67th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (November 23, 2014 — November 25, 2014)

P0047: Meandering Fingers: growth, evolution and decay of convective instabilities within unstable fluid layers

• View Larger
• Download Original

Authors

• Dana Ehyaei, University of Maryland
• Ken Kiger, University of Maryland

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/APS.DFD.2014.GFM.P0047

Sequestration of carbon dioxide within saltwater aquifers trapped deep underground has been proposed as one of the best means for taking \(\text{CO}_2\) out of the atmosphere to prevent the continuing increase in global warming. The images within this poster provide details about how the mixing process proceeds, specifically detailing the transient formation of small convective plumes (or "fingers") that emerge from the interface. The onset of convection is an important issue in determining suitable locations for the sequestration of carbon dioxide in deep saline aquifers, as the rate of growth of these features and the details of how they evolve are critical to determing how long it will take for the \(\text{CO}_2\) to dissolve into the water. The convection process greatly accelerates the rate of mixing and dissolution of \(\text{CO}_2\) into the brine, redering it secure and preventing escape back into the the atmosphere. The graceful traces of the emerging plumes, and their coalescence into larger dominant plumes, evoke imagary of a mountain landscape or a collection to feathers while revealing the dynamics of the convection process.