Geophysical Assessment of Seawater Intrusion in Coastal Aquifers
Summary
Seawater intrusion into coastal aquifers poses a growing threat to freshwater resources worldwide, driven by over‐abstraction, sea-level rise and altered recharge regimes. Geophysical techniques offer non-invasive, high-resolution views of subsurface properties, enabling delineation of the freshwater–saltwater interface, identification of preferential flow pathways and monitoring of temporal changes. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and transient electromagnetic (TEM) surveys map variations in electrical conductivity that correspond to salinity gradients, while seismic methods such as multichannel analysis of surface waves (MASW) reveal contrasts in elastic moduli associated with fluid composition. By integrating these methods with borehole logs, hydrochemical data and density-dependent flow models, researchers can construct three-dimensional portraits of aquifer geometry, assess rates of saltwater wedge migration and evaluate the impact of pumping strategies. Advances in time-lapse imaging allow dynamic tracking of salt intrusion in response to seasonal recharge or management interventions. Such insights underpin sustainable water-management plans, guide well-placement decisions and inform policy measures to safeguard coastal water security. The geophysical assessment of seawater intrusion thus bridges fundamental hydrogeophysical research and practical applications, offering cost-effective tools for protecting vulnerable aquifers in diverse coastal settings.
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Technical terms
Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT): A technique that measures subsurface resistivity distribution to infer fluid conductivity and geological structure.
Transient Electromagnetic Method (TEM): A time-domain electromagnetic survey that determines subsurface conductivity from induced transient fields.
Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW): A seismic method that analyses surface-wave dispersion to estimate near-surface shear-wave velocities.
Freshwater–Saltwater Interface: The boundary within a coastal aquifer marking the transition from fresh groundwater to saline water.
Phreatic Aquifer: An unconfined groundwater body in which the water table is open to atmospheric pressure and directly influenced by recharge.
References
- Geophysical assessment of seawater intrusion: the Volturno Coastal Plain case study. Applied Water Science (2023).
- Integrated seawater intrusion study of coastal region of Thiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, South India. Applied Water Science (2019).
- Spatial Characterization of Seawater Intrusion in a Coastal Aquifer of Northeast Liaodong Bay, China. Sustainability (2019).
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