Computational Science and
Mathematics: Projects

Where's the Water? Modeling the Española Basin Aquifer

The Española basin provides drinking water to an ever-growing population in the high desert of Northern New Mexico. Will it be able to provide safe, sufficient water for decades to come? Or will contaminants and over-pumping destroy the water supply?

To address these questions, we draw on large sets of real-world data to simulate and predict the behavior of the water subply under a range of "what if" scenarios. We integrate hydrologic, geologic, geophysical, and geochemical data through 3-D flow and transport modeling. We also use numerical analysis techniques to understand how reliable our predictions are.

Three-dimensional basin model computational domain showing local topography.

Our major accomplishments include capture zone analysis of areas near the Rio Grande River and estimations of the groundwater flow paths, travel times, and contaminant dilution factors.

Looking at the Lab's Impact: Hydrogeology of the Pajarito Plateau

How have years of Laboratory activity at various sites on the Pajarito Plateau affected the groundwater of Northern New Mexico? To answer this question and maintain compliance with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency standards, we plan and execute a broad spectrum of hydrogeologic investigations across the Pajarito Plateau. We use data from these investigations to develop conceptual models for groundwater systems and to model contaminant transport as part of risk assessments and site decisions.

By collecting data from 32 deep wells in the regional aquifer and 51 shallow wells in canyon-floor alluvium, we refine our understanding of the Laboratory's hydrogeologic framework. Our increased knowledge of recharge areas, flow paths, and flow rates will help us to successfully define areas of potential groundwater contamination and predict the direction and rate at which that contamination will move.

Data from hydrogeologic investigations are used to develop conceptual models for groundwater systems and to model contaminant transport as part of risk assessments and site decisions. Shown are a pore-water nitrate profile from a drillhole in Mortandad Canyon, and a conceptual model block diagram for highexplosives transport at TA-16.

Understanding Urban Sprawl

It's no accident that many U.S. cities have turned into sprawling monsters. The question is, how do we correct or prevent modern urban sprawl, with all of its noise, light, and air pollution; road congestion; and steamrolling of open space?

Using a model driven by historical data, we can predict how cities will grow over time. The model integrates physical and human factors such as terrain, existing building patterns, and cost tradeoffs between urban and suburban development to predict growth patterns that match reasonably well the development of real-world cities.

Shaping the Earth's Surface: Modeling Crustal Movement in the Earth's Mantle

How are mountains and volcanoes created? Why does a given row of mountains or volcanoes run in a straight line, while another curves 45 degrees? The answers lie well below the earth's surface in the earth's mantle, a region of swirling warm and cool material.

The earth's surface contains tectonic plates, large masses of land that move in slow motion. When these plates interact with each other and with other forces (such as heat), mountains and volcanoes can be produced. Many researchers long believed that these plates drifted in straight lines along the earth's surface.

To explore this theory, we have used the Laboratory's subercomputers to create a three-dimensional model of the earth's interior. The model shows that changes in temperature well below the earth's surface can create subterranean storms that push these plates into rapid motion. Depending on the pattern of subterranean storms, plates can move in a straight line or abruptly change direction. The result? Curving lines of mountains and volcanoes.