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The U-isotopes modeling in aquifers from Poços de Caldas plateau, Brazil

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Environmental Geology

Abstract

U-modeled groundwater residence times were estimated by changes in 234U/238U activity ratio (AR) and U content of groundwaters from Poços de Caldas city situated at the Poços de Caldas alkaline massif, Brazil. The estimated ages are more realistic than others generated by the use of hydraulic conductivity data and available information about the weathering rate of rocks in the plateau. The 234U/238U AR and reciprocal of the dissolved U-content data also defined a ternary plot that allowed the calculation of the relative volume of three source waters for the mixed water. Such U-isotopes modeling for mixing calculations indicated that the dominant phase (68%) in the mixture is thermal.

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Acknowledgements

The author thanks CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development) and FAPESP (Foundation for Supporting Research at the State of São Paulo), Brazil, for financial support of this investigation. Dr. Jan Dowgiallo is thanked for helpful comments that improved the readability of the manuscript.

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  1. Instituto de Geociências e Ciências Exatas (IGCE), Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Av. 24-A, No. 1515, C.P. 178, 13506-900, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil

    D. M. Bonotto

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Bonotto, D.M. The U-isotopes modeling in aquifers from Poços de Caldas plateau, Brazil. Environ Geol 48, 507–523 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00254-005-1301-7

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