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NARROW
GeoRef Subject
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all geography including DSDP/ODP Sites and Legs
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Chalk Aquifer (1)
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Europe
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Western Europe
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Belgium
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Mons Basin (1)
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Wallonia Belgium (1)
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Primary terms
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climate change (1)
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Europe
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Western Europe
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Belgium
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Mons Basin (1)
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Wallonia Belgium (1)
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ground water (2)
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sedimentary rocks
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carbonate rocks
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chalk (2)
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sedimentary rocks
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sedimentary rocks
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carbonate rocks
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chalk (2)
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Study of historical groundwater level changes in two Belgian chalk aquifers in the context of climate change impacts
Abstract In southern Belgium, 23% of abstracted groundwater volumes are from chalk aquifers, representing strategic resources for the region. Due to their specific nature, these chalk aquifers often exhibit singular behaviour and require specific analysis. The quantitative evolution of these groundwater resources is analysed for the Mons Basin and Hesbaye chalk aquifers as a function of past evolution, in the short and long term. Groundwater level time series exhibit decreases when analysed over different periods. This is particularly visible for the Hesbaye chalk aquifer when comparing the 1960–90 and 1990–2020 periods. Such decreases are associated with observed temperature increases and precipitation decreases, inducing a decrease of aquifer recharge, and a probable increase of groundwater abstraction in the adjacent catchment. Past evolution is also discussed considering recent winter and summer drought events. The aquifers exhibit long delays in response to recharge events, particularly where the thickness of the partially saturated zone plays a crucial role in observed delays. Regarding future evolution, simulations of the impact of climate changes using medium–high emission scenarios indicate a probable decrease of the groundwater levels over the Hesbaye chalk aquifer.
Differentiated influence of the double porosity of the chalk on solute and heat transport
Abstract Chalk porosity plays a decisive role in the transport of solutes and heat in saturated chalk. From a geological point of view, there are at least two types of porosity: the porosity of pores corresponding to the micro-spaces between the fossil coccoliths that form the chalk matrix and the porosity owing to the micro- and macro-fractures (i.e. secondary porosity). For groundwater flow, the fracture porosity is a determining factor at the macroscopic scale. The multiscale heterogeneity of the porous/fractured chalk induces different effects on solute and heat transport. For solute transport considered at the macroscopic scale, tracer tests have shown that the ‘effective transport porosity’ is substantially lower than the ‘effective drainable porosity’. Moreover, breakthrough curves of tracer tests show an important influence of diffusion in a large portion of the ‘immobile water’ (‘matrix diffusion’) together with rapid preferential advection through the fractures. For heat transport, the matrix diffusion in the ‘immobile water’ of the chalk is hard to distinguish from conduction within the saturated chalk.
Towards a dynamic and sustainable management of geological resources
Abstract The subsurface provides multiple resources, the exploitation of which has a lasting impact on future potential provision. Establishing sustainability in terms of fundamental principles, and fitting these principles into a practical framework, is an ongoing endeavour focused mainly on surface activities. The principles of ecological economics lead to six challenges that summarize the current limitations of implementing science-based sustainable management of geological resources in the medium to deep subsurface: integrating value pluralism, defining sustainable scale, evaluating interferences in the subsurface, guaranteeing environmental justice, optimizing environmental and economic efficiency and handling uncertainties. Assessing and managing geological reservoirs is particularly challenging because of slow resource regeneration, complex spatial and temporal interactions, concealment and naturally dictated opportunities. In answer to the challenges, visions are proposed that outline how an indicator framework is needed for guidance, how indicators require reservoir models with extended spatial and temporal scope, how differences in social values in relation to the environment are to be considered and how real option games combined with life cycle assessment can be used for optimizing efficiency. These individual solutions relate to different facets of the same problem, and can be integrated into one overarching solution that takes the form of dynamic multi-criteria decision analysis.