ALBERT

Description: A temporary seismic array was installed in combination with a meteorological station in the Dead Sea valley, Jordan. Within the scope of the HGF virtual institute DESERVE we operated 15 temporary seismic stations between February 2014 and February 2015 together with a nearby meteorological station close to the east coast of the Dead Sea. The main aim was to acquire data to study the influence of wind on seismic records and retrieve related meteorological parameters. The study area is scarcely populated and has ideal meteorological conditions to study periodically occurring winds.

Description: The International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) performed a dual-phase scientific drilling project to investigate mountain-building processes called Collisional Orogeny in the Scandinavian Caledonides (COSC). The borehole COSC-1 was drilled through the Lower Seve Nappe, as the first of two 2.5 km deep drill holes close to Åre, central Sweden. The recovered rocks comprise a 1650 m thick suite of high grade gneisses and amphibolites with clear Seve Nappe affinities, while the lower 850 m com-prise rather homogenous mylonitic gneisses with interfingered K-rich phyllonite bands of cm to several m size and some intercalated amphibolites. The different lithologies all crosscut the core in a subhorizontal direction with foliation of gneisses and phyllonites in the same direction. Albite and garnet porphyroblasts with pressure shadows show syn-deformational growth and the same sub-horizontal alignment. The focus was to detect chemical and mineralogical differences in mylonitic and host rocks and to relate these differences to either metasomatism and deformation or inher-ited source rock variance. Another goal of this work is to compare chemical core scanning instruments. For this purpose, two different μ-Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (μ-EDXRF), Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) and hyperspectral imaging tech-niques served to measure seven samples from the lower 850 m of the COSC-1 core. This report will explain the data sets gained during this study. The metadata will be pre-sented in an additional file including XRF data from the AVAATECH XRF core scanner in a text file as well as data sets of the other used devices in original file formats.

Description: Movie 7: "The abandonment of a CO2 storage site – pilot project Ketzin" (Length 10:39) Produktionsjahr: 2015

Description: This document provides information on the site effects studies carried out in Kyrgyzstan. These studies are carried out within the Global Change Observatory Central Asia of the GFZ and the Earthquake Model Central Asia (EMCA). Furthermore, the site effects estimated using different approaches are incorporated into the probabilistic seismic hazard assessment (PSHA) for Bishkek.

Description: This publication compiles the operational data (flow rate, cumulative mass, density, injection temperature, electrical conductivity and in-well pressure data) recorded during a field experiment on brine injection at the Ketzin pilot site during October 2015 to January 2015. Anyone should feel free to make use of the published data for any ethical purpose (civil use) – for example for process modelling and engineering.

Description: Radial water jet drilling uses the power of a focused uid jet, which is capable of drilling multiple laterals of about 100 m length out of an existing well and thereby stimulating the well with full control on the operational parameters like initial direction of the lateral, length, uid pressure etc. In contrast to hydraulic stimulation treatments, this technology can potentially provide a network of enhanced uid pathways around a geothermal well to intersect with existing high permeable structures like fracture or karst systems within the reservoir, independent of the ambient stress eld. Applying RJD, laterals typically have a diameter ranging from about 25 mm to 50 mm, depending on jetting parameters like pressure and ow rate as well as rock properties. Drilling a single lateral in a cased well requires approximately 12 hours, as the casing has to be penetrated using a coiled tubing operated milling bit before jetting into the formation. In case the target zone is open-hole, jetting a lateral is considerably faster. Compared to conventional hydraulic stimulation treatments with required uid volumes of more than 1000 m3, only a fraction of this is needed for RJD (〈 1 m3). In addition, no pressure will be applied to the reservoir, thereby reducing environmental risk as well as the risk of induced seismicity considerably. Although RJD is investigated and applied in the hydrocarbon industry, applications in geothermal wells are very rare. If the technology can be shown to increase the eciency of a geothermal well, it will provide an interesting alternative to conventional hydraulic stimulation treatments. RJD shows highest eciency in terms of performance increase in reservoirs with low permeability (〈 10 mD). The most important criteria for the well are the minimum diameter (4 1/2" OD casings) and maximum along hole depth (about 5 km). So far, RJD operations have been performed in wells with a an inclination of up to 46 . Technologies, however, have been developed to perfom RJD operations even in horizontal well sections. Depending on the initial production; for tight gas reservoirs the gas production can be improved with a factor 4-7, simulation for geothermal wells suggest a potential performance increase by a factor of up to 3 when 8 laterals of 100 meter are successfully drilled and geological conditions are favourable. Since the potential increase depends on the type of the geothermal reservoir as well as its properties, the improvement factor has to be conrmed by eld experiments. Currently no major hazards to the well have been identied. The main risk associated with a RJD treatment appears to be sand production from the open-hole completion. However since the amount of experience and well-documented cases is limited, not all risks may have been identied at this moment in time. Major uncertainties in the production estimates are the long-term (〉1 year) stability of the jetted laterals and the eect of sub-surface heterogeneity. The jet-ability of typical geothermal reservoir rocks is also not well documented. As the jet-ability strongly depends on physical rock properties and in-situ reservoir conditions, which are signicantly dierent to typical hydrocarbon reservoirs, the feasibility of RJD in dierent geological settings has to be evaluated. Although, RJD presents a low cost stimulation method with currently no major identied risk to the well nor to the environment, experience with RJD in the geothermal industry is rare. Field applications are therefore key to evaluate the potential of the RJD stimulation technology for geothermal applications.

