The emerging role of 4D synchrotron X‐ray micro‐tomography for climate and fossil energy studies: five experiments showing the present capabilities at beamline 8.3.2 at the Advanced Light Source

• Published in: Journal of synchrotron radiation Vol. 24; no. 6; pp. 1237 - 1249
• Main Authors: Voltolini, Marco, Haboub, Abdelmoula, Dou, Shan, Kwon, Tae-Hyuk, MacDowell, Alastair A., Parkinson, Dilworth Y., Ajo-Franklin, Jonathan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 5 Abbey Square, Chester, Cheshire CH1 2HU, England International Union of Crystallography 01.11.2017
• Subjects: bio-inspired, mechanical behavior, carbon sequestration; earth and energy sciences; in situ imaging; X‐ray microCT; X-ray microCT; earth and energy sciences; in situ imaging
• ISSN: 1600-5775; 1600-5775
• DOI: 10.1107/S1600577517012449

Continuous improvements at X‐ray imaging beamlines at synchrotron light sources have made dynamic synchrotron X‐ray micro‐computed tomography (SXR‐µCT) experiments more routinely available to users, with a rapid increase in demand given its tremendous potential in very diverse areas. In this work a survey of five different four‐dimensional SXR‐µCT experiments is presented, examining five different parameters linked to the evolution of the investigated system, and tackling problems in different areas in earth sciences. SXR‐µCT is used to monitor the microstructural evolution of the investigated sample with the following variables: (i) high temperature, observing in situ oil shale pyrolysis; (ii) low temperature, replicating the generation of permafrost; (iii) high pressure, to study the invasion of supercritical CO2 in deep aquifers; (iv) uniaxial stress, to monitor the closure of a fracture filled with proppant, in shale; (v) reactive flow, to observe the evolution of the hydraulic properties in a porous rock subject to dissolution. For each of these examples, it is shown how dynamic SXR‐µCT was able to provide new answers to questions related to climate and energy studies, highlighting the significant opportunities opened recently by the technique. Recent developments in in situ synchrotron X‐ray micro‐computed tomography allow novel time‐resolved experiments. Five different dynamic micro‐computed tomography experiments addressing carbon sequestration, permafrost evolution and unconventional oil recovery topics are presented.