Evaluation of Analytical Methods to Study Aquifer Properties with Pumping Tests in Coastal Aquifers with Numerical Modelling (Motril-Salobreña Aquifer)

Two pumping tests were performed in the unconfined Motril-Salobreña detrital aquifer in a 250 m-deep well 300 m from the coastline containing both freshwater and saltwater. It is an artesian well as it is in the discharge zone of this coastal aquifer. The two observation wells where the drawdowns are measured record the influence of tidal fluctuations, and the well lithological columns reveal high vertical heterogeneity in the aquifer. The Theis and Cooper-Jacob approaches give average transmissivity (T) and storage coefficient (S) values of 1460 m2 /d and 0.027, respectively. Other analytical solutions, modified to be more accurate in the boundary conditions found in coastal aquifers, provide similar T values to those found with the Theis and Cooper-Jacob methods, but give very different S values or could not estimate them. Numerical modelling in a synthetic model was applied to analyse the sensitivity of the Theis and Cooper-Jacob approaches to the usual boundary conditions in coastal aquifers. The T and S values calculated from the numerical modelling drawdowns indicate that the regional flow, variable pumping flows, and tidal effect produce an error of under 10 % compared to results obtained with classic methods. Fluids of different density (freshwater and saltwater) cause an error of 20 % in estimating T and of over 100 % in calculating S. The factor most affecting T and S results in the pumping test interpretation is vertical heterogeneity in sediments, which can produce errors of over 100 % in both parameters.This research has been financed by Project CGL2012-32892 (Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad of Spain) and by the Research Group Sedimentary Geology and Groundwater (RNM-369) of the Junta de Andalucía

Strategy for solving semi-analytically three-dimensional transient flow in a coupled N-layer aquifer system

Efficient strategies for solving semi-analytically the transient groundwater head in a coupled N-layer aquifer system phi(i)(r, z, t), i = 1, ..., N, with radial symmetry, with full z-dependency, and partially penetrating wells are presented. Aquitards are treated as aquifers with their own horizontal and vertical permeabilities. Since the vertical direction is fully taken into account, there is no need to pose the Dupuit assumption, i. e., that the flow is mainly horizontal. To solve this problem, integral transforms will be employed: the Laplace transform for the t-variable (with transform parameter p), the Hankel transform for the r-variable (with transform parameter alpha) and a particular form of a generalized Fourier transform for the vertical direction z with an infinite set of eigenvalues lambda(2)(m) (with the discrete index m). It is possible to solve this problem in the form of a semi-analytical solution in the sense that an analytical expression in terms of the variables r and z, transform parameter p, and eigenvalues lambda(2)(m)(p) of the generalized Fourier transform can be given or in terms of the variables z and t, transform parameter alpha, and eigenvalues lambda(2)(m)(alpha). The calculation of the eigenvalues lambda(2)(m) and the inversion of these transformed solutions can only be done numerically. In this context the application of the generalized Fourier transform is novel. By means of this generalized Fourier transform, transient problems with horizontal symmetries other than radial can be treated as well. The notion of analytical solution versus numerical solution is discussed and a classification of analytical solutions is proposed in seven classes. The expressions found in this paper belong to Class 6, meaning that the transformed solutions are written in terms of eigenvalues which depend on one transform parameter (here p or alpha). Earlier solutions to the transient problem belong to Class 7, where the eigenvalues depend on two transform parameters. The theory is applied to three examples.Water Resources SectionDepartment of WatermanagementCivil Engineering and Geoscience

Structural involvement in substrate recognition of an essential aspartate residue conserved in Mep/Amt and Rh-type ammonium transporters.

Ammonium transport proteins belonging to the Mep/Amt/Rh family are spread throughout all domains of life. A conserved aspartate residue plays a key role in the function of Escherichia coli AmtB. Here, we show that the analogous aspartate residue is critical for the transport function of eukaryotic family members as distant as the yeast transporter/sensor Mep2 and the human RhAG and RhCG proteins. In yeast Mep2, replacement of aspartate(186) with asparagine produced an inactive transporter localized at the cell surface, whilst replacement with alanine was accompanied by stacking of the protein in the endoplasmic reticulum. Introduction of an acidic residue, glutamate, produced a partially active protein. A carboxyl group at position 186 of Mep2 therefore appears mandatory for function. Kinetic analysis shows the Mep2(D186E) variant to be particularly affected at the level of substrate affinity, suggesting an involvement of aspartate(186) in ammonium recognition. Our data also put forward that ammonium recognition and/or transport by Mep2 is required for the sensor role played in the development of pseudohyphal growth. Finally, replacement of the conserved aspartate with asparagine in human RhAG and RhCG proteins resulted in the loss of bi-directional transport function. Hence, this aspartate residue might play a preserved functional role in Mep/Amt/Rh proteins.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe