Equipment: EA: Acquisition of Electrical Resistivity Instrumentation to Elucidate Hydrologic Processes in the Critical Zone

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Abstract

Water in the ground is an important resource that humans rely on but it is hard to measure. Geophysical measurements, like electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), provides a way to understand differences in things like how much water is in the soil and rock without having to dig or drill holes in the ground which can be destructive and expensive. We propose to obtain a new ERT unit to measure how moisture in the ground is impacted by changes in land cover and geology. We plan to train undergraduate and graduate students in at least two field courses using this new equipment. Our goal is to provide students with skills that prepare them for the workforce. Non-destructive imaging of subsurface properties through ERT provides a means of scaling point measurements of subsurface moisture across larger spatial and temporal domains. Mapping moisture dynamics in 2-3D allows us to address ecohydrologic questions at the heart of the National Academy of Science’s Earth and Time report, such as: What influences the spatial patterns of land cover change such as woody encroachment, species establishment, and ecosystem productivity? How will changing water resources and vegetation dynamics interact in a warming climate? How do vegetation and hydrological interactions impact carbon and nutrient turnover and transport? The acquisition of more ERT equipment will help to expand the number of studies that can integrate larger spatial domains, allowing us to address these questions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.