feart-09-645596 May 7, 2021 Time: 8:12 # 1 ORIGINAL RESEARCH published: 12 May 2021 doi: 10.3389/feart.2021.645596 Quantification of Lithological Heterogeneity Within Opalinus Clay: Toward a Uniform Subfacies Classification Scheme Using a Novel Automated Core Image Recognition Tool Bruno Lauper1*, Géraldine N. Zimmerli1, David Jaeggi2, Gaudenz Deplazes3, Stephan Wohlwend4, Johannes Rempfer5 and Anneleen Foubert1 1 Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland, 2 Federal Office of Topography Swisstopo, Edited by: Wabern, Switzerland, 3 National Cooperative for the Disposal of Radioactive Waste (Nagra), Wettingen, Switzerland, Barbara Mauz, 4 Geological Institute, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland, 5 geo7 AG, Bern, Switzerland University of Salzburg, Austria Reviewed by: Anja Sundal, The Opalinus Clay is notable in Switzerland as being the selected host rock for deep University of Oslo, Norway geological disposal of radioactive waste. Since the early 1990’s, this argillaceous Levi Knapp, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National mudstone formation of Jurassic age has been intensively studied within the framework Corporation (JOGMEC), Japan of national and international projects to characterize its geological, hydrological, *Correspondence: mechanical, thermal, chemical, and biological properties. While there is no formal Bruno Lauper stratigraphic subdivision, the Opalinus Clay lithology is classically divided into several,
[email protected] dam- to m-scale sub-units (or facies), depending on location. Recent multi-proxy