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Wavelet analysis of dominant scales of heterogeneous porous media
Author(s) -
Qi Xing,
Neupauer Roseanna M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/2006wr005720
Subject(s) - wavelet , covariance , morlet wavelet , scale (ratio) , permeability (electromagnetism) , random field , soil science , mathematics , length scale , geology , statistics , statistical physics , wavelet transform , physics , computer science , discrete wavelet transform , geography , cartography , artificial intelligence , chemistry , mechanics , biochemistry , membrane
Heterogeneity of aquifer permeability has a significant influence on the transport of solutes; therefore characterization of aquifer heterogeneity is needed to accurately predict the behavior of solutes. A critical characteristic of heterogeneity is a characteristic length scale that is a measure of the distance over which property values are correlated. We show that the characteristic length scale of a statistically homogeneous permeability field can be identified through wavelet analysis using the global wavelet energy spectrum (GWES). The relationship between the wavelet scale and the characteristic length scale of a random field is investigated for the Mexican hat and Morlet wavelets and different covariance structures. The ability of the GWES to identify multiple characteristic length scales in a random field with nested covariance structures is also investigated. We use the technique to identify the characteristic length scales of a laboratory‐collected permeability transect from Massillon sandstone.