Description: The International Geodynamics and Earth Tide Service (IGETS) was established in 2015 by the International Association of Geodesy (IAG). IGETS continues the activities of the Global Geodynamics Project (GGP, 1997-2015) to provide support to geodetic and geophysical research activities using superconducting gravimeter data within the context of an international network. The primary objective of IGETS is to provide a service to monitor temporal variations of the Earth’s gravity field through long-term records from ground gravimeters, tiltmeters, strainmeters and other geodynamic sensors. IGETS also continues the activities of the International Center for Earth Tides, in particular, in collecting, archiving and distributing Earth tide records from long series of the various geodynamic sensors. This report is a compilation of data descriptions originating to a large part from GGP but including updates and extensions for IGETS.

Description: Developing ow paths or expanding existing pathways in deep geological strata is generally referred to as "stimulation". To extract heat from geothermal reservoirs, stimulation treatments are carried out by injecting water at high pressure into the formation (hydraulic stimulation), by dissolution of certain mineral components, mostly carbonates, thus increasing the hydraulic pathways (chemical stimulation), or by cooling of the rock to induce tensile stresses which helps the fracture expansion (thermal stimulation). The achieved factor of productivity increase by conventional stimulation treatments is reported to be between 1.3 and 25. In petrolium industry a significant decline of the production increase occurs already during the first year after stimulation. The time to refracturing is typically 4 to 7 years. It is not clear whether these values are also appropriate for geothermal applications. The sustainability of the increase in permeability due to thermal stimulation depends on the situation: for an injection well the increase remains for few years. For production wells, the longevity of the stimulation depends on the self-propping ability of the rock. After reviewing the current situation in the field of deep geothermal energy in Europe, dierent stimulation techniques are discussed. Furthermore, case studies of stimulation treatments in deep geothermal reservoirs are presented. In the subsequent chapters the authors present the methods of stimulation treatment in deep geothermal wells to show the increase of productivity, to explain the potential benefits and risks and estimate the economic performance.

Description: This publication is a result of the 14th TRACE conference (Tree Rings in Archaeology, Climatology and Ecology) organized by the Department Physical, Chemical and Natural Systems of the University Pablo de Olavide (UPO) and the Association for Tree-ring Research (ATR), in collaboration with Pyrenean Institute of Ecology-Spanish National Research Council (IPE-CSIC), University of Barcelona (UB), Forest and Wood Technology Research Centre (CETEMAS) and University of Valladolid (UVa). The TRACE 2015 conference was held on May 20-23, 2015 for the first time in the Iberian Peninsula, in Sevilla, Spain.

Description: The GIZ Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia programme supports Tajik-Kyrgyz cooperation on the shared Isfara river basin by means of sustainable basin planning and management through capacity building. In addition, the rehabilitation of small-scale infrastructure and automatised flow measurement systems ensure a safe and fair allocation of water resources. As a result, improved water management and infrastructure in the Isfara River contribute to better information and water availability for more than 200,000 agricultural water users across both countries. Alongside already established methods of transboundary cooperation in the basin, which has complicated boundary issues, the hereinafter described measures counteract latent tensions among Tajik and Kyrgyz communities over the limited resource of arable land, which is closely linked to water. The GIZ Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia programme is implemented on behalf of the German Federal Foreign Office and cofunded by the European Union.

