Bibliography - T. C. Onstott

1. Peters, Catherine A., P. F. Dobson, C. M Oldenburg, Joseph S.Y. Wang, T. C. Onstott, George Scherer, B. Freifeld, T. S. Ramakrishnan, Eric L. Stabinski, Kenneth Liang, and Sandeep Verma, 2011: LUCI: A facility at DUSEL for large-scale experimental study of geologic carbon sequestration. Energy Procedia, Elsevier, 4, doi:10.1016/j.egypro.2011.02.478 5050-5057
   [ Abstract ]

   LUCI, the Laboratory for Underground CO₂ Investigations, is an experimental facility being planned for the DUSEL underground laboratory in South Dakota, USA. It is designed to study vertical flow of CO₂ in porous media over length scales representative of leakage scenarios in geologic carbon sequestration. The plan for LUCI is a set of three vertical column pressure vessels, each of which is ∼500 m long and ∼1 m in diameter. The vessels will be filled with brine and sand or sedimentary rock. Each vessel will have an inner column to simulate a well for deployment of down-hole logging tools. The experiments are configured to simulate CO₂ leakage by releasing CO₂ into the bottoms of the columns. The scale of the LUCI facility will permit measurements to study CO₂ flow over pressure and temperature variations that span supercritical to subcritical gas conditions. It will enable observation or inference of a variety of relevant processes such as buoyancy-driven flow in porous media, Joule-Thomson cooling, thermal exchange, viscous fingering, residual trapping, and CO₂ dissolution. Experiments are also planned for reactive flow of CO₂ and acidified brines in caprock sediments and well cements, and for CO₂-enhanced methanogenesis in organic-rich shales. A comprehensive suite of geophysical logging instruments will be deployed to monitor experimental conditions as well as provide data to quantify vertical resolution of sensor technologies. The experimental observations from LUCI will generate fundamental new understanding of the processes governing CO₂ trapping and vertical migration, and will provide valuable data to calibrate and validate large-scale model simulations.

2. Peters, Catherine A., George Scherer, Michael Celia, Jean Hervé Prévost, T. C. Onstott, P. F. Dobson, C. M Oldenburg, B. Freifeld, J. Birkholzer, J. Wang, S. Benson, and T. J. Phelps, et al., in press: Collaborative Research: DUSEL CO₂, A Deep Underground Laboratory for Geologic CO₂ Sequestration Studies: A proposal for the conceptual design of the facility and experiments. NSF. 0/09.
   [ Abstract ]

   Princeton University and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have forged a new collaboration to examine the feasibility and risks of carbon sequestration, a method of countering global warming by storing greenhouse gases deep underground. To develop a sound understanding of carbon sequestration, we will build a deep underground laboratory to study the processes of trapping and storing CO₂, including the risks of unintended leakage. It will be part of the new DUSEL facility at the Homestake mine in South Dakota. The “DUSEL CO₂, facility will make the United States the only country with a deep underground laboratory for controlled study of geologic carbon sequestration, providing a unique opportunity for global leadership. The findings from these unique experiments will advance carbon management technology worldwide and help reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The features and capabilities of the planned facility are unprecedented. The experimental design exploits the nearly half-kilometer vertical extent of existing “sandline” borings at Homestake. Pipes will be installed within the sandlines to serve as long flow columns. These columns will contain the CO₂, and allow experimentation at the same pressure and temperature conditions as in deep subsurface reservoirs. Fill materials will mimic sedimentary layering, as well as cements in plugged wells. Instrumentation will enable detailed monitoring of flow, pressure, temperature, brine composition, geomechanics, and microbial activity. As part of the initial suite of experiments, we plan to simulate a leak in which CO₂, changes from a supercritical fluid to a subcritical gas as the pressure drops during upflow over tens to hundreds of meters. We will test for possible acceleration in CO₂, flow due to increasing buoyancy. Also, we will examine the interactions of CO₂, with cap-rocks and well cements, and determine whether CO₂, will enlarge flow pathways or cause selfsealing. Finally, we will investigate the effects of anaerobic, thermophilic bacteria on CO₂, conversion to methane and carbonate. This project is being led by researchers at Princeton and LBNL, and involves no-cost collaboration with individuals at ORNL, Stanford University, Schlumberger and the U.S. DOE NETL. During this three-year project, the team is working to (i) prioritize future experiments that will be conducted at DUSEL CO₂, (ii) build models that simulate experimental conditions and predict process dynamics, and (iii) develop a Work-Breakdown Structure (WBS) schedule for design, procurement, construction, operation and deconstruction of the facility over the facility lifetime. International awareness about DUSEL CO₂, is being fostered through international workshops and formation of an International Advisory Committee. Also, we are collaborating with other DUSEL scientists on education and outreach about “deep science,” with particular focus on climate change and energy solutions. DUSEL education and outreach activities are focused on Native American communities in South Dakota and operation of the Visitor Center at the Sanford Lab at Homestake. To inspire and educate the next generation of leaders, we are involving undergraduate and graduate students in DUSEL CO₂, research at Princeton University.

