Coastal Aquifers: Unraveling Subsurface Flows

About half of the world's population lives in coastal regions, heavily reliant on groundwater from coastal aquifers. However, these vital resources face increasing threats from seawater intrusion due to sea-level rise and over-pumping, compounded by the looming challenges of population growth and climate change. Understanding the mechanisms of groundwater flow, including flow rates and how saltwater flows, is essential for sustainable water management and accurate ocean elemental budget assessments.

Our research focuses on characterizing flow mechanisms in coastal aquifers, particularly examining the diverse timescales of seawater circulation. Driven by factors like waves, tides, seasonal changes, density, and temperature differences, these circulations exhibit varying spatial and temporal scales, leading to complex water-rock interactions. To fully assess the impact of coastal aquifers on ocean chemistry, we meticulously analyze the contribution of each contributing mechanism.