Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
Advances in groundwater storage monitoring are crucial for water resource management and hydrological processes understanding. The evaluation of water storage changes (WSC) often involve point measurements (observation wells, moisture probes, etc.), which may be inappropriate in heterogeneous media. Over the past few years, there has been an increasing interest in the use of gravimetry for hydrological studies. In the framework of the GHYRAF (Gravity and Hydrology inAfrica) project, 3 yr of repeated absolute gravity measurements using a FG5-type gravimeter have been undertaken at Nalohou, a Sudanian site in northern Benin. Hydrological data are collected within the long-term observing system AMMA-Catch. Once corrected for solid earth tides, ocean loading, air pressure effects, polar motion contribution and non-local hydrology, seasonal gravity variations reach up to 11 μGal, equivalent to a WSC of 260-mm thick infinite layer of water. Absolute temporal gravity data are compared to WSC deduced from neutron probe and water-table variations through a direct modelling approach. First, we use neutronic measurements available for the whole vertical profile where WSC occur (the vadose zone and a shallow unconfined aquifer). The RMSD between observed and modelled gravity variations is 1.61 μGal, which falls within the error bars of the absolute gravity data. Second, to acknowledge for the spatial variability of aquifer properties, we use a 2-D model for specific yield (Sy) derived from resistivity mapping and Magnetic Resonance Soundings (MRS). The latter provides a water content (θMRS) known to be higher than the specific yield. Hence, we scaled the 2-D model of θMRS with a single factor (α). WSC are calculated from water-table monitoring in the aquifer layer and neutronic measurements in the vadose layer. The value of α is obtained with aMonte-Carlo sampling approach, minimizing the RMSD between modelled and observed gravity variations. This leads to α = Sy/θMRS = 0.63 ± 0.15, close to what is found in the literature on the basis of pumping tests experiments, with a RMSD value of 0.94 μGal. This hydrogeophysical experiment is a first step towards the use of time-lapse gravity data as an integrative tool to monitor interannual WSC even in complicated subsurface distribution.
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-00821181
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00821181
DOI : 10.1093/gji/ggt146

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : In this paper we present the potential of a new compact superconducting gravimeter (GWR iGrav) designed for groundwater monitoring. At first, 3 yr of continuous gravity data are evaluated and the performance of the instrument is investigated. With repeated absolute gravity measurements using a Micro-g Lacoste FG5, the calibration factor (−894.8 nm s−2 V−1) and the long-term drift of this instrument (45 nm s−2 yr−1) are estimated for the first time with a high precision and found to be respectively constant and linear for this particular iGrav. The low noise level performance is found similar to those of previous superconducting gravimeters and leads to gravity residuals coherent with local hydrology. The iGrav is located in a fully instrumented hydrogeophysical observatory on the Durzon karstic basin (Larzac plateau, south of France). Rain gauges and a flux tower (evapo-transpiration measurements) are used to evaluate the groundwater mass balance at the local scale. Water mass balance demonstrates that the karst is only capacitive: all the rainwater is temporarily stored in the matrix and fast transfers to the spring through fractures are insignificant in this area. Moreover, the upper part of the karst around the observatory appears to be representative of slow transfer of the whole catchment. Indeed, slow transfer estimated on the site fully supports the low-flow discharge at the only spring which represents all groundwater outflows from the catchment. In the last part of the paper, reservoir models are used to characterize the water transfer and storage processes. Particular highlights are done on the advantages of continuous gravity data (compared to repeated campaigns) and on the importance of local accurate meteorological data to limit misinterpretation of the gravity observations. The results are complementary with previous studies at the basin scale and show a clear potential for continuous gravity time-series assimilation in hydrological simulations, even on heterogeneous karstic systems.
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-01526965
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01526965
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01526965/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01526965/file/fores2016.pdf
DOI : 10.1093/gji/ggw396

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : International audience
A shallow field experimental site for CO2 injection was established at Maguelone (Languedoc, France), in order to test in an integrated manner a suite of surface and downhole hydrogeophysical monitoring methods. The objective is to improve monitoring of gas transport in the shallow subsurface and to determine the sensitivity of CO2 monitoring systems for leakage detection. The site offers a natural laboratory to study the processes associated with CO2 injection in a clastic and clay-rich context saturated with saline fluids. Prior to CO2 injection, three nitrogen (N2) injections were undertaken in 2012 to measure the site response to neutral gas injection. In 2013, a volume of 111 m3 (mass of 220 kg) of CO2 was injected during 3.5 h at 15 m depth. During each experiment, the gas plumes were successfully detected from pressure monitoring, time-lapse induction logging and downhole resistivity monitoring with dipole–dipole array. Increases in resistivity are attributed to free gas propagation (either N2 or CO2) whereas decreases in resistivity correlate with CO2 dissolution in the pore fluid. Chemical analyses confirm this hypothesis with a decrease in pH and an increase in the concentration of dissolved species in the latter case.
ISSN: 1750-5836

hal-01355943
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01355943
DOI : 10.1016/j.ijggc.2015.12.005

