Velocity and celerity dynamics at plot scale inferred from artificial tracing experiments and time-lapse ERT

Scaini, Anna; Audebert, Marine; Hissler, Christophe; Fenicia, Fabrizio; Laurent, Gautier; Pfister, Laurent; Beven, Keith

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2016.12.035

Cited by 46 publications

(60 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…During this conventional unsaturated subsurface flow, the fresh conductive water (blue) replaced the old resistive water (red) in the pores of the sand. This water displacement phenomenon was also discussed in several hydrogeophysical studies using natural or artificial tracers (e.g., Garré et al, 2010; Koestel et al, 2008; Scaini et al, 2017; Singha and Gorelick, 2005). The increase of water ER over time in the bottom of the FCL (Fig.…”

Section: Analysis and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

“…This conceptual model is consistent with water and bulk ER spatiotemporal variations observed by both point‐measurement sensors and ERT monitoring. Several studies also used ERT monitoring of tracer infiltration to propose conceptual models describing the observed hydrogeological processes (e.g., Hübner et al, 2017; Scaini et al, 2017; Slater et al, 2000). However, this conceptual model remains qualitative and could be refined by using a smaller electrode spacing to increase spatial resolution of ERT monitoring following the example of Hübner et al (2017).…”

Section: Analysis and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Three‐Dimensional Time‐Lapse Geoelectrical Monitoring of Water Infiltration in an Experimental Mine Waste Rock Pile

Dimech

Chouteau

Aubertin

et al. 2019

Vadose Zone Journal

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Core Ideas 3D time‐lapse ERT is used to monitor water infiltration for mining environmental issues. Geoelectrical images provide information where no hydrogeological data is available. Water resistivity must be taken into account to understand bulk resistivity variations. Electrical resistivity of water is used as a tracer to reconstruct water infiltration. Infiltration model integrating both hydrogeological and geophysical data is proposed. Open‐pit mines often generate large quantities of waste rocks that are usually stored in waste rock piles (WRPs). When the waste rocks contain reactive minerals (mainly sulfides), water and air circulation can lead to the generation of contaminated drainage. An experimental WRP was built at the Lac Tio mine (Canada) to validate a new disposal method that aims to limit water infiltration into reactive waste rocks. More specifically, a flow control layer was placed on top of the pile, which represents a typical bench level, to divert water toward the outer edge. Hydrogeological sensors and geophysical electrodes were installed for monitoring moisture distribution in the pile during infiltration events. A three‐dimensional (3D) time‐lapse hydrogeophysical monitoring program was conducted to assess water infiltration and movement. Readings from the 192 circular electrodes buried in the WRP were used to reconstruct the 3D bulk electrical resistivity (ER) variations over time. A significant effort was devoted to assessing the spatiotemporal evolution of water ER because the bulk ER is strongly affected by water quality (and content). The water ER was used as a tracer to monitor the infiltration and flow of resistive and conductive waters. The results indicate that the inclined surface layer efficiently diverts a large part of the added water away from the core of the pile. Local and global models of water infiltration explaining both bulk and water ER variations are proposed. The results shown here are consistent with hydrogeological data and provide additional insights to characterize the behavior of the pile.

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Section: Analysis and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 75%

Section: Analysis and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Three‐Dimensional Time‐Lapse Geoelectrical Monitoring of Water Infiltration in an Experimental Mine Waste Rock Pile

Dimech

Chouteau

Aubertin

et al. 2019

Vadose Zone Journal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…New datasets that combine tracer data and hydrograph information are needed to improve our understanding of controls on transit times and transit time distributions (McDonnell and Beven, 2014;Klaus et al, 2015). An example of such a new dataset is the study of Scaini et al (2017) that demonstrated the need to combine the analysis of tracer velocities and wave or wetting front celerities to understand hillslope flow dynamics.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A sprinkling experiment to quantify celerity–velocity differences at the hillslope scale

