Muon tomography for geological structures and CCS repositories
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Sheffield
Department Name: Physics and Astronomy
Abstract
Doctoral Training Partnerships: a range of postgraduate training is funded by the Research Councils. For information on current funding routes, see the common terminology at https://www.ukri.org/apply-for-funding/how-we-fund-studentships/. Training grants may be to one organisation or to a consortia of research organisations. This portal will show the lead organisation only.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Vitaly Kudryavtsev (Training Grant Holder) |
Publications
Direito S
(2018)
Geological repositories: scientific priorities and potential high-technology transfer from the space and physics sectors
in Mineralogical Magazine
Gluyas J
(2018)
Passive, continuous monitoring of carbon dioxide geostorage using muon tomography.
in Philosophical transactions. Series A, Mathematical, physical, and engineering sciences
Klinger J
(2015)
Simulation of muon radiography for monitoring CO 2 stored in a geological reservoir
in International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control
Kudryavtsev V
(2020)
Neutron production in ( a , n ) reactions
in Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment
Thompson L
(2022)
Muography - Exploring Earth's Subsurface with Elementary Particles
Vesga-Ramírez A
(2021)
Simulated Annealing for volcano muography
in Journal of South American Earth Sciences
| Description | This was a PhD project. The student has carried out modelling of the muon fluxes and their detection beneath geological repositories to estimate the sensitivity of the muon tomography technique. |
| Exploitation Route | Future results can be used to evaluate the potential of the muon tomography technique for measuring the density profile of subsurface structures. |
| Sectors | Energy,Environment |
| Description | Development of a new method for monitoring carbon storage using muon tomography / radiography. The method can be used in carbon storage monitoring, as well as investigating geological repositories in general. The method is currently testing. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2015 |
| Sector | Environment |
| Impact Types | Societal |
| Description | Futures studentship |
| Amount | £67,498 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/L502492/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 10/2013 |
| End | 09/2017 |
| Description | Muon tomography of volcanoes in South America |
| Amount | £150,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ST/R002606/1 |
| Organisation | Science and Technologies Facilities Council (STFC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2018 |
| End | 03/2019 |
| Title | Method of modelling muon transport through complex geological structures |
| Description | We have developed a new method of producing computer model of a geological structure that can be interfaced with the particle transport code used in particle physics, Geant4. The method allowed us to simulate muon transport down to and through a geological structure. The method was validated for a specific type of a geological repository. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Simulation of muon transport through a geological repository - potential site of carbon dioxide storage. Development of the muon tomography technique. |
| Title | Monte Carlo modelling of muon events (from 2008) |
| Description | This is the method of simulating and analysing muon events that produce background for rare event search experiments. This method was developed and improved over a number of years as part of various projects and affected the outcomes of these projects. R&D towards new facility at the Boulby Underground Laboratory to host large rare event search experiments DUNE and other neutrino related experiments (Monte Carlo generator for cosmic-ray muons) LZ experiment Muon tomography work |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2008 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Many scientific collaborations are using this method. |
| Description | Muon tomography for carbon storage monitoring |
| Organisation | Durham University |
| Department | Department of Earth Sciences |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Designing and constructing detector prototype, modelling muon transport and detection |
| Collaborator Contribution | Modelling geological repositories, financial contribution of DECC and Premier Oil |
| Impact | Talks at meetings and conferences, applications to funding |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Muon tomography for carbon storage monitoring |
| Organisation | Premier Oil |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | Designing and constructing detector prototype, modelling muon transport and detection |
| Collaborator Contribution | Modelling geological repositories, financial contribution of DECC and Premier Oil |
| Impact | Talks at meetings and conferences, applications to funding |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | Muon tomography for carbon storage monitoring |
| Organisation | University of Bath |
| Department | Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Designing and constructing detector prototype, modelling muon transport and detection |
| Collaborator Contribution | Modelling geological repositories, financial contribution of DECC and Premier Oil |
| Impact | Talks at meetings and conferences, applications to funding |
| Start Year | 2012 |
| Description | SilentBorder |
| Organisation | University of Tartu |
| Country | Estonia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | This is a project funded by Horizon 2020 in collaboration with the University of Tartu, Universite Catholique de Louvain, German Aerospace Centre, G-Scan, SGS, CAEN and border agencies. The collaboration is working on a muon tomography system for scanning lorries and containers. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This is a project funded by Horizon 2020 in collaboration with the University of Tartu, Universite Catholique de Louvain, German Aerospace Centre, G-Scan, SGS, CAEN and border agencies. The collaboration is working on a muon tomography system for scanning lorries and containers. |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary collaboration involving universities and industrial partners. Disciplines: particle physics, engineering, electronics, border security. |
| Start Year | 2020 |
| Title | Interface of a model for a geological repository with the muon propagation code |
| Description | A computer model of the geological repository and the cap rock, based on realistic parameters of rock and environment, is converted into a geometrical and physical model that is then used for muon propagation through the rock. |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2015 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | Possibility to combine geological modelling of a different types of rock, oil fields etc with the particle transport code to investigate the sensitivity of muon tomography for different applications: carbon storage, volcanoes etc. |
| Title | Muon simulation code (from 2013) |
| Description | A Monte Carlo code for modelling cosmic-ray muons at different underground sites, including SURF at South Dakota, USA (site for DUNE, LZ and LUX experiments), Modane, France (site for the EDELWEISS experiment) and Boulby in the UK (potential site for the next generation rare search experiment). |
| Type Of Technology | Software |
| Year Produced | 2013 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | The code allows calculation of the muon fluxes and energy spectra underground. Initial simulations have been done for underground laboratories in Italy, France and others. In 2015 the model and method have first been applied to the SURF underground laboratory in the USA. Recent improvements to the model have been made for the DUNE experiment at SURF and recently for the Boulby site. Also used for muon simulations in geological repositories. |
| Description | Interview with The New York Times magazine (Science) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview with a science journalist of The New York Times magazine (Science). Extract published in the magazine. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |