CAREER: High-end computing in environmental engineering with application to subsurface characterization

Funding Level (Duration): $400,000 (07/03 – 06/08)

Funding Agency: National Science Foundation

PI: G. Mahinthakumar

Abstract: Accurate characterization of the subsurface is an important element in the development of reliable and efficient groundwater management practices. Accurate and reliable estimation of hydraulic conductivity distribution, contaminant distribution, and/or contaminant source release history is necessary for problems such as estimating groundwater yields, design of efficient cleanup strategies, and identifying responsible parties in a contamination incident. This requires solution of an inverse problem because direct measurement of detailed subsurface properties is not feasible. Inverse problems are difficult to solve and are computationally demanding. This multidisciplinary CAREER proposal will investigate novel computational strategies for the efficient solution of large-scale inverse problems in subsurface characterization.