A reaction diffusion model of C-N-S-O species in a stratified sediment

Summary

The model represents a System Dynamics approach to the solution of a reaction-diffusion problem involving biogeochemical processes in a stratified marine sediment. The major reactants and products are represented, their interactions described by Michelis Menton-like equations and their movements controlled by diffusion equations. The model is truly dynamic: all reaction-and diffusion rates of all specified species are predicted by the model in space and time. In order to simplify the output, a steady-state situation is examined where the variation in oxygen, nitrate and ammonium concentrations, and the rates of nitrification and denitrification are seen in relation to different levels of organic matter mineralization. Nitrogen and carbon budgets are also presented. The modelling environment, Cellmatic, was designed to run models with high spatial and temporal structure. Cellmatic is easy to use for simulating any model with these characteristics.

Reaction diffusion model, Sediment, Computer simulation, Organic loading, Nitrification, Denitrification