Imaginary Conductivity Research Articles

On the reliability of constraining surface conductivity using induced polarization measurements in sedimentary rocks

SUMMARY Recent advances in understanding the induced polarization (IP) method have led to improvements in interpreting hydraulic properties from electrical measurements. Distinguishing the effect of surface conduction from conduction through the electrolyte filling the interconnected pore spaces has been an ongoing challenge in interpreting field-scale electrical resistivity data sets. Previously proposed mechanistic models have suggested that this limitation can be overcome by utilizing the coefficient that describes the ratio between IP measurements and surface conductivity. In this study, we examine this proportionality coefficient (ℓ) through the relationship between IP parameters (imaginary conductivity and normalized chargeability) and surface conductivity for a sample group of 98 sedimentary rocks, composed of sandstones, carbonates and mudstones. A strong linear relationship is observed between the IP parameters and surface conductivity. However, values of ℓ vary significantly across each sample group such that low-salinity estimates of formation factor (F) using the single universal estimate of ℓ are poor. Estimates of F for a single rock type (sandstone, carbonate or mudstone) are improved using ℓ values unique to that rock type, although F estimates for mudstones show high sensitivity to changes in ℓ. Using ℓ coefficients calibrated on a sample group with similar lithological properties to the investigated group moderately improves the estimation of F. Consistent with theory, no relationship is observed between the proportionality coefficient and the measured petrophysical parameters of the porous medium. Our results suggest that, although IP measurements provide a valuable field-scale proxy for surface conductivity, improving petrophysical predictions (i.e. in this case, estimating F) remains a challenge.

Tracking microbial movement in saturated media with spectral induced polarization

Pathogenic microorganisms in the subsurface can contaminate soil and water supplies, potentially posing great danger to human health. Early contamination detection routines rely on sparse direct sampling which is spatiotemporally limited. Thus, the path of microorganisms in the subsurface remains ambiguous and this can cause delays in detection of biohazardous threats. The geophysical spectral induced polarization (SIP) technique, sensitive to microbes' presence and activity in porous media, is a promising method to monitor microbial transport pathways. Here we evaluated the efficiency of SIP in monitoring the chemotactic movement of Sporosarcina pasteurii in saturated porous media. A cylindrical sample holder was packed with Ottawa sand and saturated with sterile KCl solution. The sample holder was oriented vertically and S. pasteurii was introduced at the bottom, forcing the movement of the microbes against gravity, towards a carbon source available at the top of the column. Temporal SIP measurements were collected at 3 regions of the sample holder: bottom (microbial injection point), middle and top (carbon source). Both the real (σ′) and imaginary (σ″) conductivity parts of the SIP signal increased over time with the σ″ showing a peak signal magnitude following the upward movement of the microbes. We repeated the experiment excluding the carbon source in experiment 2 and omitting microbial injection in experiment 3. However, we did not observe any significant SIP signal changes in these two experiments. This is the first study to indicate the strong SIP signal correlation with microbial chemotaxis.

First principles calculations of physical properties of the CeCu2Si2 material

Using local density approximation functional computations, LSDA (local spin density approximation) and mBJ (modified Becke-Johnson) for exchange-correlation interactions, we examined the combination CeCu2Si2, concentrating on its many physical properties. This work used the WC-GGA method to compute the elastic characteristics of CeCu2Si2 material, and the results indicate that unstrained CeCu2Si2 is more brittle. The density of states exhibits the metallic character of the chemical, in agreement with the inference made from the band structure. We also assessed several optical characteristics, such as real and imaginary optical conductivity, electronic energy loss, absorption coefficient, refractive index, and extinction coefficient. We also looked at the electronic components of thermal conductivity, electrical conductivity, Seebeck coefficient, and electronic conductivity. The compound's Seebeck coefficient values are negative, indicating p-type behavior. A thorough analysis of the data is presented, along with important details regarding the CeCu2Si2 compound's characteristics.

