The Hidden Hydrogeosphere: The Contribution of Deep Groundwater to the Planetary Water Cycle
Barbara Sherwood Lollar,
Oliver Warr,
Peter M. Higgins
Abstract:The canonical water cycle assumes that all water entering the subsurface to form groundwater eventually reenters the surface water cycle by discharge to lakes, streams, and oceans. Recent discoveries in groundwater dating have challenged that understanding. Here we introduce a new conceptual framework that includes the large volume of water that is estimated to account for 30–46% of the planet's groundwater but that is not yet incorporated in the traditional water cycle. This immense hidden hydrogeosphere has … Show more
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