The mechanism of unsaturated flow through a volcanic ash layer under humid climatic conditions

It is very interesting and meaningful to investigate the rainfall-groundwater recharge process under the humid climatic condition of Japan, where mean annual precipitation is about 1600 mm. The present study has investigated soil water movement in the unsaturated zones of a volcanic ash layer, called the ‘Kanto Loam formation’, using environmental tritium as a tracer. The site selected is a flat ground surface on a terraced upland which has a deep unsaturated zone (about 20 m) with a relatively high water content (about 70 per cent) consisting of nearly uniform Kanto Loam formation. The tritium concentrations in groundwater, soil waters having different matric potentials, precipitation, and the seepage water moving through the formation into a man-made cave were measured to characterize the rainfall-groundwater recharge process and the effect of large pore spaces in the formation mentioned by previous studies. Because of the humid climate of Japan, there appears to be a unique soil water flow characteristic which may involve percolation through large pore spaces during heavy rainfall. However, in a fine grained and high water content soil like the Kanto Loam formation, the existence of this flow through large pore spaces does not have a significant effect upon the whole recharge process. The recharge model of displacement flow with dispersion is useful in estimating the tritium concentration profile of soil water. The calculated result shows a recharge rate of 2.5 mm/day. The value obtained reflects the hydrological characteristics of the uplands covered with volcanic ash.     

The significance of flow in the matrix of the Chalk unsaturated zone

The significance of flow in the matrix of the Chalk unsaturated zone, in comparison with flow in fractures, has been the subject of much debate. In this article, important elements of the literature are discussed in detail and several simple modelling analyses based on steady-state flow are presented. A study of the sensitivity of solute spreading to fracture spacing in models that ignore matrix flow shows that this latter assumption is generally incompatible with observed solute profiles, unless unrealistically small fracture spacings are assumed. The effect of air phase continuities (e.g. bedding planes) on matrix flow has also been examined. These discontinuities are frequently interrupted by points of connectivity between matrix blocks. An issue therefore is the relationship between connectivity and its effect on inter-block conductance. A simple analysis of the Laplace equation shows that just 1% connectivity represents an effective pathway equivalent to 18% of the local rock hydraulic conductivity. Obviously, when there is no fracture flow, solute spreading is significantly reduced. However, dual permeability model simulations show that matrix flow reduces solute spreading in the presence of persistent fracture flow. All of the above studies suggest that flow in the matrix of the Chalk unsaturated zone is significant and that ignoring it may result in a serious misunderstanding of the system.     

Nonequilibrium statistical mechanical derivation of a nonlocal Darcy's Law for unsaturated/saturated flow

As illustrated variously by wetting and drying scanning curves, flow in unsaturated porous media is inherently nonlocal. This nonlocality is also manifest in hysteresis in the classical Darcy conductivity. It is the authors' belief that most current theories of unsaturated/saturated flow are often inadequate, as they do not account for spatial nonlocality and memory. Here we provide a fundamental theory in which nonlocality of the flow constitutive theory is a natural consequence of force balances. The results are derived from general principles in statistical physics and under appropriate limiting conditions, the classical Darcy's Law is recovered for saturated flow. A notable departure in this theory from other nonlocal flow theories is that a classical Darcy type equation on a small scale need not exist.     

