Analytical solutions to non-Fickian subsurface dispersion in uniform groundwater flow

Abstract Analytical solutions are obtained by the Fourier transform technique for the one-, two-, and three-dimensional transport of a conservative solute injected instantaneously in a uniform groundwater flow. These solutions account for dispersive non-linearity caused by the heterogeneity of the hydraulic properties of aquifer systems and can be used as building blocks to construct solutions by convolution (principle of superposition) for source conditions other than slug injection. The dispersivity is assumed to vary parabolically with time and is thus constant for the entire system at any given time. Two approaches for estimating time-dependent dispersion parameters are developed for two-dimensional plumes. They both require minimal field tracer test data and, therefore, represent useful tools for assessing real-world aquifer contamination sites. The first approach requires mapped plume-area measurements at two specific times after the tracer injection. The second approach requires concentration-versus-time data from two sampling wells through which the plume passes. Detailed examples and comparisons with other procedures show that the methods presented herein are sufficiently accurate and easier to use than other available methods.