Joint Inversion in Hydrogeology- Standing the Test of Practical Application

January 11, 2011

Time: January 11, 2011
Lecturer: Dr. Stefan Finsterle
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory,Earth Sciences Division
Venue: Pfaffenwaldring 61, Raum U1.003 (MML), Universität Stuttgart
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Geothermal reservoir engineering, oil and gas production, nuclear waste isolation, geologic carbon sequestration, environmental remediation, and water resources management are some of the engineering applications that rely on simulation techniques to analyze, predict, and optimize geological systems. Numerical modeling of multiphase fluid and heat flow through porous and fractured formations is a challenging task, mainly due to the inherent heterogeneity of the subsurface, the coupled processes occurring over multiple spatial and temporal scales, and the nonlinearities of the governing equations. Furthermore, access to the subsurface for site characterization is very limited, resulting in considerable estimation and prediction uncertainties that need to be assessed. Joint inversion of hydrogeological, thermal, geochemical, and geophysical data using coupled process models is an attempt to solve this complex characterization, simulation, and optimization problem. This lecture critically reviews some joint inversion applications, discusses the related modeling challenges, and presents classical and some novel approaches to handle data and modeling errors.
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