Hydraulics of a partially penetrating well with skin zone in a confined aquifer

A steady/quasi-steady model is developed for predicting flow into a partially penetrating well with skin zone in a confined aquifer overlying an impervious layer. The model takes into account flow through the bottom of the wellbore, finite skin thickness and finite horizontal and vertical extent of the aquifer. Moreover, the solution can be easily extended to include the mixed-type boundary condition at the well face, where a Dirichlet in the form of a specified hydraulic head and a Neumann in the form of zero flux coexist at the same time at different portions of the well face. The validity of the proposed solution is tested by comparing a few results obtained from the developed model with corresponding results obtained by analytical and numerical means. The study shows that, among other factors remaining constant, both the horizontal and vertical extent of an artesian aquifer, thickness of the skin zone, bottom flow and conductivity contrast of the skin and formation zones, play an important part in deciding flow to a well dug in the aquifer, and hence these factors must be considered while analyzing the problem. The model proposed here can be used to estimate skin thickness as well as hydraulic conductivities of the skin and formation zones of a well with skin zone in an artesian aquifer underlain by an impervious layer by utilizing pumping test data falling in the steady or quasi-steady state of a typical pumping test. As the proposed solution is of a general nature in the sense that it can handle, apart from partial penetration and bottom flow, the finite size skin zone and finite horizontal and vertical extent of an artesian aquifer together with the mixed-type boundary condition at the well face, it is hoped that the predictions coming out of the model will be more realistic than those obtained using solutions developed with more stringent assumptions.     

The impact of freshwater and wastewater irrigation on the chemistry of shallow groundwater: a case study from the Israeli Coastal Aquifer

Differences in the impact of irrigation with freshwater versus wastewater on the underlying shallow groundwater quality were investigated in the Coastal Aquifer of Israel. Seven research boreholes were drilled to the top-most 3–5 m of the saturated zone (the water table region-WTR) in the agricultural fields. The unsaturated zone and the WTR below the irrigated fields consist mainly of clayey sands, while the main aquifer comprises mainly of calcareous sandstones and sands. We show that the salinity and composition of the groundwater at the WTR are highly variable over a distance of less than 1 km and are controlled by the irrigating water and the processes in the overlying unsaturated zone. Tritium data in this groundwater (4.6 tritium units (TU)) support that these water are modern recharge. The water at the WTR is more saline and has a different chemical composition relative to the overlying irrigation water. High SAR values (sodium adsorption ratio) in wastewater irrigation lead to absorption of Na⁺ onto the clay and release of Ca²⁺ into the recharging water, resulting in low Na/Cl (0.4 compared to 1.2 in the wastewater) and high Ca/Cl ratios. In contrast, in the freshwater-irrigated field the irrigation water pumped from the aquifer (Na/Cl=0.9; SAR=0.6) is modified into Na-rich groundwater (Na/Cl=2.0) due to reverse base-exchange reactions. The high NO₃ concentration (>100 mg/l) in the WTR below both fields is derived from the agricultural activities. In the freshwater field, the source of NO₃ is fertilizer leachates, whereas in the wastewater field, where less fertilizers are applied, nitrate is probably derived from nitrification of the NH₄ in the wastewater. Some of the original inorganic nitrogen in the wastewater is consumed by the agricultural plants, resulting in a lower inorganic-N/Cl ratio in the WTR as compared to that in the wastewater. This study demonstrates the important role of the composition of irrigation water, combined with lithology and land use, in determining the quality of the water that recharge the aquifer below agricultural fields.     

Hydrodynamics of coupled flow above and below a sediment–water interface with triangular bedforms

The hydrodynamics of a system where there is a coupled flow above and below a sediment–water interface (SWI) are not completely understood. We numerically simulate mean two-dimensional, unidirectional, steady, viscous flow in these systems using a sequentially coupled formulation. Simulations were conducted to determine fundamental relationships between bedform geometry, Reynolds number for the water-column flow (Re), interfacial exchange zone depth (d_z) in the sediments, and flux through the SWI (q_int); the latter two parameters play a significant role in biogeochemical and aquatic-life processes across the SWI. d_z and Re are functionally related through an asymptotic growth-curve model while q_int and Re follow a power function. These relationships are dynamically explained by the manner in which pressure gradients along the SWI develop due to current–bedform interactions at different Res and by Darcy’s Law. We found that the coupling between water column and exchange zone flow is controlled by the behavior of the water-column eddy. The eddy detaches at or near the point of minimum pressure along the interface, and reattaches near the point of maximum pressure. These two critical points determine the pressure gradient along the bed surface that controls the exchange zone flow field. Moreover, the reattachment point corresponds to flow divides within the sediments. Lastly, pore-water velocities drop with depth below the SWI, and are larger below the bedform crests than below the troughs.     

