Boundary condition control on inter-aquifer flow in the subsurface of Berlin (Germany) – new insights from 3-D numerical modelling
GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.5: Basin Modelling, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Magdalena Scheck-Wenderoth
GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.5: Basin Modelling, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
RWTH Aachen University, Institute of Geology and Geochemistry of Petroleum and Coal, Lochnerstrasse 4–20, 52056 Aachen, Germany
Mauro Cacace
GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.5: Basin Modelling, Telegrafenberg, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
Michael Schneider
Freie Universität Berlin, Institute of Geological Sciences, Malteserstr. 74–100, 12249 Berlin, Germany
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This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Solid Earth (SE).
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We developed a new way to simulate earthquakes triggered by fluid injection deep underground. These events involve both slow pressure build-up and rapid fault movement, which are difficult to capture together. Our method combines two calculation approaches and switches between them when needed. It reproduces earthquake behavior accurately while reducing computing time by up to seventy percent, making it more practical for assessing risks in energy and storage projects.
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Shallow groundwater temperatures are increasing as a consequence of global warming. At the same time, climate scenarios project substantial changes in future groundwater recharge, with impacts on groundwater dynamics. We modeled the combined effects of these two processes. Our results suggest that reduce annual recharge or a higher share of cold winter recharge can locally slow groundwater warming, but not sufficiently to stop or reverse the overall warming trend.
Marco De Lucia, Samuele Frigo, Max Lübke, Mauro Cacace, Elena Petrova, Hannes Hofmann, Magdalena Scheck-Wenderoth, and Guido Blöcher
Adv. Geosci., 67, 117–127, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-67-117-2026, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-67-117-2026, 2026
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We introduce a novel coupling of GOLEM, a thermal-hydraulic-mechanical simulator, with the PHREEQC geochemical solver. The code is validated via benchmarks against reference 1D models and its functionalities demonstrated on a 2D geochemical heterogeneous domain. This open-source software enables the simulation of complex subsurface processes for the development of geothermal resources.
Denise Degen, Ajay Kumar, Magdalena Scheck-Wenderoth, and Mauro Cacace
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Geodynamical simulations cover a wide spatial and temporal range and are crucial to understand and assess the evolution of the Earth system. To enable computationally efficient modeling approaches that can account for potentially unknown subsurface properties, we present a surrogate modeling technique. This technique combines physics-based and machine-learning techniques to enable reliable predictions of geodynamical applications, as we illustrate for the case study of the Alpine Region.
Nariman Mahmoodi, Hyoun-Tae Hwang, Ulrich Struck, Michael Schneider, and Christoph Merz
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Understanding water balance in lakes is complex. We studied Lake Groβ Glienicke in Germany, using an innovative method that combines isotope measurements and a hydrological model to improve estimates of water inflow and evaporation. Our findings show a high correlation between the two approaches, leading to better predictions of lake water dynamics. This research offers a reliable way of evaluating the model outputs.
Javier Abreu-Torres, Gergő Hutka, Guido Blöcher, Mauro Cacace, Vincent Magnenet, and Jean Schmittbuhl
Adv. Geosci., 65, 117–125, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-65-117-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-65-117-2025, 2025
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We develop a simplified model which describes the geological geometry of the Vendenheim site, the solid and fluid properties were adapted from studies in the area. We implement compute the hydrothermal flow with a temperature dependent density and viscosity in a porous medium, in order to verify if a hydrothermal convective system is compatible with known observations at the Vendenheim site, and to get a better idea of the initial conditions of a model for an induced seismicity model.
Kalliopi Tzoufka, Guido Blöcher, Mauro Cacace, Daniela Pfrang, and Kai Zosseder
Adv. Geosci., 65, 103–111, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-65-103-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/adgeo-65-103-2024, 2024
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Concepts of High-Temperature Aquifer Thermal Energy Storage (HT-ATES) are investigated for system application in the German Molasse Basin. We quantify via physics-based numerical modelling the system performance with respect to HT-ATES concept development and provide a predictive analysis of HT-ATES application in the Upper Jurassic reservoir. Results demonstrate a non-uniform layer-specific distribution of the thermal front propagation, while promising heat recovery efficiencies are predicted.
Ángela María Gómez-García, Álvaro González, Mauro Cacace, Magdalena Scheck-Wenderoth, and Gaspar Monsalve
Solid Earth, 15, 281–303, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-281-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-15-281-2024, 2024
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We compute a realistic three-dimensional model of the temperatures down to 75 km deep within the Earth, below the Caribbean Sea and northwestern South America. Using this, we estimate at which rock temperatures past earthquakes nucleated in the region and find that they agree with those derived from laboratory experiments of rock friction. We also analyse how the thermal state of the system affects the spatial distribution of seismicity in this region.
Denise Degen, Cameron Spooner, Magdalena Scheck-Wenderoth, and Mauro Cacace
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 7133–7153, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-7133-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-7133-2021, 2021
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In times of worldwide energy transitions, an understanding of the subsurface is increasingly important to provide renewable energy sources such as geothermal energy. To validate our understanding of the subsurface we require data. However, the data are usually not distributed equally and introduce a potential misinterpretation of the subsurface. Therefore, in this study we investigate the influence of measurements on temperature distribution in the European Alps.
Steffen Ahlers, Andreas Henk, Tobias Hergert, Karsten Reiter, Birgit Müller, Luisa Röckel, Oliver Heidbach, Sophia Morawietz, Magdalena Scheck-Wenderoth, and Denis Anikiev
Saf. Nucl. Waste Disposal, 1, 163–164, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-163-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/sand-1-163-2021, 2021
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Short summary
The study presented in this paper aims at reproducing findings from chemical and isotopic groundwater sample analysis along with quantifying the influence of regional (cross-boundary) flow for the area of Berlin, Germany. For this purpose we built 3-D models of the subsurface, populating them with material parameters (e.g. porosity, permeability) and solving them for coupled fluid and heat transport. Special focus was given to the setup of boundary conditions, i.e. fixed pressure at the sides.
The study presented in this paper aims at reproducing findings from chemical and isotopic...