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Cumulative storage of water under constant flux infiltration: Analytical solution
Author(s) -
Parkin Gary W.,
Elrick David E.,
Kachanoski R. Gary
Publication year - 1992
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 - 10.1029/92wr01271
Subject(s) - hydraulic conductivity , infiltration (hvac) , nonlinear system , specific storage , water content , richards equation , mathematics , thermal diffusivity , mechanics , soil science , water storage , mathematical analysis , geotechnical engineering , environmental science , thermodynamics , groundwater , physics , geology , soil water , aquifer , quantum mechanics , groundwater recharge , geomorphology , inlet
Recently, two exact analytical solutions of Richards' flow equation in Fokker‐Planck form using empirical nonlinear diffusivity and hydraulic conductivity functions were published. A direct application of the solutions is the modeling of cumulative water storage in a fixed depth under constant rainfall infiltration. Analytical solutions for storage require a change of variable of integration and a numerical inversion technique. The solutions contain three independent parameters including saturated hydraulic conductivity, the α parameter, and a parameter which defines the shape of the wetting front. Sensitivity analyses indicate that changes in parameter values give significant changes in cumulative storage curves. Cumulative storage can be measured by vertical parallel time domain reflectometry probes which are capable of measuring an evolving volumetric moisture content within a fixed depth. A nonlinear least squares fitting procedure may be used to evaluate the three parameters.