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The impact of ice sheet geometry on meltwater ingress and reactive solute transport in sedimentary basins

Cite this dataset

Su, Danyang; Xie, Mingliang; Mayer, K. Ulrich; MacQuarrie, Kerry (2022). The impact of ice sheet geometry on meltwater ingress and reactive solute transport in sedimentary basins [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.rjdfn2zfb

Abstract

 We investigate the effect of ice sheet geometry on groundwater flow patterns and meltwater ingress in a hypothetical sedimentary basin. The simulation results indicate that meltwater ingress is much greater in 3D domains with a relatively narrow ice sheet extent compared to a wide ice sheet, or a simplified 2D model. In high permeability units (HPUs), the simulated meltwater penetration depth can reach up to 750 m in 3D domains compared to 400 m in a comparable 2D domain. In low permeability units (LPUs), very limited meltwater penetration occurs, indicating that ice sheet geometry and model dimensionality do not substantially affect water flow in these units. A conservative tracer, with a source located at a depth of 500 meters in both HPUs and LPUs, illustrates that solutes can be transported to greater depths in HPUs for a narrow ice lobe scenario, in comparison to a wide ice sheet or the 2D approach. Tracer transport in LPUs is unaffected by ice sheet geometry. Similarly, simulation results indicate that the ingress of dissolved oxygen (O2) into HPUs is most substantial below a narrow ice lobe, while O2 ingress into LPUs is not affected by ice sheet geometry. The numerical experiments indicate that 3D analysis will give more comprehensive results for flow patterns and reactive solute transport subjected to glaciation/deglaciation cycles in the case of a narrow ice lobe, but also suggest that a 2D approach might provide an adequate representation for the case of a relatively wide ice sheet.

Usage notes

# Title of Dataset

 

The impact of ice sheet geometry on meltwater ingress and reactive solute transport in sedimentary basins.

 

# Brief summary of dataset contents

 

This dataset includes the input files and simulated results of sutdy "The impact of ice sheet geometry on meltwater ingress and reactive solute transport in sedimentary basins", published in Water Resources Research. The dataset contains one 2D simulation scenario and three 3D simulation scenarios. Each simulation scenario has one folder. 

 

## Description of the Folders

 

Folder: ./basin-2d-quad/basin-3d-circle-cs-tracer-sand1-dol1/basin-3d-cs-ice3k-single-E3-min-e0-sand1-dol1

Description: 2D simulation scenario.

 

Folder: ./basin-3d-hexa/basin-3d-circle-rtm-d25-2000-tracer-sand1-dol1/basin-3d-ice3k-single-E1-min-e0-sand1-dol1

Description: 3D simulation scenario with narrow ice sheet.

 

Folder: ./basin-3d-hexa/basin-3d-circle-rtm-d25-2000-tracer-sand1-dol1/basin-3d-ice3k-single-E2-min-e0-sand1-dol1

Description: 3D simulation scenario with medium width ice sheet.

 

Folder: ./basin-3d-hexa/basin-3d-circle-rtm-d25-2000-tracer-sand1-dol1/basin-3d-ice3k-single-E3-min-e0-sand1-dol1

Description: 3D simulation scenario with wide width ice sheet.

 

Folder: ./post-processing

Description: tecplot layout file, related data and exported figures mainly used in the manuscript.

 

Subfolder in each simulation scenario: ./plots

Description: tecplot layout, python script, exported figures and animation mainly used in the manuscript and support materials. 

 

## Description of the Input Files

 

MIN3P input data consist of main input file 'prefix'.dat, associated input files 'prefix'.* linked to the input file and database folder. The 'prefix' here represents the name of the input file (e.g., basin-3d-cs for 2D simulation scenario) and * represents different assocaiate data files. A list of input files are shown below:

 

prefix.dat: Main input file.

prefix.aqt.vtk: Aqueous concentration data in vtk file format.

prefix.cec.vtk: Cation exchange capacity data in vtk file format.

prefix.energybal.vtk: Heat data in vtk file format.

prefix.hyc.vtk: Hydraulic conductivity data in vtk file format.

prefix.ivs.vtk: Flow condition data in vtk file format.

prefix.min.vtk: Mineral data in vtk file format.

prefix.por.vtk: Porous media porosity data in vtk file format.

prefix.skempton.vtk: Skempton coefficient data in vtk file format.

prefix.spstor.vtk: Specific storage coefficient data in vtk file format.

prefix.surf.vtk: Mineral surface area data in vtk file format.

prefix.bcice: Transient boundary condition data for ice sheet.

prefix.vtk: Mesh data in vtk file format.

 

## Description of the Output Files

 

MIN3P output data consist of spatial output file and transient output file. Please note the code supports either ascii or binary format in the output. In the current simulations, for the spatial output, ascii format (e.g., *.vtk file) is used in 2D simulation scenario and binary format (*.vtk.h5) is used in 3D simulation scenarios. For the transient output, ascii format is used in both 2D and 3D simulation scenarios. The spatial output data set can be viewed by ParaView and the transient data set can be viewed by Tecplot. Please note, some of the output files that are not used in data analysis have been removed to save storage space. User can always regenerate these files by rerun the simulations.

 

Definition of variables in the output files are described in prefix_o.fls file in each folder. 

 

For more information about the code and instruction to run the code, please look at MIN3P user manual, which is available from link https://eilinator.eos.ubc.ca:8443/index.php/s/5t8bXDnvfUAlPRF.

 

## Description of the Executable Files

 

File: MIN3P-THCm-MPI-Version-CentOS7.9-IntelCompiler2019u4-Intelmpi2019u4-petsc3.13.5

Description: MPI parallel version of the code used to run the 3D model.

 

File: MIN3P-THCm-OpenMP-Version-CentOS7.9-IntelCompiler2019u4

Description: OpenMP parallel version of the code used to run the 2D model.

 

## Availability of Software, User Manual and other Examples

 

Software, user manual and other examples are avaialble from link https://eilinator.eos.ubc.ca:8443/index.php/s/5t8bXDnvfUAlPRF.

 

If you want to keep updated with new version of the software, please send a request at https://www.min3p.com/contact-us. 

 

Funding

Nuclear Waste Management Organization