Hydrogeological constraints for the genesis of the extreme lithium enrichment in the Salar de Atacama (NE Chile): A thermohaline flow modelling approach

Marazuela, Miguel Ángel; Ayora, Carlos; Vàzquez-Suñé, Enric; Olivella, S.; García‐Gil, Alejandro

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139959

Cited by 24 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 98 publications

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“…Given that the Salar de Atacama has been exploited for a number of decades, it has been widely studied and recently various aspects of flow and brine transport processes for this salar have been simulated using VDST models based on a vertical slice conceptualization (Marazuela et al, 2018(Marazuela et al, , 2020McKnight et al, 2021). Such an approach is a practical approximation of the inherent 3D dimensionality of the physical flow system, given the formidable computational cost of a large-scale 3D VDST model and the spatial and time resolution requirements to simulate high-density differences between freshwater and brine (Marazuela et al, 2018).…”

Section: Model Geometry and Boundary Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While the above past studies mostly developed small-scale numerical models focusing on the mixing area of salars, only recently large-scale VDST numerical models have been employed to study groundwater flow and brine transport (e.g., Marazuela et al, 2018). McKnight et al (2021) studied the impact of hydraulic conductivity heterogeneity on the interface between freshwater and brine in salars while Marazuela et al (2020) used a thermohaline flow model to describe the process of Lithium enrichment in the Salar de Atacama.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Multifidelity Surrogate Models for Efficient Uncertainty Propagation Analysis in Salars Systems

Christelis

Hughes

2022

Front. Water

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Salars are complex hydrogeological systems where the high-density contrasts require advanced numerical models to simulate groundwater flow and brine transport. Applying those models over large spatial and temporal scales is important to understand the various subsurface processes in salars, but the associated computational cost hinders an analysis based on repetitive numerical simulations. Single fidelity surrogate modeling is a common approach to alleviate computational burden with computationally expensive physics-based models of high-fidelity. However, due to the complexity in salars modeling it might not be affordable to run high-fidelity simulations many times until we build a surrogate model of acceptable accuracy. Here, we investigate if multifidelity surrogate methods, that exploit information from inexpensive lower fidelity models, can show promise for computationally demanding tasks for salars systems. Additive, multiplicative and co-Kriging multifidelity surrogates are developed based on the combination of training data from low fidelity sharp interface models and a higher fidelity variable-density flow and solute transport model. Their performance is compared against a single fidelity Kriging surrogate model, and they are all employed to conduct a Monte-Carlo-based uncertainty propagation analysis where recharge, hydraulic conductivity and density differences between freshwater and brine are considered uncertain model inputs. Results showed that multifidelity methods are a promising alternative for time-intensive numerical models of salars under limited high-fidelity samples. In addition, sharp interface models, despite commonly used in coastal aquifer problems, can also be applied in salars modeling as cheap lower fidelity models for interface calculations via a multifidelity framework. The Monte-Carlo outputs based on the surrogate models, resulted in estimated probability density functions characterized by long tails, thus, highlighting the need to reduce parametric uncertainty in real world models of salars.

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Section: Model Geometry and Boundary Conditionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multifidelity Surrogate Models for Efficient Uncertainty Propagation Analysis in Salars Systems

Christelis

Hughes

2022

Front. Water

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“…High evapotranspiration rates (e.g. 5.84 mm/day; Marazuela et al ., 2020) and low precipitation rates (e.g. <10 mm/year; Marazuela et al ., 2019) are responsible for the formation of these basins.…”

Section: The (Concentrated) Salt Of the Earthmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The centre of the basin is composed of halite filled with interstitial brine and a marginal zone comprising gypsum and carbonates. The pores and cavities of the nucleus also contain SO 4 ‐rich brines, CaCl 2 ‐rich brines, and Li‐Mg‐rich brines (Marazuela et al ., 2020). The salinity is highly variable, changing considerably from the centre of the water bodies, but ecosystems also differ.…”

Section: The (Concentrated) Salt Of the Earthmentioning

confidence: 99%

Salt to conserve: a review on the ecology and preservation of hypersaline ecosystems

