Spatial and Temporal Hydrodynamic Variations of Flow in the Karst Vadose Zone (Rustrel, France) in Function of Depth and Fracturing Density
Résumé
The hydrodynamical response at 45 flow points in the gallery of the Low Noise Underground Laboratory—carbonate aquifer (Rustrel, southern France) was monitored in order to determine the relationship between the hydrodynamical functioning of each flow component—slow, intermediate and quick, the depth and the fracturing density. Analysis of the relationship between the distribution of each flow component in function of depth and fracturing density in the karst vadose zone revealed the importance of (1) the variation of flow activation conditions with the depth, (2) the evolution of the flow component distribution with the depth and the fracturing density, and (3) the variability of the vadose zone role in supplying baseflow discharge, in function of carbonate thickness and fracturing state of the study area.