Optical Microscopy Characterization for Borehole U-15n#12 in Support of NCNS Source Physics Experiment

Optical microscopy characterization of thin sections from corehole U-15n#12 is part of a larger material characterization effort for the Source Physics Experiment (SPE). The SPE program was conducted in Nevada with a series of explosive tests designed to study the generation and propagation of seismic waves inside Stock quartz monzonite. Optical microscopy analysis includes the following: 1) imaging of full thin sections (scans and mosaic maps); 2) high magnification imaging of petrographic texture (grain size, foliations, fractures, etc.); and 3) measurement of microfracture density.