CHARACTERISTIC-GALERKIN METHODS FOR CONTAMINANT TRANSPORT WITH NONEQUILIBRIUM ADSORPTION-KINETICS

A procedure based on combining the method of characteristics with a Ga lerkin finite element method is analyzed for approximating reactive tr ansport in groundwater. In particular, equations modeling contaminant transport with nonlinear, nonequilibrium adsorption reactions are cons idered. This phenomenon gives rise to non-Lipschitz but monotone nonli nearities which complicate the analysis. A physical and mathematical d escription of the problem under consideration is given, then the numer ical method is described and a priori error estimates are derived.