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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Clastic sedimentary rocks of the Michipicoten Volcanic-sedimentary belt, Wawa, Ontario

The Wawa area, part of the Michipicoten greenstone belt, contains rock assemblages representative of volcanic sedimentary accumulations elsewhere on the shield. Three mafic to felsic metavolcanic sequences and cogenetic granitic rocks range in age from 2749 + or - 2Ma to 2696 + or - 2Ma. Metasedimentary rocks occur between the metavolcanic sequences. The total thickness of the supracrustal rocks may be 10,000 m. Most rocks have been metamorphosed under greenschist conditions. The belt has been studied earlier and is currently being remapped by Sage. The sedimentrologic work has been briefly summarized; two mainfacies associations of clastic sedimentary rocks are present - a Resedimented (Turbidite) Facies Association and a Nonmarine (Alluvial Fan Fluvial) Facies Association.

Ojakangas, R. W.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Sedimentary Geothermal Resources in Nevada, Utah, Colorado, and Texas

The objectives of this project were to (1) perform a literature review of sedimentary geothermal resources, (2) identify data sources and develop data-collection methodologies that characterize selected resources, (3) screen sedimentary basins and formations for sedimentary geothermal potential, and (4) evaluate the technical feasibility of one or more selected locations. Numerous publications have characterized geothermal resources within sedimentary basins. A literature search reviewed publications describing resources located in Colorado, Louisiana, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming. The most attractive resources have high temperature gradients, low drilling costs, and reservoir permeabilities greater than 10 millidarcies (mD). Prospects in Colorado, Nevada, Texas, and Utah exhibit attractive characteristics and were chosen for further analysis. Sedimentary resources in Nevada and Utah are most attractive, followed by tested resources in Texas and untested resources in Colorado. The identified resources in Wyoming and Louisiana had lower geothermal gradients and were not evaluated. Reservoir modeling and techno-economic analysis were performed at Marys River Basin–North in Nevada. Geothermal energy production at this location is expected to have a levelized cost of energy (LCOE) ranging between 10 and 20 cents/kWh. Additional work may result in lower LCOE estimates at this location and at other attractive prospects in these three regions. The Great Basin carbonate and alluvial aquifer system of eastern Nevada and western Utah includes a lower carbonate aquifer unit, which has the potential for hosting both conduction- and convection-dominated geothermal systems. Mapping has identified lateral thickness variability expressed as a roughly 120–150-km-wide central corridor, which hosts the thickest and most continuous formations and extends from near Las Vegas north to the Idaho border. Purchase and analysis of privately held legacy seismic data could potentially compensate for the lack of sufficient data documenting measured depth to the lower carbonate aquifer unit. Multiple orogenies, extension episodes, and intrusive events have deformed and displaced the target formations of the lower carbonate aquifer unit. This structural complexity and potential for dipping reservoirs emphasizes the need for detailed geological, geophysical, and reservoir modeling. Heat flow within three Colorado sedimentary basins reviewed as part of this study was calculated in targeted studies by the Colorado Geologic Survey and Colorado School of Mines. These calculations are based on bottom-hole temperature data sets with significant limitations and some variability but produce values consistently higher than the global continental average of 65 mW/m2 for all three basins. Heat flow in the Raton Basin is the highest; however, permeability measurements from specific sedimentary formations with high heat flow have not been obtained. Promising formations for sedimentary geothermal systems were found in all three regions studied—Nevada-Utah, Colorado, and Texas. The next steps for developing sedimentary geothermal resources vary due to differences in available data and resource uncertainties. Additional scopes of work are recommended for identified basins in these three regions.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Nationwide cost and capacity estimates for sedimentary basin geothermal power and implications for geologic CO 2 storage

