A Geo‐Structurally Based Correction Factor for Apparent Dissolution Rates in Fractured Media

Abstract Field measurements of apparent geochemical weathering reaction rates in subsurface fractured porous media are known to deviate from laboratory measurements by multiple orders of magnitude. To date, there is no geologically based explanation for this discrepancy that can be used to predict r...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jeffrey D. Hyman, Alexis Navarre‐Sitchler, Elizabeth Andrews, Matthew R. Sweeney, Satish Karra, J. William Carey, Hari S. Viswanathan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2022-08-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099513
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850182652298002432
author Jeffrey D. Hyman
Alexis Navarre‐Sitchler
Elizabeth Andrews
Matthew R. Sweeney
Satish Karra
J. William Carey
Hari S. Viswanathan
author_facet Jeffrey D. Hyman
Alexis Navarre‐Sitchler
Elizabeth Andrews
Matthew R. Sweeney
Satish Karra
J. William Carey
Hari S. Viswanathan
author_sort Jeffrey D. Hyman
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Field measurements of apparent geochemical weathering reaction rates in subsurface fractured porous media are known to deviate from laboratory measurements by multiple orders of magnitude. To date, there is no geologically based explanation for this discrepancy that can be used to predict reaction rates in field systems. Proposed correction factors are typically based on ad hoc characterizations related to geochemical kinetic models. Through a series of high‐fidelity reactive transport simulations of mineral dissolution within explicit 3D discrete fracture networks, we are able to link the geo‐structural attributes with reactive transport observations. We develop a correction factor to linear transition state theory for the prediction of the apparent dissolution rate based on measurable geological properties. The modified rate law shows excellent agreement with numerical simulations, indicating that geological structure could be a primary reason for the discrepancy between laboratory and field observations of apparent dissolution rates in fractured media.
format Article
id doaj-art-f756d2f19f224a4a8a541e2b40fbf1d3
institution OA Journals
issn 0094-8276
1944-8007
language English
publishDate 2022-08-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Geophysical Research Letters
spelling doaj-art-f756d2f19f224a4a8a541e2b40fbf1d32025-08-20T02:17:34ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072022-08-014915n/an/a10.1029/2022GL099513A Geo‐Structurally Based Correction Factor for Apparent Dissolution Rates in Fractured MediaJeffrey D. Hyman0Alexis Navarre‐Sitchler1Elizabeth Andrews2Matthew R. Sweeney3Satish Karra4J. William Carey5Hari S. Viswanathan6Los Alamos National Laboratory Computational Earth Science (EES‐16) Earth and Environmental Sciences Division Los Alamos NM USAColorado School of Mines Hydrologic Science and Engineering Program Golden CO USADepartment of Earth, Environmental and Resource Sciences University of Texas at El Paso El Paso TX USALos Alamos National Laboratory Computational Earth Science (EES‐16) Earth and Environmental Sciences Division Los Alamos NM USAEnvironmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Richland WA USAEarth and Environmental Sciences Division Los Alamos National Laboratory Earth System Observations (EES‐14) Los Alamos NM USALos Alamos National Laboratory Computational Earth Science (EES‐16) Earth and Environmental Sciences Division Los Alamos NM USAAbstract Field measurements of apparent geochemical weathering reaction rates in subsurface fractured porous media are known to deviate from laboratory measurements by multiple orders of magnitude. To date, there is no geologically based explanation for this discrepancy that can be used to predict reaction rates in field systems. Proposed correction factors are typically based on ad hoc characterizations related to geochemical kinetic models. Through a series of high‐fidelity reactive transport simulations of mineral dissolution within explicit 3D discrete fracture networks, we are able to link the geo‐structural attributes with reactive transport observations. We develop a correction factor to linear transition state theory for the prediction of the apparent dissolution rate based on measurable geological properties. The modified rate law shows excellent agreement with numerical simulations, indicating that geological structure could be a primary reason for the discrepancy between laboratory and field observations of apparent dissolution rates in fractured media.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099513reactive transport modelingfracture networksubsurface flow and transportapparent dissolution ratesgeochemistry
spellingShingle Jeffrey D. Hyman
Alexis Navarre‐Sitchler
Elizabeth Andrews
Matthew R. Sweeney
Satish Karra
J. William Carey
Hari S. Viswanathan
A Geo‐Structurally Based Correction Factor for Apparent Dissolution Rates in Fractured Media
Geophysical Research Letters
reactive transport modeling
fracture network
subsurface flow and transport
apparent dissolution rates
geochemistry
title A Geo‐Structurally Based Correction Factor for Apparent Dissolution Rates in Fractured Media
title_full A Geo‐Structurally Based Correction Factor for Apparent Dissolution Rates in Fractured Media
title_fullStr A Geo‐Structurally Based Correction Factor for Apparent Dissolution Rates in Fractured Media
title_full_unstemmed A Geo‐Structurally Based Correction Factor for Apparent Dissolution Rates in Fractured Media
title_short A Geo‐Structurally Based Correction Factor for Apparent Dissolution Rates in Fractured Media
title_sort geo structurally based correction factor for apparent dissolution rates in fractured media
topic reactive transport modeling
fracture network
subsurface flow and transport
apparent dissolution rates
geochemistry
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099513
work_keys_str_mv AT jeffreydhyman ageostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT alexisnavarresitchler ageostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT elizabethandrews ageostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT matthewrsweeney ageostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT satishkarra ageostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT jwilliamcarey ageostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT harisviswanathan ageostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT jeffreydhyman geostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT alexisnavarresitchler geostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT elizabethandrews geostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT matthewrsweeney geostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT satishkarra geostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT jwilliamcarey geostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia
AT harisviswanathan geostructurallybasedcorrectionfactorforapparentdissolutionratesinfracturedmedia