Kimballton: An Ideal Site For DUSEL - Virginia Tech

Kimballton: An ideal site for DUSELA national resource for research in physics, lifesciences, chemistry, geosciences and engineering.Robert J. BodnarR. Bruce Vogelaarfor the 150 members of the Kimballton Teamhttp://www.kimballton.org

DUSEL Candidate SitesIcicle CreekSoudanHomestakeSudburyHendersonKimballtonSan JacintoWIPP

The Kimballton site is locatedless than 30 minutes fromVirginia Tech largest research university inVirginia 28,000 students technical infrastructure andacademic environment in theimmediate vicinity of laboratoryis unique Blacksburg named one of“Ten Dream Towns-The PerfectPlaces to Live Big, Play Hardand Work (if you Must)”

Butt MountainMassive MiddleOrdovician Limestone(host rock for DUSEL)at Pembroke on theNew River (a few milesfrom portal)

Butt Mountain Synclinorium

NSF Vision: “Before you tell me what you want to build,tell me the questions you want to answer” (Mike Turner) What is ‘Dark Matter’?Why Does the Universe Have More ‘Matter’ than ‘Anti-Matter’?Are Neutrinos Their Own Anti-Particles?Is the Sun Getting Hotter? is There a Nuclear Reactor Within the Earth?What is the Survivability of Life in Extreme EnvironmentsCan We Realize a ‘Transparent’ Earth?How do Mineral and Hydrocarbon Deposits Form?What are the Scaling Laws for Rock Masses?Can We Accurately Predict Rock Failure?How Can We Better Manage Our Water Resources?What is the Role of Mineral-Microbe Interactions in Geochemistry?Can We Enhance the Sustainability of Earth’s Resources for FutureGenerations?etc the science defines DUSEL!

S1 Physics Goals .fundamental nature of neutrinosneutrino luminosity of the sundark matterneutrino mass/mixing matrixCP violation in the neutrino sectorproton decaystellar explosionsrelic supernova neutrinosinterior structure of the Earth using geoneutrinosnucleosynthesislow-background counting

Require the Following Low Background Counting––– Solar neutrino detectors––– using a variety of conventional and cryogenic technologiesare of medium size (100-1000 tons)require depths of 2000-4500 mweDouble beta decay and dark matter detectors––– using HPGe, scintillation, proportional counter detectorsrelatively smallrequires depths of 1000 or more mweuse a variety of detection technologies (particularly those based on cryogenics)relatively small ( 1 ton)needs a deep site ( 6000 mwe)Other topics above––––based on water Cerenkov, liquid scintillation or liquid argon technologiesvery large (100 kilotons -1 megaton)can operate at moderate depths ( 4000 mwe)high cost Æ designs that permit multi-science functions: detection of high energyneutrinos from terrestrial accelerators, proton decay searches, geophysics, supernovaastrophysics and cosmology, etc.Î Requires shallow, intermediate and deep halls;Kimballton (and others) can provide these

. and a large multi-purpose detector?Currently being considered: UNO – Water Cerenkov Detector (MT)(Competition from Hyper-K in Japan) LANNDD – Liquid Argon Detector (100 kT) Hyper Scintillation Detector (HSD)– Liquid Scintillation Detector (100 kT)

The science portfolio of HSD includes: Geophysical structure and evolution of the Earth studied via globalobservation of anti-neutrinos from the earth’s interiorSupernova astrophysics and cosmology (observation of livesupernovae; detection of the supernova relic background)Elementary particles: (search for the decay of the proton; longbaseline experiments using high energy neutrinos from BNL orFermilab)The basic advantages are: sensitivity to events of both low and high energy, ranging 4 orders ofmagnitude from 100 keV to 1 GeV;sensitivity to heavy particles that are invisible in Cerenkov detectors (giving10x the sensitivity to Cerenkov detectors for certain proton decay modes)sensitivity to antineutrinos that can be specifically tagged by capture onprotons (of importance to all the above topics, i.e. by reducing background).Baseline issues: at 770 km from Brookhaven or Fermilab, Kimballton subtends a larger solidangle than other sitesfirst appearance peak is at 1.9 GeV- good match with upgraded AGSaccelerator at BNLreduced uncertainty due to matter effects if less then 1000 km, since beamstays in Earth’s crust.Kimballton can accommodate a large detector

