Monitoring Water Level of a Surficial Aquifer Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing and Ballistic Surface Waves

Simple item page
dc.citation.articleNumbere2023WR036172en_US
dc.citation.issueNumber8en_US
dc.citation.journalTitleWater Resources Researchen_US
dc.citation.volumeNumber60en_US
dc.contributor.authorSobolevskaia, Valeriiaen_US
dc.contributor.authorAjo-Franklin, Jonathanen_US
dc.contributor.authorCheng, Fengen_US
dc.contributor.authorDou, Shanen_US
dc.contributor.authorLindsey, Nathaniel J.en_US
dc.contributor.authorWagner, Annaen_US
dc.date.accessioned2024-08-29T21:11:44Zen_US
dc.date.available2024-08-29T21:11:44Zen_US
dc.date.issued2024en_US
dc.description.abstractGroundwater resources play an increasingly crucial role in providing the water required to sustain the environment. However, our understanding of the state of surficial aquifers and their spatiotemporal dynamics remains poor. In this study, we demonstrate how Rayleigh wave velocity variation can be used as a direct indicator of changes in the water level of a surficial aquifer in a discontinuous permafrost environment. Distributed acoustic sensing data, collected on a trenched fiber-optic cable in Fairbanks, AK, was processed using the multichannel analysis of surface waves approach to obtain temporal velocity variations. A semi-permanent surface orbital vibrator was utilized to provide a repeatable source of energy for monitoring. To understand the observed velocity perturbations, we developed a rock physics model (RPM) representing the aquifer with the underlying permafrost and accounting for physical processes associated with water level change. Our analyses demonstrated a strong correlation between precipitation-driven head variation and seismic velocity changes at all recorded frequencies. The proposed model accurately predicted a recorded 3% velocity increase for each 0.5 m of head drop and indicated that the pore pressure effect accounted for approximately 75% of the observed phase velocity change. Surface wave inversion and sensitivity analysis suggested that the high velocity contrast in the permafrost table shifts the surface wave sensitivity toward the first 3 m of soil where hydrological forcing occurs. This case study demonstrates how surface wave analysis combined with an RPM can be used for quantitative interpretation of the acoustic response of surficial aquifers.en_US
dc.identifier.citationSobolevskaia, V., Ajo-Franklin, J., Cheng, F., Dou, S., Lindsey, N. J., & Wagner, A. (2024). Monitoring Water Level of a Surficial Aquifer Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing and Ballistic Surface Waves. Water Resources Research, 60(8), e2023WR036172. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036172en_US
dc.identifier.digitalMonitoring-Water-Levelen_US
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR036172en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/1911/117718en_US
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherWileyen_US
dc.rightsExcept where otherwise noted, this work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license.  Permission to reuse, publish, or reproduce the work beyond the terms of the license or beyond the bounds of fair use or other exemptions to copyright law must be obtained from the copyright holder.en_US
dc.rights.urihttps://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/en_US
dc.titleMonitoring Water Level of a Surficial Aquifer Using Distributed Acoustic Sensing and Ballistic Surface Wavesen_US
dc.typeJournal articleen_US
dc.type.dcmiTexten_US
dc.type.publicationpublisher versionen_US
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Monitoring-Water-Level.pdf
Size:
6.66 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Download
Collections
Faculty Publications
Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences Publications