Tracer/Time-Lapse Radar Imaging Test; Design, Operation, and Preliminary Results
Abstract
This report describes a tracer/time-lapse radar imaging test (TTLT) that was conducted in a heterogeneous fluvial aquifer between August 1-18, 2001 to demonstrate, evaluate, and improve the capability to image temporal and spatial changes in an electrically conductive plume during a tracer test, and to provide quantitative results for geophysical, hydrologic, and combined hydrologic and geophysical modeling of plume detection, plume evolution, and permeability heterogeneity. Custom in-well equipment was designed with and manufactured by collaborators at Michigan State University to allow: (a) simultaneous logging with radar instruments for cross-hole imaging and collection of water samples and head-change measurements from isolated zones in the same wells; and (b) collection of high-resolution water chemistry samples and head-change data in the middle region of two tomographic planes for quantitative calibration of attenuation differences detected by radar tomography. Pre-test flow and transport modeling with generalized aquifer parameter estimates, and better known topography on hydrostratigraphic contacts, was run to help select a pumping rate. Two tracers were used for the TTLT that were believed to be conservative tracers: (a) bromide, an electrically conductive inorganic salt; and (b) uranine, an organic fluorescent dye. The behavior of the second tracer, uranine , was not conservative and differed considerably from that of bromide or its proxy, conductivity. Operational problems (long and short power outages) interrupted pumping and data collection with some head-change and flow measurement and recording systems. A follow-up field test was conducted in June, 2002 to recreate the start and various pumping and recovery conditions of the TTLT in order to capture head-change information at numerous zones with more-stable fiber-optic transducers. Review of data indicates that high-quality headchange data were collected in 2002.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 30, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA640176
Entities
People
- David W. Hyndman
- Edward Reboulet
- Elisabeth Hausrath
- Tom Clemo
- Warren Barrash
Organizations
- Boise State University