Theory 34/Salt flats/Rate lens
Crust Grows at Evaporation Rate
The claim
Salt crust growth rate is set by evaporation rate relative to inflow, not by brine concentration.
01Mechanism
Evaporation concentrates brine until minerals precipitate; the rate of concentration sets how fast the crust thickens.
02Prediction
Growth should track the rate balance.
03Refutation
Growth tracking concentration would remove evaporation.