An eighteen-sensor VTP has been developed to measure groundwater fluxes across the ground surface. The thermistor technology employed in this new instrument eliminates the need for copper wires connecting the sensors to the data logger, optimizing ease of fabrication and allowing for very small sensor spacing near the ground surface to enhance the resolution of vertical fluid fluxes. The vertical distribution of the thermistors is optimized to provide the high spatial resolution needed to exploit state-of-the-art analytical methods and to resolve groundwater flux variations in time. Additionally, this instrument is inexpensive to manufacture, enabling users to afford and deploy many probes, thus improving spatial data collection, particularly in large areas.
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Background: Commercial industries have adopted Vertical Temperature Profilers (VTPs) to measure groundwater flux based on vertically offset temperature time-series data. Recent methodological developments have made this a powerful method for quantifying fluid exchange, and temperature data are much simpler and more robust to acquire compared to competing technologies. However, existing VTP technology in the commercial market lacks the resolution and sensor distribution to allow accurate groundwater flux estimates using state-of-the-art methodologies. The evolution of thermistor and data logging technology has allowed for the development of VTPs to facilitate highly accurate groundwater flux estimates at a low per-unit cost, providing new opportunities for high-resolution and spatially comprehensive monitoring.
TRL: 7