Abstract
We consider the dynamical processes by which a dense, porous object floating in a body of liquid becomes waterlogged and sinks. We first generalize the classic model of capillary rise in a porous medium to present an analytically tractable model of the process, which is valid for objects that are very shallow compared to their horizontal extent. We find an analytical expression for the time taken for the object to sink under this approximation. We use a series of boundary integral simulations to show that decreasing the horizontal extent of the object decreases the time taken to sink. We find that the results of these numerical simulations are in good quantitative agreement with a series of laboratory experiments. Finally, we discuss the implications of our work for pumice fragments, often found floating in open water after a volcanic eruption, occasionally even supporting plant, animal and human remains.
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