Simulation of Reactive Transport in Vertical Cross-Sections

How can we understand the complex biogeochemical zonation in an alluvial floodplain?

It is known that there are lots of factors and processes that can limit the length and shape of a plume in cases of reactive transport of pollutants. For example, one of these processes is mixing on an interface between plume and fresh water. The mixing can lead to degradation of pollutant. In this situation it is not obvious that the influence of transversal mixing on the plume length is stronger than influence of longitudal mixing.

The goal of this research is better understanding of the abovementioned factors and processes in real hydrogeological conditions. The first object of research is an unconfined fresh water aquifer in a glacial and alluvial quaternary gravel, sand, and loam deposits which are underlain by Gipskeuper and Lettenkeuper. All the system represents a Neckar valley to west from Tübingen.

The process of migration of various pollutants from different sources will be studied using numerical simulation. Particular attention will be paid to the mixing controlled reactive transport under transient conditions. Variations of lateral flow or precipitation rate or water level in a river, for example, in the case when regime of the dam operation changes, can cause trancience of boundary conditions.