Abstract
The study of nutrient dynamics in lotic ecosystems often requires background knowledge of the hydrologic processes occurring both at large scales and at small scales in order to adopt effective management practices. In particular, surface water/subsurface water interactions can significantly alter nutrient loading in streams and rivers. Two case studies are reported as examples of large scale and small scale investigations carried out by means of an integrated approach where {sup 222}Rn was used: (i) to determine fractions of groundwater inflow to total discharge of a river and to identify sections with flow-through conditions, applying a degassing corrected, two component mixing model; (ii) to estimate water residence time within the hyporheic zone by applying a solute mass balance equation based on radon disequilibrium between pore water and stream water. The two case studies demonstrate that {sup 222}Rn is an effective tool in the study of interactions between surface and subsurface waters when groundwater inputs to rivers have to be quantified and in estimating the residence time of surface water in the hyporheic zone. However, an integrated approach including other hydrological and biogeochemical measurements is always recommended when complex processes have to be elucidated. (author)
Stellato, L.;
[1]
Newman, B. D.
[2]
- Centre for Isotopic Research on Cultural and Environmental heritage (CIRCE), Seconda Universita degli Studi di Napoli, Caserta (Italy)
- Isotope Hydrology Section, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)
Citation Formats
Stellato, L., and Newman, B. D.
The Noble Gas Radon ({sup 222}Rn) as a Hydrogeologic Tracer of Groundwater Inputs to Rivers and Hyporheic Exchange.
IAEA: N. p.,
2013.
Web.
Stellato, L., & Newman, B. D.
The Noble Gas Radon ({sup 222}Rn) as a Hydrogeologic Tracer of Groundwater Inputs to Rivers and Hyporheic Exchange.
IAEA.
Stellato, L., and Newman, B. D.
2013.
"The Noble Gas Radon ({sup 222}Rn) as a Hydrogeologic Tracer of Groundwater Inputs to Rivers and Hyporheic Exchange."
IAEA.
@misc{etde_22118973,
title = {The Noble Gas Radon ({sup 222}Rn) as a Hydrogeologic Tracer of Groundwater Inputs to Rivers and Hyporheic Exchange}
author = {Stellato, L., and Newman, B. D.}
abstractNote = {The study of nutrient dynamics in lotic ecosystems often requires background knowledge of the hydrologic processes occurring both at large scales and at small scales in order to adopt effective management practices. In particular, surface water/subsurface water interactions can significantly alter nutrient loading in streams and rivers. Two case studies are reported as examples of large scale and small scale investigations carried out by means of an integrated approach where {sup 222}Rn was used: (i) to determine fractions of groundwater inflow to total discharge of a river and to identify sections with flow-through conditions, applying a degassing corrected, two component mixing model; (ii) to estimate water residence time within the hyporheic zone by applying a solute mass balance equation based on radon disequilibrium between pore water and stream water. The two case studies demonstrate that {sup 222}Rn is an effective tool in the study of interactions between surface and subsurface waters when groundwater inputs to rivers have to be quantified and in estimating the residence time of surface water in the hyporheic zone. However, an integrated approach including other hydrological and biogeochemical measurements is always recommended when complex processes have to be elucidated. (author)}
place = {IAEA}
year = {2013}
month = {May}
}
title = {The Noble Gas Radon ({sup 222}Rn) as a Hydrogeologic Tracer of Groundwater Inputs to Rivers and Hyporheic Exchange}
author = {Stellato, L., and Newman, B. D.}
abstractNote = {The study of nutrient dynamics in lotic ecosystems often requires background knowledge of the hydrologic processes occurring both at large scales and at small scales in order to adopt effective management practices. In particular, surface water/subsurface water interactions can significantly alter nutrient loading in streams and rivers. Two case studies are reported as examples of large scale and small scale investigations carried out by means of an integrated approach where {sup 222}Rn was used: (i) to determine fractions of groundwater inflow to total discharge of a river and to identify sections with flow-through conditions, applying a degassing corrected, two component mixing model; (ii) to estimate water residence time within the hyporheic zone by applying a solute mass balance equation based on radon disequilibrium between pore water and stream water. The two case studies demonstrate that {sup 222}Rn is an effective tool in the study of interactions between surface and subsurface waters when groundwater inputs to rivers have to be quantified and in estimating the residence time of surface water in the hyporheic zone. However, an integrated approach including other hydrological and biogeochemical measurements is always recommended when complex processes have to be elucidated. (author)}
place = {IAEA}
year = {2013}
month = {May}
}