Climate and groundwater recharge: the story from Australian caves

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorBaker, AAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorTreble, PCen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMarkowska, Men_AU
dc.contributor.authorAndersen, MSen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWang, ZYOen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMahmud, Ken_AU
dc.contributor.authorCuthbert, MOen_AU
dc.contributor.authorColeborn, Ken_AU
dc.contributor.authorRau, GCen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2022-08-30T06:10:21Zen_AU
dc.date.available2022-08-30T06:10:21Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2017-07-11en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-11-02en_AU
dc.description.abstractQuantifying the timing and extent of diffuse groundwater recharge is crucial for our understanding of groundwater recharge processes. However, diffuse recharge is notably difficult to measure directly. Caves can be used as natural observatories of ongoing diffuse recharge processes, and speleothems (cave carbonate deposits such as stalagmites) as archives of past recharge. Cave records can improve our understanding of diffuse recharge in the context of climate change and past climate variability. A long-term, national monitoring program of infiltration into caves has been undertaken since 2010 using a network of over 200 automated loggers. This has been supplemented by artificial irrigation experiments at one semi-arid site. The timing of past recharge can be determined from the periods of past stalagmite growth. Recharge characteristics can be elucidated from oxygen isotope composition, with increased 18O likely caused by evaporative fractionation and increased 16O from high intensity/magnitude rainfall events. Automated logger data identify the diffuse recharge thresholds that vary with climate and geology. Both the logged data of natural events and the artificial irrigation experiments identify significant spatial heterogeneity in recharge in these karstified systems. Water infiltrating into the karst is often depleted in the lighter oxygen isotope due to soil and shallow subsurface evaporative fractionation. Speleothem deposition is more frequent during glacial periods, presumably because recharge thresholds are lower, and their isotopic composition provides evidence of the characteristics of the recharge process. Caves provide direct access into the unsaturated zone. Direct observation of groundwater recharge can be used to complement data from the saturated zone (boreholes) and models. The heterogeneity of recharge in karst aquifers can be directly observed and quantified. Speleothems preserve a record of groundwater recharge that can extend back for hundreds of thousands of years, providing a long-term view on the timing and variability of groundwater recharge in Australia.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationBaker, A., Treble, P. C., Markowskam M., Andersen, M. S., Wang, Z., Mahmud, K., Cuthbert, M. O., Coleborn, K., & Rau, G. (2017). Climate and groundwater recharge: the story from Australian caves. Paper presented to the 2017 biennial Australasian Groundwater Conference, UNSW Sydney, 11 - 13 July 2017. Retrieved from: http://agc-2017.p.agc2017.currinda.com/days/2017-07-11/abstract/237en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate13 July 2017en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencename2017 Biennial Australasian Groundwater Conferenceen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceSydney, Australiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate11 July 2017en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://agc-2017.p.agc2017.currinda.com/days/2017-07-11/abstract/237en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/13679en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherNational Centre for Groundwater Research And Trainingen_AU
dc.subjectClimatesen_AU
dc.subjectGroundwater rechargeen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectCavesen_AU
dc.subjectCarbonatesen_AU
dc.subjectRecords managementen_AU
dc.subjectClimatic changeen_AU
dc.subjectMonitoringen_AU
dc.subjectArid landsen_AU
dc.subjectDataen_AU
dc.titleClimate and groundwater recharge: the story from Australian cavesen_AU
dc.typeConference Presentationen_AU
Files
Original bundle
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Thumbnail Image
Name:
GW008_FA Updated.pdf
Size:
4.1 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Download
Thumbnail Image
Name:
PowerPoint Presentation.pdf
Size:
2.2 MB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Power Point
Download
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.63 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Conference Publications