Direct estimation of groundwater solute concentrations from geophysical tomograms has been only moderately successful because (1) reconstructed tomograms are often highly uncertain and subject to ...inversion artifacts, (2) the range of subsurface conditions represented in data sets is incomplete because of the paucity of colocated well or core data and aquifer heterogeneity, and (3) geophysical methods exhibit spatially variable sensitivity. We show that electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) can be used to estimate groundwater solute concentrations if a relation between concentration and inverted resistivity is used to deal quantitatively with these issues. We use numerical simulation of solute transport and electrical current flow to develop these relations, which we call “apparent” petrophysical relations. They provide the connection between concentration, or local resistivity, and inverted resistivity, which is measured at the field scale based on ERT for media containing ionic solute. The apparent petrophysical relations are applied to tomograms of electrical resistivity obtained from field measurements of resistance from cross‐well ERT to create maps of tracer concentration. On the basis of synthetic and field cases we demonstrate that tracer mass and concentration estimates obtained using these apparent petrophysical relations are far better than those obtained using direct application of Archie's law applied to three‐dimensional tomograms from ERT, which gives severe underestimates.
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Two major barriers hinder the holistic understanding of subsurface critical zone (CZ) evolution and its impacts: (a) an inability to measure, define, and share information and (b) a societal ...structure that inhibits inclusivity and creativity. In contrast to the aboveground portion of the CZ, which is visible and measurable, the bottom boundary is difficult to access and quantify. In the context of these barriers, we aim to expand the spatial reach of the CZ by highlighting existing and effective tools for research as well as the “human reach” of CZ science by expanding who performs such science and who it benefits. We do so by exploring the diversity of vocabularies and techniques used in relevant disciplines, defining terminology, and prioritizing research questions that can be addressed. Specifically, we explore geochemical, geomorphological, geophysical, and ecological measurements and modeling tools to estimate CZ base and thickness. We also outline the importance of and approaches to developing a diverse CZ workforce that looks like and harnesses the creativity of the society it serves, addressing historical legacies of exclusion. Looking forward, we suggest that to grow CZ science, we must broaden the physical spaces studied and their relationships with inhabitants, measure the “deep” CZ and make data accessible, and address the bottlenecks of scaling and data‐model integration. What is needed—and what we have tried to outline—are common and fundamental structures that can be applied anywhere and used by the diversity of researchers involved in investigating and recording CZ processes from a myriad of perspectives.
Plain Language Summary
The “critical zone” is the zone of the Earth from treetops to belowground water. It is where crops are grown, water is drawn for drinking and industry, and waste generated by humans ends up. Understanding how deep this section of the Earth is, and how it is changing, is key to being able to determine how impactful changes in land use or climate will be to human systems. That said, it is difficult to get below‐ground information, and scientists in different subfields of the Earth sciences define the depth of the critical zone differently. Here, we describe the tools and language we use to make those decisions. We also note that Earth scientists are not a diverse group, which means we miss out on the ideas, solutions, and impacts that those from historically excluded groups might have to address the big problems humans must solve. To advance critical zone science, we need to broaden the physical areas we study, access to these sites, and the inclusion and sense of belonging of people studying them. We also need to measure deep into the Earth where we can, make our data accessible, and tackle scientific obstacles in integrating data and models.
Key Points
CZ depth is defined by multiple processes key to human existence, yet is undermeasured and thus poorly understood
Scientific jargon can make defining and communicating CZ processes difficult to stakeholders and even scientists in other fields
Legacies in western science, upon which CZ science is based, can be countered to promote progress in the Earth sciences
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•The model simulation and ER inversion EC results are compared.•The size of the saline tracer plume is not reliably estimated in inversions.•Stream size and injection design control the ability of ER ...to resolve tracer transport.