et al. 2021

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When it comes to the investigation of key ecosystems in the world, we often omit salt from the ecological recipe. In fact, despite occupying almost half of the volume of inland waters and providing crucial services to humanity and nature, inland saline ecosystems are often overlooked in discussions regarding the preservation of global aquatic resources of our planet. As a result, our knowledge of the biological and geochemical dynamics shaping these environments remains incomplete and we are hesitant in framing effective protective strategies against the increasing natural and anthropogenic threats faced by such habitats. Hypersaline lakes, water bodies where the concentration of salt exceeds 35 g/l, occur mainly in arid and semiarid areas resulting from hydrological imbalances triggering the accumulation of salts over time. Often considered the ‘exotic siblings’ within the family of inland waters, these ecosystems host some of the most extremophile communities worldwide and provide essential habitats for waterbirds and many other organisms in already water‐stressed regions. These systems are often highlighted as natural laboratories, ideal for addressing central ecological questions due to their relatively low complexity and simple food web structures. However, recent studies on the biogeochemical mechanisms framing hypersaline communities have challenged this archetype, arguing that newly discovered highly diverse communities are characterised by specific trophic interactions shaped by high levels of specialisation. The main goal of this review is to explore our current understanding of the ecological dynamics of hypersaline ecosystems by addressing four main research questions: (i) why are hypersaline lakes unique from a biological and geochemical perspective; (ii) which biota inhabit these ecosystems and how have they adapted to the high salt conditions; (iii) how do we protect biodiversity from increasing natural and anthropogenic threats; and (iv) which scientific tools will help us preserve hypersaline ecosystems in the future? First, we focus on the ecological characterisation of hypersaline ecosystems, illustrate hydrogeochemical dynamics regulating such environments, and outline key ecoregions supporting hypersaline systems across the globe. Second, we depict the diversity and functional aspects of key taxa found in hypersaline lakes, from microorganisms to plants, invertebrates, waterbirds and upper trophic levels. Next, we describe ecosystem services and discuss possible conservation guidelines. Finally, we outline how cutting‐edge technologies can provide new insights into the study of hypersaline ecology. Overall, this review sheds further light onto these understudied ecosystems, largely unrecognised as important sources of unique biological and functional diversity. We provide perspectives for key future research avenues, and advocate that the conservation of hypersaline lakes should not be taken with ‘a grain of salt’.

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“…Mathematical models of hydrological systems are key to guiding decision making on diverse matters related to water resources and environment (Doherty, 2015;Liu & Gupta, 2007;Oreskes et al, 1994), such as: assessment and allocation of water resources (Bredehoeft, 2002;Hrozencik et al, 2017;Zhou & Li, 2011), evaluation of water management strategies (Hrozencik et al, 2017;Noël & Cai, 2017), understanding the interaction between surface and subsurface water systems (Szilagyi, 2001;Zeng & Cai, 2014), evaluation of mining resources and assessment of environmental impacts due to mining operations (Bain et al, 2001;Marazuela et al, 2020), assessment of deep geothermal resources (García-Gil et al, 2019;O'Sullivan et al, 2001O'Sullivan et al, , 2010, design and evaluation of shallow geothermal systems (O'Sullivan et al, 2001), evaluation of the potential impact of climate change on coastal aquifers (Carrera et al, 2010;Holding & Allen, 2015;Rasmussen et al, 2013), testing scenarios for groundwater remediation projects (Qian et al, 2020), design and optimization of monitoring networks (Sreekanth et al, 2017), or assessment of impact of climate change on water resources (Schewe et al, 2019). This use of models is different from the original one, which was mostly related to synthetizing information and building a simplified representation of a real hydrological system (Beven, 1989(Beven, , 2001.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis in hydrological modeling

2021

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Nowadays, mathematical models of hydrological systems are used routinely to guide decision making in diverse subjects, such as: environmental and risk assessments, design of remediation strategies for contaminated sites, and evaluation of the impact of climate change on water resources. The correct development and use of them is relevant beyond the realm of hydrology. The continuous improvement in computational power and data collection are leading to the development of increasingly complex models, which integrate multiple coupled physical processes to achieve a better representation of the modeled system. Most of the parameters included in models are difficult to measure directly, so they must be estimated from collected data through a calibration procedure. Furthermore, when models are used to make forecasts about future or hypothetical scenarios, it is important to bound the uncertainty of their results. Therefore, the application of systematic approaches for parameter estimation, sensitivity, and uncertainty analysis to integrate data and models and quantify potential errors, is more necessary now than it was in the past. Even though methodological frameworks for these purposes exist, they have had a slow adoption due to their high computational cost and the required technical knowledge to apply them. We analyze existing methodologies, discuss remaining challenges, and present a survey of emerging trends for the application of parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis in hydrological modeling. Thus, the main objective of this overview article is contributing to improving the quality of models and to their correct use as support tools for decision‐making. This article is categorized under: Science of Water Science of Water > Hydrological Processes Science of Water > Methods

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Hydrogeological constraints for the genesis of the extreme lithium enrichment in the Salar de Atacama (NE Chile): A thermohaline flow modelling approach

Cited by 24 publications

References 98 publications

Multifidelity Surrogate Models for Efficient Uncertainty Propagation Analysis in Salars Systems

Multifidelity Surrogate Models for Efficient Uncertainty Propagation Analysis in Salars Systems

Salt to conserve: a review on the ecology and preservation of hypersaline ecosystems

Parameter estimation and uncertainty analysis in hydrological modeling

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