A semianalytical method of path line computation for transient finite-difference groundwater flow models

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1994 · Water Resources Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/94WR01219· OSTI ID:6716354

Lu, N ^[1]

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1. Disposal Safety, Inc., Washington, DC (United States)

Particle tracking has been widely used in the numerical modeling of groundwater flow to trace out flow path lines and to track contaminant paths. This paper presents a new method of semianalytical particle tracking analysis under transient conditions. To permit accurate particle tracking in transient flows, the particle velocity is interpolated linearly in both space and time coordinates within each finite difference cell and time step. By using the total derivative and this interpolation scheme, the particle velocity is derived and integrated analytically to obtain the particle's trajectory within each cell and time step. Errors are much smaller than in numerical integration schemes. Numerical experiments show that the transient semianalytical solutions are efficient and accurate. 21 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs.

• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00789
• OSTI ID: 6716354
• Journal Information: Water Resources Research; (United States), Journal Name: Water Resources Research; (United States) Vol. 30:8; ISSN WRERAQ; ISSN 0043-1397
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200 -- Mathematics & Computers
CALCULATION METHODS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FINITE DIFFERENCE METHOD
FLOW MODELS
FLUID FLOW
GROUND WATER
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
ITERATIVE METHODS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
POLLUTANTS
VELOCITY
WATER