Investigation of the structural, electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of the double perovskite oxide semiconductor La2NiMnO6: Ab initio calculations by using GGA-PBE and GGA + mBJ approximations

In this paper, we examined the La2NiMnO6 double perovskite oxide semiconductor materials, our treatment included the structural, electronic, magnetic, and optical characteristics by utilizing the density functional theory, which was performed in the Wien2k software. The exchange–correlation potential was carried out in combination with the GGA-PBE (Perdew Burke Ernzerhof Generalized Gradient Approximation), and GGA + mBJ (modified Becke and Johnson) was used for the exchange–correlation potentials. The results suggest that the compound La2NiMnO6 exhibits in a ferrimagnetic state. It was also found that the stable ground state of the compound is ferrimagnetic. The results demonstrate that La2NiMnO6 has a band gap whose spin-up value is 0 eV and spin-down (dn) value is 2.86 eV (GGA-PBE), with up values is 0 eV and dn value being of 3 eV (GGA + mBJ). We also explored different optical properties, among them electron energy loss, absorption coefficient, real and imaginary dielectric tensor, and real and imaginary optical conductivity.

Permeability and Induced Polarization of Mudstones

AbstractElectrical measurements can be used to estimate hydraulic properties such as permeability (k) in sedimentary rocks. Previous work has focused on sandstones, siltstones, and carbonates, while investigations on mudstones have rarely been reported. In this study, we report on electrical geophysical measurements for 23 mudstone samples using an experimental approach designed to reliably saturate these low permeability mudstones. The modified Hagen‐Poiseuille model linking permeability to the formation factor (F) and an effective pore radius (r) provides an excellent fit to the data set with a near‐constant pore radius, indicating that the effective porosity (1/F) is the controlling factor on k. In these samples, the surface area normalized to pore volume (Spor), frequently used in permeability estimation models, varies by 1–2 orders of magnitude and is thus not a reliable proxy of the inverse effective hydraulic radius. The formation factor also exerts the primary control on induced polarization (IP) parameters, whereas Spor shows no relation to the IP parameters. A strong linear relationship is found between IP parameters (imaginary conductivity and normalized chargeability) and surface conductivity, although the proportionality factor is significantly lower than those observed in more permeable rocks and sediments. Apparent relationships between the polarization strength‐derived and time constant‐derived geophysical length scales and the effective hydraulic radius appear to be driven by variations in the electrochemical parameters (i.e., specific polarizability and diffusion coefficient). Overall, these findings emphasize that predicting hydraulic properties from electrical measurements in fine‐grained rocks remains challenging and requires further investigation into the electrochemical properties involved.

Recovering induced polarization effects from 1-D coupled inversion of transient electromagnetic data

SUMMARY Induced polarization (IP) effects can significantly affect and superimpose the inductive earth response, leading to heavily distorted data and, if overlooked, false geological interpretation. In this paper, we implemented the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) and very fast simulated annealing (VFSA) algorithms to recover IP effects from central loop transient electromagnetic (TEM) data. To incorporate the IP effect in the TEM response, we used the Cole–Cole parametrization, maximum phase angle (MPA), maximum imaginary conductivity (MIC) and Jeffrey transform of Cole–Cole parameters. The result of 1-D forward calculation and inversion of synthetic TEM data revealed that the Cole–Cole parametrization is more robust and reliable than MPA, MIC and Jeffrey transform, and that the synthetic data were well fitted and IP parameters well recovered using this model. However, the incorporation of the IP effect leads to a highly nonlinear and non-unique inverse problem which requires an accurate starting model, especially for LM inversion. To evaluate the performance of our algorithm using field data, we carried out a 1-D inversion of TEM data acquired along a profile that traverses a waste site located near Cologne, Germany. Furthermore, to obtain a priori information and validate the result of TEM data modelling, we conducted an electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and time-domain IP (TDIP) survey along the TEM profile. A 2-D inversion was used to retrieve the Cole–Cole parameters as input for TEM interpretation. By including the IP information, the TEM field data can be explained quantitively, and a consistent and improved interpretation of the waste body is achieved.

