LAUSR

Significance Dissolution reactions are ubiquitous in many geological systems. The interactions between rocks and acidic fluids are complex, dynamic, and dependent on rock properties and morphology. Physical processes with vastly different time and spatial scales may occur simultaneously, presenting challenges for current experimental techniques. Here, we propose a platform for probing dissolution dynamics, in which natural samples are embedded in microfluidic cells and are imaged combining high-speed camera data acquisition techniques, scanning electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy to characterize dissolution processes at very high spatial (0.1 to 1 µm) and temporal (0.1 s) resolutions over large fields of view (millimeters). Static and dynamic images provide a direct mechanistic understanding of dissolution over a range of temporal and spatial scales.