Geo-, Bio- and Engineering ConnectionsThe EarthLab reportsummarized sciencethat could benefit froman underground lab.focused on crystalline rocks(Homestake)identified important multidisciplinary researchKimballton can accommodateall science in EarthLab

S1 requirements varied geology access at variable depths large, pristine blocks (proximal and distal) large, perturbed blocks (distal) remote very large block access run of mine access deep and ultradeep observatoryKimballton (and others) can provide all of these

But, being in sedimentary rock, Kimballtonhas a much broader reach. Here’s why – Sedimentary rocks, such as those at Kimballton, cover about3/4 of the Earth's land surface.– About 90% of the earth’s groundwater is currently beingproduced from sedimentary rocks.– Nearly all (99 %) of the world’s hydrocarbon resources arehosted in sedimentary rocks (with about half in carbonaterocks similar to Kimballton).– About 85% of underground mines are in sedimentary rocks(MSHA, 2002).– Sedimentary rocks and deep aquifers in sedimentary basinsconstitute important reservoirs for carbon storage to addressglobal warming issues.

Importance of research facilities insedimentary rock was recognized bythe National Research Council“In situ facilities should be developed in a variety ofrock types with different styles of fracturing. Anumber of excellent facilities already exist incrystalline rocks, but there is a dearth of in situresearch facilities in bedded rocks, especially wheremore than one fluid phase is present. Consequently,less is known about how to effectively characterizeflow and transport in bedded rocks. Research atfacilities in bedded rocks would have a significantimpact on understanding enhanced oil and gasrecovery processes in fractured reservoirs.”(NRC, 1996)

Example 1: Multidisciplinary Research OpportunitiesCoupled Processes Related to PetroleumReservoir Formation and Characterization Geology Geophysics Rock Mechanics Drilling Technology Geochemistry Hydrology Microbiology Etc.

Example 2: Carbon Management and Climate ChangeThe Kimballtonplant fires 0.75MTof limestone,providing a majorpoint source of CO2for carbonmanagementresearch.Sinks at Kimballton include: Deep aquifersDeep gas depositsUneconomic coal bedsDeciduous forests

Example 3: Water ResourcesKimballton provides accessto varied lithologies at varyingdepths to study fluid flowat various spatial andtemporal scales

Example 4: microbial activity at depthKimballton providesaccess from the baseof the rhizozone to thehydrothermal zone tostudy the survivabilityand variability of lifein extreme environments, and providesaccess to the samegeologic units atseveral depths

DUSEL at Kimballton provides opportunitiesto collaborate with the SECUREarth initiative Drastic increase in oil and gas recoverySafe and economic CO2 sequestrationSafe and defensible disposal of nuclear waste disposalSound basis for management and protection of waterresourcesEfficient and reliable environmental cleanupReliable and defensible predictions of Climate ChangeDrastically improved use of renewable energySound fundamental basis for transition to hydrogen economyfrom: http://esd.lbl.gov/SECUREarth/Kimballton provides unparalleled synergy betweenmany NSF divisions, DOE programs, and Industry

ConstructabilityAny DUSEL site is only viable if onehas permission to build and use it, canbuild it for a reasonable cost, and in atimely fashion and with manageablerisk, and also provide a safe workenvironment.

Local GeologyThe folded nature ofthe geology providessurface outcrops offormations that occurat depth, providingconfidence that wecan predict whichrocks units will beencountered at depth

Large caverns already existin limestone, and at theKimballton site at 2300 ft.Gran Sasso (4700 ft depth)Kimballton

Kimballton Limestone MineOver 50 miles of drive-in drifts down to 2300 ft andaccess to extensive coring provides in-situ information.