Study of the dielectric properties of Y3TaO7 electroceramic

In this work, the Y3TaO7 weberite-type structure was synthesized by solid state reaction at 1773 K for 6 h, and its crystalline phase was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD). Morphological analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Electrical characterization of the electroceramics was investigated with temperature variation employing complex impedance spectroscopy (CIS). The Nyquist diagram was fitted employing one resistor (R) – constant phase element (CPE) associations correlating to grain boundary. Activation energy (Ea) values for the relaxation processes were determined as 1.07, 1.06 and 1.15 eV for imaginary impedance (Z″), imaginary electrical modulus (M”) and conductivity (σ′), respectively, indicating a consistent thermo-activated conduction process. The temperature coefficient of the resonant frequency (τf) was found to be 31.24 ppm.K−1, suggesting for the development of new dielectric materials with τf ∼ 0. The performance of the dielectric resonator antenna (DRA) was assessed through numerical simulation, demonstrating a strong correlation in impedance and operating frequency at 5.01 GHz. This study aims to facilitate the design of Y3TaO7-based materials, offering significant potential for applications in microelectronic devices in the radiofrequency (RF) and microwave (MW) range.

Surface conductivity of clays

SUMMARY Clay minerals are extensively used in a wide range of applications. In particular, clay-bearing formations are considered as suitable radioactive waste repository. Electrical resistivity tomography is an appropriate tool to monitor the properties of clay-bearing locations. However, an inherent drawback of a conventional resistivity survey is its ambiguity in distinguishing between the effects of groundwater salinity, clay content and porosity. A discrimination can be achieved on the basis of the induced polarization method that provides a complex conductivity. The main purpose of this study is the investigation of the complex conductivity of clay samples with a special focus on the contribution of surface conductivity produced by an excess of ions in the electrical double-layer coating the solid particles. Six clay mixtures were selected that include an almost pure kaolinite sample, a sample consisting of a mixture of kaolinite, illite and smectite, a crushed saponite breccia, a Ca-bentonite sample and two illite clay samples. Besides the enriched kaolinite, the other samples are natural geomaterials that contain more than 40 weight per cent clay minerals. The mineralogical compositions of the samples were determined by quantitative X-ray diffraction analysis. The clay powder was mixed with a varying volume of sodium chloride solution to get plastic state clay samples with varying water content. The samples were investigated by the spectral induced polarization method in a frequency range between 1 mHz and 1 kHz. The resulting complex conductivity spectra indicate a decrease of the real part of the electrical conductivity with rising water content for the illite, bentonite and saponite breccia samples. The overall conductivity of these clay samples is dominated by their surface conductivity. In contrast, the electrical conductivity of kaolinite and kaolinite–illite mixture does not show any significant changes with the water content. For all samples, the imaginary part of electrical conductivity increases at low water content. The real part of the surface conductivity indicates a linear dependence on the volumetric clay content. The slope of this linear relationship can be used to distinguish the types of clay. The ratio between imaginary conductivity and surface conductivity, which decreases with increasing clay content, proves to be a suitable parameter that characterizes the connectivity of clay aggregates in the sample. The surface conductivity of the pure kaolinite sample has been determined in an additional multisalinity experiment. The resulting surface conductivity is in good agreement with the experiment of varying water content. The multisalinity experiment has shown that the resulting petrophysical parameters depend on the procedure of sample packing, which may lead to anisotropy. The effect of anisotropy is attributed to the alignment of the plate-like kaolinite particles in the course of the packing and consolidation procedure.

Exploring limitations in the induced polarization versus surface conductivity relationship in the case of wetland soils

