Projects Archive - Page 5 of 8 - Earth and Environmental Sciences Area

Predictive Agriculture Initiative

Environmental Remediation and Water Resources

Berkeley Lab’s Predictive Agricultural Initiative, as part of the UC Global Food Initiative launched in late 2014, focuses on mining existing data to understand the impacts of changing climate on California agriculture. For this project, in collaboration with UC Davis, Lab scientists work to develop new scientific approaches to increase food production, while simultaneously decreasing inputs of water and fertilizers.

Peter S. Nico psnico@lbl.gov 510-486-7118

Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research

SBIR Phase II: Predictive Assimilation Framework for Subsurface Process Prediction

Environmental Remediation and Water Resources

The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project concentrates on the creation of a predictive assimilation framework (PAF) for contaminated sites. This PAF would autonomously assimilate different site-related data streams into numerical models, and provide information on current (and future) site and system behavior to site stakeholders. The technical and scientific capabilities of the PAF are developed and tested by incorporating (into adequate numerical models) a variety of hydrological, geophysical and biogeochemical datasets from a highly instrumented site (the DOE Rifle Subsurface Biogeochemistry Field Observatory in Rifle, Colorado).

Susan Hubbard sshubbard@lbl.gov 510-486-5266

Kenneth H. Williams khwilliams@lbl.gov 510-701-1089

Baptiste Dafflon bdafflon@lbl.gov 510-486-4735

Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research

Seismic Monitoring of LBNL Buildings

Fundamental Geosciences

The Seismic Monitoring (Strong Motion) of LBNL Buildings Program has the primary objective of providing accurate measurements of acceleration time histories during significant earthquakes that affect LBNL sites and site structures. The Program consists of building monitoring systems and free field monitoring stations.

Michelle Robertson mcrobertson@lbl.gov 510-486-5096

Souring Systems: Petroleum Microbiology

Bioenergy

In this work, EESA scientists are using biology to develop ways of accessing oil and coal that expend less energy and release fewer greenhouse gases. For instance, biological processes might be used to coax oil from below ground or to alter the semi-porous rock that holds oil, making it flow to the surface. Making it easier to access hard-to-reach domestic oil reserves will help ensure that oil remains part of a diverse mix of energy choices.

Private: Gary Andersen glandersen@lbl.gov 510-495-2795

Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research

Stereo Photogrammetry of Clouds at the ARM sites

Atmospheric System Research

This project characterizes the life-cycle dynamics of moist convection using stereo photogrammetry in combination with other instruments at Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) sites, and using large-eddy simulations to help interpret those observations. Stereo cameras are used to characterize the sizes, speeds, circulations, and ascent distances of individual convective bubbles through their life cycle. These data on cloud life cycles are difficult, if not impossible, to obtain with other ARM instruments.

David Romps dromps@lbl.gov 510-486-7175

Terrestrial Ecosystem Science SFA Project

Terrestrial Ecosystem Science

In this SFA, we conduct basic research on terrestrial biogeochemistry, with a focus on belowground soil carbon cycling and its role in terrestrial biogeochemistry and climate feedbacks.

Margaret S. Torn mstorn@lbl.gov 510-495-2223

Eoin Brodie elbrodie@lbl.gov 510-486-6584

Peter S. Nico psnico@lbl.gov 510-486-7118

William J. Riley wjriley@lbl.gov 510-486-5036

Jennifer L. Soong jsoong@lbl.gov 415-652-4085

Rachel C. Porras rcporras@lbl.gov 510-495-2226

Cristina Castanha ccastanha@lbl.gov 510-486-7500

Ricardo Jorge Eloy Alves rjealves@lbl.gov 510-486-6180

Zhou Lyu zlyu@lbl.gov 510-486-5036

Caitlin Elizabeth Hicks Pries cehpries@lbl.gov 510-495-8046

Funded by DOE-SC-Biological and Environmental Research

The Eagle Ford Shale Laboratory (EFSL) Project

Hydrocarbon Resources

The Eagle Ford Shale Laboratory: A Field Study of the Stimulated Reservoir Volume, Detailed Fracture Characteristics, and EOR Potential OBJECTIVES The Recipient will conduct a science-based field laboratory project in the Eagle Ford Shale Formation. Utilizing newly-developed monitoring solutions, the project team will deliver unprecedented comprehensive high-quality field data to improve scientific knowledge of…

Jens Birkholzer jtbirkholzer@lbl.gov 510-486-7134

Kurt Toshimi Nihei ktnihei@lbl.gov 510-486-7945

Jonathan Ajo-Franklin jbajo-franklin@lbl.gov 510-495-2728

Sara Hefty shefty@lbl.gov 510-486-4271

Funded by DOE-FE-Office of Fossil Energy

The EGS Collab Project: Stimulation Investigations for Geothermal Modeling Analysis and Validation

Geothermal Systems

The EGS Collab Project is addressing fundamental challenges in understanding the relationship between permeability creation, induced seismicity, and heat production in crystalline rocks under relevant stress (and temperature) conditions for Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS)...

Tim Kneafsey tjkneafsey@lbl.gov 510-486-4414

Patrick F. Dobson pfdobson@lbl.gov 510-486-5373

Carol A. Valladao cavalladao@lbl.gov 510-486-5781

Funded by DOE-EERE-GTO-Geothermal Energy Office

The Hydraulic Fracturing Field Test (HFTS) Project

Hydrocarbon Resources

The Hydraulic Fracturing Field Test (HFTS) project, fielded within the Wolfcamp Formation in the Permian Basin, provides an excellent opportunity to further develop our understanding of the geomechanical response to hydraulic stimulation and associated fluid transport and hydrocarbon production in nano-porous lithologies. The drilling program was designed to elucidate the intra- and inter-well stress interactions…

Jens Birkholzer jtbirkholzer@lbl.gov 510-486-7134

Sara Hefty shefty@lbl.gov 510-486-4271

Funded by DOE-FE-Office of Fossil Energy

Theoretical and Experimental Geochemistry

Fundamental Geosciences

We seek to understand and model the effects of salinity on geochemical processes occurring in aqueous environments including nanopores and interlayers in clay media, thin water films in unsaturated porous media, and solutions in which mineral nanoparticles nucleate, aggregate and grow. The overall goal is to identify conceptual models of salinity effects on complex geochemical…

Benjamin Gilbert bgilbert@lbl.gov 510-495-2748

Funded by DOE-SC-Basic Energy Sciences