Premium
Roles apparent resistivity amplitude and phase play in an aquifer's electrical‐hydraulic conductivity correlation
Author(s) -
Purvance David T.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2002gl016131
Subject(s) - electrical resistivity and conductivity , borehole , hydraulic conductivity , amplitude , phase (matter) , geology , aquifer , power law , mineralogy , conductivity , groundwater , soil science , geotechnical engineering , physics , optics , mathematics , soil water , statistics , quantum mechanics
This paper argues how the spectral characteristics of two borehole apparent resistivity traces further corroborate two statistically significant electrical‐hydraulic (eh) conductivity correlations previously reported in Nevada's fractured welded tuffs. Even though the eh conductivity correlation is positive in one borehole and negative in the other, as explained by low pore water electrical conductivity and the absence or presence of alteration minerals, both apparent resistivity amplitude spectra are identically power‐law structured. This is interpreted to mean that eh flow is occurring along rock fractures of a common regional fractal dimension. Furthermore, both apparent resistivity phase spectra are strikingly linear, as mandated by the condition of incompressible fluids. Linear phase implies a groundwater flow that is geostatistically nonstationary in the wide sense, a complication normally not considered by hydrogeologists.