Recent induced polarization studies suggest that the real part of surface conductivity ([Formula: see text]) scales linearly with the imaginary conductivity ([Formula: see text] = [Formula: see text]) or normalized chargeability (Mn) for a range of soil types. The coefficients of this relationship l and l_Mn ( l = [Formula: see text]/[Formula: see text] or l_Mn = Mn/[Formula: see text]) allow the separation of the surface and electrolytic conductivities from the bulk conductivity. However, the dependence of these constants on varying soil physicochemical properties, including under unsaturated conditions, is yet to be assessed. Using estimates of [Formula: see text] from 18 undisturbed soil samples from a restored wetland and [Formula: see text] measured over a frequency range of 0.01 Hz to 10 kHz, the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] were compared with the laboratory measurements of soil properties. Also, l and l_Mn were calculated for each soil sample and regressed them against the soil properties. We find an apparent dependence of l on soil texture, bulk density, organic matter, and moisture contents, with coefficients of determination ([Formula: see text]) ranging from 0.5 to 0.65 at low frequencies (e.g., 1 Hz) but not at high frequencies (e.g., 936 Hz). This dependence of l on soil texture results from the insensitivity of [Formula: see text] at low frequency to [Formula: see text] and, by implication, to the soil properties controlling [Formula: see text]. In contrast, l_Mn indicates no correlation with the soil properties because Mn is linearly correlated with [Formula: see text] and correlated with the soil properties controlling [Formula: see text]. Our results call for caution on the application of [Formula: see text] at a single frequency as a proxy of [Formula: see text] because [Formula: see text] is not necessarily correlated with [Formula: see text] across all soil types. Although using l_Mn derived from multifrequency measurements overcomes this limitation, field acquisition of spectral information (e.g., up to 1000 Hz) remains a challenge.

Complex electrical measurements of waste rock during acid mine drainage generation and release: Kinetic column tests

Acid mine drainage (AMD) emanating from waste rock piles (WRPs) at mining sites is a global concern. Successful rehabilitation of these sites requires effective characterization and monitoring of the waste rock during AMD generation/release. Traditional approaches involve ex-situ analysis of waste rock and porewater samples collected via corings and monitoring wells; however, this is highly disruptive, costly, and provides sparsely distributed point information across enormous volumes typical of WRPs. Geoelectrical techniques are a promising approach for non-invasive continuous imaging; however, their application has been limited to ‘one-off’ imaging with few studies on monitoring waste rock evolution. The objective of this study is to assess the geoelectrical signatures of changing waste rock during AMD generation/release. Field waste rock samples were extracted from three mine WRPs and first characterized for mineralogy and acid generation potential. Kinetic tests were then performed on each sample using leaching columns and humidity cells, with simultaneous measurements of effluent quality and complex electrical conductivity (real and imaginary components measure conduction and polarization, respectively). Results show that real conductivity was highly sensitive to changes associated with AMD leachate quality (e.g., 28,800 to 68 mg/L acidity) and surface of the waste material. Imaginary conductivity measurements identified changes in the waste mineralogy over time, though these signatures were not very distinct, which is likely due to low sulfide contents and limited oxidation (e.g., 0.59 wt% sulfide and 33% air saturation). This study improves our understanding of geoelectrical signatures associated with real waste rock, demonstrating the potential application of the electrical resistivity tomography and induced polarization techniques for mine waste investigations.

Organic Matter Matters—The Imaginary Conductivity of Sediments Rich in Solid Organic Carbon

AbstractSolid organic matter (OM) is a biogeochemically relevant constituent of soils and sediments. It also affects sediments' geophysical properties, but is often overlooked in hydro‐ and biogeophysical approaches for the characterization of the shallow subsurface. Here, we explore the potential of spectral induced polarization (SIP) to delineate OM‐rich zones in the subsurface and provide insights into the mechanisms that drive OM‐polarization using measurements on both field cores and artificial OM‐sand mixtures. Both, field samples and artificial mixtures showed a linear relationship between the total organic carbon (TOC) content and charge storage (imaginary conductivity). The high cation exchange capacity of OM drives the increase in polarization and can help in delineating potentially microbially active OM‐rich zones in cores or field surveys. To avoid misinterpretation of SIP data in unconsolidated media, we strongly suggest quantifying TOC content in sediment samples to accompany the interpretation of field surveys.

Ab initio study of phase stability and optical properties of TiN and VN nitrides in different phases