Sedimentary basins are naturally porous and permeable subsurface formations that underlie approximately half of the United States. In addition to being targets for geologic CO 2 storage, these resources could supply geothermal power: sedimentary basin geothermal heat can be extracted with water or CO 2 and used to generate electricity. The geothermal power potential of these basins and the accompanying implication for geologic CO 2 storage are, however, understudied. Here, we use the Sequestration of CO 2 Tool (SCO2T PRO ) and the generalizable GEOthermal techno-economic simulator (genGEO) to address this gap by a) estimating the cost and capacity of sedimentary basin geothermal power plants across the United States and b) comparing those results to nationwide CO 2 sequestration cost and storage potential estimates. We find that across the United States, using CO 2 as a geothermal heat extraction fluid reduces the cost of sedimentary basin power compared to using water, and some of the lowest cost capacity occurs in locations not typically considered for their geothermal resources (e.g., Louisiana, South Dakota). Additionally, using CO 2 effectively doubles the sedimentary basin geothermal resource base, equating to hundreds of gigawatts of new capacity, by enabling electricity generation in geologies that are otherwise (with water) too impermeable, too thin, too cold, or not deep enough. We find there is competition for the best sedimentary basin resources between water- and CO 2 -based power, but no overlap between the lowest-cost resources for CO 2 storage and CO 2 -based power. In this way, our results suggest that deploying CO 2 -based power may increase the cost of water based systems (by using the best resources) and the cost of CO 2 storage (by storing CO 2 in locations that otherwise may not be targeted). As such, our findings demonstrate that determining the best role for sedimentary basins within the energy transition may require balancing tradeoffs between competing priorities.

CPG↗
NASA NTRS1997

Geochemistry of approximately 1.9 Ga sedimentary rocks from northeastern Labrador, Canada

Fifty-eight rock chips from fifteen samples of sedimentary rocks from the Ramah Group (approximately 1.9 Ga) in northeastern Labrador, Canada, were analyzed for major and minor elements, including C and S, to elucidate weathering processes on the Earth's surface about 1.9 Ga ago. The samples come from the Rowsell Harbour, Reddick Bight, and Nullataktok Formations. Two rock series, graywackes-gray shales of the Rowsell Harbour, Reddick Bight and Nullataktok Formations, and black shales of the Nullataktok Formation, are distinguishable on the basis of lithology, mineralogy, and major and trace element chemistry. The black shales show lower concentrations than the graywackes-gray shales in TiO2 (0.3-0.7 wt% vs. 0.7-1.8 wt%), Al2O3 (9.5-20.1 wt% vs. 13.0-25.0 wt%), and sigma Fe (<1 wt% vs. 3.8-13.9 wt% as FeO). Contents of Zr, Th, U, Nb, Ce, Y, Rb, Y, Co, and Ni are also lower in the black shales. The source rocks for the Ramah Group sediments were probably Archean gneisses with compositions similar to those in Labrador and western Greenland. The major element chemistry of source rocks for the Ramah Group sedimentary rocks was estimated from the Al2O3/TiO2 ratios of the sedimentary rocks and the relationship between the major element contents (e.g., SiO2 wt%) and Al2O3/TiO2 ratios of the Archean gneisses. This approach is justified, because the Al/Ti ratios of shales generally retain their source rock values; however, the Zr/Al, Zr/Ti, and Cr/Ni ratios fractionate during the transport of sediments. The measured SiO2 contents of shales in the Ramah Group are generally higher than the estimated SiO2 contents of source rocks by approximately 5 wt%. This correction may also have to be applied when estimating average crustal compositions from shales. Two provenances were recognized for the Ramah Group sediments. Provenance I was comprised mostly of rocks of bimodal compositions, one with SiO2 contents approximately 45 wt% and the other approximately 65 wt%, and was the source for most sedimentary rocks of the Ramah Group, except for black shales of the Nullataktok Formation. The black shales were apparently derived from Provenance II that was comprised mostly of felsic rocks with SiO2 contents approximately 65 wt%. Comparing the compositions of the Ramah Group sedimentary rocks and their source rocks, we have recognized that several major elements, especially Ca and Mg, were lost almost entirely from the source rocks during weathering and sedimentation. Sodium and potassium were also leached almost entirely during the weathering of the source rocks. However, significant amounts of Na were added to the black shales and K to all the rock types during diagenesis and/or regional metamorphism. The intensity of weathering of source rocks for the Ramah Group sediments was much higher than that of typical Phanerozoic sediments, possibly because of a higher PCO2 in the Proterozoic atmosphere. Compared to the source rock values, the Fe3+/Ti ratios of many of the graywackes and gray shales of the Ramah Group are higher, the Fe2+/Ti ratios are lower, and the sigma Fe/Ti ratios are the same. Such characteristics of the Fe geochemistry indicate that these sedimentary rocks are comprised of soils formed by weathering of source rocks under an oxygen-rich atmosphere. The atmosphere about 1.9 Ga was, therefore, oxygen rich. Typical black shales of Phanerozoic age exhibit positive correlations between the organic C contents and the concentrations of S, U, and Mo, because these elements are enriched in oxygenated seawater and are removed from seawater by organic matter in sediments. However, such correlations are not found in the Ramah Group sediments. Black shales of the Ramah Group contain 1.7-2.8 wt% organic C, but are extremely depleted in sigma Fe (<1 wt% as FeO), S (<0.3 wt%), U (approximately l ppm), Mo (<5 ppm), Ni (<2 ppm), and Co (approximately 0 ppm). This lack of correlation, however, does not imply that the approximately 1.9 Ga atmosphere-ocean system was anoxic. Depletion of these elements from the Ramah Group sediments may have occurred during diagenesis.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2020

