title: Hydraulic Conductivity Fields: Gaussian or Not?
abstract: Hydraulic conductivity (K) fields are used to parameterize groundwater flow and transport models. Numerical simulations require a detailed representation of theKfield, synthesized to interpolate between available data. Several recent studies introduced high resolutionKdata (HRK) at the Macro Dispersion Experiment (MADE) site, and used ground-penetrating radar (GPR) to delineate the main structural features of the aquifer. This paper describes a statistical analysis of these data, and the implications forKfield modeling in alluvial aquifers. Two striking observations have emerged from this analysis. The first is that a simple fractional difference filter can have a profound effect on data histograms, organizing non-Gaussian lnKdata into a coherent distribution. The second is that using GPR facies allows us to reproduce the significantly non-Gaussian shape seen in real HRK data profiles, using a simulated Gaussian lnKfield in each facies. This illuminates a current controversy in the literature, between those who favor Gaussian lnKmodels, and those who observe non-Gaussian lnKfields. Both camps are correct, but at different scales.
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Mark M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Meerschaert
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Mine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dogan
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: Remke L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Van Dam
authors.affiliation: Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA.
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Hyndman
authors.affiliation: Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado, USA.
authors.forename: David A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Benson