Computer Modeling in the Application to Geothermal Engineering

In the article, investigation is given of the developed mathematical models of nonequilibrium in time and distributed in space thermodynamic state of Earth’s matter from its center to its surface depending on the cases of the presence and absence of an internal source of thermal energy concentrated in the center of mass taking into account known geophysical data about the nucleus, mantle, lithosphere and atmosphere, and endogenous and exogenous heat fluxes. The objects of research are as follows: mathematical models of geothermal energy of the Earth, its internal source, and heat balance of endogenous and exogenous heat fluxes on the Earth’s surface. Research methods used are as follows: thermometry in deep wells, ground and remote sensing of heat fluxes of the Earth and the planets of the Solar System, mathematical modeling of heat exchange and thermoelastic processes from compression of Earth’s matter by gravitational field energy information and classical physical and mathematical methods, and computer modeling. The aim of research: in computer modeling to provide new mathematical models that determine the geophysical parameters of geothermal energy, which are aimed on solving problems of energy, environmental and economic security of society, using modern technical means of calculating ground and remote sensing data development of geothermal resources, and regulation of the heat balance of the ecosystem, namely: (i) study of the geological structure of the lithosphere to a depth of 10 km by remote sensing to determine the physical parameters of its layers more accurately than ground methods; (ii) development of projects of geothermal power plants on the basis of single isolated wells of a given depth with a capacity of up to 2 ÷ 3 mW of electricity on continents of the globe; (iii) real-time monitoring and forecasting of the temperature field of the atmosphere according to its physical and chemical composition. The novelty of the obtained research results: (i) developed the mathematical model of the physical process of origin and distribution in the bowels of the density of geothermal energy of the Earth from the surface to its center, which is the density of internal energy of an elementary geological object, and which increases when approaching the center of the planet; (ii) developed the mathematical model of the thermal energy source of infrared (IR) waves of the elementary geophysical object of the Earth’s interior depending on the depth of its occurrence, which allows to determine the stable generation of geothermal energy by rocks in a deep well for extraction and conversion into electricity and to study the geological structure and physical properties of the Earth’s interior; (iii) the mathematical model of heat exchange between the layers of the Earth’s subsoil with the thermal energy of infrared waves according to the laws of Fourier thermal conductivity and Stefan–Boltzmann heat transfer, which together with the geothermal energy source model allows to determine a thermal capacity of rocks in a deep well; (iv) developed the mathematical model of stable action of a source of thermal energy in the center of mass of the Earth, in the absence of which it is hard to explain the power of its endogenous infrared heat flux, parameters of geothermal energy distribution in the Earth, and the current thermodynamic state of the atmosphere, and the change in temperature of which depends on the thermophysical parameters of the physical-chemical composition of the atmosphere more than on changes in the thermal activity of the Sun; (v) determination of new numerical values: thermophysical parameters of the Earth’s interior; kinetic, potential and own gravitational energy of the Earth and own gravitational energy of the planets of the Solar System.

Metode Geolistrik Tahanan Jenis untuk Eksplorasi Air Tanah di Gunung Tunak

Geoelectricity is a geophysical method that conducted by injecting an electric current into the earth’s interior. This study objected to map aquifer aquifers using the geoelectric method with a Schlumberger electrode configuration consisting of 4 sounding points. The measurement results are then processed with IP2WIN software which produces a real resistivity map as a function of depth. The correlation between sounding points produces a three-dimensional real resistivity map. The results of the study located at Gunung Tunak, Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, which consists of 4 sounding points show that the aquifer is at a depth of 66.7 meters 31, 2 meters 58, 7 meters and 34, 1 meter respectively, which are displayed comprehensively with 3 dimensional lithology map.

