IMPROVING A RADIOISOTOPE MONITORING NETWORK FOR THE HYDRODYNAMIC CHARACTERIZATION OF A KARSTIC BASIN

PERALTA VITAL, JOSÉ LUIS; GIL CASTILLO, REINALDO; MOLEIRO LEON, LESLIE; DAPEÑA, CRISTINA; OLIVERA ACOSTA, JORGE; FLEITAS ESTEVEZ, GEMA G.

Isotopes in Hydrology, Marine Ecosystems and Climate Change Studies

INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY

Lugar: Vienna; Año: 2013; p. 263 - 272

The paper shows the application of geomathematical tools for the design of a radioisotope monitoring network in order to characterize groundwater dynamics in a karstic basin, a very dificult task to acccomplish due to the complex physical, geographical, geologic and hydrogeological characteristics of karstic basins. The sampling frequency of the network has been optimized according to the analysis of the spectrum of variances. In order to evaluate this optimization, the geomathematical model is compared to the results of the mathematical model AQUIMPE. This model solves the low equation of groundwater using the inite element method. The results validate the design in order to assess aquifer recharge, residence time of groundwater, vulnerability to pollution and groundwater–surface water interaction in this complex water resource.