3. Smith, D., A. C. Schuerger, M. Davidson, Stephen W. Pacala, C. Bakermans, and T. C. Onstott, 2009: Survivability of Psychrobacter Cryohalolentis K5 Under Simulated Martian Surface Conditions. Astrobiology, 9(2), doi:10.1089/ast.2007.0231 221-228
   [ Abstract ]

   Spacecraft launched to Mars can retain viable terrestrial microorganisms on board that may survive the interplanetary transit. Such biota might compromise the search for life beyond Earth if capable of propagating on Mars. The current study explored the survivability of Psychrobacter cryohalolentis K5, a psychrotolerant microorganism obtained from a Siberian permafrost cryopeg, under simulated martian surface conditions of high ultraviolet irradiation, high desiccation, low temperature, and low atmospheric pressure. First, a desiccation experiment compared the survival of P. cryohalolentis cells embedded, or not embedded, within a medium/salt matrix (MSM) maintained at 25°C for 24 h within a laminar flow hood. Results indicate that the presence of the MSM enhanced survival of the bacterial cells by 1 to 3 orders of magnitude. Second, tests were conducted in a Mars Simulation Chamber to determine the UV tolerance of the microorganism. No viable vegetative cells of P. cryohalolentis were detected after 8 h of exposure to Mars-normal conditions of 4.55 W/m2 UVC irradiation (200–280 nm), −12.5°C, 7.1 mbar, and a Mars gas mix composed of CO2 (95.3%), N2 (2.7%), Ar (1.6%), O2 (0.2%), and H2O (0.03%). Third, an experiment was conducted within the Mars chamber in which total atmospheric opacities were simulated at ô = 0.1 (dust-free CO2 atmosphere at 7.1 mbar), 0.5 (normal clear sky with 0.4 = dust opacity and 0.1 = CO2-only opacity), and 3.5 (global dust storm) to determine the survivability of P. cryohalolentis to partially shielded UVC radiation. The survivability of the bacterium increased with the level of UVC attenuation, though population levels still declined several orders of magnitude compared to UVC-absent controls over an 8 h exposure period.

4. Lin, Li-Hung, P.-L. Wang, D. Rumble, J. Lippmann-Pipke, E. Boice, L. Pratt, B. S. Lollar, E. L. Brodie, T. C. Hazen, G. L. Andersen, T. Z. DeSantis, D. Moser, D. Kershaw, and T. C. Onstott, 2006: Long term biosustainability in a high energy, low diversity crustal biome In , 314, doi:10.1126/science.1127376 479-482
   [ Abstract ]

   Geochemical, microbiological, and molecular analyses of alkaline saline groundwater at 2.8 kilometers depth in Archaean metabasalt revealed a microbial biome dominated by a single phylotype affiliated with thermophilic sulfate reducers belonging to Firmicutes. These sulfate reducers were sustained by geologically produced sulfate and hydrogen at concentrations sufficient to maintain activities for millions of years with no apparent reliance on photosynthetically derived substrates.

5. Onstott, T. C., D. McGown, J. Kessler, B. S. Lollar, K. K. Lehman, and S. M. Clifford, 2006: Martian CH₄: sources, flux and detection. Astrobiology, 6(2), doi:10.1089/ast.2006.6.377 377-395
   [ Abstract ]

   Recent observations have detected trace amounts of CH₄ heterogeneously distributed in the martian atmosphere, which indicated a subsurface CH₄ flux of ˜2 X 10⁵ to 2 X 10⁹ cm^-2 s^-1. Four different origins for this CH₄ were considered: (1) volcanogenic; (2) sublimation of hydrate- rich ice; (3) diffusive transport through hydrate-saturated cryosphere; and (4) microbial CH₄ generation above the cryosphere. A diffusive flux model of the martian crust for He, H₂, and CH₄ was developed based upon measurements of deep fracture water samples from South Africa. This model distinguishes between abiogenic and microbial CH₄ sources based upon their isotopic composition, and couples microbial CH₄ production to H₂ generation by H₂O radiolysis. For a He flux of ˜10⁵ cm^-2 s^-1 this model yields an abiogenic CH₄ flux and a microbial CH₄ flux of ˜10⁶ and ˜10⁹ cm^-2 s^-1, respectively. This flux will only reach the martian surface if CH₄ hydrate is saturated in the cryosphere; otherwise it will be captured within the cryosphere. The sublimation of a hydrate-rich cryosphere could generate the observed CH₄ flux, whereas microbial CH₄ production in a hypersaline environment above the hydrate stability zone only seems capable of supplying ˜10⁵ cm^-2 s^-1 of CH₄. The model predicts that He/H₂/CH₄/C₂H₆ abundances and the C and H isotopic values of CH₄ and the C isotopic composition of C₂H₆ could reveal the different sources. Cavity ring-down spectrometers represent the instrument type that would be most capable of performing the C and H measurements of CH₄ on near future rover missions and pinpointing the cause and source of the CH₄ emissions.

