『Abstract
Pore water radon (222Rn) distributions from Indian
River Lagoon, Florida, are characterized by three zones: a lower
zone where pore water 222Rn and sediment-bound radium
(226Ra) are in equilibrium and concentration gradients
are vertical; a middle zone where 222Rn is in excess
of sediment-bound 226Ra and concentration gradients
are concave-downwards; and an upper zone where 222Rn
concentration gradients are nearly vertical. These 222Rn
data are simulated in a one-dimensional numerical model including
advection, diffusion, and non-local exchange to estimate magnitudes
of submarine groundwater discharge components (fresh or marine).
The numerical model estimates three parameters, fresh groundwater
seepage velocity, irrigation intensity, and irrigation attenuation,
using two Monte Carlo (MC) simulations that (1) ensure the minimization
algorithm converges on a global minimum of the merit function
and the parameter estimates are consistent within this global
minimum, and (2) provide 90% confidence intervals on the parameter
estimates using the measured 222Rn activity variance.
Model estimates of seepage velocities and discharge agree with
previous estimates obtained from numerical groundwater flow models
and seepage meter measurements and show the fresh water component
decreases offshore and varies seasonally by a factor of nine or
less. Comparison between the discharge estimates and precipitation
patterns suggests a mean residence time in unsaturated and saturated
zones on the order of 5 to 7 months. Irrigation rates generally
decrease offshore for all sampling periods. The mean irrigation
rate is approximately three times greater than the mean seepage
velocity although the ranges of irrigation rates and seepage velocities
are the same. Possible mechanisms for irrigation include density-driven
convection, wave pumping, and bio-irrigation. simulation of both
advection and irrigation allows the separation of submarine groundwater
discharge into fresh groundwater and (re)circulated lagoon water.
Keywords: radon; radium; submarine groundwater discharge; subterranean
estuary; pore water model; Indian River Lagoon; non-local exchange』
1. Introduction
2. Materials and methods
3. Results
4. 222Rn transport model
4.1. Conceptual model and solution
4.2. Model performance
5. Discussion
5.1. Advection rates
5.2. Comparison between 222Rn model based advection
rates and other techniques
5.3. Irrigation
6. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
Appendix A. Supplementary data
References