2-D elastic FEM simulation on stress state in the deep part of a subducted slab

Introduction Geoscientists concern the explanation of deep focus earthquakes greatly. As a great progress in understanding the formation of deep focus earthquakes, Sung and Burns (1976a, b) proposed that olivine could exist in transition zone in metastable form in the core of some cold subducting slabs, which have got supports from laboratory studies (Rubie, Ross, 1994). Iidaka and Suetsugu (1992) used the seismic data recorded by the dense seismograph networks in Japan to study the travelti…     

2-D viscoelastic FEM simulation on stress state in the deep part of a subducted slab

Introduction It is found that there are some relationships between the thermal structures of subduction zones and the deep seismicity, while the mechanism relates the thermal structure and the deep seismicity is still unsure (Helffrich, Brodholt, 1991; Furukawa, 1994; Kirby, et al, 1996). From 1980s, geoscientists have constituted a series of numerical simulations on the stress states of subduction slabs. Based on the kinetic computation of Sung and Burns (1976a, b), Goto, et al (1983, 1987…     

The effect of low‐permeability fault zones on groundwater flow in a compartmentalized system. Experimental evidence from a carbonate aquifer (Southern Italy)

The hydrogeological behaviour of fault zones in carbonate aquifers is often neglected in conceptual and numerical models. Furthermore, no information is available regarding the relationships between piezometric levels when significant compartmentalization occurs due to the occurrence of low‐flow fault zones. The aim of this study was to refine the conceptualization of subsurface flow in faulted carbonate aquifers and to analyse relationships between sub‐basins within a compartmentalized aquifer system in Southern Italy. The interactions between compartments that straddle low‐flow faults were investigated over four hydrologic years using a statistical approach to compare (i) the hydraulic heads within two wells located up‐ and down‐gradient of tectonic discontinuities as well as (ii) the rainfall and piezometric levels. The results of this study suggest that a set of barriers exists between the wells, and, therefore, the total head loss observed between the wells (approximately 80 m) should be distributed across several aquitards, with one aquitard exhibiting a relatively high permeability or low degree of integrity. Due to slight differences in permeability, transient conditions in aquitards can occur over relatively short periods, which is in agreement with the results of the statistical data analysis. Consequently, rather than being caused by pure aquitards, aquifer system compartmentalization likely results from slight differences in the permeability between lower‐permeability fault zones and adjacent higher‐permeability protoliths. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

水体营养物及其响应指标基准制定过程中建立参照状态的方法——以典型浅水湖泊太湖为例

建立参照状态是水体营养物及其响应指标基准制订的关键性工作,建立参照状态的方法主要有时间参考状态法、空间参考状态法、频率法、沉积物历史反演法和预测或外推模型法等,以我国东部湖区典型水体太湖为例,主要应用频率分析法建立了太湖营养物总氮、总磷及响应指标叶绿素a、塞氏深度基准的参照状态,并用时间参考状态法和沉积物历史反演法进行了总氮和总磷参照状态值的验证,综合研究分析显示太湖营养物总磷、总氮的参照状态值应为0.03mg/L、0.6mg/L;响应指标叶绿素a、塞氏深度的参照状态值应为0.004mg/L、0.70m.研究结果旨在为我国水体营养物及其响应指标基准、标准的研究与制订以及我国水体富营养化的控制提供理论和方法借鉴.     

Using multivariate statistical analysis of groundwater major cation and trace element concentrations to evaluate groundwater flow in a regional aquifer

