets and further analysis of the data from distinct facies will be needed in order to fully develop this new concept.