Premium
Hydrogeophysical Equivalence of Water Salinity, Porosity and Matrix Conduction in Arenaceous Aquifers
Author(s) -
Worthington Paul F.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.1976.tb03107.x
Subject(s) - porosity , electrical resistivity and conductivity , aquifer , groundwater , matrix (chemical analysis) , soil science , geology , salinity , thermal conduction , mineralogy , materials science , geotechnical engineering , composite material , physics , oceanography , quantum mechanics
The value of the electrical resistivity method as a quantitative indicator of ground‐water resistivity, porosity and effective matrix resistivity is examined through the equivalence of these parameters as manifested in the surface‐measured resistivity of heterogeneous water‐saturated sands. It is demonstrated that, where there are unknown variations in porosity, the mapping of groundwater resistivity is most feasible at lower salinities and where porosity is relatively high. Porosity can be determined most exactly at lower values and where groundwater salinity is relatively high. Both these approaches become less efficient as matrix conduction increases. The mapping of effective matrix resistivity is best effected at lower values where this parameter can be approximately monitored against moderate variations in both porosity and ground‐water resistivity. In general, however, where there are unknown and pronounced variations in any two of these parameters, the geoelectrical determination of the third can be so ambiguous that the uncertainty in the estimated value of this parameter can exceed the total range of values encountered in an entire formation.