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Three‐dimensional stochastic analysis of macrodispersion in aquifers
Author(s) -
Gelhar Lynn W.,
Axness Carl L.
Publication year - 1983
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/wr019i001p00161
Subject(s) - anisotropy , covariance , transverse plane , isotropy , tensor (intrinsic definition) , physics , monte carlo method , stochastic process , mechanics , statistical physics , covariance function , hydraulic conductivity , mathematical analysis , mathematics , geometry , geology , statistics , structural engineering , quantum mechanics , soil science , engineering , soil water
The dispersive mixing resulting from complex flow in three‐dimensionally heterogeneous porous media is analyzed using stochastic continuum theory. Stochastic solutions of the perturbed steady flow and solute transport equations are used to construct the macroscopic dispersive flux and evaluate the resulting macrodispersivity tensor in terms of a three‐dimensional, statistically anisotropic input covariance describing the hydraulic conductivity. With a statistically isotropic input covariance, the longitudinal macrodispersivity is convectively controlled, but the transverse macrodispersivity is proportional to the local dispersivity and is several orders of magnitude smaller than the longitudinal term. With an arbitrarily oriented anisotropic conductivity covariance, all components of the macrodispersivity tensor are convectively controlled, and the ratio of transverse to longitudinal dispersivity is of the order of 10 −1 . In this case the off‐diagonal components of the dispersivity tensor are significant, being numerically larger than the diagonal transverse terms, and the transverse dispersion process can be highly anisotropic. Dispersivities predicted by the stochastic theory are shown to be consistent with controlled field experiments and Monte Carlo simulations. The theory, which treats the asymptotic condition of large displacement, indicates that a classical gradient transport (Fickian) relationship is valid for large‐scale displacements.