Dynamics of precipitation pattern formation at geothermal hot springs.
We formulate and model the dynamics of spatial patterns arising during the precipitation of calcium carbonate from a supersaturated shallow water flow. The model describes the formation of travertine deposits at geothermal hot springs and rimstone dams of calcite in caves. We find explicit solutions for travertine domes at low flow rates, identify the linear instabilities which generate dam and pond formation on sloped substrates, and present simulations of statistical landscape evolution.
Goldenfeld
Nigel
N
Department of Physics, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Loomis Laboratory of Physics, Urbana, Illinois 61801-3080, USA.
Chan
Pak Yuen
PY
Veysey
John
J