Scalar signatures of chaotic mixing in porous media

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel imaging technique and theoretical framework to characterize chaotic mixing in porous media, revealing insights into transport and reaction processes at the pore scale.

Contribution

It develops a high-resolution scalar imaging method combined with a Lyapunov exponent estimation framework for analyzing chaotic mixing in porous structures.

Findings

Scalar signatures effectively capture in-situ mixing dynamics.

The method accurately estimates Lyapunov exponents in porous media.

Provides a comprehensive characterization of chaotic mixing behaviors.

Abstract

Steady laminar flows through porous media spontaneously generate Lagrangian chaos at pore scale, with qualitative implications for a range of transport, reactive and biological processes. The characterization and understanding of mixing dynamics in these opaque environments is an outstanding challenge. We address this issue by developing a novel technique based upon high-resolution imaging of the scalar signature produced by push-pull flows through porous media samples. Owing to the rapid decorrelation of particle trajectories in chaotic flows, the scalar image measured outside the porous material is representative of in-situ mixing dynamics. We present a theoretical framework for estimation of the Lyapunov exponent based on extension of Lagrangian stretching theories to correlated aggregation. This method provides a full characterization of chaotic mixing dynamics in a large class of porous materials.