6. Onstott, T. C., Li-Hung Lin, M. Davidson, B. Mislowack, M. Borcsik, J. Hall, G. Slater, J. Ward, B. S. Lollar, J. Lippmann-Pipke, E. Boice, and L. Pratt, et al., 2006: The origin and age of biogeochemical trends in deep fracture water of the Witwatersrand Basin, South Africa. Geomicrobiology Journal, 12(6), doi:10.1080/01490450600875688 369-414
   [ Abstract ]

   Water residing within crustal fractures encountered during mining at depths greater than 500 meters in the Witwatersrand basin of South Africa represents a mixture of paleo-meteoric water and 2.0–2.3 Ga hydrothermal fluid. The hydrothermal fluid is highly saline, contains abiogenic CH>sub>4 and hydrocarbon, occasionally N₂, originally formed at ∼250–300°C and during cooling isotopically exchanged O and H with minerals and accrued H₂, ⁴He and other radiogenic gases. The paleo-meteoric water ranges in age from ∼10 Ka to >1.5 Ma, is of low salinity, falls along the global meteoric water line (GMWL) and is CO₂ and atmospheric noble gas-rich. The hydrothermal fluid, which should be completely sterile, has probably been mixing with paleo-meteoric water for at least the past∼100 Myr, a process which inoculates previously sterile environments at depths >2.0 to 2.5 km. Free energy flux calculations suggest that sulfate reduction is the dominant electron acceptor microbial process for the high salinity fracture water and that it is 10⁷ times that normally required for cell maintenance in lab cultures. Flux calculations also indicate that the potential bio available chemical energy increases with salinity, but because the fluence of bioavailable C, N and P also increase with salinity, the environment remains energy-limited. The ⁴He concentrations and theoretical calculations indicate that the H₂ that is sustaining the subsurface microbial communities (e.g. H₂-utilizing SRB and methanogens) is produced by water radiolysis at a rate of ∼1nMyr⁻¹. Microbial CH₄ mixes with abiogenicCH₄ to produce the observed isotopic signatures and indicates that the rate of methanogenesis diminishes with depth from∼100 at < 1 kmbls, to <0.01nMyr⁻¹ at >3 kmbls. Microbial Fe(III) reduction is limited due to the elevated pH. The δ¹³C of dissolved inorganic carbon is consistent with heterotrophy rather than autotrophy dominating the deeper, more saline environments. One potential source of the organic carbon may be microfilms present on the mineral surfaces.

7. Kieft, T. L., S. M. McCuddy, T. C. Onstott, M. Davidson, Li-Hung Lin, B. Mislowack, L. Pratt, E. Boice, B. S. Lollar, J. Lippmann-Pipke, S. M. Pfiffner, and T. J. Phelps, et al., 2005: Geochemically Generated, Energy-Rich Substrates and Indigenous Microorganisms in Deep, Ancient Groundwater. Geomicrobiology Journal, 22(6), doi:10.1080/01490450500184876 325-355
   [ Abstract ]

   Recent studies have shown that the biosphere extends to depths that exceed 3 km, raising questions regarding the age of the microbes in these deep ecosystems and their sources of energy for metabolism. Abiogenic energy sources that are derived from in situ, purely geochemical sources and thus independent from photosynthesis have been suggested.We sampled saline fracture water emanating from a 3.1-km deep borehole in a Au mine in the Witwatersrand Basin of South Africa and characterized the chemical constituents (including stable isotopes), groundwater age, and indigenous microorganisms. Salinity data and ratios of dissolved noble gases indicate that extremely ancient (2.0 Ga) saline fracture water has mixed with meteoric water to yield an average subsurface residence time of 20–160 Ma, the oldest age of any waters collected to date in the Witwatersrand Basin. H₂ isotope data suggest the water originated from a depth of 4 to 5 km. Sulfur isotope fractionation indicates biological sulfate reduction. Calculations of free energies and steady state energy fluxes based on water chemistry data also support sulfate reduction as the dominant terminal electron accepting process. Lipid and flow cytometry data indicate a sparse microbial community (103 cells ml⁻¹), despite the presence of relatively high concentrations of energy-rich compounds (H₂, CH₄, CO, ethane, propane, butane, and acetate). The H₂ can be explained by radiolysis of water. Stable isotopic signatures of the CH₄ and short chain hydrocarbons indicate abiogenic synthesis. The persistence of energy-rich compounds suggests that other factors are limiting to microbial metabolism and growth, e.g., availability of an inorganic nutrient, such as Fe or phosphate.

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