Under the geological rug: The fluid dynamics of CO_2 sequestration

Geological storage of carbon dioxide (CO_2 ) in deep saline aquifers forms an integral part of many CO_2 mitigation strategies. At depth CO_2 is buoyant and therefore may leak into surface waters or the atmosphere. This talk will explore the rich multiphase fluid dynamics of CO_2 propagation, providing constraints on the rate at which CO_2 may leak from a storage site, and the dynamics of convective dissolution and capillary trapping, two leading processes by which CO_2 may be stably trapped and stored within the subsurface.