US-Benin Cooperative Research: Groundwater Characterization In Central Benin Using Element Analysis

0138238 Silliman该奖项支持圣母大学土木工程和地质科学系Stephen Silliman教授与贝宁国立大学科学与技术学院Moussa Boukari教授之间为期三年的合作研究项目。 调查人员将对贝宁中部/北方的地下水水文进行研究。贝宁的水文地质可分为三个地区：南部、中部/北方和东北部。 中部/北方区域主要由断裂的结晶岩组成，水位通常大于40米。 Silliman和Boukari教授将从中部/北方地区的各个地点收集地下水、降水和主岩样本。 一套精密的分析技术（ICP-MS和ICP-OES）将用于进行地球化学分析，以确定：（1）地下水中的化学特征是否可用于区分影响补给质量的大气来源和地质相互作用，（2）在该地下水系统中是否观察到人为特征，（3）高精度元素分析在地下水表征中的应用。该项目结合了Silliman教授在地下水系统特征和统计分析领域的专门知识以及Boukari教授对贝宁水文地质学的深入了解和历史研究。两位研究人员都有丰富的实地研究经验。通过本项目，研究人员希望在识别强迫函数方面更好地了解地下水地球化学测量的实用性。 这些资料对包括地质学家和水文及环境研究人员在内的广大科学家都很有价值。 它还将使人们更深入地了解西非非沿海地区的发展潜力，以及发展中世界这一地区目前对供水的化学威胁。 这些结果也有望应用于改进钻井和水力压裂技术。 该项目将包括一名美国研究生的参与，他将获得在发展中国家进行实地研究的经验，国际科学和工程处和地球科学处正联合为该项目提供支助。

0138238SillimanThis award supports a three-year collaborative research project between Professor Stephen Silliman, with the Department of Civil Engineering and Geological Sciences at the University of Notre Dame, and Professor Moussa Boukari, with the Faculty des Sciences et Techniques at the Universite Nationale du Benin. The investigators will conduct a study of the groundwater hydrology of central/northern Benin.Hydrogeologically Benin can be subdivided into three regions: southern, central/northern, and northeastern. The central/northern region consists primarily of fractured crystalline rock with water levels regularly being greater than 40 meters. Professors Silliman and Boukari will collect samples of groundwater, precipitation, and host rock from various sites in the central/northern area. A set of sophisticated analytical techniques (ICP-MS and ICP-OES) will be used to conduct geochemical analyses to determine: (1) if chemical signatures in the groundwater can be used to differentiate atmospheric sources and geologic interactions influencing the quality of recharge, (2) whether anthropogenic signatures are observed in this groundwater system, and (3) the utility of high-precision element analysis for groundwater characterization. This project combines Professor Silliman's expertise in the areas of characterization of groundwater systems and statistical analysis with Professor Boukari's intimate knowledge of, and historical research regarding, the hydrogeology of Benin. Both investigators have extensive experience performing field studies.Through this project the investigators expect to achieve a greater understanding about the utility of groundwater geochemical measurements in terms of identification of forcing functions. Such information will be valuable to a broad spectrum of scientists, including geologists and hydrological and environmental researchers. It will also provide increased insight into the potential for development of non-coastal, western Africa, and the current chemical threats to water supplies in this area of the developing world. The results are also expected to have applications to improved drilling and hydrofracing techniques. The project will include the participation of a US graduate student, who will gain experience in conducting field research in a developing country.The Office of International Science and Engineering and the Division of Earth Sciences are jointly providing support for this project.