Vadose Zone Tracer Testing in the UK Sherwood Sandstone: Hydrogeophysical Data Report

Abstract

In 1998 a joint project between the universities of Lancaster and Leeds, funded by the UK Natural Environment Research Council and the UK Environment Agency, was initiated to examine, using geophysical methods, unsaturated flow and transport processes at two purposely developed field sites in the UK Sherwood Sandstone. More recently work by Lancaster university funded by a UK Natural Environment Research Council PhD studentship (awarded to Peter Winship) has continued the investigation at the two sites. This work, so far, has demonstrated: how cross-borehole (borehole to borehole) radar tomography can be used to monitor changes in moisture content in the unsaturated zone due to natural and forced (tracer) inputs (Binley et al., 2001); the evaluation of seasonal variation of moisture content profiles using high-resolution borehole resistivity and radar profiling (Binley et al., 2002a); initial attempts to utilize the geophysical data to develop numerical predictive models of unsaturated flow (Binley et al., 2002b; Binley et al, 2003; Binley and Beven, 2003). In addition, petrophysical models relating geophysical data to hydrological properties have been developed (West et al., 2003). Here we provide a data report on two tracer experiments conducted at one of the field sites. Within the report we describe themore » site layout and present summary results from the two tracer tests. In the appendix a file map is provided to allow identification of relevant files in the dataset accompanying this report. The two techniques used here are three-dimensional time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and lime-lapse cross-borehole radar tomography and profiling. They provide geophysical measurements that can be related to the moisture content of the subsurface, and subsequently to the conductivity of that moisture content. They also yield data on a scale that is appropriate for numerical simulations of water movement in the subsurface. The two methods have been applied at a site (Lings Farm, Hatfield, near Doncaster, UK) in the outcrop of the Sherwood Sandstone.« less