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : This paper is the first presentation of a project called GHYRAF (Gravity and Hydrology in Africa) devoted to the detailed comparison between models and multidisciplinary observations (ground and satellite gravity, geodesy, hydrology, meteorology) of the variations of water storage in Africa from the Sahara and part to the monsoon equatorial part. We describe the various actions planned in this project. We first detail the actions planned in gravimetry which consist in two main surface gravity experiments: on the one hand the periodic repetition of absolute gravity measurements along a north-south monsoonal gradient of rainfall in West Africa, going from Tamanrasset (20 mm/year) in southern Algeria to Djougou (1200 mm/year) in central Benin; on the other hand the continuous measurements at Djougou (Benin) with a superconducting gravimeter to monitor with a higher sampling rate the gravity changes related to an extreme hydrological cycle. Another section describes the actions planned in GPS which will maintain and develop the present-day existing network in West Africa. The third type of actions deals with hydrology and we review the three sites that will be investigated in this joint hydrogeophysics project namely Wankama (near Niamey) and Bagara (near Diffa) in the Niger Sahelian zone and Nalohou (near Djougou) in the Benin monsoon zone. We also address the question of the ground truth of satellite-derived missions: in this context the GHYRAF project will lead to test the hydrology models by comparison both with in situ and satellite data such as GRACE, as well as to an important increase of our knowledge of the seasonal water cycle in Africa. We finally present preliminary results in GPS based on the analysis of the vertical motion of the Djougou site. The resulting absolute gravity changes related to the 2008 monsoon are finally given.
ISSN: 0264-3707

hal-00475660
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00475660
DOI : 10.1016/j.jog.2009.09.014

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
Tilt fluctuations can potentially reflect the response of hydrosystems to important rainfall. In this context, long baseline tiltmeters have been installed in an underground tunnel penetrating the Fontaine de Vaucluse karst to study the medium deformation related to solicitations exerted by water infiltrating the hydrosystem. The instruments monitor the tilt as well as its spatial variation. Northward tilts reaching a 1 μrad amplitude are observed consecutively to rainfalls. The tilt amplitude is highly correlated with the Fontaine de Vaucluse outlet flow fluctuations. The measured tilt signal is also relatively homogeneous over a 150 m length. Different types of structure likely to produce such observations are tested in order to identify their location with respect to the tiltmeters, their dimension as well as the amount of water level variation in the structure. Following rainfalls, the infiltration of water modifies the pore pressure, inducing a medium deformation. The hypothesis of an homogeneous surface loading on the Vaucluse plateau is first refuted since the related tilt is much lower than the one measured. The water supplied by rainfalls has to accumulate in discontinuities in order to generate a higher tilt. So, the deformation related to a pressure exerted on a fracture filled by water is assessed. A first study reveals the interest of the tilt homogeneity information that constrains strongly the fracture properties. Thus, the fracture must be located at a distance more than a few hundreds metres from the tiltmeters in order to produce a tilt homogeneous in space. If the fracture is initially dry, it must also be filled on a height higher than 150 m consecutive to a rainfall in order to generate a tilt amplitude in the same magnitude as the one measured. Then, we explore the influence of water level variations on the tilt produced by a fracture located at the interface between the saturated and unsaturated zones, which are thereby permanently flooded. Since several parameters of that model satisfactorily explain the field observations, we discuss how simultaneous geodetical observations could provide complementary information that would further constrain the geometry of the structure at the origin of the medium deformation.
ISSN: 0956-540X

insu-01408482
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01408482
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01408482/document
https://hal-insu.archives-ouvertes.fr/insu-01408482/file/Lesparre-2017.pdf
DOI : 10.1093/gji/ggw446

