Large-scale natural gradient tracer test in sand and gravel, Cape Cod, Massachusetts. 1. Experimental design and observed tracer movement

Journal Article · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1991 · Water Resources Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/91WR00241· OSTI ID:5811739

LeBlanc, D R; Garabedian, S P; Hess, K M; Quadri, R D ^[1]; Gelhar, L W ^[2]; Stollenwerk, K G ^[3]; Wood, W W ^[4]

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1. Geological Survey, Marlborough, MA (United States)
2. Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge (United States)
3. Geological Survey, Lakewood, CO (United States)
4. Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)

A large-scale natural gradient tracer experiment was conducted on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, to examine the transport and dispersion of solutes in a sand and gravel aquifer. The nonreactive tracer, bromide, and the reactive tracers, lithium and molybdate, were injected as a pulse in July 1985 and monitored in three dimensions as they moved as far as 280 m down-gradient through an array of multilevel samplers. The bromide cloud moved horizontally at a rate of 0.42 m per day. It also moved downward about 4 m because of density-induced sinking early in the test and accretion of areal recharge from precipitation. After 200 m of transport, the bromide cloud had spread more than 80 m in the direction of flow, but was only 14 m wide and 4-6 m thick. The lithium and molybdate clouds followed the same path as the bromide cloud, but their rates of movement were retarded about 50% relative to bromide movement because of sorption onto the sediments.

• OSTI ID: 5811739
• Journal Information: Water Resources Research; (United States), Journal Name: Water Resources Research; (United States) Vol. 27:5; ISSN 0043-1397; ISSN WRERA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
ALKALI METALS
AQUIFERS
BROMIDES
BROMINE COMPOUNDS
CONTAMINATION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
LITHIUM
MASS TRANSFER
MASSACHUSETTS
METALS
MOLYBDATES
MOLYBDENUM COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTANTS
REFRACTORY METAL COMPOUNDS
SEDIMENTS
SORPTION
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS