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Multi-geophysical Field Measurements to Characterize Lithological and Hydraulic Properties of a Multi-scale Karstic and Fractured Limestone Vadose Zone: Beauce Aquifer (O-ZNS)

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Instrumentation and Measurement Technologies for Water Cycle Management

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Abstract

The deciphering of the coupled processes that govern the transfers of mass and heat within the vadose zone is recognized as a complex issue. In this context, an observatory of transfers in the vadose zone (O-ZNS) has been implemented near Orléans (France). By combining multiscale laboratory and field experiments using various monitoring techniques, this observatory will improve our knowledge regarding water flow and contaminant transport throughout the 15–19 m highly heterogeneous vadose zone. To image the lithological and hydraulic properties of its heterogeneous facies, we adopted a multi-geophysical monitoring strategy in order to overcome the limitations of each individual geophysical method. This approach includes surface, borehole, and well multi-geophysical measurements. Preliminary investigations undertaken since 2017 leads to an effective and complete characterization of the vadose zone including (i) a lithological description of the geological facies, (ii) the identification of local heterogeneities (karsts, fractures, silicified layers) whose density increases with depth, and (iii) an estimation of the water content variations within the vadose zone. This whole set of results constitutes a first base to ongoing joint inversion that should lead to a refined characterization of the petrophysical and transport properties of the vadose zone column.

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Acknowledgements

This research work was conducted within the framework of the O-ZNS project which is part of PIVOTS project. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by the Région Centre-Val de Loire (ARD 2020 program and CPER 2015 -2020) and the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research (CPER 2015–2020 and public service to BRGM). This is also co-funded by European Union with the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER). Finally, this research work is co-funded by the Labex VOLTAIRE (ANR-10-LABX-100-01).

Authors are also thankful for the help of K. Moreau and B. Brigaud from Université Paris Saclay, S. Andrieu and E. Husson from the BRGM for the characterization of rock facies, L. Bodet, R. Guérin and CRITEX for the seismic acquisition, A. Bitri from the BRGM for the seismic inversion, J.-M. Baltassat and S. Ammor from the BRGM for the NMR acquisition and inversion, T. Jouen (ISTO) and J.-C. Gourry (BRGM) for the ERT acquisition and inversion, SEMM Logging for the geophysical logs, IRIS Instrument, Geosciences Montpellier and NMR Services Australia for the equipment loan.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University Orléans, CNRS, BRGM, ISTO, UMR 7327, 45071, Orléans, France

    Céline Mallet, Arnaud Isch, Gautier Laurent & Mohamed Azaroual

  2. Institut Terre Et Environnement de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg/EOST/ENGEES, CNRS UMR 7063, 5 rue Descartes, 67084, Strasbourg, France

    Clara Jodry

  3. BRGM, French Geological Survey, 45060, Orléans, France

    Jacques Deparis

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  1. Céline Mallet
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  2. Clara Jodry
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  3. Arnaud Isch
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  4. Gautier Laurent
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  5. Jacques Deparis
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  6. Mohamed Azaroual
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Correspondence to Céline Mallet .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Università degli studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Aversa (CE), Caserta, Italy

    Anna Di Mauro

  2. Institute of Information Science and Technologies (CNR-ISTI), National Research Council of Italy, Pisa, Italy

    Andrea Scozzari

  3. Institute for Electromagnetic Sensing of the Environment, National Research Council of Italy, NAPOLI, Napoli, Italy

    Francesco Soldovieri

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Mallet, C., Jodry, C., Isch, A., Laurent, G., Deparis, J., Azaroual, M. (2022). Multi-geophysical Field Measurements to Characterize Lithological and Hydraulic Properties of a Multi-scale Karstic and Fractured Limestone Vadose Zone: Beauce Aquifer (O-ZNS). In: Di Mauro, A., Scozzari, A., Soldovieri, F. (eds) Instrumentation and Measurement Technologies for Water Cycle Management . Springer Water. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-08262-7_19

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