Using XRD to Characterize Sediment Sorting in a Mars Analog Glacio-Fluvio-Eolian Basaltic Sedimentary System in Iceland

The martian surface has a primarily basaltic composition and is dominated by sedimentary deposits. Ancient layered sedimentary rocks have been identified across the planet from orbit, have been studied in situ by the Mars Exploration Rovers and the Mars Science Laboratory rover, and will be studied by the Mars 2020 rover. These ancient sedimentary rocks were deposited in fluvial, lacustrine, and eolian environments during a warmer and wetter era on Mars. It is important to study the composition of sediments in Mars analog environments to characterize how minerals in basaltic sedimentary systems are sorted and/or aqueously altered. This information can help us better interpret sedimentary processes from similar deposits on Mars and derive information about the igneous source rocks. Sediment sorting has been studied extensively on Earth, but not typically in basaltic environments. Previous work has addressed sorting of basaltic sediments through experimental techniques and in modern eolian basaltic systems and aqueous alteration in subglacial and proglacial environments. We add to this body of research by studying sediment sorting and aqueous alteration in a glacio-fluvio-eolian basaltic system in southwest Iceland.

Rampe, E. B.↗
NASA NTRS2024

Going With the Flow: Sedimentary Evolution of the Jezero Western Fan, Mars

Sedimentary fans developed at the mouths of Martian valleys have been interpreted as the deposits of sustained surface water flow on early Mars building either fluvial fan systems or deltas into standing bodies of water. Whilst much insight has been gleaned from orbital observations, it is only possible to constrain the character, relative timing and persistence of ancient aqueous activity on Mars through detailed on-the-ground interrogation of sedimentary successions built during fan growth. A prominent sedimentary fan deposit at the western margin of Jezero crater – the Western fan – has been interpreted from orbital data/observations to be a river delta that prograded into an ancient lake basin during the Late Noachian-Early Hesperian epochs on Mars (~3.6-3.8 Ga). The Western fan deposit forms a point-sourced depositional system developed at the mouth of Neretva Vallis, a valley system that is incised across the crater rim and has an extensive extra-crater catchment draining over diverse ancient geological units in Nili Planum. The mechanism of crater rim breaching remains unconstrained. Between 2022 and 2023, the Mars 2020 Perseverance rover explored the Western fan, with the objective of characterizing its paleoenvironmental context and collecting a diverse suite of sedimentary rock samples for return to Earth via the Mars Sample Return mission. Perseverance has now completed her traverse across the Western fan having commenced in the distal downstream sectors exposed at the erosional front of the fan and then crossing across its upper exposed surface toward the fan apex region near the mouth of Neretva Vallis. This transect provides a unique window into a Martian sediment routing system at a time when climate conditions permitted the flow of surface water. In this contribution, we review the overall sedimentary architecture of the fan and develop a model for its evolution based on detailed mapping of lithofacies changes across the fan. A first-order synoptic overview is presented.

