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The Radial Diffusion Method: 1. Using intact cores to determine isotopic composition, chemistry, and effective porosities for groundwater in aquitards
Author(s) -
Kamp G.,
Van Stempvoort D. R.,
Wassenaar L. I.
Publication year - 1996
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 - 10.1029/95wr03719
Subject(s) - aquifer , piezometer , groundwater , porosity , tracer , diffusion , geology , core (optical fiber) , pore water pressure , ion exchange , mineralogy , ion , analytical chemistry (journal) , chemistry , materials science , environmental chemistry , geotechnical engineering , thermodynamics , composite material , physics , organic chemistry , nuclear physics
A new method is described for the determination of the isotopic composition and chemistry of groundwater in aquitards. The effective porosities for each component can be determined concurrently. The method is based on diffusive exchange of water and solutes between groundwater in a cylindrical core of aquitard material and water in a reservoir placed along the axis of the cylinder. The method was tested for 2 H, Cl, and SO 4 in an aquitard consisting of clay‐rich glacial till. The δ 2 H in aquitard core samples as determined by radial diffusion agreed closely with δ 2 H in groundwater obtained from corresponding piezometers installed in the aquitard. For the concentrations of Cl and SO 4 the agreement was less close but still satisfactory. The effective porosities were equal to the total porosities for 2 H and were less than the total porosities for Cl and SO 4 ions.