HR: 0800h
AN: V31A-1420    [Abstracts]
TI: Regional-scale Free Thermohaline Convection in Multiply Faulted Sedimentary Basins: theoretical results from computational modelling
AU: * Yang, J
EM: jianweny@uwindsor.ca
AF: University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, Ont N9B 3P4 Canada
AB: Free thermohaline convection resulting from fluid density variations due to spatial and temporal changes in temperature and salinity has tremendous implications for many geological processes. There are many examples that investigate thermally induced free convection with no account taken of the effects of salinity. There is also a vast body of contaminant hydrological studies that examine the importance of salinity-driven free convection in enhancing hydrodynamic mixing of a dense solute with less dense ambient groundwater under isothermal conditions. Only a few studies have simultaneously considered the heat- and salinity-induced buoyancy effects on fluid flow but ignored discrete fractures pervasive in the earth materials. We have recently developed a finite element computer package that fully incorporates the hydrodynamic coupling between discrete fractures and surrounding porous media. The computer software has been employed to investigate the importance of salinity in controlling ore-forming fluid flow in sedimentary basins. This paper introduces for the first time the relevant details of the computational algorithm. A number of unpublished numerical case studies for the McArthur basin in northern Australia are also added to illustrate the applicability of the software.
DE: 3015 Heat flow (benthic) and hydrothermal processes
DE: 3210 Modeling
DE: 1832 Groundwater transport
SC: Volcanology, Geochemistry, Petrology [V]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting