Abstract
The complexity of natural systems often prohibits our understanding of governing principles of the systems. The prediction of flow and solute transport through large-scale geological systems is challenging, since accurate predictions involves a detailed characterization of the spatial distribution of hydrologic parameter values. For simplicity reasons, most of the past studies of groundwater flow and solute transport assumed homogeneous aquifers. Numerical methods of estimating hydrologic properties of aquifers used the homogeneity assumption because of mathematical challenges associated with the heterogeneity of aquifers. In the present work we investigate the transport processes in watersheds using a two-dimensional model for flow and particulate transport in the subsurface system. The study reveals that the particle dispersion depends strongly on the heterogeneity of the aquifer. Thus, the particles exhibit a slower speed in the regions of low conductivity. Moreover, the particles exhibit a preferential path, following the path of minimum resistance.
Highlights
The understanding of subsurface flow and solute transport processes is of critical importance for effective and efficient management of environment and water resources
As already motioned the objective of the present study is to investigate the effect of heterogeneous porous medium on the particle dispersion
This is well illustrated at instant t = 70[days]; when the cluster of particles reaches the low conductivity porous region, the particles try to find a different path of lower resistivity
Summary
The understanding of subsurface flow and solute transport processes is of critical importance for effective and efficient management of environment and water resources. The hydrosystem within a watershed comprises many hydrological, morphodynamic, and environmental processes, such as rainfall, runoff, groundwater flow, infiltration, evapotranspiration, recharge, upland soil erosion, sediment transport, and contaminant transport. These processes may significantly affect water quality and aquatic ecosystems. Numerous models have been developed for the analysis of aquifer heterogeneity, flow and transport. Most of these models are based on the stochastic field/process concept [6, 7, 9, 10, and 13]. The challenges posed by the use of this concept stem from the fact that the aquifer heterogeneity and associated flow and transport processes, at some scales, are not as irregular and complex as those at other scales
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