Mars 2020↗
DOE OSTI2022

On a Unified Core Characterization Methodology to Support the Systematic Assessment of Rare Earth Elements and Critical Minerals Bearing Unconventional Carbon Ores and Sedimentary Strata

A significant gap exists in our understanding and ability to predict the spatial occurrence and extent of rare earth elements (REE) and certain critical minerals (CM) in sedimentary strata. This is largely due to a lack of existing, systematic, and well-distributed REE and CM samples and analyses in United States sedimentary basins. In addition, the type of sampling and characterization performed to date has generally lacked the resolution and approach required to constrain geologic and geographic heterogeneities typical of subsurface, mineral resources. Here, we describe a robust and systematic method for collecting core scale characterization data that can be applied to studies on the contextual and spatial attributes, the geologic history, and lithostratigraphy of sedimentary basins. The methods were developed using drilled cores from coal bearing sedimentary strata in the Powder River Basin, Wyoming (PRB). The goal of this effort is to create a unified core characterization methodology to guide systematic collection of key data to achieve a foundation of spatially and geologically constrained REEs and CMs. This guidance covers a range of measurement types and methods that are each useful either individually or in combination to support characterization and delineation of REE and CM occurrences. The methods herein, whether used in part or in full, establish a framework to guide consistent acquisition of geological, geochemical, and geospatial datasets that are key to assessing and validating REE and CM occurrences from geologic sources to support future exploration, assessment, and techno-economic related models and analyses.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS2001

Sedimentary Geochemistry of Martian Samples from the Pathfinder Mission

The purpose of this research project was to evaluate the APXS data collected on soils and rocks at the Pathfinder site in terms of sedimentary geochemistry. Below are described the major findings of this research: (1) An influential model to explain the chemical variation among Pathfinder soils and rocks is a two component mixing model where rocks of fairly uniform composition mix with soil of uniform composition; (2) The very strong positive correlation between MgO and SO, points to a control by a MgSO4 mineral however, spectroscopic data continue to suggest that Fe-sulfates, notably schwertmannite and jarosite, may be important components; (3) In an attempt to better understand the causes of complexities in mixing relationships, the possible influence of sedimentary transport has been evaluated; (4) Another aspect of this research has been to examine the possibility of sedimentary silica being a significant phase on Mars; and (5) On Earth, the geochemistry of sedimentary rocks has been used to constrain the chemical composition of the continental crust and an important part of this research was to evaluate this approach for Mars.

McLennan, Scott M.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Evidence from carbon isotope measurements for diverse origins of sedimentary hydrocarbons

The organic matter found in sedimentary rocks must derive from many sources; not only from ancient primary producers but also from consumers and secondary producers. In all of these organisms, isotope effects can affect the abundance and distribution of 13C in metabolites. Here, by using an improved form of a previously described technique in which the effluent of a gas chromatograph is continuously analysed isotopically, we report evidence of the diverse origins of sedimentary organic matter. The record of 13C abundances in sedimentary carbonate and total organic carbon can be interpreted in terms of variations in the global carbon cycle. Our results demonstrate, however, that isotope variations within sedimentary organic mixtures substantially exceed those observed between samples of total organic carbon. Resolution of isotope variations at the molecular level offers a new and convenient means of refining views both of localized palaeoenvironments and of control mechanisms within the global carbon cycle.

Non-NASA Center↗
NASA NTRS2014

Elemental Geochemistry of Sedimentary Rocks at Yellowknife Bay, Gale Crater, Mars

Sedimentary rocks examined by the Curiosity rover at Yellowknife Bay, Mars, were derived from sources that evolved from an approximately average martian crustal composition to one influenced by alkaline basalts. No evidence of chemical weathering is preserved, indicating arid, possibly cold, paleoclimates and rapid erosion and deposition. The absence of predicted geochemical variations indicates that magnetite and phyllosilicates formed by diagenesis under low-temperature, circumneutral pH, rock-dominated aqueous conditions. Analyses of diagenetic features (including concretions, raised ridges, and fractures) at high spatial resolution indicate that they are composed of iron- and halogen-rich components, magnesium-iron-chlorine-rich components, and hydrated calcium sulfates, respectively. Composition of a cross-cutting dike-like feature is consistent with sedimentary intrusion. The geochemistry of these sedimentary rocks provides further evidence for diverse depositional and diagenetic sedimentary environments during the early history of Mars.

