701-1334-00L  Modelling of Processes in Soils and Aquifers

SemesterSpring Semester 2017
LecturersG. Furrer, W. Pfingsten
Periodicityyearly recurring course
Language of instructionEnglish
CommentNumber of participants limited to 18.
First come, first serve.


AbstractComputational modelling of biogeochemical processes and transport of water and solutes in soils and aquifers.
ObjectiveRationale:
The content of the course builds on the students' basic knowledge in soil and aquatic chemistry as well as in soil physics (see below: Prerequisites).
This course addresses the modelling of impacts by pollutants on terrestrial and aquatic environments. It helps to acquire to model hydrological, geochemical and microbial processes in soils and aquifers in order to predict the mobility of contaminants in heterogeneous environmental systems. Computer models used will be provided by the internet platform PolyQL (Link).

Aims:
- Conveying the fact that there are different modelling approaches
- Learning how to parameterize physically-based models
- Developing skills for critical judgement of modelling results
- Applying theoretical models to real systems
- Gaining competence with web-aided learning
Content- Applying computer models for biogeochemical and transport processes
- Chemical equilibria, speciation in aqueous systems
- Chemical kinetics, biogeochemical processes, redox processes
- Steady-state approach, serial-box models, sensitivity analysis
- Basic concepts in modelling water flow and solute transport
- Hydraulic processes in variably saturated soils
- Using models for pollutant transport in soils and aquifers
Lecture notesAvailable as hardcopy and on-line material.
(Link)
Literature- CAJ Appelo and D Postma, 2005. Geochemistry, Groundwater and Pollution. Taylor & Francis
- D Hillel, 2004. Introduction to environmental soil physics. Elsevier
Prerequisites / NoticePrerequisites: Courses (or equivalent knowledge)
- Soil Chemistry (701-0533-00, autumn semester, German)
- Environmental Soil Physics/Vadose Zone Hydrology (701-0535-00, autumn semester, English)