Indiana
University, Department of Geological Sciences
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Chen
Zhu Professor
of Geological Sciences Associate Editor, Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Associate Editor, Journal of Contaminant Hydrology Phone: (812)
856-1884
Ph.D., Johns Hopkins University
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Awards and Honors:
- Fulbright Scholar to Norway, 2009
- The John Hem Excellence in Science and Engineering Award, National Ground Water Association, 2006
- Lilly Freshman Learning Project Fellow (teaching), Indiana University, 2006
- Fellow, Geological Society of America, 2005-
- Guest Professorship, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH), Switzerland, 2004, 2008
- Senior Associateship Award, National Research Council, the National Academy of Sciences, 2003
- Post-doctoral Fellowship, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 1991-92
- Gilman Fellowship, J. Brian Eby Fellowship, Waters Fellowship, Bauernschmidt Fellowship, The Johns Hopkins Univ., 1987-90
- H. V. Ellsworth Prize in Mineralogy, University of Toronto, 1985-87
Research
Interests & Expertise
I study water-rock interactions. As water flows through rocks, it reacts with subsurface minerals, organic materials, and micro-organisms. Through these reactions, groundwater acquires chemical constituents and isotopic signatures. These chemical reactions are a key component of the interactions between the Earth's hydrosphere, lithosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere.
In recent years, my major research focus has been on carbon sequestration. My students, collaborators, and I have conducted laboratory experiments, field investigations, and numerical modeling of CO2-water-rock interaction. After CO2 is injected into geological formations, it dissolves into the saline waters already present. The resulting carbonated brine is acidic and corrosive. Some primary minerals dissolve and secondary minerals precipitate. These reactions can alter the porosity and permeability of the host rocks and either enhance or degrade the integrity of caprocks which normally prevent CO2 from leaking upward. In addition, we need to answer these questions: How much CO2 can be stored in an aquifer? Where does the CO2 go? To answer these questions, we need to understand chemical thermodynamics and kinetics, as well as multi-phase reactive flow.
Books and Guest-edited issues (Double click the images to access more information)
Recent Publications (bold names are Zhu's students and post-docs)
In press
- Zhu, C. G. Rehrey, B. Treadwell, C. C. Johnson, Looking Back to Move Ahead: How Students Learn Deep Geological Time by Predicting Future Environmental Impacts. Journal of College Science Teaching - A peer-reviewed journal published by the National Science Teachers Association.
- Zhu, C. (2011) Current Status of Geochemical Modeling in Environmental and Geological Studies, Encyclopedia of Sustainability Science and Technology, Robert A. Meyers (Ed.), Springer. DOI 10.1007/978-1-4419-0851-3.
2011
- Zhu, C. and FW Schwartz, Hydrogeochemical processes and theircontrols influence on water quality and water management, Elements v. 7 (3), 169-174. (June 2011). [This material is partly based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EAR0809903]
- Oelkers, OH, Hering, J, Zhu, C. Water: Is there a global crisis. Elements v. 7 (3), 157-162, (June 2011)
- Lu, P., N. T. Nuhfer, S. Kelly, Q. Li, H. Konishi, Erika Elswick, A. Schimmelmann, C. †Zhu. Pb2+ coprecipitation with iron oxyhydroxide nano-particles. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta v.75, 4527-4621, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2011.05.035.
- Liu, Faye (Yifei), P. Lu, C. Zhu, Y. Xiao (2011), Coupled reactive transport modeling of CO2 Sequestration in the Mt. Simon Sandstone Formation, Midwest U.S.A. The International Journal of Green House Gas Control, v.52 (2), 294-307, DOI: 10.1016/j.ijggc.2010.08.00.
- Lu P. and Zhu C. (2011) Arsenic Eh-pH Diagrams at 25 oC and 1 bar. Environmental Earth Sciences,v62(8), 1673-1683. DOI: 10.1007/s12665-010-0652-x. [This material is partly based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. EAR0809903]
- Lu, P, Fu, Q., Seyfried, W.E. Jr, Hereford, A.G., Zhu, C. (2010) Navajo Sandstone-Brine-CO2 interaction: Implications for Geological Carbon Sequestration. Environmental Earth Sciences, 62(1), 101-118.doi:10.1007/s12665-010-0501-y.
- Su, W., Hongtao Zhang, Ruizhong Hu, Xi Ge, Bin Xia, Y. Chen, and C. Zhu, Mineralogy and geochemistry of gold-bearing arsenian pyrite from the Shuiyindong Carlin-type gold deposit, Guizhou, China: Implications for gold depositional processes. Mineralium Deposita. DOI 10.1007/s00126-011-0328-9..
- Pham, V.T.H. , P. Lu, P. Aagaard, C. Zhu, H. Hellevang, On the potential of CO2-water-rock interactions for CO2 storage using a modified kinetic model. The International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control.doi:10.1016/j.ijggc.2010.12.002
2010
- Zhu, C., Lu, P., Zheng, Z., Ganor, J., (2010) Coupled Alkali Feldspar Dissolution and Secondary Mineral Precipitation in Batch Systems: 4. Numerical modeling of reaction path. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. . v.74, pp. 3963-3983, Doi:10.1016/j.gca.2010.04.012.
- Ji, X. and Zhu, C. (2010) Modelling of phase equilibria in the H2S-H2O system with statistical associating fluid theory.Energy & Fuelsv.24, 6208-6213.
- McKnight-Whitford, A., B. Chen, H. Naranmandura, C. Zhu, and X. Chris Le, (2010) High concentrations of monomethylarsonous acid detected in contaminated groundwater. Environmental Sciences & Technology. v44, 5875-5880. Doi 10.1021/es100273b.
- Liu, Faye (Yifei) Le, C, McKnight-Whitford, A., Xia, Y., Wu, F., Elswick, E., Johnson, C.C., Zhu, C., (2010) Antimony Speciation and Contamination of Waters in Xikuangshan Sb Mining and Smelting Area, China. Environmental Geochemistry and Health, v32(5), 401-414, DOI 10.1007/s10653-010-9284-z .
- Zhu C. and Kipfer, R. (2010) Noble Gas Evidence for the Passing of the Southern Branch of Jet Streams in Late Pleistocene over Black Mesa, Arizona, USA, Geology, v.38, no.1, 83-86; DOI: 10.1130/G30369.1