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An integrated approach to shallow aquifer characterization: combining geophysics and geostatistics

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Abstract

We present a method of aquifer characterization that is able to utilize multiple sources of conditioning data to build a more realistic model of heterogeneity. This modeling approach (InMod) uses geophysical data to delineate bounding surfaces within sedimentary deposits. The depositional volumes between bounding surfaces are identified automatically from the geophysical data by a region growing algorithm. Simple geometric rules are used to constrain the growth of the regions in 3-D. The nodes within the depositional volume are assigned to categorical lithologies using geostatistical realizations and a dynamic lookup routine that can be conditioned to field data. The realizations created with this method preserve geologically expected features and produces sharp juxtapositions of high and low hydraulic conductivity lithologies along bounding surfaces. The realizations created with InMod also have higher variance than models created only with geostatistics and honor the volumetric distribution of sediments measured from field data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hydrologic Sciences, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, USA

    Nicholas B. Engdahl

  2. Earth and Planetary Sciences Department, University of New Mexico, MSC03-2040 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131-0001, USA

    Gary S. Weissmann

  3. Geophysics Department, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, USA

    Nedra D. Bonal

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  1. Nicholas B. Engdahl
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  2. Gary S. Weissmann
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  3. Nedra D. Bonal
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Correspondence to Nicholas B. Engdahl.

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Engdahl, N.B., Weissmann, G.S. & Bonal, N.D. An integrated approach to shallow aquifer characterization: combining geophysics and geostatistics. Comput Geosci 14, 217–229 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10596-009-9145-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10596-009-9145-y

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