Modeling the effects of aerosols on groundwater systems

Just as children eventually learn that covering their eyes does not make them invisible, we as adults have realized that just because harmful substances are "out-of-site" it does not necessarily mean they are gone for good. As we expanded our ability to think abstractly we began to conside...

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Main Author: Brown, Theresa Jean
Format: Others
Language:English
Published: 2013
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/2152/21321
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spelling ndltd-UTEXAS-oai-repositories.lib.utexas.edu-2152-213212015-09-20T17:15:39ZModeling the effects of aerosols on groundwater systemsBrown, Theresa JeanGroundwater--Pollution--Mathematical modelsAerosolsAir--PollutionJust as children eventually learn that covering their eyes does not make them invisible, we as adults have realized that just because harmful substances are "out-of-site" it does not necessarily mean they are gone for good. As we expanded our ability to think abstractly we began to consider how our actions affect our future and the lives of future generations. For example, we established procedures for the handling and disposal of high level radioactive waste and other hazardous materials because of the threat such materials pose to the environment. To date, however, the effect of atmospheric pollutants on groundwater supplies has been virtually ignored. Atmospheric pollution sources include, but are not limited to, smoke stack emissions, releases from power plants, weapons testing and manufacturing, fires, explosions, and deflation from tailings, spills and playas. This study evaluates the potential for groundwater to be contaminated by a point-source atmospheric emission. Pollutant concentrations in groundwater are estimated using a Gaussian model of atmospheric transport, a transfer function model for transport through the unsaturated zone, and a two-dimensional groundwater flow model based on Darcy's law to simulate transport in the saturated groundwater system. A sensitivity analysis of the composite atmospheric-groundwater transport model suggests that the most important factors influencing the susceptibility of a groundwater system to contamination by an aerosol source are: the concentration of the source, the amount of recharge, the depth to the water-table, and the velocity distribution in the unsaturated zone. This study indicates a significant potential for pollution of groundwater systems by aerosols. Shallow aquifers are especially vulnerable; however, deeper aquifers where rapid travel times through the unsaturated zone exist are also susceptible to aerosol contamination.text2013-09-25T18:20:31Z2013-09-25T18:20:31Z1989-122013-09-25Thesiselectronichttp://hdl.handle.net/2152/21321engCopyright is held by the author. Presentation of this material on the Libraries' web site by University Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin was made possible under a limited license grant from the author who has retained all copyrights in the works.
collection NDLTD
language English
format Others
sources NDLTD
topic Groundwater--Pollution--Mathematical models
Aerosols
Air--Pollution
spellingShingle Groundwater--Pollution--Mathematical models
Aerosols
Air--Pollution
Brown, Theresa Jean
Modeling the effects of aerosols on groundwater systems
description Just as children eventually learn that covering their eyes does not make them invisible, we as adults have realized that just because harmful substances are "out-of-site" it does not necessarily mean they are gone for good. As we expanded our ability to think abstractly we began to consider how our actions affect our future and the lives of future generations. For example, we established procedures for the handling and disposal of high level radioactive waste and other hazardous materials because of the threat such materials pose to the environment. To date, however, the effect of atmospheric pollutants on groundwater supplies has been virtually ignored. Atmospheric pollution sources include, but are not limited to, smoke stack emissions, releases from power plants, weapons testing and manufacturing, fires, explosions, and deflation from tailings, spills and playas. This study evaluates the potential for groundwater to be contaminated by a point-source atmospheric emission. Pollutant concentrations in groundwater are estimated using a Gaussian model of atmospheric transport, a transfer function model for transport through the unsaturated zone, and a two-dimensional groundwater flow model based on Darcy's law to simulate transport in the saturated groundwater system. A sensitivity analysis of the composite atmospheric-groundwater transport model suggests that the most important factors influencing the susceptibility of a groundwater system to contamination by an aerosol source are: the concentration of the source, the amount of recharge, the depth to the water-table, and the velocity distribution in the unsaturated zone. This study indicates a significant potential for pollution of groundwater systems by aerosols. Shallow aquifers are especially vulnerable; however, deeper aquifers where rapid travel times through the unsaturated zone exist are also susceptible to aerosol contamination. === text
author Brown, Theresa Jean
author_facet Brown, Theresa Jean
author_sort Brown, Theresa Jean
title Modeling the effects of aerosols on groundwater systems
title_short Modeling the effects of aerosols on groundwater systems
title_full Modeling the effects of aerosols on groundwater systems
title_fullStr Modeling the effects of aerosols on groundwater systems
title_full_unstemmed Modeling the effects of aerosols on groundwater systems
title_sort modeling the effects of aerosols on groundwater systems
publishDate 2013
url http://hdl.handle.net/2152/21321
work_keys_str_mv AT browntheresajean modelingtheeffectsofaerosolsongroundwatersystems
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