Verseveld

Barnard

Graham³

et al. 2017

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. Few studies have quantified the differences between celerity and velocity of hillslope water flow and explained the processes that control these differences. Here, we asses these differences by combining a 24-day hillslope sprinkling experiment with a spatially explicit hydrologic model analysis. We focused our work on Watershed 10 at the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest in western Oregon. Celerities estimated from wetting front arrival times were generally much faster than average vertical velocities of δ 2 H. In the model analysis, this was consistent with an identifiable effective porosity (fraction of total porosity available for mass transfer) parameter, indicating that subsurface mixing was controlled by an immobile soil fraction, resulting in the attenuation of the δ 2 H input signal in lateral subsurface flow. In addition to the immobile soil fraction, exfiltrating deep groundwater that mixed with lateral subsurface flow captured at the experimental hillslope trench caused further reduction in the δ 2 H input signal. Finally, our results suggest that soil depth variability played a significant role in the celerityvelocity responses. Deeper upslope soils damped the δ 2 H input signal, while a shallow soil near the trench controlled the δ 2 H peak in lateral subsurface flow response. Simulated exit time and residence time distributions with our hillslope hydrologic model showed that water captured at the trench did not represent the entire modeled hillslope domain; the exit time distribution for lateral subsurface flow captured at the trench showed more early time weighting.

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“…From all applied geophysical techniques ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is known as the tool providing the highest spatial and temporal resolution. GPR provides information on subsurface structures at minimal invasive cost (e.g., Lambot et al, 2008;Bradford et al, 2009;Jol, 2009;Schmelzbach et al, 2011Schmelzbach et al, , 2012Steelman et al, 2012). Its short measurement times and high sensitivity towards soil moisture predestine GPR for monitoring subsurface flow processes.…”

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confidence: 99%

Form and function in hillslope hydrology: characterization of subsurface flow based on response observations

Angermann

Jackisch

Allroggen

et al. 2017

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. The phrase form and function was established in architecture and biology and refers to the idea that form and functionality are closely correlated, influence each other, and co-evolve. We suggest transferring this idea to hydrological systems to separate and analyze their two main characteristics: their form, which is equivalent to the spatial structure and static properties, and their function, equivalent to internal responses and hydrological behavior. While this approach is not particularly new to hydrological field research, we want to employ this concept to explicitly pursue the question of what information is most advantageous to understand a hydrological system. We applied this concept to subsurface flow within a hillslope, with a methodological focus on function: we conducted observations during a natural storm event and followed this with a hillslope-scale irrigation experiment. The results are used to infer hydrological processes of the monitored system. Based on these findings, the explanatory power and conclusiveness of the data are discussed. The measurements included basic hydrological monitoring methods, like piezometers, soil moisture, and discharge measurements. These were accompanied by isotope sampling and a novel application of 2-D time-lapse GPR (ground-penetrating radar). The main finding regarding the processes in the hillslope was that preferential flow paths were established quickly, despite unsaturated conditions. These flow paths also caused a detectable signal in the catchment response following a natural rainfall event, showing that these processes are relevant also at the catchment scale. Thus, we conclude that response observations (dynamics and patterns, i.e., indicators of function) were well suited to describing processes at the observational scale. Especially the use of 2-D time-lapse GPR measurements, providing detailed subsurface response patterns, as well as the combination of stream-centered and hillslope-centered approaches, allowed us to link processes and put them in a larger context. Transfer to other scales beyond observational scale and generalizations, however, rely on the knowledge of structures (form) and remain speculative. The complementary approach with a methodological focus on form (i.e., structure exploration) is presented and discussed in the companion paper by Jackisch et al. (2017).

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Velocity and celerity dynamics at plot scale inferred from artificial tracing experiments and time-lapse ERT

Cited by 46 publications

References 63 publications

Three‐Dimensional Time‐Lapse Geoelectrical Monitoring of Water Infiltration in an Experimental Mine Waste Rock Pile

Three‐Dimensional Time‐Lapse Geoelectrical Monitoring of Water Infiltration in an Experimental Mine Waste Rock Pile

A sprinkling experiment to quantify celerity–velocity differences at the hillslope scale

Form and function in hillslope hydrology: characterization of subsurface flow based on response observations

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