scholarly journals Assessing Groundwater Residence Time in a Highly Anthropized Unconfined Aquifer Using Bomb Peak 14C and Reconstructed Irrigation Water 3H

Radiocarbon ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 993-1006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Baudron ◽  
Florent Barbecot ◽  
Marina Gillon ◽  
José Luis García Aróstegui ◽  
Yves Travi ◽  
...  

Radiocarbon decay is rarely used to assess the residence time of modern groundwater due to the low resolution of its long half-life in comparison to the expected range of ages. Nonetheless, the modern 14C peak induced by the nuclear bomb tests traces efficiently the impacts of recent human activities on groundwater recharge, as well as for tritium. A simple lumped parameter model (LPM) was implemented in order to assess the interest of 14C and 3H nuclear peaks in a highly anthropized aquifer system of southeastern Spain under intense agricultural development. It required i) to assess a correction factor for modern 14C activities and ii) to reconstruct the 3H recharge input function, affected by irrigation. In such a complex hydrogeological context, an exponential model did not provide satisfying results for all samples. A better solution was reached by taking into account the qualitative recent variation of the recharge rates into a combined exponential flow and piston flow model. Apart from presenting an uncommon approach for 14C dating of modern groundwater, this study highlights the need of considering not only the variation of the tracer but also the variability of recharge rates in LPMs.

Author(s):  
Aleksandar Josifovic ◽  
Matthew Stickland ◽  
Aldo Iannetti ◽  
Jonathan Corney

A numerical analysis methodology, which demonstrates how a 1D pipework simulation can be enhanced with the results of a 3D CFD simulation of key components, is used to estimate the performance of multi-cylinder Positive Displacement pumps. The procedure uses of a 1-D lumped fluid dynamics model whose accuracy was improved by incorporating CFD analysis of the PD pump valves. The application describes how valve loss co-efficient resulting from CFD analysis was utilised by the lumped parameter model as an input function. The results suggest that the combination of the CFD and lumped parameter approach exceeds the limitations found by Iannetti [1] in modelling the interaction between the pump chambers of a multi-cylinder pump as the simplified lumped parameter approach makes the entire multi-cylinder model affordable in terms of computational power and time required. The results obtained are validated by means of experimental tests the results of which are presented together with the numerical data. An example of the capability of the procedure developed and the support it is able to provide to designers is also presented.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 191
Author(s):  
Sherwan Sh. Qurtas

Recharge estimation accurately is crucial to proper groundwater resource management, for the groundwater is dynamic and replenished natural resource. Usually recharge estimation depends on the; the water balance, water levels, and precipitation. This paper is studying the south-middle part of Erbil basin, with the majority of Quaternary sediments, the unconfined aquifer system is dominant, and the unsaturated zone is ranging from 15 to 50 meters, which groundwater levels response is moderate. The purpose of this study is quantification the natural recharge from precipitation. The water table fluctuation method is applied; using groundwater levels data of selected monitoring wells, neighboring meteorological station of the wells, and the specific yield of the aquifers. This method is widely used for its simplicity, scientific, realistic, and direct measurement. The accuracy depends on the how much the determination of specific yield is accurate, accuracy of the data, and the extrapolations of recession of groundwater levels curves of no rain periods. The normal annual precipitation there is 420 mm, the average recharge is 89 mm, and the average specific yield is around 0.03. The data of one water year of 2009 and 2010 has taken for some technical and accuracy reasons.


1987 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.F. Devlin ◽  
W.A. Gorman

Abstract The Gloucester Landfill is located near Ottawa, Ontario, on a northeast trending ridge of Quaternary age. The ridge comprises outwash sediments which make up two aquifer systems. A confined system exists next to bedrock, and is overlain by a silty-clayey stratum (the confining layer) which is, in turn, overlain by an unconfined aquifer system. Two independent volatile organic plumes have previously been identified at the landfill: the southeast plume, which has penetrated the confined aquifer system, and the northeast plume which is migrating in the unconfined aquifer. The distribution of volatile organic contaminants at the northeast plume site appears to be a function of two factors: (1) heterogeneities in the aquifer sediments are causing the channeling of contaminants through a narrow path; (2) the low fraction of organic carbon in the unconfined aquifer sediments at the northeast site is resulting in little retardation of the contaminants there, relative to those at the southeast site. Acetate was the only volatile fatty acid detected in the leachate. It was measurable only in areas where the volatile organic contamination was significant. Although methane was detected in the contaminated sediments, suggesting that microbial activity was present, the high concentration of acetate (>1000 ppm) which was detected down-gradient from the source area indicates that any biodegradation which is occurring is proceeding at a very slow rate.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 2870-2886
Author(s):  
Mehran Mirramezani ◽  
Shawn C. Shadden

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