From Grain to Floodplain: Evaluating heterogeneity of floodplain hydrostatigraphy using sedimentology,geophysics, and remote sensing

Stratigraphy is a fundamental component of floodplain heterogeneity and hydraulic conductivity and connectivity of alluvial aquifers, which affect hydrologic processes such as groundwater flow and hyporheic exchange. Watershed-scale hydrological models commonly simplify the sedimentology and stratigraphy of floodplains, neglecting natural floodplain heterogeneity and anisotropy. This study, conducted in the upper reach of the East River in the East River Basin, Colorado, USA, combines point-, meander-, and floodplain-scale data to determine key features of alluvial aquifers important for estimating hydrologic processes. We compare stratigraphy of two meanders with disparate geometries to explore floodplain heterogeneity and connectivity controls on flow and transport. Meander shape, orientation, and internal stratigraphy affected residence time estimates of laterally exchanged hyporheic water. Although the two meanders share a sediment source, vegetation, and climate, their divergent river migration histories resulted in contrasting meander hydrofacies. In turn, the extent and orientation of these elements controlled the effective hydraulic conductivity and, ultimately, estimates of groundwater transport and hyporheic residence times. Additionally, the meanders’ orientation relative to the valley gradient impacted the hydraulic gradient across the meanders—a key control of groundwater velocity. Lastly, we combine our field data with remotely sensed data and introduce a potential approach to estimate key hydrostratigraphic packages across floodplains. Prospective applications include contaminant transport studies, hyporheic models, and watershed models. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Advancing process‐based watershed hydrological research using near‐surface geophysics: a vision for,and review of,electrical and magnetic geophysical methods

We want to develop a dialogue between geophysicists and hydrologists interested in synergistically advancing process based watershed research. We identify recent advances in geophysical instrumentation, and provide a vision for the use of electrical and magnetic geophysical instrumentation in watershed scale hydrology. The focus of the paper is to identify instrumentation that could significantly advance this vision for geophysics and hydrology during the next 3–5 years. We acknowledge that this is one of a number of possible ways forward and seek only to offer a relatively narrow and achievable vision. The vision focuses on the measurement of geological structure and identification of flow paths using electrical and magnetic methods. The paper identifies instruments, provides examples of their use, and describes how synergy between measurement and modelling could be achieved. Of specific interest are the airborne systems that can cover large areas and are appropriate for watershed studies. Although airborne geophysics has been around for some time, only in the last few years have systems designed exclusively for hydrological applications begun to emerge. These systems, such as airborne electromagnetic (EM) and transient electromagnetic (TEM), could revolutionize hydrogeological interpretations. Our vision centers on developing nested and cross scale electrical and magnetic measurements that can be used to construct a three‐dimensional (3D) electrical or magnetic model of the subsurface in watersheds. The methodological framework assumes a ‘top down’ approach using airborne methods to identify the large scale, dominant architecture of the subsurface. We recognize that the integration of geophysical measurement methods, and data, into watershed process characterization and modelling can only be achieved through dialogue. Especially, through the development of partnerships between geophysicists and hydrologists, partnerships that explore how the application of geophysics can answer critical hydrological science questions, and conversely provide an understanding of the limitations of geophysical measurements and interpretation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

New constraints on a triaxial model of the Galaxy

We determine the most likely values of the free parameters of an N -body model for the Galaxy developed by Fux via a discrete–discrete comparison with the positions on the sky and line-of-sight velocities of an unbiased, homogeneous sample of OH/IR stars. Via Monte Carlo simulation, we find the plausibility of the best-fitting models, as well as the errors on the determined values. The parameters that are constrained best by these projected data are the total mass of the model and the viewing angle of the central bar, although the distribution of the latter has multiple maxima. The other two free parameters, the size of the bar and the (azimuthal) velocity of the Sun, are less well-constrained. The best model has a viewing angle of ∼ 44°, a semimajor axis of 2.5 kpc (corotation radius 4.5 kpc, pattern speed 46 km s⁻¹ kpc⁻¹), a bar mass of 1.7×10¹⁰ M_⊙ and a tangential velocity of the local standard of rest of 171 km s⁻¹. We argue that the lower values that are commonly found from stellar data for the viewing angle (∼25°) arise when too few coordinates are available, when the longitude range is too narrow or when low latitudes are excluded from the fit. The new constraints on the viewing angle of the Galactic bar from stellar line-of-sight velocities decrease further the ability of the distribution of the bar to account for the observed microlensing optical depth toward Baade's window: our model reproduces only half the observed value. The signal of triaxiality diminishes quickly with increasing latitude, fading within approximately 1 scaleheight (≲3°). This suggests that Baade's window is not a very appropriate region in which to sample bar properties.     

