Groundwater flow dynamics in cold environments under a changing climate

气候变化下寒冷环境中的地下水流动态

• 批准号: RGPIN-2016-05939
• 负责人: Lemieux, JeanMichel
• 金额: $ 2.11万
• 依托单位: Université Laval
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=710069
• 关键词: Groundwater; flow; dynamics; cold; environments

Groundwater is an important source of freshwater for many Canadians. In northern environments, groundwater is scarce as it is mostly frozen within permafrost and cannot be readily used for water supply. As a consequence of climate change and associated increases in air temperatures, permafrost is thawing on a global scale. The consequence is that water is released and groundwater may become an important new resource as it is generally safer, more reliable and less expensive than surface water, which is the most common source of drinking water for communities in northern Canada. In southern Canada and elsewhere in the world, much of the existing groundwater resources were emplaced thousands of years ago in colder environments. Some of these waters originated from the melting of ice sheets that covered extensive parts of the northern hemisphere landscape about 21,000 years ago. In some locations like Estonia, groundwater of glacial origin is an important source of non-renewable freshwater. The sound and sustainable management of these resources requires a good scientific understanding of their origin and extent, as well as the driving forces acting on them. Numerical models are powerful tools that can be used for this purpose. In this research program, complex numerical models that enable predicting groundwater flow dynamics and availability in cold environments under a changing climate will be used and validated with field observations. The research will be conducted at two sites located in Nunavik (Umiujaq and Salluit) along with two other sites located in southern Québec and Estonia. The research will include field experiments and simulation of groundwater flow and temperature under past and future climate change scenarios at time scales ranging from 100 to 100,000 yrs. The research conducted in this program will provide fundamental knowledge about the nature and evolution of groundwater resources in northern environments. This will contribute to northern development by strengthening Canada's ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions as they affect groundwater resources. The research proposal also addresses key scientific questions pertaining to the fate of glacial meltwaters and rates of permafrost degradation in response to climate change.

地下水是许多加拿大人的重要淡水来源。在北方环境中，地下水是稀缺的，因为它大多被冻结在永久冻土中，不能随时用于供水。由于气候变化和与之相关的气温升高，永久冻土正在全球范围内融化。结果是水被释放出来，地下水可能成为一种重要的新资源，因为它通常比地表水更安全、更可靠、更便宜，地表水是加拿大北部社区最常见的饮用水来源。在加拿大南部和世界其他地方，大部分现有的地下水资源都是几千年前在较冷的环境中开采的。其中一些水源于大约21000年前覆盖北半球大片地区的冰盖融化。在爱沙尼亚等一些地方，冰川形成的地下水是不可再生淡水的重要来源。