Geofluids Research

The geofluids research group conducts quantitative studies of the role of fluids in hydrological, volcanological, geodynamical, and geophysical processes on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The following links serve both to provide more information on what we do and as a resource (particularly "resources") for research group members and collaborators:

Previous and ongoing research projects.

Learn about our general research approach.

Description of some of our research resources.

Some research funding information.

Articles, talks, posters, theses, dissertations.

• Department of Energy (DOE) Grant, Project Title: "An integrated experimental and numerical study: Developing a reaction transport model that couples chemical reactions of mineral dissolution/precipitation with spatial and temporal flow variations in CO2/brine/rock systems", amount: $1,550,018; Start/End Dates: 03/01/10-02/28/13 (3 years).
• National Science Foundation (NSF) CDI Grant, Project Title: "CDI-Type 1: A science and engineering programming and inverse modeling environment for massively parallel heterogeneous computing systems", amount: $604,060; Start/End Dates: 10/01/09 - 09/30/12 (3 years)
• Grant for McKnight Land-Grant Professorship: : $65,000-$97,500 (no overhead) for 2 years (2009-2011). Higher amount if no additional sabbatical relief year is taken.
• Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment (IREE), i.e., funds from the State of Minnesota for development of a new type of geothermal power plant for electricity production in low-heat-flow regions such as the eastern and central U.S. (lead-PI: Martin Saar (Geology & Geophysics, UMN); co-PIs: Thomas Kuehn (Mechanical Engineering, UMN), Karsten Pruess (Lawrence-Berkeley National Lab (LBNL)), Stefan Finsterle (LBNL), Elizabeth Wilson (Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, UMN), Steven Taff (Applied Economics, UMN), William Gosnold (Geology, Univ. of North Dakota (UND)), Zheng-Wen Zheng (Geology, UND), Harvey Thorleifson (Minnesota Geological Survey, UMN)), Grant amount: $600,000 (no overhead) for 3 years (~April 2009-March 2012).
• National Science Foundation (NSF) EAR-0838541, Project Title: "Field and numerical analys of the thermal, mechanical, a fluid evolution of extensional detachment zones", amount: $350,000; Start/End Dates: 03/01/09 - 02/28/12 (3 years)
• National Science Foundation (NSF): grant: DMS-0724560, Project Title: "Multiscale multiphase flow simulations of dense vesicular particle suspensions.", amount: $272,922; Start/End Dates: 08/01/07 - 08/31/10 (3 years)
• National Science Foundation (NSF): grant: EAR-0510723, Project Title: "Determining large-scale permeability of magma from its bubble and crystal microstructure, a multiphase percolation theory approach.", amount: $291,456; Start/End Dates: 08/01/05 - 07/31/09 (4 years)
• Substantial startup funding from Geology and Geophysics and the Institute of Technology (IT), University of Minnesota.
• George and Orpha Gibson Endowment funding for the Chair of Hydrogeology and Geofluids, Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, University of Minnesota.
• Grant-in-Aid funding for junior faculty from the University of Minnesota, Project Title: "Developing a hydrogeologic computer model for the Bemidji, MN oil spill site." amount: $33,524; Start/End Dates: 01/01/06-06/30/07 (18 months)
• UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity) grant for Ryan O'Grady, University of Minnesota (fall term 2007).
• UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity) grant for Karli Anderson, University of Minnesota (spring term 2007).
• Two UROP (Undergraduate Research Opportunity) grants for Abbey Duncan and Nino D'Andrea, University of Minnesota (ended summer 2006).
• Support through collaborations and equipment/code exchange with the USGS (Menlo Park, CA), Princeton University, University of Oregon, University of British Columbia (Vancouver-Canada), Arizona State University, and various departments (e.g., computer science, civil engineering) at the University of Minnesota.