Hydrostatic leakage through a basal seal (source code)

= Hydrostatic leakage through a basal seal
{title2=$\Omega=\lambda\Delta\rho g/(\phi\mu b)$}

A dense <porous gravity current> of height $h$ places excess <hydrostatic pressure> $\Delta\rho gh$ on a basal seal. For seal <permeability of a porous medium> $\lambda$ and thickness $b$, <Darcy law> gives downward flux $\lambda\Delta\rho gh/(\mu b)$. Dividing the stored height-volume balance by <porosity> $\phi$ gives a linear drainage term $-\Omega h$. The coefficient has inverse-time units and does not contain an extra factor of the aquifer permeability.