Transition metal nitrides are ceramic materials known for their remarkable physical and mechanical characteristics, particularly their hardness. As part of this study, the structural, mechanical, electronic, phonon, and optical properties of nitrides were investigated. We focused on TiN in the NaCl–B1 and ZB-B3 phases and VN in the ZB-B3 using the density functional theory approach. The results show that the TiN equilibrium lattice constant in the NaCl–B1 phase is very close to what has already been reported. This confirms the overall reliability of the different phases. Furthermore, the heat of formation data suggests that TiN in both the NaCl–B1 and ZB-B3 phases is thermodynamically stable. The elastic constants confirm the mechanical stability of TiN in the NaCl–B1, ZB-B3, and VN in ZB phases. The bulk-to-shear ratio highlights that TiN in the NaCl–B1 phase exhibits brittleness, whereas TiN in the ZB-B3 phase displays ductility. Electronic band structure and total density of states calculations for both TiN in NaCl–B1 and ZB-B3 phases demonstrate their conductivity due to a pronounced valence-conduction overlap around the Fermi energy level. The low number of electrons accumulated at the Fermi energy level in the density of states (DOS) indicates electronic stability for TiN in the NaCl–B1 and ZB-B3 phases. The electron charge density plots indicate the presence of electrovalent (ionic) bonds between Ti-3d, V-3d, and N-2p. Additionally, the phonon dispersion curves reveal dynamical stability in both phases. Regarding optical properties in TiN, our predictions establish a distinct correlation between the loss function, reflectivity, and absorbance spectra within the 12.5 nm–25 nm energy range, with TiN in the NaCl phase exhibiting dominance. Notably, the NaCl phase exhibits higher absorption compared to the ZB phase, making it a promising candidate for use as a photocatalyst. Furthermore, the imaginary conductivity spectra align with the electronic properties, collectively indicating that these materials possess conductive characteristics.

Spectral induced polarization signatures of smoldering remediation enhanced with colloidal activated carbon: An experimental study

Monitoring the remediation of soil and groundwater contaminated by organic compounds remains highly challenging. Thermal treatments, such as smoldering combustion, have become established remediation techniques for destroying contaminants. Smoldering combustion can now be supported by colloidal activated carbon (CAC), with CAC being able to both adsorb contaminants and supplement the fuel source for destroying them. Despite this potential, effective performance monitoring of smoldering remediation remains limited. The objective of this study is to investigate the potential of the spectral induced polarization (SIP) geoelectrical technique to assess the performance of smoldering remediation of soils supplemented with CAC. SIP column experiments were first conducted to assess the response of SIP (i.e., real and imaginary components of the complex electrical conductivity) to varying concentrations of CAC in imitated field soils that contain, or do not contain, organic matter (OM). Results demonstrate that increasing OM and CAC contents increase both the real and imaginary conductivities, with the imaginary conductivity also showing frequency dependence. Smoldering and SIP column experiments were then conducted to assess the effectiveness of SIP for detecting changes in soils of varying OM and CAC contents that have been remediated by smoldering. Examination of the soils before and after smoldering indicates that SIP can track the evolving real conductivity and imaginary conductivity (in particular) between different soil compositions and different stages of the remedial process. High resolution scanning electron microscopy imaging was performed on all samples to validate the SIP and smoldering experiments, confirming significant reductions in carbon after smoldering. Overall, this study suggests that SIP has potential to track changes associated with the addition of remedial fluids like CAC in the subsurface, and the destruction of contaminants adsorbed to CAC by smoldering combustion.

Terahertz conductivity of iron oxide-graphene oxide composite pellet

Electrical and optical characteristics of materials are the most used physical properties that serve as tools to identify and analyze certain dynamics of matter being studied. In this paper, the optical parameters of iron oxide-graphene oxide composite mixed with polyethylene were characterized using terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and impedance spectroscopy. The real and imaginary conductivities were obtained from impedance measurements in the low frequency range. The complex refractive index and absorption coefficient were also determined using THz-TDS. From these quantities, the complex conductivity of the sample was determined and was fitted using the combined Drude-Smith Lorentz model.

Measurement of Dried Seafloor Massive Sulfides

We carried out spectral-induced polarization (SIP) measurements on a set of dried seafloor massive sulfide samples and compared the results with those obtained with the same samples fully saturated with NaCl solution. We find that the conductivity and polarizability are generally high for both dried and saturated samples, i.e., exhibiting phase shifts in the order of 100 s of mrad and imaginary conductivities up to 1 S/m. Depending on the particular sample, the polarizabilities of the dried samples remain as high as for the saturated samples or are slightly reduced. The high polarizability of dried samples and the fact that polarizability cannot be destroyed by drying are significant observations because most of the existing theories to explain the polarization of mineralized rock assume a pore space filled with an electrolyte. We also found that the often-used agar gel is unsuitable for coupling the dried samples to the electrodes because it releases water into the sample. Coupling with plasticine is a feasible alternative because significantly less fluid is absorbed by the sample when it is incorporated into the sample holder.

