48285-SE
Physical Simulations in Geosciences: Applications of New Technologies, at the Annual Meeting of the Geological Association of Canada, May 26-28, Quebec City, Canada
The one-day Special Session “ Physical Simulations in Geosciences: Applications of New Technologies” in the theme “Earth Evolution” at the Annual Meeting of the Geological Association of Canada, May 26-28, benefited greatly from PRF Support. The session was well attended, and included undergraduate and postgraduate students. This session's aims were to present results of the diverse range of physical simulation / analogue modeling techniques in geosciences and to highlight the application of technologies for extracting additional information from models. The session was followed by discussions and a visit to the INRS-ETE modeling laboratory and CT scanning facility. A PRF SE grant and additional funds from the Structural Geology & Tectonics Division of the Geological Association of Canada supported two keynote speakers to attend this meeting. Hemin Koyi, Uppsala University, Sweden presented an overview of sandbox techniques and “Modeling the role of decollement friction on the four-dimensional strain in fold-thrust belts”. This presentation set the scene for the session on the history of analogue modeling in basin studies and gave applications to distinguishing areas of porosity reduction, of significance for hydrocarbon exploration. The second keynote speaker was Guido Schreurs, University of Bern, Switzerland. His talk “Enhanced visualization of analogue models using X-ray computed tomography” presented how CT scanning is applied to study the progressive evolution of sandbox models in 3D and new advances in high-resolution optical image correlation techniques. This talk presented research that opens new and exciting perspectives for a complete 4D analysis of analogue models. It shows how digital data not only allow experiments to be “replayed”, but also how reconstructions of any desired section enable direct comparison with 3D seismic imagery. This session included four talks by E. Konstantinovskaya, J. Poulin, and myself (2 talks, one where a PRF-funded student, B. Carlier, was first author) where results of PRF AC grant-funded research at INRS-ETE were presented. These were respectively “Effects of basement structure, sedimentation and erosion on thrust wedge geometry”, “Visualization of progressive deformation in silicone-modeling clay models using X-Ray computed tomography”, “4D evolution of diapir-related structures during rifting: gOcad reconstructions of centrifuge models from serial CT scans”, and “Centrifuge modeling of folding during rifting and post-orogenic collapse”. These topics and a further talk by C. Schrank (U. Toronto), “Analogue models of basement-controlled strike-slip faults in sand: the effect of strength on surface fault network geometry” all have direct applications in interpretation of seismic and field data of benefit in petroleum exploration. The talk by M. Jessell (Toulouse) “Integrated Numerical and Physical Simulation of Microstructure Evolution of Polycrystalline Rocks and Ice” showed results of SEM and synchrotron based in-situ techniques and computer simulations of micro-structural processes.
