A theoretical prediction of salt dome patterns

Abstract

Abstract Z. F. Dane's mathematical formulation of salt dome dynamics was modified to the extent that explicit solutions can be obtained. For both the two-dimensional and three-dimensional model, a formula is derived relating the rate of growth and the wavenumber of a fundamental mode with the physical and geometrical parameters. It is shown that there exists one wavenumber for which the rate of growth reaches a maximum. In time this component will dominate and control the final pattern.