Treatment of Arsenic Contaminated Groundwater Using Calcium Impregnated Granular Activated Carbon in a Batch Reactor: Optimization of Process Parameters

This paper is an experimental investigation into the removal of arsenic species from simulated groundwater by adsorption onto Ca²⁺ impregnated granular activated carbon (GAC‐Ca) in the presence of impurities like Fe and Mn. The effects of adsorbent concentration, pH and temperature on the percentage removal of total arsenic (As(T)), As(III) and As(V) have been discussed. Under the experimental conditions, the optimum adsorbent concentration of GAC‐Ca was found to be 8 g/L with an agitation time of 24 h, which reduced As(T) concentration from 188 to 10 μg/L. Maximum removal of As(V) and As(III) was observed in a pH range of 7–11 and 9–11, respectively. Removal of all the above arsenic species decreased slightly with increasing temperature. The presence of Fe and Mn increased the adsorption of arsenic species. Under the experimental conditions at 30°C, the maximum percentage removals of As(T), As(III), As(V), Fe, and Mn were found to be ca. 94.3, 90.6, 98.0, 100 and 63%, respectively. It was also observed that amongst the various regenerating liquids used, a 5 N H₂SO₄ solution exhibited maximum regeneration (ca. 91%) of the spent GAC‐Ca.     

Geostatistical Rock Physics Inversion for Predicting the Spatial Distribution of Porosity and Saturation in the Critical Zone

Mathematical Geosciences - Understanding the subsurface structure and function in the near-surface groundwater system, including fluid flow, geomechanical, and weathering processes, requires...     

Influence of climate on alpine stream chemistry and water sources

The resilience of alpine/subalpine watersheds may be viewed as the resistance of streamflow or stream chemistry to change under varying climatic conditions, which is governed by the relative size (volume) and transit time of surface and subsurface water sources. Here, we use end‐member mixing analysis in Andrews Creek, an alpine stream in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, from water year 1994 to 2015, to explore how the partitioning of water sources and associated hydrologic resilience change in response to climate. Our results indicate that four water sources are significant contributors to Andrews Creek, including snow, rain, soil water, and talus groundwater. Seasonal patterns in source‐water contributions reflected the seasonal hydrologic cycle, which is driven by the accumulation and melting of seasonal snowpack. Flushing of soil water had a large effect on stream chemistry during spring snowmelt, despite making only a small contribution to streamflow volume. Snow had a large influence on stream chemistry as well, contributing large amounts of water with low concentrations of weathering products. Interannual patterns in end‐member contributions reflected responses to drought and wet periods. Moderate and significant correlations exist between annual end‐member contributions and regional‐scale climate indices (the Palmer Drought Severity Index, the Palmer Hydrologic Drought Index, and the Modified Palmer Drought Severity Index). From water year 1994 to 2015, the percent contribution from the talus‐groundwater end member to Andrews Creek increased an average of 0.5% per year (p < 0.0001), whereas the percent contributions from snow plus rain decreased by a similar amount (p = 0.001). Our results show how water and solute sources in alpine environments shift in response to climate variability and highlight the role of talus groundwater and soil water in providing hydrologic resilience to the system.     

Non-parametric reconstruction of cluster mass distribution from strong lensing: modelling Abell 370

We describe a new non-parametric technique for reconstructing the mass distribution in galaxy clusters with strong lensing, i.e. from multiple images of background galaxies. The observed positions and redshifts of the images are considered as rigid constraints, and through the lens (ray-trace) equation they provide us with linear constraint equations. These constraints confine the mass distribution to some allowed region, which is then found by linear programming. Within this allowed region we study in detail the mass distribution with minimum mass-to-light variation, and also some other distributions, such as the smoothest mass distribution.
The method is applied to the extensively studied cluster Abell 370, which hosts a giant luminous arc and several other multiply imaged background galaxies. Our mass maps are constrained by the observed positions and redshifts (spectroscopic or model-inferred by previous authors) of the giant arc and multiple-image systems. The reconstructed maps obtained for Abell 370 reveal a detailed mass distribution, with substructure quite different from the light distribution. The method predicts the bimodal nature of the cluster, and that the projected mass distribution is indeed elongated along the axis defined by the two dominant cD galaxies. However, the peaks in the mass distribution appear to be offset from the centres of the cDs.
We also present an estimate for the total mass of the central region of the cluster. This is in good agreement with previous mass determinations. The total mass of the central region is M =(2.0–2.7)×10¹⁴ M⊙ h ⁻¹₅₀, depending on the solution chosen.