Effects of hydrogeological and climate change on the subsurface thermal regime in the Sendai Plain

Abstract

We estimated the effects of hydrogeological and surface temperature warming on subsurface thermal regime from the temperature–depth profiles and hydrological data of groundwater quality both in the quaternary and tertiary systems in the Sendai Plain as a preliminary step toward reconstruction of climate changes. Annual mean air temperature in the plain has increased about 1.5 °C in the last 70 years and this surface warming resulted in low or negative thermal gradient. However, anomaly of thermal gradient was recognized in not all temperature–depth profiles. Groundwater chemical compositions and stable isotope data (δD and δ 18O) show that the groundwater flow system has marked difference between those of tertiary and quaternary systems. Calculated results of three dimensional groundwater flow and heat transport model ensure the above hypothesis and shows that thermal gradient changes at close to basement of the quaternary system. The differences in groundwater flow systems are expressed as subsurface thermal gradient anomalies in the temperature–depth profiles in the Sendai Plain. Furthermore, one-dimensional numerical analyze including the effect of surface warming indicates that calculated profile has departure from steady state line at depths in 60–80 m agree well with observed one.