Fault Seal Analysis for CO2 Storage: Fault Zone Architecture, Fault Permeability, and Fluid Migration Pathways in Exposed Analogs in Southeastern Utah

Geologic storage of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) by injection into underground porous sandstone reservoirs has been proposed as a method for the reduction of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. Upwards migration and leakage of injected fluids along natural fault and fracture networks is a key risk factor for potential injection locations. We examine exposed natural analogs to evaluate the impacts of faulting and fracturing on reservoir and top-seal pairs and to evaluate evidence for paleomigration of fluids along the fault zone. We examine the Iron Wash fault, a 25-km long normal fault which cuts Jurassic sedimentary rocks and has throws that range from 20-120 m, to examine how a fault may affect seal integrity. Field mapping, kinematic analysis, petrographic analysis, characterization of the fault zone facies and fault architecture, analysis of altered and mineralized rocks in and around the fault zone, and modeling of fault seal capacity was conducted to provide an understanding of the Iron Wash fault zone. Field data and observations were combined with well log and borehole data to produce three types of models for the Iron Wash fault: 1) geometric model of the fault in the subsurface, 2) predictive models of fault zone behavior and fault seal analysis, and 3) predictive geomechanical models of the response of the fault zone to an imposed stress field and increasing the effective stress on the fault. We conclude that the Iron Wash fault zone has low sealing capacity and will likely not behave as a seal for fluids against the fault zone due primarily to modest throw on the fault and high frequency of fractures associated with the fault zone. Analysis of fluid alteration and mineralization around the fault zone indicates that the fault zone was conduit for paleo-fluids. We conclude that the fault is not likely to develop a sealing membrane and therefore will most likely fail as a seal to fluids moving through the reservoirs modeled here. Modeling results indicate that a reduction in the effective normal stress on fault surfaces may induce failure of faults resulting in earthquakes or increased hydraulic conductivity of fractures

Brief of the Intellectual Property Amicus Brief Clinic of the University of New Hampshire School of Law as Amicus Curiae in Support of Neither Party

Amicus brief filed by the Intellectual Property Amicus Brief Clinic of the University of New Hampshire School of Law with the United States Court Of Appeals For The Ninth Circuit regarding United States v. Xavier Alvarez, Docket No. 11-21

The Early Steps Project: Occupational Therapy in a Pediatric Primary Care Setting

The purpose of this study is expand on the Early STEPs project goal of identifying early developmental delays in infants and young children in a health disparate population and to collect preliminary data to lay the groundwork for a future NIH grant proposal. Individuals with less education have poor health and shorter life expectancies than well-educated individuals, and research reveals that poverty is directly related to limited education. An innovative approach is needed to overcome barriers, improve health literacy, and educate parents on effective parenting strategies for this population. Technology may be the part of the solution to this issue. Through Early STEPs, the occupational therapists will continue to refer families to early intervention and therapy services as appro­priate and follow-up to ensure that services are initiated. The OT will also determine if the parents are utilizing the Word Gap App and other provided resources to support their child\u27s development and to manage their stress. By increasing parental awareness and knowledge of language and motor skill development, the environments of underserved children will be enriched and parental stress will be reduced so that these children can have improved health and reach their full potential

HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH? EXPLANATORY TEXT EFFECTS ON CONCEPTUAL LEARNING AND MOTIVATION

Instructors in every domain face a fundamental challenge in determining when to provide students with explanations and when to allow them to generate their own. Past research examining the effects of providing or withholding explanatory material has provided evidence for the effectiveness of worked examples, a providing approach, as well as self-explanation, a withholding approach. The mechanisms through which these paths promote different kinds of learning remain unclear. Additionally, the role of motivation in determining how students interact with providing or withholding materials has not been investigated, although evidence suggests mastery and performance approach goals will be more important in less structured learning environments. A pair of studies with middle school and university students contrasted learning conditions that received instructional text, worked examples and practice problems on the topic of electricity, with conceptual explanations of problem-solving steps either provided or withheld. Science achievement goals, task goals, and different kinds of knowledge outcomes were measured. Results suggest that providing conceptual explanations during problem solving has a detrimental effect on conceptual learning and offers no benefit to problem-solving skills. Additionally, results suggest that achievement goals and task goals may play a reduced role in facilitating learning when explanations are provided. These results suggest that providing more structured learning materials may disrupt learning and diminish the benefits of motivation

Automotive Stirling engine development program

This is the ninth Semiannual Technical Progress Report prepared under the Automotive Stirling Engine Development Program. It covers the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth quarters of activity after award of the contract. Quarterly Technical Progress Reports related program activities from the first through the thirteenth quarters; thereafter, reporting was changed to a Semiannual format. This report summarizes the study of higher-power kinematic Stirling engines for transportation use, development testing of Mod I Stirling engines, and component development activities. Component development testing included successful conical fuel nozzle testing and functional checkout of Mod II controls and auxiliaries on Mod I engine test beds. Overall program philosophy is outlined and data and test results are presented

Automotive Stirling engine development program

The major accomplishments were the completion of the Basic Stirling Engine (BSE) and the Stirling Engine System (SES) designs on schedule, the approval and acceptance of those designs by NASA, and the initiation of manufacture of BSE components. The performance predictions indicate the Mod II engine design will meet or exceed the original program goals of 30% improvement in fuel economy over a conventional Internal Combustion (IC) powered vehicle, while providing acceptable emissions. This was accomplished while simultaneously reducing Mod II engine weight to a level comparable with IC engine power density, and packaging the Mod II in a 1985 Celebrity with no external sheet metal changes. The projected mileage of the Mod II Celebrity for the combined urban and highway CVS cycle is 40.9 mpg which is a 32% improvement over the IC Celebrity. If additional potential improvements are verified and incorporated in the Mod II, the mileage could increase to 42.7 mpg

The Role of Hostile Attributions in the Associations between Child Maltreatment and Reactive and Proactive Aggression

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment and Trauma on October 8th, 2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/10926771.2016.1231148.The present study examined the relations between child maltreatment and reactive and proactive functions of aggression, and whether hostile attribution biases partially accounted for these associations in a sample of 339 college students (mean age = 19; 51% male). Child maltreatment was associated with reactive, but not proactive, aggression, and instrumental hostile attribution biases accounted for this association. Relational hostile attributions were correlated with both reactive and proactive aggression, but did not play a role in the link between child maltreatment and reactive aggression

A baseline assessment of migratory and resident bird use of a prairie restoration site in eastern Washington

Prairies, and other types of grassland ecosystems, have suffered some of the most profound losses worldwide, due to anthropogenic factors such as fossil fuel extraction, agriculture, and climate change. Likewise, organisms inhabiting grassland ecosystems have become extirpated across much of their historical range, not the least of which has been a 50% decline in grassland birds since the 1960s. In response to losses of intact prairie in eastern Washington, a 120-ac site has been established on the EWU campus to regenerate native prairie and monitor changes in the ecosystem as native plants recolonize and replace non-natives. Because birds are an important indicator species of ecosystem health, the goal of our research was to estimate baseline abundance and diversity of birds at the prairie restoration site before restoration takes place. We also assessed bird abundance and diversity at a small, intact prairie remnant 20 mi north of the EWU campus to compare current bird use of the restoration site with that of an intact prairie system. We assessed bird abundance and bird diversity using the line-transect method. We established one transect at each site, and counted all birds seen or heard within 50 meters of the transects. Our findings will provide a baseline of knowledge about how and when birds will begin to reinhabit the EWU restoration site and inform future restoration efforts on the benefits and outcomes of restoring native grasslands locally, and worldwide