Intern: Cynthia Bermudez
Mentor: Laura Rademacher
Faculty Sponsor: Dr. Jordan Clark
Supporting Grant Agency: Materials Research Lab
Academic Major: Physics/Astrophysics
Project Title: "The Use of Springs to Understand the Hydrochemical Evolution of Shallow Ground Water, Santa Ynez Mountains"
Abstract: The establishment of chemical weathering rates in any stage of the water cycle is difficult because of the complexity and variability of natural systems. However, laboratory studies are inflexible and cannot accurately reproduce the variability existing in nature. Shallow groundwater discharging from surface springs in the Santa Ynez Mountains, CA and water seeping through the cracks of the Mission Tunnel were used to understand the chemical evolution of natural waters. Chlorofluorocarbon data illustrate that the thickness of rock overlying a seep is not necessarily representative of the age of the water. Previous studies of the hydrochemical evolution of groundwater show a strong correlation between dissolved ion concentrations and water age; however, this study shows that dissolved ion concentration is also significantly dependent on the type of rock through which the water is flowing. Therefore, the rock type and the age of the water must be used to completely understand the hydrochemical evolution of shallow groundwater.
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