Quick
Search: 		  
advanced search
 GSW Home   GeoRef Home   My GSW Alerts   Contact GSW   About GSW   Journals List   Help 
  Environmental and Engineering Geoscience   Signup for GSW Email News
JOURNAL HOME HELP CONTACT PUBLISHER SUBSCRIBE ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Environmental and Engineering Geoscience; August 2003; v. 9; no. 3; p. 253-266; DOI: 10.2113/9.3.253
© 2003 Association of Engineering Geologists
This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (1)
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Doser, D. I.
Right arrow Articles by Tate, F.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
GeoRef
Right arrow GeoRef Citation

Seasonal Variations in Geophysical Surveys of Alluvial Sediments Near the Rio Grande, West Texas

Diane I. Doser1, Richard P. Langford1, Mark R. Baker2, Galen M. Kaip1 and Frank Tate3

1 Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968
2 Geomedia Research and Development, 6040 S. Strahan, El Paso, TX 79932
3 Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, TX 79968

We have used geophysical techniques (seismic refraction, DC resistivity, conductivity, spectral analysis of surface waves) to examine the ability of these surveys to determine grain size/stratigraphy variations in alluvial sediments along a two-dimensional profile near the Rio Grande in west Texas. We also examined the variation in survey results through time and found that there were large temporal variations in the geophysical properties of the sediments due to changes in water table depth, soil salinity, and moisture content. Geological information from boreholes has helped us to separate these seasonal effects from stratigraphic and grain size variations. Our goal was to determine which geophysical techniques would work best for determining geologic variations, regardless of the season of the investigation. Our results show that temporal changes in soil moisture and soil salinity caused up to 25% variations in shear/compressional velocities of seismic waves and up to 50% variations in conductivity/resistivity values. It was difficult to compare measurements from different geophysical surveys unless they were conducted at nearly the same time. A combination of resistivity with the spectral analysis of surface waves technique appears to be the fastest, most reliable, joint technique to determine geological, soil moisture and salinity variations.

Key Words: Geophysical Surveys • Alluvial Fill • Geophysical Properties






JOURNAL HOME HELP CONTACT PUBLISHER SUBSCRIBE ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2008 by Association of Engineering Geologists