Final answer:
A contaminant plume is the shape of contamination in an aquifer following the flow of groundwater. The movement of the plume, or plume front, disperses pollutants and can be analyzed by hydrological transport models. The plume edge is the advancing boundary that may affect water supplies.
Step-by-step explanation:
A term given to the shape of contamination as it follows the flow of groundwater is known as a contaminant plume. When pollutants are released to the ground, they can make their way down into groundwater, creating a contaminant plume within an aquifer. As groundwater generally flows from areas of higher elevation to lower elevation, the plume's movement, known as the plume front, can disperse the pollutants over a wider area. This movement can be analyzed through hydrological transport models to understand how the contamination will spread.
Containment and remediation of such pollution are challenging due to the movement of groundwater, which carries pollutants through the underground layers, potentially impacting groundwater wells, surface waters, and ecosystems. The advancing boundary of the contaminant plume, often termed the plume edge, can intersect with groundwater wells or surface water, rendering water supplies unsafe.