Facility Support: High-Resolution X-ray Computed Tomography Laboratory

设施支持：高分辨率X射线计算机断层扫描实验室

• 批准号: 1258878
• 负责人: Richard Ketcham
• 金额: $ 74.2万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at Austin
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-04-01 至 2016-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1258878&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Facility; Support; Resolution; ray; Computed

1258878KetchamThis Division of Earth Sciences Instrumentation and Facilities Program grant supports continued operation of the University of Texas Computed X-ray Tomography (UTCT) Facility over a three year period. The CT scanner at UT was specifically designed to enable x-ray tomography of a range of geological materials and sample sizes. The technology was developed from commercial biomedical CAT scanners with the adoption of a higher energy x-ray source and higher resolution CCD detectors to allow micron-scale imaging of geological samples. The technique allows for completely non-destructive imaging of the exteriors and interiors of samples. Differences in x-ray attenuation that occur due to variations in sample density and the elemental composition of the material along the x-ray path are digitally recorded by a CCD. Samples are mounted on a rotating table in front of the x-ray source. Radial 2-d slices of the attenuated x-rays are stacked by vertical translation of the sample table. Resultant x-ray ?sinograms? are then reduced via computer algorithms to render high resolution 3-D images of the density distributions within samples. A ongoing upgrade of the UTCT high energy system will increase both resolution and scanning speed, lowering costs for lab clients and opening a multitude of new research possibilities. In particular, it will enable ?4D? scanning of systems in motion (during fluid flow, cooling, heating, strain, etc.). Exploration and exploitation of these new capabilities for an expanded range of studies including studies of fluid flow through fractured and porous media with relevance to groundwater hydrology, hydrocarbon reservoir extraction enhancement and carbon dioxide subsurface sequestration will be enabled by this renewal award. Continued support will benefit a large and diverse set of research constituencies. Over the last two years , UTCT has served 194 principal investigators, most of whom are Earth scientists spanning the full breadth of subdisciplines, including petrology, paleontology, structural geology, hydrology, meteoritics, and economic and petroleum geology. UTCT's clientele also includes many researchers in other fields, principally biology, engineering, and anthropology. Three-quarters of investigators were from outside the University of Texas. The facility will continue to support user training through developed short courses and assist users in data reduction routines.***

1258878Ketcham地球科学仪器和设施计划拨款支持德克萨斯大学计算机X射线断层扫描（UTCT）设施在三年内的持续运行。 UT 的 CT 扫描仪经过专门设计，可对一系列地质材料和样本大小进行 X 射线断层扫描。 该技术是从商用生物医学 CAT 扫描仪发展而来，采用更高能量的 X 射线源和更高分辨率的 CCD 探测器，可对地质样品进行微米级成像。 该技术可以对样品的外部和内部进行完全无损的成像。 由于沿 X 射线路径的样品密度和材料元素成分的变化而产生的 X 射线衰减差异由 CCD 进行数字记录。 样品安装在 X 射线源前面的旋转台上。 衰减 X 射线的径向二维切片通过样本台的垂直平移进行堆叠。 X 射线结果？正弦图？然后通过计算机算法进行缩减，以呈现样本内密度分布的高分辨率 3D 图像。 UTCT 高能系统的持续升级将提高分辨率和扫描速度，降低实验室客户的成本并开辟多种新的研究可能性。特别是，它将启用“4D”？扫描运动中的系统（在流体流动、冷却、加热、应变等过程中）。此次续签将有助于探索和利用这些新功能，以扩大研究范围，包括与地下水水文学、碳氢化合物储层提取增强和二氧化碳地下封存相关的裂缝和多孔介质流体流动研究。 持续的支持将使大量不同的研究对象受益。在过去的两年里，UTCT 为 194 名主要研究人员提供服务，其中大多数是跨越各个分支学科的地球科学家，包括岩石学、古生物学、构造地质学、水文学、气象学以及经济和石油地质学。 UTCT 的客户还包括其他领域的许多研究人员，主要是生物学、工程学和人类学。四分之三的调查人员来自德克萨斯大学以外的地方。 该设施将继续通过开发的短期课程支持用户培训，并协助用户进行数据缩减例程。***