Articles | Volume 25, issue 10
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5415-2021
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5415-2021
Research article
 | 
11 Oct 2021
Research article |  | 11 Oct 2021

Depth to water table correction for initial carbon-14 activities in groundwater mean residence time estimation

Dylan J. Irvine, Cameron Wood, Ian Cartwright, and Tanya Oliver

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Cited articles

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Carmi, I., Kronfeld, J., Yechieli, Y., Yakir, D., Boaretto, E., and Stiller, M.: Carbon isotopes in pore water of the unsaturated zone and their relevance for initial 14C activity in groundwater in the coastal aquifer of Israel, Chem. Geol. 268, 189–196, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chemgeo.2009.08.010, 2009. 
Cartwright, I. and Morgenstern, U.: Constraining groundwater recharge and the rate of geochemical processes using tritium and major ion geochemistry: Ovens catchment, southeast Australia, J. Hydrol., 475, 137–149, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.09.037, 2012. 
Cartwright, I., Weaver, T. R., Stone, D., and Reid, M.: Constraining modern and historical recharge from bore hydrographs, 3H, 14C, and chloride concentrations: Applications to dual-porosity aquifers in dryland salinity areas, Murray Basin, Australia, J. Hydrol., 332, 69–92, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2006.06.034, 2007. 
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Short summary
It is widely assumed that 14C is in contact with the atmosphere until recharging water reaches the water table. Unsaturated zone (UZ) studies have shown that 14C decreases with depth below the land surface. We produce a relationship between UZ 14C and depth to the water table to estimate input 14C activities for groundwater age estimation. Application of the new relationship shows that it is important for UZ processes to be considered in groundwater mean residence time estimation.