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Interpretation of dissolved atmospheric noble gases in natural waters
Author(s) -
AeschbachHertig W.,
Peeters F.,
Beyerle U.,
Kipfer R.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
water resources research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.863
H-Index - 217
eISSN - 1944-7973
pISSN - 0043-1397
DOI - 10.1029/1999wr900130
Subject(s) - noble gas , groundwater recharge , groundwater , atmosphere (unit) , environmental science , altitude (triangle) , atmospheric sciences , environmental chemistry , hydrology (agriculture) , aquifer , chemistry , geology , meteorology , physics , geotechnical engineering , organic chemistry , geometry , mathematics
Several studies have used the temperature dependence of gas solubilities in water to derive paleotemperatures from noble gases in groundwaters. We present a general method to infer environmental parameters from concentrations of dissolved atmospheric noble gases in water. Our approach incorporates statistical methods to quantify uncertainties of the deduced parameter values. The equilibration temperatures of water equilibrated with the atmosphere under controlled conditions could be inferred with a precision and accuracy of ±0.2°C. The equilibration temperatures of lake and river samples were determined with a similar precision. Most of these samples were in agreement with atmospheric equilibrium at the water temperature. In groundwaters either recharge temperature or altitude could be determined with high precision (±0.3°C and ±60 m, respectively) despite the presence of excess air. However, typical errors increase to ±3°C and ±700 m if both temperature and altitude are determined at the same time, because the two parameters are correlated. In some groundwater samples the composition of the excess air deviated significantly from atmospheric air, which was modeled by partial reequilibration. In this case the achievable precision of noble gas temperatures was significantly diminished (typical errors of ±1°C).