Influence of Inner Surface Roughness on the Spectral Induced Polarization Response—A Numerical Study

AbstractSpectral induced polarization (SIP) laboratory measurements on water‐saturated rocks show a strong correlation between the electrical polarization strength and the inner surface area of rocks. We investigate the influence of inner surface roughness on the SIP response by simulating the frequency‐dependent complex conductivity of micro‐scale rock models. Starting with smooth grain models, we introduce surface roughness using two different approaches: increasing the surface roughness in a fractal‐like manner, and creating random surface structures, resulting in more natural‐looking surfaces. We find that surface roughness has two distinct effects on the SIP response: (a) a shift in the position and magnitude of the primary relaxation frequency to lower frequencies and lower magnitudes, respectively, and (b) the formation of secondary polarizations above the polarization frequency of the primary polarization. We also compare the relaxation time and normalized chargeability obtained by Debye decomposition and the imaginary conductivity at 1 Hz of our models with mechanistic models and empirical relations. We point out the congruences and offer explanations for the discrepancies between our models and the empirical observations. We conclude that the results of our study are applicable to real rocks and that the SIP method has the potential to detect inner surface roughness. However, the SIP method it not able to discriminate between signals from rough particles and a distribution of smooth particles.

Study of physical properties of the quaternary full-Heusler alloy: FeMnCuSi

In this work, we investigated the physical properties of the Quaternary Full-Heusler alloy FeCuMnSi, including: the structural, magnetic, electronic, optical, and thermoelectric characteristics using the density functional theory (DFT) that has been implemented in the Wien2k package. The exchange-correlation potential has been performed in combination with the GGA-PBE and the modified Becke-Johnson (mBJ) semi-local interchange potential. Among others, we find that the studied compound presents a half-metal character. Moreover, we calculated and discussed the energy loss of electrons, the coefficient of absorption, the real dielectric tensor, the imaginary dielectric tensor, the real optical conductivity, and the imaginary optical conductivity. In addition, we examined the electrical conductivity, the Seebeck coefficient, the electronic, and the lattice thermal conductivity. Through Monte Carlo simulations, we have calculated the Curie temperature. By combining ab initio calculations and Monte Carlo simulations (MCS), we illustrated the magnetic properties and the magneto-caloric effects of the Quaternary Full-Heusler alloy FeCuMnSi. Explicitly, we have determined and examined the transition temperature, the change in magnetic entropy, and the relative cooling power coefficient.

Fabrication And Studies Of structural, Dielectrical Properties Of (Ni0.95-xCoxCu0.05Fe2O4) Composites by Powder Technology Method

In this paper, the preparation of compounds, Ni0.95CoxCu0.05Fe2O4) by using powder technology method where (X = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04,and 0.05) annealing at 1100 C temperature for four hours. A series of samples were carried out for the study of structural properties by measuring x-ray diffraction (XRD). It included the study of the lattice constant (a), the particle size (D), the porosity (P) and the virtual density by x-ray diffraction, (x-ray density) as well as the study of Dielectric properties using the LCR , the study of the loss of dielectric meter tand and the electric conductivity (Ϭac). The results of X-ray diffraction showed that all samples had a crystalline,) and also showed that the Lattice constant (a) increases as the content of cobalt increases the density of the particles calculated by X-ray diffraction increases with the cobalt content, while the porosity and particles size decreases as the cobalt content increases, and the electrical show that the real and imaginary dielectric and electrical conductivity using current decreases as frequency increases, the real electrical dielectric constant increases as the cobalt content increases, while the imaginary part of dielectric constant and electrical conductivity decreases as the cobalt content increases.

