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Mathematical modeling of tracer behavior in short‐term experiments in fissured rocks
Author(s) -
Maloszewski Piotr,
Zuber Andrzej
Publication year - 1990
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/wr026i007p01517
Subject(s) - tracer , non equilibrium thermodynamics , matrix (chemical analysis) , curve fitting , breakthrough curve , experimental data , mechanics , thermodynamics , interpretation (philosophy) , adsorption , geotechnical engineering , mineralogy , materials science , geology , chemistry , mathematics , physics , statistics , computer science , chromatography , organic chemistry , nuclear physics , programming language
Transport equations for a single fissure in a porous matrix are coupled with a chemical model allowing for both an instantaneous equilibrium governed by a linear adsorption isotherm and a nonequilibrium kinetic reaction of the first order. The fitting procedure of the obtained solution is improved by additional fitting of the mass recovery curves; i.e., the fitting consists of a trial‐and‐error procedure applied in turn to the concentration tracer curve and the mass recovery curve until a given set of parameters gives the best fit of both theoretical curves to the experimental data. The model is tested against known multitracer experimental data from a fissured chalk formation. It is shown how some physical parameters can be obtained by a combined interpretation of the tracer and pumping data. However, in the case of adsorbable tracers some of the parameters must be known from a nonsorbable tracer experiment. In spite of its approximate nature the model works surprisingly well for nonsorbable tracers and reasonably well for sorbable solutes.