This project supports a collaborative research project by V.S. Manoranjan with two scientists from Sri Lanka, Dr. K. Tennakone, Department of Physical and Chemical Sciences, and Dr. E.I.L. Silva, Department of Environmental Studies, at The Institute of Fundamental Studies in Kandy, Sri Lanka. They plan to conduct an exploratory study of the problem of groundwater and surface water contamination, especially with nitrate and phosphorus pollution, from chemical fertilizers. The study will employ mathematical models in conjunction with laboratory measurements and field observations. The models will be constructed to describe the movement of contaminants in soil and water bodies, and will be validated using laboratory and field experimental data that will be obtained in Sri Lanka. These models will be employed in predicting phosphate/nitrate leaching, especially where measurements are difficult to conduct. Scope: This project supports collaboration of a U.S. applied mathematician with physical and environmental scientists in Sri Lanka, to develop and test a model for an environmental problem that impacts many of the developing countries as well as the United States. The pollution of ground water by leaching of fertilizers affects many of the water supply sources and leads to serious environmental deterioration as well as to human health problems. The collaboration helps scientists in the United States by having access to data collected in field studies in foreign countries by the foreign scientists, and helps the Sri Lankan scientists by having access to advanced analytical modeling techniques and to high computing facilities in the United States. It is being funded jointly by INT and the Division of Mathematical Sciences.