An increasing number of studies have combined saline tracer injections with time-lapse electrical resistivity (ER) surveys to explore solute exchange within the hyporheic zone. The reliability and resolution of ER surveys of the hyporheic zone are rarely discussed. Here, we use a numerical modeling approach to assess how ER imaging resolves changes in saline tracer concentration within the hyporheic zone given different synthetic scenarios. We create a 3-D synthetic stream and surrounding hyporheic zone with an ER electrode transect and solve the coupled equations for porous fluid flow and solute transport. Then, we solve for the 3-D conduction of current between electrodes to create synthetic time-lapse ER surveys and invert the simulated resistances to obtain 2-D bulk electrical conductivity (σb) images perpendicular to the stream, which we compare with the known synthetic σb fields. The σb fields in the inversion generally capture the shape of the simulated σb fields, but with smoothing and artifacts as a function of the inversion process. Consequently, the calculated cross-sectional area of tracer plume is inaccurate. At inversion pixels beneath the stream, the accuracy of the inverted σb breakthrough curves when compared to the synthetic “truth” varies with stream size, pixel depth, and to a lesser extent injection time. The tails of these pixel breakthrough curves beneath the stream are consistently underestimated compared to the synthetic “truth,” i.e., σb in the inversions appear to return to background faster by one to six hours. The time series of average apparent bulk electrical conductivity requires no inversion and captures lingering saline tracer better than bulk EC breakthrough curves at individual pixels in the inversions.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Abstract Geophysical methods have long been used in earth and environmental science for the characterization of subsurface properties. While imaging the subsurface opens the “black box” of subsurface ...heterogeneity, we argue here that these tools can be used in a more powerful way than characterization, which is to develop and test hypotheses. Critical zone science has opened new questions and hypotheses in the hydrologic sciences holistically around controls on water fluxes between surface, biological, and underground compartments. While groundwater flows can be monitored in boreholes, water fluxes from the atmosphere to the aquifer through the soil and the root system are more complex to study than boreholes can inform upon. Here, we focus on the successful application of various geophysical tools to explore hypotheses in critical zone hydrogeology and highlight areas where future contributions could be made. Specifically, we look at questions around subsurface structural controls on flow, the dimensionality and partitioning of those flows in the subsurface, plant water uptake, and how geophysics may be used to constrain reactive transport. We also outline areas of future research that may push the boundaries of how geophysical methods are used to quantify critical zone complexity. This article is categorized under: Water and Life > Nature of Freshwater Ecosystems Science of Water > Hydrological Processes Water and Life > Methods
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Bicontinuum models and rate‐limited mass transfer (RLMT) explain complex transport behavior (e.g., long tailing and rebound) in heterogeneous geologic media, but experimental verification is ...problematic because geochemical samples represent the mobile component of the pore space. Here, we present geophysical evidence of RLMT at the field scale during an aquifer‐storage and recovery experiment in a fractured limestone aquifer in Charleston, South Carolina. We observe a hysteretic relation between measurements of pore‐fluid conductivity and bulk electrical conductivity; this hysteresis contradicts advective‐dispersive transport and the standard petrophysical model relating pore‐fluid and bulk conductivity, but can be explained by considering bicontinuum transport models that include first‐order RLMT. Using a simple numerical model, we demonstrate that geoelectrical measurements are sensitive to bicontinuum transport and RLMT parameters, which are otherwise difficult to infer from direct, hydrologic measurements.
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Recent work indicates that processes controlling solute mass transfer between mobile and less mobile domains in porous media may be quantified by combining electrical geophysical methods and ...electrically conductive tracers. Whereas direct geochemical measurements of solute preferentially sample the mobile domain, electrical geophysical methods are sensitive to changes in bulk electrical conductivity (bulk EC) and therefore sample EC in both the mobile and immobile domains. Consequently, the conductivity difference between direct geochemical samples and remotely sensed electrical geophysical measurements may provide an indication of mass transfer rates and mobile and immobile porosities in situ. Here we present (1) an overview of a theoretical framework for determining parameters controlling mass transfer with electrical resistivity in situ; (2) a review of a case study estimating mass transfer processes in a pilot‐scale aquifer storage recovery test; and (3) an example application of this method for estimating mass transfer in watershed settings between streams and the hyporheic corridor. We demonstrate that numerical simulations of electrical resistivity studies of the stream/hyporheic boundary can help constrain volumes and rates of mobile‐immobile mass transfer. We conclude with directions for future research applying electrical geophysics to understand field‐scale transport in aquifer and fluvial systems subject to rate‐limited mass transfer.
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Although changes in bulk electrical conductivity (σb) in aquifers have been attributed to microbial activity, σb has never been used to infer biogeochemical reaction rates quantitatively. To explore ...the use of electrical conductivity to measure reaction rates, we conducted iron oxide reduction experiments of increasing biological complexity. To quantify reaction rates, we propose composite reactions that incorporate the stoichiometry of five different types of reactions: redox, acid‐base, sorption, dissolution/precipitation, and biosynthesis. In batch experiments and the early stages of a column experiment, such reaction stoichiometries inferred from a few chemical measurements allowed quantification of the Fe oxide reduction rate based on changes in electrical conductivity. The relationship between electrical conductivity and fluid chemistry did not hold during the latter stages of the column experiment when σb increased while fluid chemistry remained constant. Growth of an electrically conductive biofilm could possibly explain this late stage σb increase. The measured σb increase is consistent with a model proposed by analogy from percolation theory that attributes the increased conductivity to growth of biofilms with conductivity of ∼5.5 S m−1 in at least 3% of the column pore space. This work demonstrates that measurements of σb and flow rate, combined with a few direct chemical measurements, can be used to quantify biogeochemical reaction rates in controlled laboratory situations and may be able to detect the presence of biofilms. This approach may help in designing future field experiments to interpret biogeochemical reactivity from conductivity measurements.