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.↗
NASA NTRS2019

The Sedimentary History of Mars as Observed by Rovers

Mars has a sedimentary history that spans billions of years. Orbital images have allowed for the identification of vast regional sedimentary deposits that can be traced over 100s of kilometers and are 100s of meters thick including localized alluvial, deltaic, and lacustrine deposits. Detections of secondary minerals in these deposits from orbital spectroscopy suggest the aqueous history of early Mars varied as a function of space and time. Orbital observations, however, provide a simplified and incomplete picture of Mars’ sedimentary history because measurements for inferring sediment transport and deposition, such as lithology, grain size, and internal structures, and measurements for inferring sediment source and aqueous alteration, such as outcrop-scale mineralogic and geochemical composition and diagenetic features, cannot be identified from orbit. Rover observations have significantly enhanced our view of ancient and modern sedimentary environments on Mars, resulting in detailed reconstructions of paleo-environments and habitability.

Rampe, E. B.↗
NASA NTRS2020

Clay Sediments from Basaltic Terrains: Implications for Sedimentary Processes on Mars

The Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) rover, Curiosity, has been traversing across fluvial, lacustrine, and eolian sedimentary rocks since it touched down in 2012. The CheMin X-ray diffractometer (XRD) on board Curiosity has revealed smectite clay minerals in most fluvio-lacustrine samples and abundant X-ray amorphous materials in all samples analyzed to date. For example, mudstones from the Sheepbed member at the base of the stratigraphic section and the lower part of the Murray formation contain on average ~7 to 20 wt% smectite and ~30 to 46 wt% X-ray amorphous abundances. On Earth, smectite and secondary X-ray amorphous materials are juvenile weathering products that are generated in sedimentary environments and ultimately record the interaction between primary igneous minerals and the hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere. For this study, we investigated glacio-fluvio-eolian sediments generated in basaltic terrains as terrestrial analogs for the mudstones from Gale Crater, Mars. This work focuses on the clay sized sediments (<2 μm) from these deposits as this grain size hosts the most mineralogically and geochemically altered detritus in sedimentary environments. The goal of investigating basaltic sedimentation is to create a terrestrial reference frame that sheds light on the paleoclimate and paleoaqueous conditions responsible for shaping the ancient sedimentary environments of Mars (e.g., Gale Crater and Jezero Crater).

Thorpe, M. T.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Geothermal Play Fairway Analysis of Low-Temperature Resources for Sedimentary Basin Geothermal Play Types: An Example in the Denver Basin

This project is part of a nationwide effort to highlight the advantages of incorporating low-temperature geothermal resource evaluation into the implementation of combined heat and power (CHP), and geothermal direct use (GDU) technologies (e.g., space heating and/or cooling). The initiative aims to hasten the nation's decarbonization process by exploring the potential for using low-temperature geothermal resources (< 150 Degrees Celsius) in selected sedimentary basins that have several population centers. The Play Fairway Analysis (PFA) techniques were modified from earlier studies of sedimentary basin geothermal play types (SBGPTs) that assessed the viability of low-temperature resources. The decision-making process for leveraging low-temperature geothermal resources for GDU and CHP applications is complex and considers a variety of factors, including geological, economic, and risk criteria. This study covers workflows, relevant datasets, python code, and both common and composite maps used to create low-temperature geothermal resource favorability maps for the Denver Basin, which extends across Colorado, Nebraska, and Wyoming. The replication of these methodologies in other SBGPTs can evaluate potential for low-temperature resources. The proposed geothermal PFA approach for low-temperature geothermal resources includes: (1) identifying available relevant data and grouping data sets into PFA criteria (e.g., geological, economic, and risk criteria); (2) analyzing data gaps enable future focalized exploration; (3) performing uncertainty quantification; (4) weighting relevant data; (5) developing favorability and common risk maps for low-temperature geothermal resources to identify potential locations for more focused data collection. This project will facilitate future deployment of CHP and GDU by providing data, tools, and a workflow applicable to low-temperature geothermal resources in sedimentary basins.

