Prof. Aaron I. Packman from Northwestern University, United States, paid a visit to the Institute of Mountain Hazards & Environment (IMHE), CAS, on 4th July, 2013.

Accompanied by Prof. Tang Xiangyu from the institute’s CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Surface Processes & Ecological Regulation, Prof. Aaron Packman visited Yanting Agro-ecological Experimental Station of Purple Soil for a field excursion to the multi-scale monitoring system for hydrologic and contaminant transport processes in Wan’an catchment of the middle hilly area in Sichuan.The two sides exchanged views on the state-of-the-art techniques for investigating colloid transport in geologic media as well as the mechanisms for colloid-mediated transport of contaminants through various preferential pathways.

Prof. Xiangyu Tang introduced Yanting Agro-ecological Experimental Station of Purple Soil to Prof. Aaron Packman. (Picture by IMHE)

Prof. Aaron Packman delivered a lecture entitled “Linking solute and fine particle dynamics between terrestrial and aquatic systems”. After his presentation, IMHE researchers and students had heated diccussions about coupling of sediment transport with hydrologic model, the development of relevant models for colloid and colloid-faciliatedcontaminant transport, as well as issues related to model validation and application at multiple scales.Prof. Tang Xiangyu and Prof. Packman discussed further on the possibility of joint research on the related issues in the future.

The research focus of Prof. Aaron I. Packmanis on the analysis and modeling of environmental transport processesof reactive substances under complex hydrodynamic conditions that integrates fluid mechanics, aquatic chemistryand environmental microbiology. Target substances include an extraordinarily diverse range of substances, e.g., conservative tracers, dissolved contaminants (e.g., metals), natural suspended sediments, particulate contaminants (e.g., mine tailings), and pathogenic microorganisms.To find out more, please visit http://www.civil.northwestern.edu/people/packman/Main.htm.