A fracture surface analysis toolbox and a temperature-depth profiler – toolboxes for standardized geophysical data analysis

Fracture surface morphology influences important rock joint behavior, such as shear strength, fluid flow, contaminant transport, and heat transfer. Digitizing a fracture surface in the laboratory or from a drill core is state of the art – its quantitative assessment is not. There are many suggestions and comparisons of roughness parameters, each highlighting a different morphological feature. However, models and experiments dealing with surface roughness often present only a single quantity – if any at all. This makes those experiments and simulations difficult to reproduce and compare.

On the other hand, temperature profiles along boreholes, fractures, or mine shafts can provide a tremendous amount of information. For example, the determination and monitoring of water and heat fluxes, as well as heat generation mechanisms, are possible through the analysis of such temperature-depth profiles. Hence, understanding complex hydraulic systems using temperature as a tracer is possible with comparatively simple measurement devices. However, the analysis and processing of such profiles are so far primarily based on experience and individual data perception.

This work presents two toolboxes developed to standardize data-driven analysis of geophysical data: (1) FSAT – A fracture surface analysis toolbox; (2) TDprof – Algorithm-based segmentation of temperature-depth profiles. Both toolboxes provide easy access to common methods of data analysis in their field. This includes well-documented open-source code, maintenance of the code base, videos, guides, and manuals.

Building on the experience with these two toolboxes for geophysical data analysis, this contribution highlights the differences, additional efforts needed, and potential benefits of going the extra mile in delivering (re-)usability to the scientific community, while being “low-key” on continuous maintenance.