For a number of years we have been developing and applying geophysical
techniques for the characterisation of subsurface hydrological processes. Much
of this work was driven by the need to determine higher density of spatial
sampling than conventional methods in order to constrain models of subsurface
flow and transport processes. This area of research ("hydrogeophysics") has
grown immensely over the past few years and is now recognised as a discipline of
hydrology by the American Geophysical Union (see
here for details) and forms key elements of forums held
by EGU, SEG, EAGE, etc.
Work at Lancaster has concentrated on using electrical
resistivity, induced polarization and radar for the determination of
hydrostratigraphy and, through time-lapse imaging, the movement of water and
solutes through porous and fractured media. We have developed tomographic
imaging tools to assist with these applications. Our group is equipped with a
wide range of field and laboratory instruments for the following:
multi-electrode resistivity and IP imaging, surface and borehole GPR, spectral
induced polarization, ground conductivity, borehole geophysical logging.
Specific applications include:
High speed imaging of preferential flow in undisturbed soil columns (see
Binley et al., 1996).
Vadose zone recharge processes in sandstone using cross-hole radar and
resistivity methods coupled with groundwater models (see Binley et al., 2001,
2002; Cassiani and Binley, 2005).
Relationships between spectral electrical properties and sandstone
permeability (see Binley et al, 2005).
Mapping snowmelt induced infiltration (see French and Binley, 2005).
Hydrostratigraphic mapping using cross-hole induced polarization (see Kemna
et al, 2004).
Some recent references
Binley A., L. Slater, M. Fukes and G. Cassiani, 2005, The relationship
between spectral induced polarization and hydraulic properties of saturated and
unsaturated sandstone, Water Resources Research , 41(12), W12417, doi:
10.1029/2005WR004202.
Cassiani, G. and A. Binley, 2005, Modeling unsaturated flow in a layered
formation under quasi-steady state conditions using geophysical data
constraints, Advances in Water Resources, 28(5), 467-477.
French, H. and A. Binley, 2004, Snowmelt infiltration: monitoring temporal
and spatial variability using time-lapse geophysics, J. Hydrology. 297, 174-186.
Kemna, A., A. Binley and L. Slater, 2004, Cross-borehole IP imaging for
engineering and environmental applications, Geophysics, 69(1), 97-105.
Binley, A., G. Cassiani, R. Middleton and P. Winship, 2002, Vadose zone
model parameterisation using cross-borehole radar and resistivity imaging, J.
Hydrology. 267(3-4), 147-159.
Binley, A., P. Winship, R. Middleton, M. Pokar and J. West, 2001, High
resolution characterization of vadose zone dynamics using cross-borehole radar,
Water Resources Research, 37(11), 2639-2652.
Binley, A., S. Henry-Poulter and B. Shaw, 1996, Examination of Solute
Transport in an Undisturbed Soil Column using Electrical Resistance Tomography,
Water Resources Research, 32(4), p763-769.
Also see Andy Binley's Research web pages
by clicking
HERE
Contact: Andy Binley