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•Integrating ERT with the RTM enables quantitative monitoring of ISCO.•ERT alone is limited in capturing the spatio-temporal evolution of the oxidant.•Incorporating both concentration and electrical ...conductivity data improves ISCO monitoring.
Successful in situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) applications require real-time monitoring to assess the oxidant delivery and treatment effectiveness, and to support rapid and cost-effective decision making. Existing monitoring methods often suffer from poor spatial coverage given a limited number of boreholes in most field conditions. The ionic nature of oxidants (e.g., permanganate) makes time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) a potential monitoring tool for ISCO. However, time-lapse ERT is usually limited to qualitative analysis because it cannot distinguish between the electrical responses of the ionic oxidant and the ionic products from contaminant oxidation. This study proposed a real-time quantitative monitoring approach for ISCO by integrating time-lapse ERT and physics-based reactive transport models (RTM). Moving past common practice, where an electrical-conductivity anomaly in an ERT survey would be roughly linked to concentrations of anything ionic, we used PHT3D as our RTM to distinguish the contributions from the ionic oxidant and the ionic products and to quantify the spatio-temporal evolution of all chemical components. The proposed approach was evaluated through laboratory column experiments for trichloroethene (TCE) remediation. This ISCO experiment was monitored by both time-lapse ERT and downstream sampling. We found that changes in inverted bulk electrical conductivity, unsurprisingly, did not correlate well with the observed permanganate concentrations due to the ionic products. By integrating time-lapse ERT and RTM, the distribution of all chemical components was satisfactorily characterized and quantified. Measured concentration data from limited locations and the non-intrusive ERT data were found to be complementary for ISCO monitoring. The inverted bulk conductivity data were effective in capturing the spatial distribution of ionic species, while the concentration data provided information regarding dissolved TCE. Through incorporating multi-source data, the error of quantifying ISCO efficiency was kept at most 5 %, compared to errors that can reach up to 68 % when relying solely on concentration data.
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The subsurface processes that mediate the connection between evapotranspiration and groundwater within forested hillslopes are poorly defined. Here, we investigate the origin of diel signals in ...unsaturated soil water, groundwater, and stream stage on three forested hillslopes in the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in western Oregon, USA, during the summer of 2017, and assess how the diurnal signal in evapotranspiration (ET) is transferred through the hillslope and into these stores. There was no evidence of diel fluctuations in upslope groundwater wells, suggesting that tree water uptake in upslope areas does not directly contribute to the diel signal observed in near‐stream groundwater and streamflow. The water table in upslope areas resided within largely consolidated bedrock, which was overlain by highly fractured unsaturated bedrock. These subsurface characteristics inhibited formation of diel signals in groundwater and impeded the transfer of diel signals in soil moisture to groundwater because (1) the bedrock where the water table resides limited root penetration and (2) the low unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of the highly fractured rock weakened the hydraulic connection between groundwater and soil/rock moisture. Transpiration‐driven diel fluctuations in groundwater were limited to near‐stream areas but were not ubiquitous in space and time. The depth to the groundwater table and the geologic structure at that depth likely dictated rooting depth and thus controlled where and when the transpiration‐driven diel fluctuations were apparent in riparian groundwater. This study outlines the role of hillslope hydrogeology and its influence on the translation of evapotranspiration and soil moisture fluctuations to groundwater and stream fluctuations.
Plain Language Summary
In many groundwater‐fed streams, tree water uptake can create daily fluctuations in streamflow. The lowest value in these fluctuations, occurring during the afternoon or early evening, typically correspond to the maximum tree water uptake, while the peaks correspond to minimum tree water uptake during the night. The presence of these fluctuations in streamflow suggests that trees and streams are closely connected; however, because of limited access to the subsurface it is difficult to determine how these fluctuations propagate through the hillslope and into the stream. We found that trees in upslope areas rely on soil water that is hydraulically disconnected from groundwater, and thus fluctuations from transpiration are not transferred to groundwater and the stream from upslope. The creation of daily fluctuations in groundwater was limited to near‐stream areas. By identifying the physical processes that control the expression of these transpiration signals, we can improve our ability to determine the water reservoirs that trees rely on.
Key Points
Upslope groundwater data do not show diel fluctuations, suggesting that upslope vegetation does not contribute to streamflow fluctuations
Transpiration‐driven diel fluctuations in near‐stream groundwater vary spatially due to changes in estimated bedrock permeability and depth to groundwater
Amplitudes of diel fluctuations in near‐stream groundwater increase through the summer, as trees increase use as soil water decreases
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