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Salt Glacier Flow (2D): Halokinesis & Rain Dissolution Balance

A viscous-flow cross-section of an extrusive salt glacier: a diapir vent feeds a spreading halite tongue whose length settles where continuous supply from depth balances surface dissolution by rain.

Geology & Earth Science2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

This 2D companion solves a thin-layer viscous gravity-current equation for a salt tongue extruded from a vent on a slope, the same lubrication physics used for lava domes and ice glaciers. Unlike ice, the salt loses mass mainly to rain dissolution rather than melting, so its steady length is set by the balance between deep supply and surface dissolution — adjust the four sliders to push the tongue into advance, retreat, or equilibrium.

⚙ Under the hood

Explicit finite-difference solver for ∂h/∂t = -∂/∂x[D·h³·∂h/∂x] + extrusion − dissolution, a nonlinear diffusion (lubrication) model driven by gravity resolved along the slope.

salt glacierhalokinesisviscous flowgravity currentdissolutiondiapir

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install