Tehdyt toimenpiteet

Modeling in geosciences

The geosciences study the structure and development of the Earth’s crust. For instance, the porosity, viscosity and strength of the soil and the bedrock vary from one location to the next. By combining knowledge of soil properties with powerful computing, we obtain models that can be used, among other things, for charting groundwater and land resources and for planning land use.

Soil changes; it is in constant interaction, for instance, with water. In good groundwater areas, water can pass through the soil relatively quickly. The permeability of soil can vary by a factor of over one hundred thousand; in fractured rock, the differences can be even greater. When the flow of groundwater and the potential locations for pumping plants have been studied, the traditional method has been to dig at least two wells and to pump water from one of them while monitoring the water level in the other well. These tests take a long time and are costly.

When computational models are used, less time is needed for field testing and survey costs are reduced. It is particularly important to control costs, for instance, when water management is charted in a developing country with scanty resources for the survey.

Wide variations existing in the structures and composition of the Earth’s crust pose a challenge to the software and computing power used for modeling. Some of the variables that affect phenomena in the Earth’s crust may apply to the whole planet, whereas the impact of others may be restricted within an area of a couple of square kilometers. One of the main challenges of modeling in geosciences is to develop models that describe interacting systems at various levels.

Bedrock can also be searched for groundwater. If the rock is porous and there are enough cracks, water can flow there. Totally different rock properties are sought when seeking locations for a nuclear waste repository.

Disposal of radioactive waste in the bedrock requires accurate information about the transport of radioactive materials in rock types of different porosity. By using radioactive markers, dyeing techniques and digital image processing, it is possible to determine the porosity of various minerals and the transport paths of a radioactive material. The rock around the repository must be as solid and impermeable as possible.

Glaciers are also studied by means of modeling. Changes in present-day glaciers may be indications of global climate change. Because glaciers are located in mountainous areas and polar regions that are hard to access, they are monitored with the help of remote sensing and geographic information systems. For instance, a satellite can take pictures of the edge of a glacier. Using the GIS software, the data on changes is added to the glacier model. As the model changes with time, it creates an animation of the expansion or recession of the glacier. The information about glaciers obtained by means of remote sensing and modeling may even be more accurate than the information obtained through traditional research methods.

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Tehdyt toimenpiteet

Modeling in geosciences


Sisältö Methods of computational science Applications of scientific computing Modeling the universe Ships and computational fluid dynamics Protein research Drug design Speech recognition and synthetic speech Modeling the human body Modeling in geosciences Geographic information systems Genotype and bioinformatics Grand Challenge research projects in CSC magazines Supercomputers and grids	Tehdyt toimenpiteet Tämä sivu suomeksi Modeling in geosciences The geosciences study the structure and development of the Earth’s crust. For instance, the porosity, viscosity and strength of the soil and the bedrock vary from one location to the next. By combining knowledge of soil properties with powerful computing, we obtain models that can be used, among other things, for charting groundwater and land resources and for planning land use. Soil changes; it is in constant interaction, for instance, with water. In good groundwater areas, water can pass through the soil relatively quickly. The permeability of soil can vary by a factor of over one hundred thousand; in fractured rock, the differences can be even greater. When the flow of groundwater and the potential locations for pumping plants have been studied, the traditional method has been to dig at least two wells and to pump water from one of them while monitoring the water level in the other well. These tests take a long time and are costly. When computational models are used, less time is needed for field testing and survey costs are reduced. It is particularly important to control costs, for instance, when water management is charted in a developing country with scanty resources for the survey. Wide variations existing in the structures and composition of the Earth’s crust pose a challenge to the software and computing power used for modeling. Some of the variables that affect phenomena in the Earth’s crust may apply to the whole planet, whereas the impact of others may be restricted within an area of a couple of square kilometers. One of the main challenges of modeling in geosciences is to develop models that describe interacting systems at various levels. Bedrock can also be searched for groundwater. If the rock is porous and there are enough cracks, water can flow there. Totally different rock properties are sought when seeking locations for a nuclear waste repository. Disposal of radioactive waste in the bedrock requires accurate information about the transport of radioactive materials in rock types of different porosity. By using radioactive markers, dyeing techniques and digital image processing, it is possible to determine the porosity of various minerals and the transport paths of a radioactive material. The rock around the repository must be as solid and impermeable as possible. Glaciers are also studied by means of modeling. Changes in present-day glaciers may be indications of global climate change. Because glaciers are located in mountainous areas and polar regions that are hard to access, they are monitored with the help of remote sensing and geographic information systems. For instance, a satellite can take pictures of the edge of a glacier. Using the GIS software, the data on changes is added to the glacier model. As the model changes with time, it creates an animation of the expansion or recession of the glacier. The information about glaciers obtained by means of remote sensing and modeling may even be more accurate than the information obtained through traditional research methods.