替代文本

亚历克斯·莱因哈特博士

水文学副教授

地球与环境科学


I study how water and soil and rocks interact, with focuses on using surface deformation and changes in gravity to understand subsurface water movement, the mechanisms of water and chemical weakening on rock strength and progressive rock failure both during carbon sequestration and at the surface, and on various applied hydrogeologic and Vadose zone项目. 我从2019年开始在NMT担任教授.
 
 
职业生涯:
 
I completed a BS in Mathematics (UNM), followed by a MS in Hydrology (NMT) and a PhD 地球科学(重点是地球物理学,NMT). 我的博士工作是作为研究生完成的 intern in the Geomechanics Department at Sandia National Labs, an incredible experience 从事基础科学研究,为国家和世界做出卓越贡献. 然后我 在新墨西哥州地质局担任了五年的水文地质学家. At the Bureau, I 工作ed on hydrogeologic studies for small communities, state-wide assessments of groundwater storage change and natural hazards, and supporting experimental 工作 了解碳捕获和地下储存.
 
To be able to mentor young people, I became an assistant professor in 2019, and was 2024年晋升为副教授. 我在新墨西哥州度过了我的一生,但在智力上 已经在地球科学的各个学科之间移动了吗.
 
研究:
 
My research crosses hydrology, geophysics and rock mechanics to understand applied hydrologic questions, hydrogeodesy, reservoir and geothermal coupled processes, and 水与裂隙在景观发展中的作用. 
 
应用水文
Currently, my group is 工作ing on understanding basin-scale sources of groundwater using environmental tracers and water chemistry (student: Ethan Williams), and on measuring hydrologic properties of soils to understand how climate change will alter 水平衡(学生:凯尔·加兰特).
 
这项工作需要大量的现场和实验室工作. 地下水研究涉及测量 of groundwater levels, surface water flow, collection of water quality samples and 水质样本分析. 通过综合调查,我们可以理解 地下水和地表水的连接方式不同.
 
研究 in the vadose zone largely consists of opening and describing soil pits, followed by laboratory analysis of physical, chemical and hydrologic properties. 这 工作 is supporting ecosystem climate manipulation experiments at the Sevilleta Long-Term 生态研究站.
 
Hydrogeodesy
Normal hydrologic approaches either use direct measurements of groundwater levels to understand aquifers usually at single points, or use water quality methods such as stable water isotopes, groundwater age dating, or general chemistry to indirectly 了解更大的系统是如何工作的.
 
Hydrogeodetic techniques, which link surface deformation measured by GPS or satellite, or small changes in gravitational acceleration to changes in water storage in aquifers, hold the promise to revolutionize how we understand water movement in the subsurface. Because they average over large areas, single sets of measurement can tell you how an entire portion of an aquifer or watershed behaves--even up to entire mountain ranges.
 
Currently, I am performing repeat gravity surveys on land to understand focused recharge supporting Dan Cadol, and 工作ing with researchers at UA-Fairbanks on using satellite-based deformation mesurements (InSAR) to understand groundwater changes across all of New 墨西哥. I am also supporting 工作 at NMT using tiltmeters to understand flow in karst 佛罗里达的管道.
 
这 工作 combines data analysis, modeling, and field deployments; something for everyone. The repeat gravity 工作 requires someone who can do extremely careful, detailed field 工作. 测量结果处于当前仪器极限的边缘.
 
 
环境进行性岩石破坏
Recent research has shown that the water-mediated fracturing at the surface controls 基岩区机械风化和水运动的速率. 前面的 一般认为,裂缝发生在临界(高)应力下. 现在,我们相信 fracturing happens during thermal fatigue and chemically controlled stress corrosion 骨折. 这意味着“标准”岩石性质可能无法预测其力学性质 岩石和地貌的风化作用. 相反,主要是亚临界断裂特性 盐和水作为媒介——意志.
 
这 工作 is done in collaboration with geomorphologists, geomechanicians, hydrologists and engineers, linking land surface ages to rock properties via measurements and models. My group is focused on performing laboratory testing of rocks under controlled environmental conditions, providing key observations of process and properties to inform geomorphic 解释.
 
We are currently performing tests in collaboration with UNC-Charlotte and Colombia University focused on mechanical weathering in hyper-arid, frozen environments.
 
地下热-水力-机械-化学过程 能源
We are answering questions of how to predict how fluids like water, CO2 and hydrogen 相互作用和岩石. 这些问题对当前的努力至关重要 减缓气候变化. 为了进行实验,我们进行了扩展实验模拟 reservoir conditions with as we push different fluids through rocks and monitor changes 在化学上,强度和渗透性. 这些信息随后被建模者使用 and engineers to understand if a system is appropriate as a storage reservoir or as 地热资源.
 
这 工作 is laboratory intensive, with the student performing high-pressure and high temperature experiments measuring hydraulic and mechanical properties, performing chemical analysis, and using petrographic (thin section) observations to understand 样品怎么了.
 
目前的项目包括
 
  • DOE Early Career award on chemical and mechanical feedbacks on rate effects in 骨折 (招收分子动力学博士研究生1名)
  • USDA project on economic impacts of changing soil water balance in the Southern High 平原作为农作物的函数,
  • supporting two experimental programs on DOE CarbonSafe projects (seeking 1-2 MS or 博士研究生(实验工作)
  • Internally supported project on type-studies and sensitivity analysis of using repeat 重力来理解地表水和地下水的相互作用.
  • USBOR WaterSmart Applied Science grant focused on characterizing deep structural controls on groundwater fluxes to surface water in the San Acacia reach using a combination of environmental tracers and potential field geophysics (seeking 1 hydrogeochemistry-focused 学生)
 
 
 
 
当前教学:
  • 水文理论与野外方法
 
过去的教学:
  • hydr5014:水气带水文学
  • HYDR 5055:地质环境下的岩石断裂
  • HYDR 5056:自然复杂性
  • HYDR 5058:水文环境示踪剂
  • GEOL 4082 / HYDR 572:专题:工程地质学
  • GEOP 5005 /数学5087:时间序列分析
  • hydr5007:水文地球化学
 
目前团队成员:
 
Andrew Luhmann(惠顿学院副教授)
Ronni Grapenthin(阿拉斯加大学费尔班克斯分校,助理教授)
 
王赛(中华人民共和国分部负责人)
杰森·西蒙斯(研究助理,PRRC)
 
Marissa Fichera(博士候选人,水文学,E&ES, NMT,从2023年春季开始)
莉莉·牛顿(博士研究生,水文学,E&ES, NMT, 2024年秋季开始)
迪伦莫里森(硕士学生,水文学,E&ES, NMT, 2023年秋季开始,预计毕业 2025年春季)
 
艾米丽·格雷夫斯(博士,地球物理学,UAF)
 
 
毕业小组成员:
 
凯尔·加兰特(理学学士,地质学,E&ES, NMT,正在攻读博士学位)
安东尼奥·查韦斯(学士,环境科学,E&ES, NMT,现攻读MS)
伊桑·威廉姆斯(MS, Hydrology, E&ES, NMT,现为Daniel B. 斯蒂芬斯律师事务所)
Samuel Otu (MS, Hydrology, E&ES/PRRC, NMT,现为水文顾问 采矿作业)
Jason Simmons (MS, Hydrology, E&ES/PRRC, NMT,现为PRRC研究助理)
吴志迪(MS, Hydrology, E&ES/PRRC, NMT,在犹他大学获得博士学位 开始在LANL工作)
 
 
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