Integrated geophysical methods for imaging saline karst aquifers. A case study of Stylos, Chania, Greece

Hamdan Hamdan*, George Kritikakis, Nikos Andronikidis, Nikos Economou, Emmanouil Manoutsoglou and Antonis Vafidis

Technical University of Crete, Department of Mineral Recourses Engineering, Chania, 73100, Greece

(*hamdan@mred.tuc.gr)

(Received 03 October 2009; accepted 12 January 2010)


Abstract:  Geophysical methods are useful for mapping the boundary between fresh and saline water in coastal areas. However, the existence of karstic formations increases the uncertainty on geophysical sections and complicates the interpretation of geophysical data. In this paper, a systematic geophysical methodology for imaging saline water intrusion, in complex geological structure is being presented. We applied three methods for the inversion of resistivity data, as well as multi array data joint inversion and time lapse tomography. For the interpretation of the geophysical data we combined seismic velocity and resistivity sections. This integrated geophysical survey revealed saline water zones in the investigated area and verified that a major normal NE-SW fault zone is mainly responsible for the groundwater salinization in the Stylos area.