Title: Noble Gas Release from Bedded Rock Salt during Deformation

Abstract

Geogenic noble gases are contained in crustal rocks at inter- and intracrystalline sites. Here, bedded rock salt from southern New Mexico was deformed in a variety of triaxial compression states while measuring the release of naturally contained helium and argon utilizing mass spectrometry. Noble gas release is empirically correlated to volumetric strain and acoustic emissions. At low confining pressures, rock salt deforms primarily by microfracturing, rupturing crystal grains, and releasing helium and argon with a large amount of acoustic emissions, both measured real-time. At higher confining pressure, microfracturing is reduced and the rock salt is presumed to deform more by intracrystalline flow, releasing less amounts of noble gases with fewer acoustic emissions. Our work suggests that geogenic gas release during deformation may provide an additional signal which contains information on the type and amount of deformation occurring in a variety of earth systems.

Authors:

Bauer, Stephen J.  ^[1];

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Gardner, W. Payton ^[2]; Lee, Hyunwoo ^[3]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. Geothermal Research Department, MS 1033, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA
2. Department of Geosciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA
3. School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea

Publication Date:

2019-06-20

Research Org.:

Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

OSTI Identifier:

1528637

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1529138

Report Number(s):

SAND-2019-0879J
Journal ID: ISSN 1468-8115; PII: 2871840; 2871840

Grant/Contract Number:  

NA0003525; AC04-94AL85000

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Geofluids

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Geofluids Journal Volume: 2019; Journal ID: ISSN 1468-8115

Publisher:

Hindawi Publishing Corporation

Country of Publication:

Canada

Language:

English

Subject:

58 GEOSCIENCES