Free thermohaline convection in sediments surrounding a salt column

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Abstract
Complex groundwater convection patterns are possible near salt domes because groundwater is subject to both lateral heat and salinity gradients. In order to assess the mechanisms responsible for driving convection near salt domes we use dimensional analysis and numerical simulations to investigate coupled heat and salt transport in homogeneous sediments surrounding a cylindrical salt column. The dimensional analysis does not require the Boussinesq assumption. The coupled heat, solute, and groundwater transport equations are controlled by three dimensionless parameters: the Rayleigh number, the Lewis number, and the buoyancy ratio. The buoyancy ratio is the ratio of salinity to temperature effects on groundwater density, and it directly affects the groundwater flow equation. A finite difference numerical multigridding algorithm is used to iteratively solve the coupled transport equations. The multigridding technique was about 3 times faster than a point‐wise successive overrelaxation solution. Boundary conditions for the numerical simulations were adjusted to represent different contrasts in the thermal gradient between the salt and the overlying sediments. The contrast in thermal gradient is parameterized by the thermal conductivity ratio and is responsible for isotherms being elevated near the salt. The analysis suggests that a wide range of convective flow patterns are possible, with flow occurring either up or down along the salt flank. The sense of convection is dependent mainly on the value of the buoyancy ratio and how sharply isotherms are pulled up near the salt. These factors in turn depend on the regional salinity variation, the time since diapirism, and the thermal conductivity of water saturated sediments. While this analysis provides useful insight into the mechanisms driving free convection near salt domes, the assumptions about medium and fluid properties may limit the applicability of dimensional analysis in simulating flow in specific geologic settings.