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD
Résumé : The heterogeneous nature and sometimes karstified carbonate environments has a direct impact on many environmental issues, such as coastal aquifers affected by saltwater intrusion. At the south of the island of Mallorca (Spain), the Llucmajor carbonate platform offers a privileged site for the study of such intrusions including the experimental site of Campos who meets the intrusion at shallow depth. The characterization of heterogeneous properties passes through a preliminary description of the properties of carbonate reservoirs, including those of the porosity. According to the wide range of sizes of heterogeneities from micrometer to hundreds of meters, the use of multiscale methods is required. This thesis focused on the determination of multiscale porosities from the microporosity to karstic porosity, and of relationships between observation scale changes of these properties. At the micron scale, high-resolution X-ray microtomography allows to extract the microporosity and the microporous network connectivity. At lower resolution (mm), X-ray tomography is also used to study the micro- and macro-porous network at the core scale which is already allocated to number of observations and measurements, including petrophysical. At the borehole scale, the wall images are used to identify the dissolved zones from centimeter macropores to plurimetric karstic cavities. At the larger scale, surface geophysics study the lateral extension of the karsts and heterogeneities. Finally, the porous structure of the studied site is integrated with its wide range of scales into the regional geology of the Llucmajor platform. Thus, the hydrogeophysical observatory set up on the site of Campos to monitor the spreading of salt water in the aquifer is integrated in its geological and petrophysical context, in order to refine the interpretation of its variations of salinity measurements during the time.
La nature hétérogène et parfois karstifiée des milieux carbonatés a un impact direct sur nombre de problématiques environnementales, comme celle des aquifères côtiers affectés par une intrusion d'eau salée. Au sud de l'ile de Majorque (Baléares, Espagne), la plate-forme carbonatée de Llucmajor offre un site privilégié pour l'étude de telles intrusions notamment avec le site expérimental de Campos, qui rencontre l'intrusion à faible profondeur. La caractérisation des propriétés hétérogènes du réservoir passe par une description préalable des propriétés des réservoirs carbonatés et notamment celle de la porosité. Au regard de la large gamme d'échelles d'hétérogénéités allant du micromètre à la centaine de mètre, l'utilisation de méthodes multi-échelles est nécessaire. Ce travail de thèse a porté sur la caractérisation multi-échelle de la porosité, allant de la microporosité à la porosité karstique, et l'établissement de relations entre les changements d'échelles d'observation de ces propriétés. A très petite échelle, la microtomographie haute-résolution à rayons X extrait à l'échelle du micron la microporosité et la connectivité des réseaux microporeux. A plus basse fréquence (celle du mm), la tomographie est également utilisée afin d'étudier le réseau micro- et macroporeux à l'échelle des carottes, à laquelle sont réalisées nombre d'observations et de mesures, notamment pétrophysiques. A l'échelle du puits, les images de paroi permettent d'identifier les zones de dissolution allant des macropores centimétriques aux cavités karstiques plurimétriques. A plus grande échelle, la géophysique de surface permet d'étudier l'extension latérale de ces karsts et hétérogénéités. Enfin, la structure poreuse du site étudié sur cette vaste gamme d'échelles est intégrée à la géologie régionale de la plate-forme de Llucmajor. Ainsi, l'observatoire installé sur le site pour surveiller la propagation de l'eau salée dans l'aquifère a pu être replacé dans son contexte géologique et pétrophysique, afin d'affiner l'interprétation de ses mesures de variations de salinité au cours du temps.
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00633488

tel-00633488
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00633488
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00633488/document
https://tel.archives-ouvertes.fr/tel-00633488/file/TheseHebert.pdf

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Elsevier
Résumé : Adequate hydrogeophysical monitoring of CO2 geological storage remains a challenge as different parameters might be modified during storage. That implies to compare real-time measurements to an adequate baseline. At the Maguelone shallow experimental site a representative baseline for electrical resistivity was built from a large number of downhole geophysical measurements. At this coastal site this issue is particularly important due to the production of biogenic gas from the subsurface sediments. For this, a modified petrophysical model based on the Waxman-Smits model is proposed to estimate gas saturation found to vary from 2 to 7% within shallow sand layers.
ISSN: 1876-6102

hal-01412685
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01412685
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01412685/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01412685/file/pezard2015.pdf
DOI : 10.1016/j.egypro.2015.07.910

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
In this study we attempt to understand the water storage variations in a karst aquifer on the Larzac Plateau (South of France) using ground-based gravimetry. Surface to 60 m depth gravity measurements are performed three times a year since 2006 down a pothole, in complement to monthly absolute gravity (AG) measurements at three sites. The time variations of the surface to depth (STD) gravity differences are compared with the AG variations. Using a simple Bouguer plate model, we find that the STD gravity differences are very similar to the AG variations. The STD gravity differences are then used to determine apparent density values. These integrative density values are compared with measured grain densities from core samples to obtain an apparent porosity and saturation change representative of the investigated depth. The apparent porosity ranges from 4.8 to 7.3 per cent. We then discuss on the repartition of the apparent physical properties with respect to the epikarst and infiltration zone karst structures. We argue that AG and STD differences monitor epikarst water storage variations. Within this scope, we discuss the fact that seasonal scale water storage variation occurs predominantly in the epikarst.
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-00413528
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00413528
DOI : 10.1111/j.1365-246X.2009.04118.x

Éditeur(s) : HAL CCSD Oxford University Press (OUP)
Résumé : International audience
We investigate the deformation induced by water pressure variations in hydrologically active natural fractures, and recorded by tiltmeters and strainmeters. The deformation associated with a single fracture is derived using finite-element modelling (FEM). A range in fracture geometries is explored, first to highlight the sensitivity of each geometrical parameter to the deformation, and secondly to allow transfer to observation sites. Water level variations in the fracture are then derived from a hydrological model, driven by observed rainfall, and calibrated on fracture water flow measurements. The modelling results are explicitly applied to constrain the local hydrological contribution to observations with the 100-m-long hydrostatic tiltmeter installed at Sainte-Croix-aux-Mines (France). Our study shows that well-founded physical modelling of local hydrological effect allows a substantial correction of records in observatories.
ISSN: 0956-540X

hal-00708093
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00708093
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00708093/document
https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-00708093/file/fracture_v72.pdf
BIBCODE : 2009GeoJI.178..667L