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Mineralogical, magnetic and geochemical data constrain the pathways and extent of weathering of mineralized sedimentary rocks

The oxidative weathering of sulfidic rock can profoundly impact watersheds through the resulting export of acidity and metals. Weathering leaves a record of mineral transformation, particularly involving minor redox-sensitive phases, that can inform the development of conceptual and quantitative models. In sulfidic sedimentary rocks, however, variations in depositional history, diagenesis and mineralization can change or overprint the distributions of these trace minerals, complicating the interpretation of weathering signatures. Here we show that a combination of bulk mineralogical and geochemical techniques, micrometer-resolution X-ray fluorescence microprobe analysis and rock magnetic measurements, applied to drill core samples and single weathered fractures, can provide data that enable the development of a geochemically consistent weathering model. This work focused on one watershed in the Upper Colorado River Basin sitting within the Mesaverde Formation, a sedimentary sandstone bedrock with disseminated sulfide minerals, including pyrite and sphalerite, that were introduced during diagenesis and subsequent magmatic-hydrothermal mineralization. Combined analytical methods revealed the pathways of iron (Fe), carbonate and silicate mineral weathering and showed how pH controls element retention or release from the actively weathering fractured sandstone. Drill core logging, whole rock X-ray diffraction, and geochemical measurements document the progression from unweathered rock at depth to weathered rock at the surface. X-ray microprobe analyses of a 1-cm size weathering profile along a fracture surface are consistent with the mobilization of Fe(II) and Fe(III) into acidic pore water from the dissolution of primary pyrite, Fe-sphalerite, chlorite, and minor siderite and pyrrhotite. These reactions are followed by the precipitation of secondary minerals such as of goethite and jarosite, a Fe-(oxyhydr)oxide and hydrous Fe(III) sulfate, respectively. Microscale analyses also helped explain the weathering reactions responsible for the mineralogical transformations observed in the top and most weathered section of the drill core. For example, dissolution of feldspar and chlorite neutralizes the acidity generated by Fe and sulfide mineral oxidation, oversaturating the solution in both Fe-oxides. The combination of X-ray spectromicroscopy and magnetic measurements show that the Fe(III) product is goethite, mainly present either as a coating on fracture surfaces in the actively weathering region of the core or more homogeneously contained within the unconsolidated regolith at the top of the core. Low-temperature magnetic data reveal the presence of ferromagnetic Fe-sulfide pyrrhotite that, although it occurs at trace concentrations, could provide a qualitative proxy for unweathered sulfide minerals because the loss of pyrrhotite is associated with the onset of oxidative weathering. Pyrrhotite loss and goethite formation are detectable through room-temperature magnetic coercivity changes, suggesting that rock magnetic measurements can determine weathering intensity in rock samples at many scales. In conclusion, this work contributes evidence that the weathering of sulfidic sedimentary rocks follows a geochemical pattern in which the abundance of sulfide minerals controls the generation of acidity and dissolved elements, and the pH-dependent mobility of these elements controls their export to the ground- and surface-water.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
NASA NTRS1988

Martian sediments and sedimentary rocks

Martian sediments and sedimentary rocks, clastic and nonclastic, should represent a high priority target in any future return-sample mission. The discovery of such materials and their subsequent analysis in terrestrial laboratories, would greatly increase the understanding of the Martian paleoclimate. The formation of Martian clastic sedimentary rocks, under either present, low-pressure, xeric conditions or a postulated, high-pressure, hydric environment, depends upon the existence of a supply of particles, various cementing agents and depositional basins. A very high resolution (mm-cm range) photographic reconnaissance of these areas would produce a quantum jump in the understanding of Martian geological history. Sampling would be confined to more horizontal (recent) surfaces. Exploration techniques are suggested for various hypothetical Martian sedimentary rocks.

Markun, C. D.↗