Skip to main content
Journal cover image

A dynamical system approach to soil salinity and sodicity

Publication ,  Journal Article
Mau, Y; Porporato, A
Published in: Advances in Water Resources
September 1, 2015

Soil salinity and sodicity impose severe constrains to agriculture, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, where good-quality water for irrigation is scarce. While detailed models have been proposed in the past to describe the dynamics of salt and sodium in the soil, they typically require cumbersome calculations and are not amenable to theoretical analysis. Here we present an analytical model for the dynamics of salinity and sodicity in the root zone. We determine the dependence of steady-state salinity and sodicity levels on irrigation water quality and derive the trajectories in the phase space. The only stationary solution the equations admit is a stable node. Through numerical integration and analysis of the eigenvalues of the derived two-dimensional system of equations, the slower time scale associated with sodification is quantified with respect to the faster time scale associated to salinization. The role of different cation exchange equations (Gapon and Vanselow conventions) are shown to be practically the same with regard to the phase-space dynamics and the time scales. The results can be applied in controlling for low levels of salinity and sodicity, and in planning remediation strategies that are timely and economical.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Advances in Water Resources

DOI

ISSN

0309-1708

Publication Date

September 1, 2015

Volume

83

Start / End Page

68 / 76

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Engineering
  • 4901 Applied mathematics
  • 4005 Civil engineering
  • 3707 Hydrology
  • 0907 Environmental Engineering
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0102 Applied Mathematics
 

Citation

APA
Chicago
ICMJE
MLA
NLM
Mau, Y., & Porporato, A. (2015). A dynamical system approach to soil salinity and sodicity. Advances in Water Resources, 83, 68–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.05.010
Mau, Y., and A. Porporato. “A dynamical system approach to soil salinity and sodicity.” Advances in Water Resources 83 (September 1, 2015): 68–76. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.05.010.
Mau Y, Porporato A. A dynamical system approach to soil salinity and sodicity. Advances in Water Resources. 2015 Sep 1;83:68–76.
Mau, Y., and A. Porporato. “A dynamical system approach to soil salinity and sodicity.” Advances in Water Resources, vol. 83, Sept. 2015, pp. 68–76. Scopus, doi:10.1016/j.advwatres.2015.05.010.
Mau Y, Porporato A. A dynamical system approach to soil salinity and sodicity. Advances in Water Resources. 2015 Sep 1;83:68–76.
Journal cover image

Published In

Advances in Water Resources

DOI

ISSN

0309-1708

Publication Date

September 1, 2015

Volume

83

Start / End Page

68 / 76

Related Subject Headings

  • Environmental Engineering
  • 4901 Applied mathematics
  • 4005 Civil engineering
  • 3707 Hydrology
  • 0907 Environmental Engineering
  • 0905 Civil Engineering
  • 0102 Applied Mathematics