Spectral Induced Polarization (SIP) of Denitrification‐Driven Microbial Activity in Column Experiments Packed With Calcareous Aquifer Sediments

AbstractSpectral Induced Polarization (SIP) has been suggested as a non‐invasive monitoring proxy for microbial processes. Under natural conditions, however, multiple and often coupled polarization processes co‐occur, impeding the interpretation of SIP signals. In this study, we analyze the sensitivity of SIP to microbially‐driven reactions under quasi‐natural conditions. We conducted flow‐through experiments in columns equipped with SIP electrodes and filled with natural calcareous, organic‐carbon‐rich aquifer sediment, in which heterotrophic denitrification was bio‐stimulated. Our results show that, even in the presence of parallel polarization processes in a natural sediment under field‐relevant geochemical conditions, SIP is sufficiently sensitive to microbially‐driven changes in electrical charge storage. Denitrification yielded an increase in imaginary conductivity of up to 3.1 (+140%) and the formation of a distinct peak between 1 and 10 Hz, that matched the timing of expected microbial activity predicted by a reactive transport model fitted to solute concentrations. A Cole‐Cole decomposition allowed separating the polarization contribution of microbial activity from that of cation exchange, thereby helping to locate microbial hotspots without the need for (bio)geochemical data to constrain the Cole‐Cole parameters. Our approach opens new avenues for the application of SIP as a rapid method to monitor a system's reactivity in situ. While in preceding studies the SIP signals of microbial activity in natural sediments were influenced by mineral precipitation/dissolution reactions, the imaginary conductivity changes measured in the biostimulation experiments presented here were dominated by changes in the polarization of the bacterial cells rather than a reaction‐induced alteration of the abiotic matrix.

Statistical analysis for biogeochemical processes in a sandy column with dynamic hydrologic regimes using spectral induced polarization (SIP) and self-potential (SP)

SUMMARYThe capillary fringe (CF) is characterized by transient and steep redox gradients and is thought to be a hot spot for biogeochemical processes. Understanding chemical fate and transport in the CF is significant, however, biogeochemical dynamics at the CF are poorly understood because of the difficulty to measure representatively with high spatio-temporal resolution at depths under dynamic hydrologic regimes. Hydrogeophysics is a developing field that uses minimally intrusive and quick response methods to monitor hydrological properties. Two geoelectrical methods [spectral induced polarization (SIP) and self-potential (SP)], which are sensitive to the solid–liquid interfaces (SIP) and biogeochemical processes (SP) can address the above difficulty. The challenge lies on linking the geoelectrical responses with biogeochemical processes, where many different processes contribute to the signals. We conducted a soil column experiment under five hydrologic regimes focusing on nitrogen transformations with SIP and SP measurements: (1) a static regime with a stable water level; (2) an infiltration regime with periodic pulse infiltration events with a constant water level and (3) fluctuating regimes with water level fluctuations under three drying-wetting frequencies (6/12/18-day-cycle). This is the first large lab-scale work in a well-controlled and highly instrumented soil column. The dynamic hydrologic conditions stimulated complex biogeochemical processes at the CF, and therefore the SIP and SP signals result from many physical and biogeochemical processes. Therefore, we relied on statistical analysis in this study for a novel interpretation. Spearman correlation analysis supported water content played the most important role in real conductivity (σ′) dynamics in the vadose zone, whereas fluid conductivity dominated σ′ in the saturated zone. Both correlation analysis and spatial moment analysis implicated that water content was the driving factor for both σ′ and imaginary conductivity (σ″). A multiple linear regression model indicated the gradient of redox potential, the gradient of soil matric potential and water content were the three main influencing factors for the SP signals. We proposed that the water level fluctuation can efficiently facilitate microbial electron transfer through ions transport between the different redox zones, and aggregate redox processes to create SP signal gradients. Depth zonation analysis, using six environmental indexes (Eh and nitrogen species; water content; real conductivity; imaginary conductivity; SP signal; microbial community composition), suggested that water content induced by soil hydrology was the most dominant factor, captured by all the indexes. In turn, it led to indirect inference on biogeochemical processes and resultant geoelectrical signals. Applying geoelectrical methods to such biogeochemical processes will not only lead to a better understanding of the mechanistic meanings of the geoelectrical signals, but also build relationships between geoelectrical signals and biogeochemical parameters to facilitate a novel way to monitor biogeochemical processes.