The center for the Physics of Geological Processes (PGP) has developed a world-leading environment in the intersection between physics, geology and computer science. An area of particular focus for the center is the interaction between fluids and tight rocks -- rocks with low initial permeability -- which is important to understand the dynamic of metamorphism in the Earth's crust, the behavior of confined fluids and interfaces in nanoporous media, and for applied problems such as CO2 storage and enhanced hydrocarbon production. Although rocks deform in response to tectonic stresses at length scales of kilometers, the deformation also depends on the mechanical properties of the rock, which are affected by fluid-rock interactions at nanometer scale at the interface between fluids and mineral surfaces. To be able to study such a complex process across vast differences in length scales, PGP has acquired a wide range of expertise, including specialized, world-leading activities in experimental, computational and field studies. However, in order to develop our understanding of fluid-rock interactions to the next level, the activity of the center needs to be strengthened in directions of large-scale observational studies, microscopic experiments of fluid interfaces, and atomic modeling methods for interface processes. The aim of this project is therefore to develop lasting international collaborations to strengthen these aspects of our activity in collaboration with world-leading groups.
During the first year we have initiated several exchange programs through this project. The strategic collaboration between PGP, Columbia and USC has resulted in several exchanges of researchers. In 2017-2018 the collaboration has been further strengthened by a joint, international fieldwork campaign in Norway, Oman and Japan. This work is closely related to how CO2 reacts with ultramafic rocks with a focus on the viability of permanent storage of CO2. The Oman drilling project directed by our collaborators at Columbia has played a central role in the collaboration in 2018, with major collaborative field work. This project has also received significant international press, including a major feature article in New York Times.
PGP has also attracted two internationally leading researchers who have had their sabbatical in Norway. Professor Wenlu Zhu from the University of Maryland spent the whole academic year from 2016 to 2017 at PGP. This has formed a lasting collaboration between PGP and University of Maryland, and she will visit several more times in the project period. Professor Yehuda Ben-Zion from the University of Southern California is an internationally leading earthquake researcher and is now working with PGP researchers to understand the coupling between fluid reactions, slow slip on faults and earthquakes in field work in Norway. This work has already led to a high impact paper in Nature in 2018. Ben-Zion have agreed to have his summer sabbatical stay at PGP every year during the project period, and will co-host an international workshop and conference in Norway organized by the project in 2019.
PGP has extended the collaboration with the Collaboratory for Advanced Computing and Simulations at the University of Southern California in 2017-2019. Though the INTPART project three PhD-students and three master-students have had extended research stays at USC in 2017, 2018 and 2019. This provides us with a unique opportunity to teach our students unique skills in areas where USC have a world-leading activity. In addition, the PhD-students contribute to research project at USC, which will tie the two activities closer together in the long run. The project has produced two high quality papers on crystal formation currently in review for high impact journals. This partnership brings critical competence to Norway and contribute to educate our students so that they have a competitive advantage and essential skills that will be important for building computational science in Norway.
During 2020-2021 we have consolidated the collaborations on digital platforms, but the proposed workshops and common field activities planned for 2020 and 2021 have been postponed due to covid restrictions.
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The center for the Physics of Geological Processes (PGP) has developed a world-leading environment in the intersection between physics, geology and computer science. An area of particular focus for the center is the interaction between fluids and tight rocks -- rocks with low initial permeability -- which is important to understand the dynamic of metamorphism in the Earth's crust, the behavior of confined fluids and interfaced in nanoporous media, and for applied problems such as CO2 storage and enhanced hydrocarbon production. Although rocks deform in response to tectonic stresses at length scales of kilometers, the deformation also depends on the mechanical properties of the rock, which are affected by fluid-rock interactions at nanometer scale at the interface between fluids and mineral surfaces. To be able to study such a coupled process across vast differences in length scales, PGP has acquired a wide range of expertise, including specialized, world-leading activities in experimental, computational and field studies. However, in order to develop our understanding of fluid-rock interactions to the next level, the activity of the center needs to be strengthened in directions of large-scale observational studies, microscopic experiments of fluid interfaces, and atomic modeling methods for interface processes. Our ambition is therefore to develop lasting international collaborations to strengthen these aspects of our activity in collaboration with world-leading groups. We see the need (i) to develop educational programs to bring forward the next generation of students with a competence that combines the expertise of the center with selected competences from international collaborators to address challenges in fluid-rock interactions, and (ii) to develop strong and lasting international research collaborations that can successfully address new challenges in fluid-rock inter-actions and strengthen our position as a leading research center.
Funding scheme:
INTPART-International Partnerships for Excellent Education and Research