Description: In July 2007 GFZ hosted ILP’s first Potsdam Conference, titled “Frontiers in Integrated Solid Earth Sciences”. The results of this meeting were presented in an over 400 pages large Springer book, the first volume of a new series on the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE). In October 2010 ILP’s Second Potsdam Conference took place, entitled “Solid Earth – Basic Science for the Human Habitat”, again in Potsdam. More than 70 scientists from more than 20 states worldwide came together and shared their results, ideas and visions. This time, in September 2015, ILP’s 35th birthday was the motivation for “Celebrating Excellence in Solid Earth Sciences”. Together with more than 50 scientists, members of the ILP Task Forces and Coordinating Committees, the ILP bureau and ILP’s office came together for three days in September.

Description: Already today, Central Asia faces water stress with competing water uses and prevailing low water use efficiencies. For the future, climate, hydrologic and socio- economic changes are going to exacerbate the situation. Research undertaken in the frame of the CAWa project revealed that based on the climate model scenarios climate change will result in a further increase of mean annual, winter and summer air temperature, and a substantial further reduction of glacier-covered area in the Tien Shan, e.g. the Naryn basin by 20 – 60 % up to 2050 compared to the present state. The river runoff regime is expected to shift from a glacio-nival to a pluvio-nival runoff regime with increasing discharge in springtime and decreasing discharge in the summer months for more pessimistic climate scenarios. By 2050, the increasing temperature triggers an increase in crop water requirements by 5–15 % for most of the traditional crops in the Fergana valley. A detailed scenario analysis for the Fergana valley showed that the economies can cope with the future conditions if (1) water use efficiencies in irrigated agriculture are increased by applying new irrigation technologies and improving irrigation infrastructure, and (2) the land use is adjusted in favour of new cash-crops like vegetables, fruits, and grapes. These are “no-regret” adaptation measures which the Central Asian economies should undertake to cope with the socio-economic changes alone, even if there was no climate change.

Description: This E-book collates expert articles published on the Shale Gas Information Platform SHIP website (http://www.shale-gas-information-platform.org). The Shale Gas Information Platform is a network of international experts who share their expertise on different aspects of shale gas. With News, Basic Information and Expert Articles, SHIP features the scientific perspective within the current debate, adding factual argument to the pros and cons discussed publicly. The network is brought together by the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences. Most articles presented in this book are available in German and/or Polish on the SHIP website.

Description: The implementation of Integrated Water and Land Resources Management (IWLRM) in Central Asia is facing substantial challenges today. The most basic challenge among them, to which many other challenges can be traced back, is the building and development of capacities at the individual and organizational levels. This Policy Brief reviews the capacity building approaches taken by the German Water Initiative for Central Asia (“Berlin Process”), in particular: (1) short-term vocational trainings for water professionals offered by the CAWa research project, (2) regional master programme “Integrated Water Management” implemented at the German-Kazakh University in Almaty, (3) training module on river basin planning developed within the GIZ program “Transboundary Water Management in Central Asia”. These approaches address mainly the individual level of capacity building, but with the establishment of river basin commissions, the GIZ programme targeted also the institutional level. Key factors of success were the regional and trans-sectoral approach taken by all three programmes, the linking of science and practice, and the tailoring of the training contents to the practical needs of the participants.

Description: In our meeting Dynamic Earth – from Alfred Wegener to today and beyond we will review how Wegener‘s findings evolved into to modern Earth system science including its impact on climate and the Earth surface, and how this system affects our daily life: where humans live, what risks we are exposed to, where we find our resources. In the meeting we will hold sessions that cover the entire geoscience spectrum (from mineral physics over solid earth geodynamics to the climate sciences) and that explore the consequences of Wegeners findings on how humans use our planet today (from energy and mineral resources over georisks to utilisation of the subsurface and materials for modern society). We have invited keynote speakers that are eminent international scientists in these fields. In events open to the general public we will get an account of Wegeners final trip to Greenland on the history of science of his hypothesis.

Description: In the context of Integrated Water Resources Management(IWRM), informed decision making requires accurate,timely, spatially extensive, consistent and wellunderstood data sets on climate, water and land resources.Earth observation technologies provide suchdata sets as well as methods and tools for the generationof high-quality data products to support planningand decision-making. This Policy Brief advocates theuse of Earth observation technologies and their integrationinto operational monitoring and decision-supportsystems in Central Asia based on examples fromthe CAWa project.