Radiocarbon Variability in Groundwater in an Extremely Arid Zone—The Arava Valley, Israel

Dados Bibliográficos

ID9242519
AutoresAvihu Burg, Michael Zilberbrand (0000-0001-6230-2977), Yoseph Yechieli
Ano2013
Volume55
Fascículo2
Páginas963-978
Data de publicação2013-01-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoRadiocarbon (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0033-8222 • E-ISSN: 1945-5755
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0033822200058112
OpenAlexW2052214375
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas25

Radiocarbon values of groundwater in main aquifers of the extremely arid Negev Desert and the Arava Valley, southern Israel, are used for studying the underground flow regime, particularly the complex connections between different aquifers and mixing of water bodies. The study shows that 14 C can serve as a hydrological tracer in arid environments and that groundwater dating may be possible (although not very accurate) even in this extremely arid environment (precipitation, 14 C values (usually 26,000 yr). Groundwater in the shallow aquifers characterized by higher 14 C values (up to 60–70 pMC) imply younger ages and faster groundwater flow (recent recharge). This is also supported by the presence of tritium in some of the samples. A few exceptional values are explained by the unique mixing of water from different sources; another is due to a technical failure in the well

Aquifer · Arid · Earth science · Geochemistry · Groundwater · Groundwater flow · Groundwater recharge · Radiocarbon dating · Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry · Groundwater flow and contamination studies · Karst Systems and Hydrogeology · Geology · Paleontology