Dynamic scaling of the interface in two-phase viscous flows in porous media

Abstract

The time evolution and geometry of rough interfaces observed in experiments on immiscible displacement of viscous fluids in porous media are analysed using the concepts of dynamic scaling and self-affine fractal geometry. The authors find that the development of the interface is governed by dynamic scaling and they have determined the corresponding surface exponents alpha and beta . The values of the exponents calculated for the experimental patterns are different from those obtained for a variety of two-dimensional models of marginally stable interfaces.