Pollutant dispersion modeling in lakes interconnected by channels: A solution using the Bulirsch-Stoer method

Abstract

This article presents a mathematical model for predicting the entry of pollutants into lakes interconnected through channels. Modeling the dynamics of pollutant dispersion in lakes was performed using three different input functions. The resulting model was solved by the Bulirsch-Stoer method, implemented to solve the system of ordinary differential equations that describe the problem, and the results were compared with data available in the literature. Practically, no differences were found between the model results and the reference data, in the simulations carried out under the same conditions. Therefore, the Bulirsch-Stoer Method can be safely used to solve this type of problem, as long as the initial conditions and the size of the integration step are adequate.