Thermal Imaging System for Multi-spatial and Multi-temporal Geoscience Investigations

地质过程，如沉积盆地演化、矿石和油气沉积、火山作用和构造作用，都与流体流动过程有着密不可分的联系。为了理解流体在地质过程中的作用，我们需要考虑流体流动如何与其他过程耦合，例如传热和机械变形。地质介质（岩石、土壤等）的热红外（TIR）成像可以区分流体和流体流经的介质之间的低温差异，而表面发射率的差异可以用来表征蚀变带。最近开发的便携性和高分辨率TIR视频系统现在可以精确测量岩体中的蚀变、裂缝网络和流体，从而可以充分应用地质力学和地球化学建模来检查流体流动的温度依赖的物理化学过程。然而，迄今为止，还没有对裂缝性地质介质中多相流体流动进行多空间、多时间的综合研究。该仪器收集的热图像将与3D地面变形模型的结果一起覆盖在激光雷达/摄影测量模型上。最终，我们希望与工业界合作，开发融合热图像数据的能力（以类似于摄影测量的方式），以提供真正的3D热模型。利用TIR视频功能，可以测量多相流体流动的时间进程，并与多个地球物理、地球化学和地质力学数据集相结合，生成综合的物理化学流体历史4D模型。这里所需要的TIR成像系统将立即用于一个新的合作项目，以研究控制多相流体（气液）在裂缝地质介质中流动的过程。我们将探索自然（如水文、地热）和工程（如土壤和岩石斜坡、地下挖掘）环境中裂缝渗流的多时间和多空间特征。

Geological processes, such as sedimentary basin evolution, ore and hydrocarbon deposition, and volcanism and tectonism are inextricably linked to fluid flow processes. To understand the role of fluids in geological processes, we need to consider how fluid flow may be coupled to other processes, such as heat transfer and mechanical deformation. Thermal infrared (TIR) imaging of geological media (rock, soils, etc.) can enable the discrimination of low temperature contrasts between the fluid and the media through which it flows, while differences in surface emissivity can be used to characterise zones of alteration. The recent development of more portable and capable high resolution TIR video systems now permits accurate measurement of alteration, fracture networks and fluid in rock masses, making it possible to fully apply geomechanical and geochemical modelling to examine the temperature-dependent physicochemical processes of fluid flow. However, to date, there has been no comprehensive multi-spatial and multi-temporal study of multi-phase fluid flow through fractured geological media. The thermal images collected with this instrument will be draped on LIDAR/photogrammetric models along with the results of 3D ground deformation models. Eventually, in association with industry, we hope to develop the ability to fuse the thermal image data (in a similar manner to photogrammetry) to provide true 3D thermal models. Using the TIR video capability, the temporal progression of multi-phase fluid flow can be measured, and when integrated with multiple geophysical, geochemical and geomechanical datasets, produce comprehensive 4D models of the physicochemical fluid history. The TIR imaging system requested here will be employed immediately in a novel collaborative project to investigate the processes controlling multi-phase fluid (gas and liquid) flow through fractured geological media. We will explore the multi-temporal and multi-spatial characterization of seepage from fractures in natural (e.g. hydrological, geothermal) and engineered (e.g. soil and rock slopes, underground excavations) environments.