This title appears in the Scientific Report :
2009
Please use the identifier:
http://dx.doi.org/10.2136/vzj2008.0027 in citations.
Noninvasive 3-D Transport Characterization in a Sandy Soil Using ERT: 1. Investigating the Validity of ERT-derived Transport Parameters
Noninvasive 3-D Transport Characterization in a Sandy Soil Using ERT: 1. Investigating the Validity of ERT-derived Transport Parameters
We used time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and time-domain reflectometry (TDR) probes to noninvasively capture three-dimensional solute transport during four tracer experiments under different steady-state irrigation rates in a large unsaturated undisturbed soil column (140 cm length...
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Personal Name(s): | Köstel, J. |
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Vanderborght, J. / Javaux, M. / Kemna, A. / Binley, A. / Vereecken, H. | |
Contributing Institute: |
Agrosphäre; ICG-4 |
Published in: | Vadose zone journal, 8 (2009) S. 711 - 722 |
Imprint: |
Madison, Wis.
SSSA
2009
|
Physical Description: |
711 - 722 |
DOI: |
10.2136/vzj2008.0027 |
Document Type: |
Journal Article |
Research Program: |
Terrestrische Umwelt |
Series Title: |
Vadose Zone Journal
8 |
Subject (ZB): | |
Publikationsportal JuSER |
We used time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and time-domain reflectometry (TDR) probes to noninvasively capture three-dimensional solute transport during four tracer experiments under different steady-state irrigation rates in a large unsaturated undisturbed soil column (140 cm length and 116 cm inner diameter). The transport was characterized by means of apparent convection-dispersion parameters that were derived from breakthrough curves (BTCs) at different lateral scales: the ERT voxel scale, the sampling volume of TDR, and the cross-section of the column. We validated the ERT-derived data by means of mass balance, TDR probes, and the effluent BTC. We observed an excellent mass recovery by ERT. The ERT-derived transport velocities exhibited minimal bias and high precision at the scale of the TDR measurements. On average the ERT-derived column-scale transport velocities were also not biased; however, the spatial variability of the voxel-scale velocities within the column's cross-sections underestimated the true velocity variability. In contrast to the transport velocities, the ERT-derived dispersivities exhibited a large bias and low precision and were sensitive to temporal smoothing. Unlike previous studies, we did not find evidence that the ERT-derived voxel-scale dispersivities increase with decreasing ERT sensitivity. Although ERT provided unprecedented information about transport processes, resolution and uncertainty analyses remain important issues requiring further investigation. |