Flow visualization in porous media via Positron Emission Tomography

Abstract

We demonstrate here the use of a non-invasive technique based on Positron Emission Tomography (PET) in visualizing and in making quantitative measurements of scalar transport through natural opaque permeable sediments. Along with various other possibilities, this technique has the potential to help improve the understanding of processes that take place at the seabeds between the porewater and the overlying water, which result in exchange of nutrients, toxins and solute. Unlike many other methods, PET is able to produce full three-dimensional pictures of the percolation of fluid through not only “constructed” but also natural porous media.