Events :: Graduate Seminars :: Impact of Fractional Wettability on Water Flow and Transport Processes by Dr. Clinton S. Willson, Louisiana State University

The unsaturated zone plays an important role within the hydrologic cycle as an interface between the earth’s surface and underlying groundwater systems. An array of important physical, chemical, and biological interfacial processes and reactions occur in this zone over a range of spatial and temporal scales. This talk will focus mostly on the role of wettability on water flow and distribution in unsaturated, fractionally-wet porous media. Quantitative data, extracted from high-resolution, three-dimensional images obtained using synchrotron X-ray computed tomography, will be used to help elucidate important pore-level processes that impact drainage, colloid transport and evaporation at larger scales. If time permits, results will also be presented looking at the impact of fractional wettability on nonwetting phase saturation and distribution.