Darcy Flow & Penetration Depth

In a saturated porous medium, hydraulic head obeys a diffusion-like equation ∂h/∂t = K∇²h when storativity is normalized. Fixed-head boundaries relax the profile; the readout √(K t) hints how disturbances penetrate over time.

Who it's for: Introductory hydrogeology or transport lectures.

Key terms

  • Darcy law
  • Hydraulic conductivity
  • Groundwater
  • Diffusion

Live graphs

How it works

Darcy-scale groundwater relaxation: head obeys a diffusion equation in a confined column; compare hydraulic conductivity K to how quickly the profile flattens.

Frequently asked questions

Where is specific storativity?
It is absorbed into the time scaling of this toy model; focus is on shape relaxation rather than field-scale parameter identification.