Tracing solute infiltration using a combined method of dye tracer test and electrical resistivity tomography in an undisturbed forest soil profile

✍ Scribed by Jae Gon Kim; Sam-Gyu Park; Myeong-Jong Yi; Jung-Ho Kim

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 286 KB
• Volume: 24
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0885-6087
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.7711

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

An accurate prediction of solute infiltration in a soil profile is important in the area of environmental science, groundwater and civil engineering. We examined the infiltration pattern and monitored the infiltration process using a combined method of dye tracer test and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) in an undisturbed field soil (1 m × 1 m). A homogeneous matrix flow was observed in the surface soil (A horizon), but a preferential flow along macropores and residual rock structure was the dominant infiltration pattern in the subsurface soil. Saturated interflow along the slopping boundaries of A and C1 horizons and of an upper sandy layer and a lower thin clay layer in the C horizon was also observed. The result of ERT showed that matrix flow started first in A horizon and then the infiltration was followed by the preferential flows along the sloping interfaces and macropores. The ERT did not show as much detail as the dye‐stained image for the preferential flow. However, the area with the higher staining density where preferential flow was dominant showed a relatively lower electrical resistivity. The result of this study indicates that ERT can be applied for the monitoring of solute transportation in the vadose zone. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.