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Results for “Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica”

Search indexed USGS publications on groundwater, aquifers, geologic maps, mineral resources and earthquakes. Explore source records by subject and place.

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8 recordsLinked to original sources
USGS2002

Locally refined block-centered finite-difference groundwater models: Evaluation of parameter sensitivity and the consequences for inverse modelling and predictions

Models with local grid refinement, as often required in groundwater models, pose special problems for model calibration. This work investigates the calculation of sensitivities and performance of regression methods using two existing and one new method of grid refinement. The existing local grid refinement methods considered are (1) a variably spaced grid in which the grid spacing becomes smaller near the area of interest and larger where such detail is not needed and (2) telescopic mesh refinement (TMR), which uses the hydraulic heads or fluxes of a regional model to provide the boundary conditions for a locally refined model. The new method has a feedback between the regional and local grids using shared nodes, and thereby, unlike the TMR methods, balances heads and fluxes at the interfacing boundary. Results for sensitivities are compared for the three methods and the effect of the accuracy of sensitivity calculations are evaluated by comparing inverse modelling results. For the cases tested, results indicate that the inaccuracies of the sensitivities calculated using the TMR approach can cause the inverse model to converge to an incorrect solution.

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica↗
USGS2002

High-resolution characterization of chemical heterogeneity in an alluvial aquifer

The high-resolution capabilities of direct-push technology were exploited to develop new insights into the hydrochemistry at the margin of an alluvial aquifer. Hydrostratigraphic controls on groundwater flow and contaminant loading were revealed through the combined use of direct-push electrical conductivity (EC) logging and geochemical profiling. Vertical and lateral variations in groundwater chemistry were consistent with sedimentary features indicated by EC logs, and supported a conceptual model of recharge along the floodplain margin.

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica↗
USGS2002

Evaluation of longitudinal dispersivity estimates from forced-gradient tracer tests in heterogeneous aquifers

Converging radial-flow and two-well tracer tests are simulated in two-dimensional aquifers to investigate the effects of heterogeneity and forced-gradient test configuration on longitudinal dispersivity (??L) estimates, and to compare ??L estimates from forced-gradient tests with ??L values that characterize solute spreading under natural-gradient flow. Results indicate that in mildly heterogeneous aquifers, for tests with relatively large tracer transport distances, ??L estimates from the two test types are generally similar, and are also similar to ??L values determined from natural-gradient tracer simulations. In highly heterogeneous aquifers, ??L estimates from two-well tests are generally larger than those from radial-flow tests, and the ??L estimates from both test types are typically smaller than the ??L values determined from natural-gradient simulations.

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica↗
USGS2002

Parameter estimation using carbon-14 ages: Lessons from the Danube-Tisza interfluvial region of Hungary

Parameter estimation was conducted on a groundwater model of the Danube-Tisza interfluvial region of Hungary. The model was calibrated using 300 water levels and 48 14C ages. The model provided a test of regression methods for a system with a large number of observations. Up to 103 parameters representing horizontal and vertical hydraulic conductivities and boundary conductances were assigned using point values and bilinear interpolation between points. The lowest errors were obtained using an iterative approach with groups of parameters, rather than estimating all of the parameters simultaneously. The model with 48 parameters yielded the lowest standard error of regression.

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica↗
USGS2002

Conceptual uncertainty in crystalline bedrock: Is simple evaluation the only practical approach?

A simple evaluation can be used to characterise the capacity of crystalline bedrock to act as a barrier to releases of radionuclides from a nuclear waste repository. Physically plausible bounds on groundwater flow and an effective transport-resistance parameter are estimated based on fundamental principles and idealised models of pore geometry. Application to an intensively characterised site in Sweden shows that, due to high spatial variability and uncertainty regarding properties of transport paths, the uncertainty associated with the geological barrier is too high to allow meaningful discrimination between good and poor performance. Application of more complex (stochastic-continuum and discrete-fracture-network) models does not yield a significant improvement in the resolution of geologic-barrier performance. Comparison with seven other less intensively characterised crystalline study sites in Sweden leads to similar results, raising a question as to what extent the geological barrier function can be characterised by state-of-the art site investigation methods prior to repository construction. A simple evaluation provides a simple and robust practical approach for inclusion in performance assessment.

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica↗
USGS2002

Residual bias in a multiphase flow model calibration and prediction

When calibrated models produce biased residuals, we assume it is due to an inaccurate conceptual model and revise the model, choosing the most representative model as the one with the best-fit and least biased residuals. However, if the calibration data are biased, we may fail to identify an acceptable model or choose an incorrect model. Conceptual model revision could not eliminate biased residuals during inversion of simulated DNAPL migration under controlled conditions at the Borden Site near Ontario Canada. This paper delineates hypotheses for the source of bias, and explains the evolution of the calibration and resulting model predictions.

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica↗
USGS2002

Weighting observations in the context of calibrating ground-water models

This paper investigates four issues related to weighting observations in the context of ground-water models calibrated with nonlinear regression: (1) terminology, (2) determining values for the weighting, (3) measurement and model errors, and (4) the effect weighting can have on the accuracy of calibrated models and measures of uncertainty. It is shown that the confusing aspects of weighting can be managed, and are not a practical barrier to using regression methods.

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica↗
USGS2002

Experiences from the testing of a theory for modelling groundwater flow in heterogeneous media

Usually, small-scale model error is present in groundwater modelling because the model only represents average system characteristics having the same form as the drift and small-scale variability is neglected. These errors cause the true errors of a regression model to be correlated. Theory and an example show that the errors also contribute to bias in the estimates of model parameters. This bias originates from model nonlinearity. In spite of this bias, predictions of hydraulic head are nearly unbiased if the model intrinsic nonlinearity is small. Individual confidence and prediction intervals are accurate if the t-statistic is multiplied by a correction factor. The correction factor can be computed from the true error second moment matrix, which can be determined when the stochastic properties of the system characteristics are known.

Acta Universitatis Carolinae, Geologica↗