The effect of the salt viscosity on future evolution of the Gorleben salt diapir, Germany

Z. Chemia; H. Schmeling; H. Koyi

doi:10.1016/j.tecto.2009.03.027

The effect of the salt viscosity on future evolution of the Gorleben salt diapir, Germany

Z. Chemia, H. Schmeling, H. Koyi

Earth Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

The Gorleben diapir, which has been targeted for radioactive waste disposal, contains large blocks of anhydrite. Numerical models that depict the geometrical configuration of the Gorleben diapir are used to understand internal structure of diapir caused by movement of the anhydrite blocks for various salt rheologies. It is shown that the rheology of the salt plays a significant role in how and at which rate the anhydrite blocks sink within the diapir. The mobility of anhydrite blocks depends on the effective viscosity of salt which has to be lower than threshold value of around 10¹⁸-10¹⁹ Pa s. Decreasing salt viscosity allows the previously "stationary" anhydrite blocks to sink. If the effective viscosity of salt in post-depositional stage of the Gorleben diapir falls below this threshold value, induced internal flow due to the present anhydrite layer might disturb any repository within the diapir.

Original language	British English
Pages (from-to)	446-456
Number of pages	11
Journal	Tectonophysics
Volume	473
Issue number	3-4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tecto.2009.03.027
State	Published - 3 Aug 2009

Keywords

Anhydrite
Deformation
Diapir
Gorleben
Rheology
Salt

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.tecto.2009.03.027

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title = "The effect of the salt viscosity on future evolution of the Gorleben salt diapir, Germany",

abstract = "The Gorleben diapir, which has been targeted for radioactive waste disposal, contains large blocks of anhydrite. Numerical models that depict the geometrical configuration of the Gorleben diapir are used to understand internal structure of diapir caused by movement of the anhydrite blocks for various salt rheologies. It is shown that the rheology of the salt plays a significant role in how and at which rate the anhydrite blocks sink within the diapir. The mobility of anhydrite blocks depends on the effective viscosity of salt which has to be lower than threshold value of around 1018-1019 Pa s. Decreasing salt viscosity allows the previously {"}stationary{"} anhydrite blocks to sink. If the effective viscosity of salt in post-depositional stage of the Gorleben diapir falls below this threshold value, induced internal flow due to the present anhydrite layer might disturb any repository within the diapir.",

keywords = "Anhydrite, Deformation, Diapir, Gorleben, Rheology, Salt",

author = "Z. Chemia and H. Schmeling and H. Koyi",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Gabriele Marquart for comments on the manuscript. The Swedish Research Council (VR) provided funding. We further acknowledge the anonymous reviewers for constructive reviews. ",

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doi = "10.1016/j.tecto.2009.03.027",

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AU - Chemia, Z.

AU - Schmeling, H.

AU - Koyi, H.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Gabriele Marquart for comments on the manuscript. The Swedish Research Council (VR) provided funding. We further acknowledge the anonymous reviewers for constructive reviews.

PY - 2009/8/3

Y1 - 2009/8/3

N2 - The Gorleben diapir, which has been targeted for radioactive waste disposal, contains large blocks of anhydrite. Numerical models that depict the geometrical configuration of the Gorleben diapir are used to understand internal structure of diapir caused by movement of the anhydrite blocks for various salt rheologies. It is shown that the rheology of the salt plays a significant role in how and at which rate the anhydrite blocks sink within the diapir. The mobility of anhydrite blocks depends on the effective viscosity of salt which has to be lower than threshold value of around 1018-1019 Pa s. Decreasing salt viscosity allows the previously "stationary" anhydrite blocks to sink. If the effective viscosity of salt in post-depositional stage of the Gorleben diapir falls below this threshold value, induced internal flow due to the present anhydrite layer might disturb any repository within the diapir.

AB - The Gorleben diapir, which has been targeted for radioactive waste disposal, contains large blocks of anhydrite. Numerical models that depict the geometrical configuration of the Gorleben diapir are used to understand internal structure of diapir caused by movement of the anhydrite blocks for various salt rheologies. It is shown that the rheology of the salt plays a significant role in how and at which rate the anhydrite blocks sink within the diapir. The mobility of anhydrite blocks depends on the effective viscosity of salt which has to be lower than threshold value of around 1018-1019 Pa s. Decreasing salt viscosity allows the previously "stationary" anhydrite blocks to sink. If the effective viscosity of salt in post-depositional stage of the Gorleben diapir falls below this threshold value, induced internal flow due to the present anhydrite layer might disturb any repository within the diapir.

KW - Anhydrite

KW - Deformation

KW - Diapir

KW - Gorleben

KW - Rheology

KW - Salt

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SN - 0040-1951

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EP - 456

JO - Tectonophysics

JF - Tectonophysics

IS - 3-4

ER -

The effect of the salt viscosity on future evolution of the Gorleben salt diapir, Germany

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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