Hydrogeochemistry of groundwaters in and below the base of thick permafrost at Lupin, Nunavut, Canada

Stotler, Randy L.; Frape, Shaun K.; Ruskeeniemi, Timo; Ahonen, Lasse; Onstott, Tullis C.; Hobbs, Monique

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2009.04.013

Cited by 63 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 59 publications

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“…This suggest that a large proportion of this frozen water is composed of subglacial meltwater infiltrated during the advance of the ice sheet and that the geochemical signature of the permafrost should point toward a glacial origin. A geochemical study conducted at the Lupin Mine (NWT, Canada) in a 500 m thick permafrost environment [46,47] was, however, not able to unequivocally confirm this finding.…”

Section: Mean Groundwater Age Evolution During the Wisconsinian Glacimentioning

confidence: 97%

Simulation of groundwater age evolution during the Wisconsinian glaciation over the Canadian landscape

Lemieux

Sudicky

2009

Environ Fluid Mech

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The simulation of groundwater age (residence time) is used to study the impact of the Wisconsinian glaciation on the Canadian continental groundwater flow system. Key processes related to coupled groundwater flow and glaciation modeling are included in the model such as density-dependent flow, hydromechanical loading, subglacial infiltration, glacial isostasy, and permafrost development. It is found that mean groundwater ages span over a large range in values, between zero and 42 Myr; exceedingly old groundwater is found at large depths where there is little groundwater flow because of low permeabilities and because of the presence of very dense brines. During the glacial cycle, old, deep groundwater below the ice sheet mixes with the young subglacial meltwater that infiltrates into the subsurface; the water displacement due to subglacial recharge reaches depths up to 3 km. The depth of penetration of the meltwater is, however, strongly dependent on the permeability of the subsurface rocks, the presence of dense brines and the presence or absence on deep fractures or conductive faults. At the end of the simulation period, it was found that the mean groundwater age in regions affected by the ice sheet advance and retreat is younger than it was at the last interglacial period. This is also true for frozen groundwater in the permafrost area and suggests that significant parts of this water is of glacial origin. Finally, the simulation of groundwater age offers an alternative and pragmatic framework to understand groundwater flow during the Pleistocene and for paleo-hydrogeological studies because it records the history of the groundwater flow paths.

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Section: Mean Groundwater Age Evolution During the Wisconsinian Glacimentioning

confidence: 97%

Simulation of groundwater age evolution during the Wisconsinian glaciation over the Canadian landscape

Lemieux

Sudicky

2009

Environ Fluid Mech

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“…Next, groundwater flow is neglected but it is evident that this would slow down the speed of permafrost development as well because of the redistribution of heat (Kurylyk et al, 2014). Finally, outfreezing of pore water salt would lower the speed of permafrost development because more heat needs to be extracted to freeze water with elevated salt concentrations (Stotler et al, 2009). …”

Section: Upper Boundary Condition: Temperature Evolution Of a Future mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Migration of radionuclides through the host rock may be altered and the mechanical properties of the engineered barriers may be affected due to freeze-thaw cycles (Busby et al, 2015). Porewater chemistry might change due to outfreezing of salts, and gas hydrates may develop (Stotler et al, 2009). Finally, microbial activity in the host rock will likely be affected.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Weichselian permafrost depth in the Netherlands: a comprehensive uncertainty and sensitivity analysis

Govaerts

Beerten

Veen³

2016

The Cryosphere

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Abstract. The Rupelian clay in the Netherlands is currently the subject of a feasibility study with respect to the storage of radioactive waste in the Netherlands (OPERA-project). Many features need to be considered in the assessment of the long-term evolution of the natural environment surrounding a geological waste disposal facility. One of these is permafrost development as it may have an impact on various components of the disposal system, including the natural environment (hydrogeology), the natural barrier (clay) and the engineered barrier. Determining how deep permafrost might develop in the future is desirable in order to properly address the possible impact on the various components. It is expected that periglacial conditions will reappear at some point during the next several hundred thousands of years, a typical time frame considered in geological waste disposal feasibility studies. In this study, the Weichselian glaciation is used as an analogue for future permafrost development. Permafrost depth modelling using a best estimate temperature curve of the Weichselian indicates that permafrost would reach depths between 155 and 195 m. Without imposing a climatic gradient over the country, deepest permafrost is expected in the south due to the lower geothermal heat flux and higher average sand content of the post-Rupelian overburden. Accounting for various sources of uncertainty, such as type and impact of vegetation, snow cover, surface temperature gradients across the country, possible errors in palaeoclimate reconstructions, porosity, lithology and geothermal heat flux, stochastic calculations point out that permafrost depth during the coldest stages of a glacial cycle such as the Weichselian, for any location in the Netherlands, would be 130-210 m at the 2σ level. In any case, permafrost would not reach depths greater than 270 m. The most sensitive parameters in permafrost development are the mean annual air temperatures and porosity, while the geothermal heat flux is the crucial parameter in permafrost degradation once temperatures start rising again.

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“…These two conclusions are not contradictory given the high local evaporation and shallow suprapermafrost groundwater depth. The shallow groundwater depth may also result in very short flow paths for the majority of the waters and relatively short contact time for chemical reactions between the water and the soils (Frey et al, 2007;Stotler et al, 2009;Vonk et al, 2015).…”

Section: Suprapermafrost Groundwatermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, Stotler et al (2009) illuminated the role of permafrost in deep flow system evolution, fluid movement and chemical evolution using hydrogeochemistry and 2 H and 18 O isotopes. Anderson et al (2013) investigated the causes of lake area changes in the Yukon Flats, a region of discontinuous permafrost in Alaska, with 2 H and 18 O isotopes and found that about 5 % of lake water came from snowmelt and/or permafrost thaw.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater

Sun

et al. 2017

Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci.

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Abstract. The roles of groundwater flow in the hydrological cycle within the alpine area characterized by permafrost and/or seasonal frost are poorly known. This study explored the role of permafrost in controlling groundwater flow and the hydrological connections between glaciers in high mountains and rivers in the low piedmont plain with respect to hydraulic head, temperature, geochemical and isotopic data, at a representative catchment in the headwater region of the Heihe River, northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results show that the groundwater in the high mountains mainly occurred as suprapermafrost groundwater, while in the moraine and fluvioglacial deposits on the planation surfaces of higher hills, suprapermafrost, intrapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater cooccurred. Glacier and snow meltwaters were transported from the high mountains to the plain through stream channels, slope surfaces, and supraand subpermafrost aquifers. Groundwater in the Quaternary aquifer in the piedmont plain was recharged by the lateral inflow from permafrost areas and the stream infiltration and was discharged as baseflow to the stream in the north. Groundwater maintained streamflow over the cold season and significantly contributed to the streamflow during the warm season. Two mechanisms were proposed to contribute to the seasonal variation of aquifer water-conduction capacity: (1) surface drainage through the stream channel during the warm period and (2) subsurface drainage to an artesian aquifer confined by stream icing and seasonal frost during the cold season.

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Hydrogeochemistry of groundwaters in and below the base of thick permafrost at Lupin, Nunavut, Canada

Cited by 63 publications

References 59 publications

Simulation of groundwater age evolution during the Wisconsinian glaciation over the Canadian landscape

Simulation of groundwater age evolution during the Wisconsinian glaciation over the Canadian landscape

Weichselian permafrost depth in the Netherlands: a comprehensive uncertainty and sensitivity analysis

Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater

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