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Buoyant convection resulting from dissolution and permeability growth in vertical limestone fractures

Buoyant convection resulting from dissolution and permeability growth in vertical limestone... Upward flow through vertical fractures in limestone formations under a geothermal gradient favors dissolution and permeability growth. We investigate the transition from conductive and forced convective regimes to instability and buoyant convection as a result of permeability growth. The onset time for instability and roll height at onset depend on the initial aperture and driving pressure. A modified Rayleigh number criterion is proposed, which provides a unified interpretation of the instability across a wide range of initial aperture and driving pressure. Interaction between buoyant convection and aperture alteration leads to narrow upward flow paths supporting dissolution and precipitation in surrounding downward flow regions. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Geophysical Research Letters Wiley

Buoyant convection resulting from dissolution and permeability growth in vertical limestone fractures

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References (9)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 2009 by the American Geophysical Union.
ISSN
0094-8276
eISSN
1944-8007
DOI
10.1029/2008GL036533
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Upward flow through vertical fractures in limestone formations under a geothermal gradient favors dissolution and permeability growth. We investigate the transition from conductive and forced convective regimes to instability and buoyant convection as a result of permeability growth. The onset time for instability and roll height at onset depend on the initial aperture and driving pressure. A modified Rayleigh number criterion is proposed, which provides a unified interpretation of the instability across a wide range of initial aperture and driving pressure. Interaction between buoyant convection and aperture alteration leads to narrow upward flow paths supporting dissolution and precipitation in surrounding downward flow regions.

Journal

Geophysical Research LettersWiley

Published: Feb 1, 2009

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