Synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy is a nondestructive
method providing ultra-high-resolution 3D digital images of rock
microstructures. We describe this method and, to demonstrate its
wide applicability, we present 3D images of very different rock types:
Berea sandstone, Fontainebleau sandstone, dolomite, calcitic dolomite,
and three-phase magmatic glasses. For some samples, full and partial
saturation scenarios are considered using oil, water, and air. The
rock images precisely reveal the 3D rock microstructure, the pore
space morphology, and the interfaces between fluids saturating the
same pore. We provide the raw image data sets as online supplementary
material, along with laboratory data describing the rock properties.
By making these data sets available to other research groups, we
aim to stimulate work based on digital rock images of high quality
and high resolution. We also discuss and suggest possible applications
and research directions that can be pursued on the basis of our data.