Groundwater samples were collected from 11 springs in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in southern Nevada and seven springs from Death Valley National Park in eastern California. Concentrations of the major cations (Ca, Mg, Na and K) and 45 trace elements were determined in these groundwater samples. The resultant data were subjected to evaluation via the multivariate statistical technique principal components analysis (PCA), to investigate the chemical relationships between the Ash Meadows and Death Valley spring waters, to evaluate whether the results of the PCA support those of previous hydrogeological and isotopic studies and to determine if PCA can be used to help delineate potential groundwater flow patterns based on the chemical compositions of groundwaters. The results of the PCA indicated that groundwaters from the regional Paleozoic carbonate aquifers (all of the Ash Meadows springs and four springs from the Furnace Creek region of Death Valley) exhibited strong statistical associations, whereas other Death Valley groundwaters were chemically different. The results of the PCA support earlier studies, where potentiometric head levels, δ¹⁸O and δD, geological relationships and rare earth element data were used to evaluate groundwater flow, which suggest groundwater flows from Ash Meadows to the Furnace Creek springs in Death Valley. The PCA suggests that Furnace Creek groundwaters are moderately concentrated Ash Meadows groundwater, reflecting longer aquifer residence times for the Furnace Creek groundwaters. Moreover, PCA indicates that groundwater may flow from springs in the region surrounding Scotty's Castle in Death Valley National Park, to a spring discharging on the valley floor. The study indicates that PCA may provide rapid and relatively cost‐effective methods to assess possible groundwater flow regimes in systems that have not been previously investigated. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Uncertainty analysis of flow velocity estimation by a simplified entropy model

The velocity field in a river flow cross‐sectional area can be determined by applying entropy as done in 1978 by Chiu, who developed a two‐dimensional model of flow velocity based on the knowledge of maximum velocity, u_max, and the dimensionless entropic parameter, characteristic of the river site. This is appealing in the context of discharge monitoring, particularly for high floods, considering that u_max occurs in the upper portion of flow area and can be easily sampled, unlike velocity in the lower portion of flow area. The simplified form of Chiu's entropy‐based velocity model, proposed in 2004 by Moramarco et al., has been found to be reasonably accurate for determining mean flow velocity along each vertical sampled in the flow area, but no uncertainty analysis has been reported for this simplified entropy‐based velocity model. This study, therefore, performed uncertainty analysis of the simplified model following a procedure proposed by Misirli et al. in 2003. The flow velocity measurements at the Rosciano River section along the Chiascio River, central Italy, carried out for a period spanning 20 years were used for this purpose. Results showed that the simplified entropy velocity model was able to provide satisfactory estimates of velocity profiles in the whole flow area and the 95% confidence bands for the computed estimated mean vertical velocity were quite representative of observed values. In addition, using these 95% confidence bands, it was possible to have an indication of the uncertainty in the determination of mean cross‐sectional flow velocity as well. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SH波入射时半圆形凸起地形附近浅埋圆形衬砌结构的动应力分析

本文给出了地下圆形衬砌结构与地面上的半圆形凸起地形对垂直于地面入射的SH波散射问题的解答。方法是将求解区域分割成两部分。其一为包含半圆形凸起地形在内的圆形区域Ⅰ，其二为带有一个半圆形凹陷和一个圆形衬砌结构的弹性半空间Ⅱ，半圆形凹陷部分为其公共边界，在区域Ⅰ和Ⅱ中分别构造其位移解，然后再通过移动坐标，使其满足“公共边界”上的条件和地下衬砌的边界条件，建立起求解该问题的无穷代数方程组。最后，本文给出了算例，并讨论了数值结果，给出了圆形衬砌结构周边上的动应力集中系数变化规律。     

Estimation of irrigation flow by hydrograph analysis in a complex agricultural catchment in subtropical China

Estimating the amount of irrigation water is challenging at the catchment scale because of the difficulties in direct measurement and interactions between the flow components. The objectives of the study were to characterize the catchment flows in an agricultural catchment with an irrigation system in subtropical China and to estimate catchment irrigation flow using hydrograph analysis methods. A weighting model and multiple regression models were established to estimate catchment irrigation outflow according to the hydrographs of the inflows and outflows of the catchment. The multiple regression models took into consideration the drainage time of base flow, resulting in better estimation on an event and annual basis. Using the MR‐6d method, the estimated irrigation outflows amounted to 3700 mm, 2600 mm and 2760 mm during 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively, which covered 70%, 60% and 64% respectively of the total catchment outflows in the corresponding years. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.