Figure 12: Lineament study of Kimballton area. Widelyspaced fractures separated by unfractured blocks.Seismic imaging and lineament studiessupport the geologic model.

Fracture data collection – Kimballton mine

Rock StrengthKimballton rocks are as strong as those at other sites!(Contrary to the assumption that all sedimentary rocks are weak)Unconfined Compressive Strength (psi)Unconfined Compressive Strength - Summary

Estimated Q-values and depth to squeezingfor rock units at KimballtonMost likelyQ-valueSRFQCritical depthfor squeezing(km)Middle OrdovicianLimestone320.5 to1.032 to643.7 to 7.5Copper Ridge Knox210.6 to0.821 to262.4 to 3.0MartinsburgFormation180.8 to1.412 to231.4 to 2.7Rock UnitThe rock falls into the ‘good’ range for tunneling.

Butt Mountain Synclinorium

Conceptual Design work in progress goals:––––shallow (early)central (mid-term)deep (completion)manifestlyexpandabletwo of several options being considered

Conceptual Design of DUSEL at KimballtonMid-levelCampusPortal atKimballton MineDeep Campus 4 miles

Conceptual Design of DUSEL at Kimballton:Mid-level Campus

Conceptual Design of DUSEL at Kimballton:Deep Campus

Public Support/OppositionAn important consideration in determining the “constructability”of DUSEL is related to support or opposition by local governmentaland community awareness groups. The Kimballton DUSEL initiativeenjoys strong support from the local communities.Something we don’t expect at Kimballton

Environmental ImplicationsAnother important consideration isshort and long-term environmentalhealth effects. The Kimballtonsite involves mining environmentallybenign limestone, and therocks and water contain no knownhazardous components.DUSEL @ Kimballton will nothave the problem seen hereassociated with a mine in Idaho.

Research Environmentvisiting DUSEL should be a pleasant and rewarding experience Within 1 day’s drive of 50% of theU.S. population Less than 30 minute drive to top50 research institution Within 45 minutes of airportserviced by four national carriers Moderate climate, without harshwinters or blistering summers Single-purpose DUSEL site Excellent E&O opportunities andexisting programsVirginia Tech Campus(28,000 students)

Pleasant climate in winter AND summerAverage Monthly High/Low (30-80 degree in green)

Kimballton Science Teamover 150 researchers from 28 organizations, including63 active senior researchers listed on the S2 proposalCNA ConsultingDraper Aden & AssociatesDuke UniversityGeorgia TechIowa State UniversityMichigan Technological UniversityNaval Research LaboratoryNational Inst. Standards & Tech.New Mexico TechMITNorth Carolina State UniversityOak Ridge National LaboratoryPenn State UniversityPrinceton UniversityPurdue UniversityRadford UniversitySchnabel EngineeringTechnical Univ. MunichUniversity of AlaskaUniversity of AlbertaUniversity of HawaiiUniversity of Missouri-RollaUniversity of North CarolinaUniversity of MinnesotaUniversity of OklahomaUniversity of TennesseeVirginia Commonwealth Univ.Virginia Technew members are welcome

SupportVT administration (provided initial 1.6M)Governor Mark Warner included a 150M bondingauthority in his budget, contingent upon DUSEL beinglocated at KimballtonVirginia Senators Warner and Allen support DUSELVirginia Congresional Representatives support DUSELU.S. Forest Service supports DUSEL at KimballtonGiles County Board of Supervisors supports DUSELNew River Valley Planning District supports DUSELBlacksburg Partnership supports DUSELGiles County Rural Development Group supports DUSEL

Kimballton S2 Process Timeline

Georgia Tech Iowa State University Michigan Technological University Naval Research Laboratory National Inst. Standards & Tech. New Mexico Tech MIT North Carolina State University Oak Ridge National Laboratory Penn State University Princeton University Purdue University Radford University Schnabel Engineering Technical Univ. Munich University .