Preliminary analysis of the determining factors of karst springs temperature in Andalusia
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55407/geogaceta102295Keywords:
water temperature, karstic springs, thermal budgetAbstract
Water temperature in 40 springs that drain the most important karst massifs in Andalusia is between 9.8 and 27.5 °C; nevertheless, 75% of flow drained by these aquifers has a temperature from 12 to 18 °C. Water temperature is similar to the mean environmental temperature (lapse rate of -0.49 °C/100m), although there are small differences, often in the range of ± 3 °C. It is observed that springs located at higher elevations have colder waters than the environmental average, while springs that are at lower elevations, have waters relatively warmer. These variations would be related to the control exerted by different variables, such as geology, climate, the degree of karstification of materials and the rate of recharge, on the temperature of groundwater. Likewise, a preliminary thermal budget has been established, which considers the main sources of heat in the water and highlights the importance of air flow in heat transport in the vadose zone.
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