Using paired teaching for earthquake education in schools

In this study, we have created 10 geoscience video lessons that follow the paired-teaching pedagogical approach. This method is used to supplement the standard school curriculum with video lessons, instructed by geoscientists from around the world, coupled with activities carried out under the guidance of classroom teachers. The video lessons introduce students to the scientific concepts behind earthquakes (e.g. the Earth's interior, plate tectonics, faulting, and seismic energy), earthquake hazards, and mitigation measures (e.g. liquefaction, structural, and non-structural earthquake hazards). These concepts are taught through hands-on learning, where students use everyday materials to build models to visualize basic Earth processes that produce earthquakes and explore the effects of different hazards. To evaluate the effectiveness of these virtual lessons, we tested our videos in school classrooms in Dushanbe (Tajikistan) and London (United Kingdom). Before and after the video implementations, students completed questionnaires that probed their knowledge on topics covered by each video, including the Earth's interior, tectonic plate boundaries, and non-structural hazards. Our assessment results indicate that, while the paired-teaching video lessons appear to enhance student knowledge and understanding of some concepts (e.g. Earth's interior, earthquake location forecasting, and non-structural hazards), they bring little change to their views on the causes of earthquakes and their relation to plate boundaries. In general, the difference between UK and Tajik students' level of knowledge prior to and after video testing is more significant than the difference between pre- and post-knowledge for each group. This could be due to several factors affecting curriculum testing (e.g. level of teachers' participation and classroom culture) and students' learning of content (e.g. pre-existing hazards knowledge and experience). To maximize the impact of school-based risk reduction education, curriculum developers must move beyond innovative content and pedagogical approaches, take classroom culture into consideration, and instil skills needed for participatory learning and discovery.

Heavy iron in large gem diamonds traces deep subduction of serpentinized ocean floor

Subducting tectonic plates carry water and other surficial components into Earth’s interior. Previous studies suggest that serpentinized peridotite is a key part of deep recycling, but this geochemical pathway has not been directly traced. Here, we report Fe-Ni–rich metallic inclusions in sublithospheric diamonds from a depth of 360 to 750 km with isotopically heavy iron (δ56Fe = 0.79 to 0.90‰) and unradiogenic osmium (187Os/188Os = 0.111). These iron values lie outside the range of known mantle compositions or expected reaction products at depth. This signature represents subducted iron from magnetite and/or Fe-Ni alloys precipitated during serpentinization of oceanic peridotite, a lithology known to carry unradiogenic osmium inherited from prior convection and melt depletion. These diamond-hosted inclusions trace serpentinite subduction into the mantle transition zone. We propose that iron-rich phases from serpentinite contribute a labile heavy iron component to the heterogeneous convecting mantle eventually sampled by oceanic basalts.

The state and main directions in the development of earth’s interior resources

Background. In order to achieve a high efficiency in the development of deep-seated deposits, mining sciences are required to optimize the parameters of mining operations, equipment and technology, to study and develop the principles of a rational combination of various resource-saving, low-waste and resource-reproducing technological processes, above all, providing the widespread use of automated planning systems and methods for managing the extraction of minerals.Aim. To analyse the state and main directions in the development of the Earth’s interior resources.Materials and methods. The research was carried out on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of scientific publications, reports and archive materials on the development of mineral resources.Results. A scheme describing the formation of a consolidated natural-technogenic massif in the Earth’s interior and a technological diagram of the movement of mineral-raw material flows are presented. A conclusion is made that it is expedient to create the technologies for the purposeful formation of deposits on the basis of the principle of geotechnological continuation of the formation of useful components by artificial methods using natural forces to transform deposits to a state that is maximally acceptable for subsequent development. Such technologies should provide the creation of conditions in the massif for the spatial separation of useful components, changes in the physical properties of rocks, the conditions of occurrence of minerals and, on this basis, increasing the efficiency of traditional and new ways of developing deposits.Conclusion. The use of these technologies will allow the resource base to be expanded by increasing the concentration of useful components in the Earth’s interior and involving poor deposits and ore occurrences in the development; to increase the value of deposits due to associated components obtained in the processes of material transformation of ores; to reduce the depth of mining operations due to the formation of technogenic deposits on geochemical barriers near the Earth’s surface; to reduce the development time of deposits; and to reduce the technogenic load on the environment. The creation of such technologies will require a deep integration of the efforts of geologists, geochemists, geophysicists, ecologists and miners.

Probing the earth’s interior with neutrinos

Neutrinos, the lightest entities of the Standard Model of particle physics, can traverse matter like no other known particle. The advent of a new generation of neutrino telescopes is turning these elusive messengers into a new probe to investigate the structure and composition of the deep Earth.